Friendship

[Boz330]

Anybody go to Friendship this week?
I usually try to go for at least 1 day during both the spring and fall shoot and the last couple years it seems that there are fewer vendors and participants each time. I can remember back in the 70s when every single booth in vendors row would have somebody in it pedaling something ML related. I think that Wed there were maybe 1/3 of the possible booths open. It was no problem at all finding a parking space and they don't charge admission if you park in their parking area. Even the admission has gone down for those that do have to pay. Not many young folks there either, mostly grey beards like myself. It seems to be a real shame. That was a happening place back in the 70s and 80s and you could find just about anything your heart desired or pocket could afford.
I used to really enjoy going through Gun Makers Hall and admiring the skills on display there, now there are more empty spaces than rifles.
Oh well I guess that nothing lasts forever, just seems to be a real shame though.


Bob

[JeffinNZ]

My friend Keith from Alabama went up as he does each time. Sent me photos of a rig with a flintlock lock wired up to a photo cell etc to measure the speed. Very cool rig. They found that a freshly knapped flint was slower on the first strike than on all following.

[badgeredd]

Don't you have to wonder if the advent of the inline muzzle loaders have diminished the popularity of the cap.ball types and the flinters?

Perhaps the muzzle-loading community needs to lobby for a traditional muzzle-loader only season. I'm not sure how I feel about the Knights and clones, but I do know that the in-lines have added to the shooting community. I just can't decide if that's a good thing. It seems to me that when "technology" advances a sport, the quality of that sport is diminished. Probably I'm mistaking, but it is my perception. If you think about it, it seems that the so-called advancements have taken a lot of the charm and work out of the BP hunting community. Our "fast food" "convenient" "throw-away" society doesn't want to be bothered with the work involved with building, maintaining, cleaning, and shooting the old time type muzzle-loading guns. NOT to say this group is among that group, but is it possible that we have gotten lazy to a point that it is even effecting the muzzle loader shooting community?

To be fair, I have an in-line. I bought it because of the ability to mount a scope easily because my eyes just didn't do well with the traditional open sights. Now that I have mounted a tang sight on my Tryon, I just couldn't bring myself to scope the old girl. I'll likely sell the in-line because I no longer need it's scoped convenience. Then again I may keep it in case I find I can't see the peeps well enough to continue to hunt with them.

Just some thoughts...

Edd

[TCLouis]

I don't think in in-lines have affected shooters that attend Friendship.

NMLRA even has/had a match for in-lines and around here it was poorly attended.

In-line seem to appeal to those that are not willing to work with the issues that can occur with Muzzleloaders and those that want to extend their time in the woods during the fall.

Unfortunately many oy of the outdoor sports are becoming populated with us graybeards while the mall-rat generation sit at home text messaging .

[mooman76]

I don't think the inlines have hurt the sport any at all and if anything may have increased it some. I figure if they went the way of the inline and that's all they have, they didn't really care about the sport and it's origin anyway. I too admit to having an inline. I rarely shoot it and bought it on sale cheap. I don't really care for it and would probably like the newer ones by design better but still don't desire to get another one. I'm not trying to knock the guys that have them, just saying it isn't for me.

[piwo]

There's only so many days a conservation commission will set aside for hunting. Given that the primary reason for such season is game management / population control, I've got a feeling that most states that already have a muzzleloader season wouldn't further refine it. Some might, but I know here in MO the goal is game management. 3 months archery, 11 days modern firearm, 11 days muzzleloader, 9 days antlerless only, a youth season. Be an expense to the state for probably a very small turnout. And I hunt with my muzzleloader here during all the firearm seasons since it's perfectly legal to do so. Some states probably not so generous, and if yours isn't , by all means lobby hard for the season!

Blame it on global warming why Friendship is down: :kidding: So freaking hot and humid, just a miserable time of year.

[Boz330]

Well actually the biggest problem in the June meet is typically rain and lots of it. It is usually hotter at the Sep meet but no rain.

Bob