Pedersoli cancels sponsorship

[Bazoo]

I don't have any idea who Toby Bridges is.

[brewer12345]

This is nothing against you brewer, I just think its odd that percussion caps existed alongside sidelock, inline, and under hammer designs. Who knows what else, there were all kinds of funky designs in the 1800's. Yet only the popular sidelock is considered traditional, even with a laughably short lifespan.

No worries. All of these historical designs are just more things to fool with, as far as I am concerned.

The stainless steel, plastic stocked, percussion cap .54 I hunted with this year is almost as far from a traditional muzzleloader as an inline is. Machts nicht. It killed the doe just fine, introduced me to the pleasure of a round ball hunt, and has me interested in a flinter.

[megasupermagnum]

No worries. All of these historical designs are just more things to fool with, as far as I am concerned.

The stainless steel, plastic stocked, percussion cap .54 I hunted with this year is almost as far from a traditional muzzleloader as an inline is. Machts nicht. It killed the doe just fine, introduced me to the pleasure of a round ball hunt, and has me interested in a flinter.

Same with me, I just bought my first flintlock. It's all about traditional hunting and shooting, even if the rifle is not completely of a specific traditional design in all aspects. The only true hawken rifles were the originals. Every imitation since had some difference. They are all muzzleloading arms, every component 100% under the control of the shooter, and throw smoke, flame, and lead out the end with a low pitched boom. Even the plastic stocked, inline ignition, removable breech plug, fast twist barrel designs.

I also forgot another peculiarity with muzzleloaders, rifle scopes. Again, there are a number who claim to be the first, but many sources state 1835 for the rifle scope being invented. Lets not forget the telescope itself dates back to 1608. So the rifle scope is not traditional, but the percussion cap, also first appearing in the 1830's is?

[brewer12345]

Funny you mentioned the low pitched boom. The property I was hunting is 3 miles of river bottom mostly used by duck hunters. I could easily tell the difference between a duck hunter shooting with a 12 gauge and a fellow muzzleloader hunter firing his rifle.

[megasupermagnum]

Funny you mentioned the low pitched boom. The property I was hunting is 3 miles of river bottom mostly used by duck hunters. I could easily tell the difference between a duck hunter shooting with a 12 gauge and a fellow muzzleloader hunter firing his rifle.

Yes, I love it. It's like putting a period on the end of a hunt. BOOM, then all smiles.

[indian joe]

Pedersoli gets an attaboy from me.

from me too!!!

[Fly]

I hope the young hunter of today carry on traditional hunting when we a dead & gone.

Fly

[fifty four]

I don't have any idea who Toby Bridges is.

He was some guy that Pedersoli booted 13 years ago.

[longbow]

I once read a lengthy article by Toby Bridges comparing a traditional patched ball gun with a gun shooting conicals and his conclusion was that round ball guns are inferior weapons and barely adequate for hunting big game. Round ball ballistic inefficiency, shedding velocity, low energey... all that stuff. He had nothing good to say about traditional muzzleloaders at all.

Same argument could be used for any gun leading to the fact that unless you are using the biggest most powerful gun shooting the most ballistically efficient bullets available and all topped with the biggest scope made you shouldn't be hunting.

I mean really is a .30-30 adequate to hunt deer when .308 is available? Is a .308 adequate when a .30-06 is available? And wait what about the .300 Winchester? On that basis every hunter should be carrying a gun loaded with .50 BMG!

What happened to hunting within the limits of the weapon? Better to shoot a deer at 50 yards with an open sighted round ball gun that at 500 or 600 yards with a scoped 7mm mag. in my opinion.

Many of the modern hunters I know couldn't hit a deer at 200 yards with a scoped 7mm much less at 500 yards so where does that leave us?

And wait... bowhunting should be totally banned because how on earth could a pointy stick with almost no energy possible kill an animal?

Yeah, I know preaching to the converted here but that is the kind of argument Mr. Bridges was using. If it wasn't his way you shouldn't be doing it.

Longbow

[megasupermagnum]

I once read a lengthy article by Toby Bridges comparing a traditional patched ball gun with a gun shooting conicals and his conclusion was that round ball guns are inferior weapons and barely adequate for hunting big game. Round ball ballistic inefficiency, shedding velocity, low energey... all that stuff. He had nothing good to say about traditional muzzleloaders at all.

Same argument could be used for any gun leading to the fact that unless you are using the biggest most powerful gun shooting the most ballistically efficient bullets available and all topped with the biggest scope made you shouldn't be hunting.

I mean really is a .30-30 adequate to hunt deer when .308 is available? Is a .308 adequate when a .30-06 is available? And wait what about the .300 Winchester? On that basis every hunter should be carrying a gun loaded with .50 BMG!

What happened to hunting within the limits of the weapon? Better to shoot a deer at 50 yards with an open sighted round ball gun that at 500 or 600 yards with a scoped 7mm mag. in my opinion.

Many of the modern hunters I know couldn't hit a deer at 200 yards with a scoped 7mm much less at 500 yards so where does that leave us?

And wait... bowhunting should be totally banned because how on earth could a pointy stick with almost no energy possible kill an animal?

Yeah, I know preaching to the converted here but that is the kind of argument Mr. Bridges was using. If it wasn't his way you shouldn't be doing it.

Longbow

There are a whole pile of modern bowhunters that hate traditional muzzleloaders. I don't know what it is in their head that a stick, string, and arrow is a perfectly lethal combo, but a round ball gets a "we have enough wounded deer". Don't even get them started on flintlocks. It's obviously not all bow hunters, but far too common for comfort. I've never met one who wasn't shooting a compound with fancy sights, and states draw weight even without asking though.

[Fly]

There are a whole pile of modern bowhunters that hate traditional muzzleloaders. I don't know what it is in their head that a stick, string, and arrow is a perfectly lethal combo, but a round ball gets a "we have enough wounded deer". Don't even get them started on flintlocks. It's obviously not all bow hunters, but far too common for comfort. I've never met one who wasn't shooting a compound with fancy sights, and states draw weight even without asking though.

At least most our kills are humane. How many deer bow shot, are never found? A buddy of mine shot a deer in gun season with a arrow sticking threw
it,s neck. No telling how long it had been since it was shot?

Fly

[longbow]

I have nothing against bowhunting but same rules apply ~ you have to hunt within the limits of the weapon you are using and of course your own limits/abilities!

I took the International Bowhunter Education program a few years ago and the instructor stressed that no-one, no matter how good a shot they are and how powerful a bow they are using, should be shooting at an animal at more than 40 meters. I wonder how many modern bowhunters with compounds, trigger releases, sights, stabilizers and whatever else they can screw onto a bow follow that rule? Not many I suspect from seeing target placement at 3D shoots!

For the record I shoot a yew stick or other wood bow. I like to keep things simple and work within the limits... both the equipment's limits and mine!

Longbow

[longcruise]

Yeah, I know preaching to the converted here but that is the kind of argument Mr. Bridges was using. If it wasn't his way you shouldn't be doing it.

Longbow

Bridges was a paid sponsor for several ml companies. I think he was with savage and got wind that they were going to dump him or maybe already had dumped him and somehow he managed to blow up one of those Savage rifles that used modern powder. Quite a few people including the Savage folks thought he had done it on purpose. My memory is hazy but I did find this https://www.huntingnet.com/forum/bla...part-ways.html

I don't know if his parting with pedersoli came before or after the incident. I got somewhat acquainted with Dick Trenk who was the Pedersoli North American rep and he was a super straight guy. Nothing like Bridges. Pedersoli went out of their way to associate with top notch people and Bridges probably didn't fit the bill! Trenk has passed away some five or so years ago.

[megasupermagnum]

Well I'd sure how a guy who calls himself longbow has nothing against bowhunting.

I don't have anything against bowhunting either, I just never enjoyed shooting bow all that much. I've toyed with the idea of bowhunting to get the longer season, but given the choice, I much rather prefer shooting a firearm. I go in cycles. Mostly shotgun, muzzleloader, or handgun. I never did find rifles that much fun. Now if we got expanded to a 3 deer limit, I would take a hard look at it. Especially if I got the Bear takedown recurve.

[longbow]

I am a traditionalist at heart and like making and shooting my wood bows and arrows but I also wouldn't mind getting an Excalibur crossbow which is far from traditional. I've always liked traditional styled muzzloaders too but I only have one right now as there is little muzzleloader shooting locally. I've also been fascinated (more like obsessed) with shotgun slugs for decades as well. Maybe some of the shotgun slug fascination is carryover from large bore muzzleloaders (I do like big 'ol round balls!).

None of the above fall into Mr. Bridges area of approval at all! Too bad! Each within its practical limits is quite capable of harvesting big game animals and all are fun to shoot. None are capable of 500 yard shots at big game animals (well, some muzzleloaders are with conicals) but I can live with that and don't begrudge those that want to use something different unlike MR. Bridges who has his opinion and agenda and anything different is just not acceptable it seems.

Longbow

[trebor44]

Nothing to add that hasn't already been said. I like Pedersoli products, may not be the cheapest but they do have quality. If you never have been to their site (https://www.davide-pedersoli.com/, go! There is a lot of info to peruse. Make sure you select the Union Jack for English. I was amazed at the BP tradition in Europe and how current it is.

[longcruise]

I started with muzzleloaders because there is less competition for tags in the draw. Now that I have had lots of fun playing with them and harvested a doe with round ball in a cap lock, I could see getting a flinter and going ever more old school for deer. It's too much fun.

My state allows in lines, but no sabots or scopes. The latter will eventually be an issue for me, but until then I think it means that the in line hunters basically have no real advantage over side lock hunters.

Hey Brewer, I'm thinking about taking the rear sight off one of my guns and practicing shooting with just a basic and low front sight. With practice it should be pretty effective at least out to 50 yards.

[varsity07840]

I remember back in the '80s when Bridges started writing articles about shooting antelope with his TC Hawken with a Green Mountain barrel and long eye relief scope. His advocacy of the scope caught a lot of flack. When Dixie Gunworks' Black Powder Annual put him on the cover of an issue with that rife, they airbrushed the scope out of the photo.

[jjarrell]

Bridges was a paid sponsor for several ml companies. I think he was with savage and got wind that they were going to dump him or maybe already had dumped him and somehow he managed to blow up one of those Savage rifles that used modern powder. Quite a few people including the Savage folks thought he had done it on purpose. My memory is hazy but I did find this https://www.huntingnet.com/forum/bla...part-ways.html

I don't know if his parting with pedersoli came before or after the incident. I got somewhat acquainted with Dick Trenk who was the Pedersoli North American rep and he was a super straight guy. Nothing like Bridges. Pedersoli went out of their way to associate with top notch people and Bridges probably didn't fit the bill! Trenk has passed away some five or so years ago.

This ain’t the first time Ol’ Tobe has got his a$$ in a tight spot. Along with the Savage “accident”, he got in trouble with DNR for killing wolves a few years back as well. https://www.greatfallstribune.com/st...book/15910397/

[hylander]

Good for Pedersoli.
I am in total agreement.
Most hunters (not all) that hunt with inlines do so only to take advantage of
getting another season. They do not care for the Muzzleoading sport or muzzleloading in general, just getting that extra hunt.