What the hell have I gotten myself into?
I blame Mark Keefe. Yeah, that Mark Keefe, the one who’s the Editorial Director for NRA Publications. He knows everybody in the industry and is respected by everybody in the industry.
When I first met him it was about 25 years ago when he had a lower position within NRA Publications and only knew half the industry…who, of course, all respected him.
Back then I was pretty sure I knew everything, and I had some astute observations on muzzleloading that I shared with Mark, most of which were about muzzleloading being the most boring form of shooting known to man. And probably something about paint drying being more interesting.
I was an expert, you see.
Well, and this comes as shock as much to me as it does to you, apparently I do not know everything, particularly on the subject of muzzleloading.
My opinion on shooting a smokepole turned a full 180-degrees during a conversation with Mark while visiting NRA HQ. At the time I was working for the late Chip Rosse at his ad agency, and we were visiting to tour and meet face-to-face with our editorial contacts.
During lunch I gifted Mark with my sage insights and disdain for the slow, plodding, time suck of muzzleloading.
Without missing a beat, and more importantly without calling me stupid, Mark explained how I was looking at muzzleloading from entirely the wrong perspective. He shared how in college, with a single $20 bill, he could spend the better part of a day on the range shooting a muzzleloader.
He went on to outline how shooting slow forces you to focus more on the process, on your mechanics, and thus better understand the art of shooting. And improve your overall shooting skills.
By comparison, that same $20 would disappear in just a matter of moments when shooting a semi-auto pistol, thanks to that Ricky Bobby urge to go fast.
In that exact moment I went from looking down on muzzleloading to appreciating what it had to offer the shooter and the shooting sports. Mark made one of the best, most logical arguments for muzzleloading outside of hunting the early season that I have ever heard.
From that point on I’ve always thought of muzzleloading as an important shooting activity. Sure, it’s slow compared to other shooting activities but in its slowness comes many benefits, not the least of which is enjoying your time on the range.
The funniest thing is that I actually owned a muzzleloader, a Remington 700ML. It was on clearance at the Gander Mountain where I was working at the time, so I grabbed it.
I even shot it a few times, then promptly lost the nipple, which took me out of commission. That and the fact I didn’t have a range nearby where I could shoot.
But while my muzzleloader remained bagged up and set aside, my interest in this particular segment of the shooting industry never went away. And Mark’s take on the sport always stuck with me, despite me not being an active participant.
That non-active participant thing is about to change.
A couple months ago Burris reached out to outdoor and shooting writers and was giving media types one of their Fullfield line of riflescopes. There are six models in the line with some models having up to three reticle options. They range in MSRP from $192 up to $600. And I was being offered one.
At first, I didn’t see the need to waste Burris’ time or riflescope since I didn’t have any immediate need—or use—for a Fullfield scope. Then I remembered that conversation with Mark, and suddenly, if I could get a new modern muzzleloader, some bullets, powder and primers, not to mention all those accessories one needs for muzzleloading, I could do a feature or two on why shooting a muzzleloader is a lot more fun than you might think.
My plan was also to take all the credit for this reevaluation and advocacy for black powder rifles. I’d outline why they shouldn’t be just a passing thought, or an early hunting season purchase, but a primary addition to any shooter’s collection, and do so while never mentioning Mark Keefe’s 25-years-old wisdom.
Obviously I’m not the best at following plans, especially plans that resemble those of criminal masterminds from some animated Pixar movie.
So, here I am, heeding Mark’s advice, taking his words to heart, and embracing the muzzleloader, not just as a throwback to the old, old days of Redcoats, mountain men, and the U.S. Civil War, but as a firearm of today taking its rightful place within the modern shooting sports.
More to come…
— Paul Erhardt, Managing Editor, the Outdoor Wire Digital Network
