I read below all the strong objections to the Savage muzzleloader and in- lines in general. I have been shooting black powder for almost thirty years now and never fired an inline or even a sabot before. I got a Savage and an assortment of bullets and sabots to play with and went shooting. Spent a whole day playing and here is what I found; It shoots good with a variety of loads but I can't see where it is other than the luxury of a non-corrosive propellant much of an advantage over an ordinary 50 or 54 Hawken.
Iron sights are the limiting factor, in Colorado we can't use scopes so what's the big deal about it being an unfair advantage. Will you have idiots who take long shots, of course we have them right now with Ultra mag whatevers with 6-20 power scopes. I have more of a gripe with bow hunters, guiding elk hunters we see elk killed every year that have broadheads encapsulated in a gristle like material in various non lethal areas from years past. Our bow hunters generally non fatally stick one for every one they kill. I have seen a couple kills with traditional rifles that had a delayed fire and so a poor hit too. If you are going to shoot something that is alive shoot it in such a way and with the proper weapon so that it is killed as quickly as possible. I am not afraid of inlines or even smokeless powder as long as it results in less wounded lost game.
Mike C
