Stupid BP Comments At The Shooting Range

[oldwolf]

I’m tired of the stupid comments I sometimes get when at the shooting range with my BP rifle or pistol like:

“Boy, I sure wouldn’t want to get in fight with one of those!”

“Man, you can hit the target with that thing!”

“I prefer modern handguns in .45 caliber.”

“Hey, you shot X times in Y minutes, your doing good! (Snicker, Snicker)”

I do realize that most of the comments are a result of a lack of appreciation and knowledge of BP guns, but hearing them still irk me at times.

What are some of the comments that you hear?

 

[RickD]

I mostly get complaints on the smoke and smell,most know me at the range and are use to my black powder rifles..

 

[Packdog]

I had one of those comments this weekend. "Boy, I sure would hate to be fighting the indians with that thing". I have also heard a few I like to hear..........
Wow, that thing goes off everytime?
I can't believe you can hit the bull without a scope?

Ken

 

[Trench]

I'll get a lot of looks when I show up with my flinters. I've had comments on the smell. Nothing negative or irritating yet. However, every time I offer someone a chance to try a flinter they seem scared of it. I usually get a quick, "No way man. That's okay." I think all that fire scares people. :grin:

 

[Johnny Tremain]

I quit going to ranges years ago. Got real tired of the know-it-alls.

Have two friends with ranges on thier properties.
Nice and quiet.

 

[GreyWhiskers]

I don't remember hearing the negative comments. Usually people are amazed that BP firearms are so reliable and accurate. In fact Saturday a friend and I were doing some informal shooting at the range and a Fish and Game Warden was watching. He used to be a sniper with the Sheriffs Dept. It was his first close-up with BP and was really interested. He asked intelligent questions like, "Does your first shot out of a cold barrel differ in POI." He fired a few shots and was talking about getting one. :thumbsup: GW

 

[graybeard]

Do most of my shooting at my muzzleloader club range. We make fun of any member who shows up with a cartridge firearm. "Do those things really go off every time?" "How do you tell there's the right amound of powder in there?" etc.
graybeard

 

[rja72]

The range I belong to has a good amount of BP shooters. We have a BP shoot once per month April - Octomber.

I have not heard any comment like the ones above. maybe because everyone have been exposed to BP.

 

[George Holton]

My best one was my God1 you hit the bull with that{a 50 cal flint pistol} Why can't I hit with this? a ruger red tail or some such. love it. so I taught him how to shoot his modern , it was kind of fun. but shooting someone els's ammo usually is. Bob

 

[ryoung14]

My experience has been generally positive. After temporarily reducing visibility at the range to a few feet, I've apologized to other shooters and heard, "No problem, man, keep it up. We love that smell!". This happened more than once.

Once I encountered my dentist at the range. He was on a perpetual quest for sub MOA groups from his .308. He'd never shot a muzzleloader so I loaded a ball in my .54 GPR and offered him the shot. At 100 yards, the shot was one ball radius from being perfectly centered. You could hear his jaw hit the bench when he looked through his spotting scope. "I had no idea they could shoot like that...", he said. That shot actually surprised me a bit too.
Bob

 

[fluggies4]

Our range is strictly for muzzleloading, with a few members playing around with their black powder cartridge guns. However, one of the local modern-type gun clubs once challenged us to a match at a nearby military range. It was a cold, very damp day in early April, snow flurries in the air, and quite windy. All targets were offhand, and at distances from 50 to 200 yards...all metallic silouettes.
I was getting ready to fire at a turkey silouette on the 125 yard line. I had a .54 GRRW fullstock and was shooting 90gr.of FF. Several guys from the "other" side with their modern target rifles were clustered behind me snickering. I heard one of them say "watch THIS guy!".
OK..."BOOM"...."CLANG"....dead turkey!
No more comments from the cartridge crew!
As I recall, we took top score for the day.

 

[sparsons]

Like some of the other guys I have never really had anyone make smart remarks. Most if not all were favorable. Couple guys mentions they had tried muzzleloading in the past but could not get the hang of it. I generally say if you can hit a target with a little 22 you certainly can hit it with this big ole .50. Most of them are curious and like to watch then smile. Maybe they are afraid if they make me mad I might shoot them. :rotf:

 

[spitpatch]

In the hot weather they love me when the bugs are out. I shoot bugs gone.

 

[rabjr]

Actually when I go to my club I'm usually greeted with curiosity and many questions (good kind). The last time I had some high power military rifle guys stop shooting at 200 yard targets to watch me load and fire, they even spotted for me lol. They were so amazed at what was going on. :thumbsup:

 

[scott024]

like someones said in an earlier post, most people at the range seem to be afraid of the flintlock, which makes it fun when my better half gets behind hers and proceeds to punch 8's at 50 yards.

 

[ol vern]

I allways offer to let them have a shot with a
"real" firearm. Most takers can't beleve how fast a well tuned flintlock is.

Think of it as missionary work among the savages
have made a few converts that way :thumbsup:

 

[Bob Gular]

Yesterday at the range one guy told me it was too much work, I told him he didn't know the difference between work and fun. Then this other pilgrim comments that it was way too slow to suit him. Told him to check with his wife to confirm that some things are better when they take a little time. :wink:

 

[nw_hunter]

I live in the Pacific NW (Oregon) and I have hundreds of ranges to choose from :wink: We have lots of BLM and National Forest land in my area and I never go to a rifle range to shoot.

 

[MikeC]

To be honest I get nothing but praise.

 

[kevthebassman]

I've had some guys with inlines remark at what a pain in the a$$ it must be to clean..... I just laugh and laugh, and tell them to have fun cleaning those breech plug threads.