We are less than 5% of the muzzleloader hunters?

[Adam Helmer]

An update:

On page 12 of the December/January 2006 issue of "Outdoor Life," my letter to the Editor appears and there is a reply from Mr. Lermayer regarding his "more than 95% of muzzleloader hunters pack in-lines", as stated in his October 2005 article.

Mr. Lermayer says, "That figure is based on sales over the last 10 years. Most of the major manufacturers have discontinued sidelocks completely or are making only a token few."

Well, let us review: Guns will last a lifetime and many traditional sidelocks are on establishment across the nation. In the PA Traditional ML season after Christmas, ONLY flintlocks are legal and PA sells 130,000+ ML licenses a year. To look ONLY at sales over the last 10 years gives a skewed view of the ratio of MLs afield. Also, I see many new Thompson Center, Lyman and other major manufacturers' traditional ML arms on the racks of my local gun shop. I suspect the arms on the racks are the "token few" Mr. Lermayer has in mind. Whatever.

Adam