What is an inline good for?

I owned two of them plus a TC Cherokee. I preferred the in-lines. At the time when I hunted black powder was an extension of the firearms deer season. There’s not much transition between using a bolt action rifle and an in-line like the the Remington 700.
Like percussion was an improvement over the flintlock an in-line is an improvement over the percussion.

To a lot of folks it had nothing to do with traditions. It’s about the game hunting. The selection of tools for that purpose is individual choice. To each his own.

grter said inlines are "Cheating during what was once considered primitive weapons hunting season."
I agree with GRTER. Primitive was suppose to be for a back woods type person or Boy Scout to develop a load and stalk his game. With buck horn sites, 100 yards is a very long shot. As I tell my in-line relatives. "All ya got to do now is make a paper or metal container and stick all that stuff inside and then stick the container in the back end of your gun." That's would be even even easier! But that's not the point of a "primitive hunt".
A common problem with inlines is to try a quick second shot. and getting the shotgun primer out of gun with cold, wet hands. Also, they have problems with their "equipment" icing up. At least until I made them a "cow's knee" and showed them how to use it.

whughett said:

To a lot of folks it had nothing to do with traditions. It’s about the game hunting. The selection of tools for that purpose is individual choice. To each his own.

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well said... I hate that so many want to restrict others choices when it comes to hunting. Choose what you want and if you want less crowds- YOU go deeper n further inn dont worry about others.Without others hunting our sport will be restricted out of existence... I have room for most types of toys/tools in the tool chest. I own a couple t/c thunder hawks... the first one I saw I bought- a blued n walnut stocked early one and then years later a stainless synthetic... I like em both along with my side locks n flinter

Just to add a thought to this discussion. The title “ primitive “ had been applied to this discussion in several post. In my home state a quick Google of the seasons makes no mention of “primitive” it’s instead a muzzle loading season. In lines are certainly muzzle loaders. Unfortunately that would leave out the ACW breech loaders like the Sharps, Burnsides and Smiths.
As to primitive what could be more so than bow hunting, spears I reckon but who’s going to do that.

whughett said:

Just to add a thought to this discussion. The title “ primitive “ had been applied to this discussion in several post. In my home state a quick Google of the seasons makes no mention of “primitive” it’s instead a muzzle loading season. In lines are certainly muzzle loaders. Unfortunately that would leave out the ACW breech loaders like the Sharps, Burnsides and Smiths.
As to primitive what could be more so than bow hunting, spears I reckon but who’s going to do that.

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I like the idea of seeing THR members group up for a truly primitive hunt. Loincloths, spears and a ton of stamina to chase and tire down prey.

In lines are the very same things as compound bows (and now crossbows) in their respective muzzleloader (primitive weapons) and archery seasons.

There has been loads of crying about both of them and that horse looks to be coming back alive so let’s get our sticks.

Yeah, I don't see any firearm qualifying as a primitive weapon to my mind.
If we even try to come up with a qualifying primitive firearm I'm thinking no sights allowed at all, no rifling allowed either.
No flints or caps.
Maybe a matchlock has a chance of qualifying.
Do we allow shoulder stocks??

Malachi Leviticus Blue said:

Do we allow shoulder stocks??

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Yeah, but not if they're bump stocks...

brewer12345 said:

I have always been happy with my percussion guns, but I am the only one in my hunting party not shooting an inline. What is the attraction? These just look like a short cut to be legal for ML season without having to do the fussier stuff that comes with percussion or flint. Am I missing anything?

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Nope, that's exactly why I shoot an inline. It adds 3 goats to my bag limit. I fire that gun maybe 4 or 5 times a year.
Otherwise I'd only shoot a percussion or flint lock since it would only be for fun and at the range....I still need to get a flinter.
Same reason I shoot an ILF limbed recurve instead of a selfbow.

As a lefty, it would make sense since there usually aren't that many left handed rifles around. Having a small cap or flint open explosion go off within a few inches of your eye, maybe not the most fun thing. A contained primer seems safer.

This is supposition since I don't shoot black powder, but just the dirt, sparks, and hot gases exiting the port on a semi auto rifle is often no fun for a lefty.

They're good for tomato stakes. Here in MS we have several primitive weapons seasons. For the first season it includes breech loading single shot cartridge guns with an external hammer .35 caliber and larger. Smokeless powder and scopes are allowed. The H&R Handi Rifle in .35 Whelen and 45-70 is king here. On private land for the rest of the seasons you can use any rifle that's legal in regular gun season. That includes an AR 15 with 30 round mags. An inline is virtually worthless here.

I too always thought they were ugly tomato stakes and don't own an inline. I'm a meat hunter. Venison is tasty. I like it with salt and pepper on a hot charcoal grill (3 minutes on a side) or ground up in Chili & Spaghetti.

As much as I like shooting cap and ball guns and all the history that goes with them. I want another deer in the freezer. I can see why inlines are popular and am all for them. I'm about freedom and less restriction. Oddly my chosen state of Missouri seems to be about freedom as well, most of the time.

A few years ago after doing lots of research, buying, and sighting in my Lyman Great Plains rifle I walked out in my back field on opening day of Missouri's Alternate Methods Season. There were 2 bucks standing 25yds away. I cocked the action of my traditional percussion rifle CLACK CLACK CLACK and watched those 2 bucks run away, never to be seen again.

Missouri's Alternate Method Season allows for Black Powder, center-fire pistols, and even - AR15 pistols. That's what I hunt with now. This year my AR15 pistol will have a suppressor on it.

drobs said:

A few years ago after doing lots of research, buying, and sighting in my Lyman Great Plains rifle I walked out in my back field on opening day of Missouri's Alternate Methods Season. There were 2 bucks standing 25yds away. I cocked the action of my traditional percussion rifle CLACK CLACK CLACK and watched those 2 bucks run away, never to be seen again.

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If you hold the trigger back while cocking it wont make any noise.

hawg said:

If you hold the trigger back while cocking it wont make any noise.

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I had to find that out the hard way by missing an easy 20' shot because I didn't have it cocked.
Yes if you hold the trigger back cock the hammer & while holding the hammer back release the trigger. Now you have it cocked without making any noise.

AK Hunter said:

I had to find that out the hard way by missing an easy 20' shot because I didn't have it cocked.
Yes if you hold the trigger back cock the hammer & while holding the hammer back release the trigger. Now you have it cocked without making any noise.

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You sir have not read enough Louis
La'mour books.

Thomasss said:

grter said inlines are "Cheating during what was once considered primitive weapons hunting season."
I agree with GRTER. Primitive was suppose to be for a back woods type person or Boy Scout to develop a load and stalk his game. With buck horn sites, 100 yards is a very long shot. As I tell my in-line relatives. "All ya got to do now is make a paper or metal container and stick all that stuff inside and then stick the container in the back end of your gun." That's would be even even easier! But that's not the point of a "primitive hunt".
A common problem with inlines is to try a quick second shot. and getting the shotgun primer out of gun with cold, wet hands. Also, they have problems with their "equipment" icing up. At least until I made them a "cow's knee" and showed them how to use it.

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I load my inline slower than my percussion.
this nothing fast about ramming a tight fitting sabot down the barrel.
I work the bolt, tilt the gun and slap it to remove the old primer. The new one is a struggle even with warm hands.

hawg said:

If you hold the trigger back while cocking it wont make any noise.

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Good to know but... that's a major gun safety violation.

drobs said:

Good to know but... that's a major gun safety violation.

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If there's nobody in the woods but you and you're not pointing the gun at yourself how is it a violation?

hawg said:

If there's nobody in the woods but you and you're not pointing the gun at yourself how is it a violation?

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Now you're compounding the gun safety violation with a hunter safety violation.
The goal of Gun Safety and Hunter Safety is prevent deadly / life changing accidents from happening.

drobs said:

Now you're compounding the gun safety violation with a hunter safety violation.
The goal of Gun Safety and Hunter Safety is prevent deadly / life changing accidents from happening.

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If you're alone that's just ridiculous.

hawg said:

If you're alone that's just ridiculous.

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Accidents happen. I'd rather loose a couple bucks than have a life changing accident for myself or others.

hawg said:

If you're alone that's just ridiculous.

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Repetitive motions build muscle memory. Do it enough and it becomes habit. Habit leads to mistakes, mistakes to accidents. Alone or not practice safe gun handling at all times. Just my two cents worth.