Some things just don't make sense!

GAHUNTER60

Senior Member
I was just looking at Pennsylvania's regulations on their special "Flintlock Only," month-long deer season. In the regulations it states that "only flintlock firearms that are original, or faithful reproductions of weapons that were in use prior to 1800 are legal during this special season." Then it goes on to describe a flintlock ignition system, but states that legal projectiles are patched round balls, conical bullets and sabots. It also states that scopes are not allowed, as well as peep sights, but fiber optic sights are okay, as are adjustable buckhorn type sights.

My questions is just what rifle manufactured before 1800 shot sabots and had fiber optics? And, unless I'm mistaken, peep sights were in use on certain target guns during this era, so why not allow them in Pennsylvania? Also, if you look at Youtube PA flintlock hunts, a great many of the hunters are using flintlock Hawken-style rifles, which didn't come into being until well after 1800!

I'm not complaining, mind you. I wouldn't mind an identical season here in Georgia. I just think it's kind of comical that the government of Pennsylvania says we are going to restrict this season to rifles in use prior to 1800, but then allow many features that are anything but that!

They should have just stopped at Flintlocks Only!
 
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GAHUNTER60

Senior Member
Also, during their regular Muzzleloader season, PA is going to allow breech loaders, as long as said breech loader uses paper wrapped or loose powder, ignited by a percussion cap or flintlock system. This means that next year, paper cartridge firing Sharps rifles will be legal, as well as Ferguson Rifles, which until the 2020 season were illegal.
 

fishfryer

frying fish driveler
I've always wanted to see,hold,and shoot a Ferguson.
 

GAHUNTER60

Senior Member
Well, you can certainly do that! There are at least six known surviving original Ferguson rifles, mostly in museums. But at least one is in private hands, and recently sold at auction for a mere $96,000! (Most folks considered that price to be a steal!

Replicas produced from Ferguson's original patent are still made by small artisan gunsmiths but sell for anywhere between two and four grand!
 

fishfryer

frying fish driveler
Well, you can certainly do that! There are at least six known surviving original Ferguson rifles, mostly in museums. But at least one is in private hands, and recently sold at auction for a mere $96,000! (Most folks considered that price to be a steal!

Replicas produced from Ferguson's original patent are still made by small artisan gunsmiths but sell for anywhere between two and four grand!

My Daddy used to tell me he'd buy me something when his ship came in,I reckon that Ferguson is gonna have to wait on that ship.
 

Lilly001

Senior Member
Pa is Pa.
They don’t follow reason in a lot of things.
And they don’t seem to care.
I grew up there and was astonished when I learned what other states allowed.
I mean Compound bows? You might just allow Crossbows while you are at it.
 

GAHUNTER60

Senior Member
Well, if you plan to hunt Pennsylvania's regular rifle season, leave your 742 at home -- PA does not allow autoloaders in the woods! Of course, you can use any manner of pump, lever, bolt action, double rifle, or single shot. But no auto loaders.

Of course, there are many politicians who would like to make that the law nationwide! In fact, there are those that say the Second Amendment only pertains to flintlock rifles, since that is all that was in use at the time of the Constitutional Convention.
 

Mr Bya Lungshot

BANNED LUNATIC FRINGE
Lotta deer up there huh?
I can understand those restrictions. another safety rule.
Lotta deer hunters get shot in that state.
 

rugerfan

Senior Member
I don't know how it is there these days in rifle season, but when I was growing up in PA, rifle season was jammed into 2 weeks, but in reality deer season was jammed into the first 2 days and the first Saturday, was always told and had seen it first hand that every day the season went on, your chances of killing a buck was less. However I personally killed bucks in the second week and the last Saturday.

So there was a lot of pressure to be successful, and I had seen it first hand that people do not always use caution. Semi Auto rifles were a no no, and it sounds as if the flintlock season has changed a little. When I was there the rules stated: flint lock with a patched round ball, no conical bullets, not sabots, no fiber optic sights.
 

GAHUNTER60

Senior Member
I remember when I was a kid reading that opening day on public land in Pennsylvania was like shopping at the Mall on Christmas Eve -- shoulder to shoulder, take no prisoners!

I don't know if that has changed as the Boomers have aged and the Millennials migrated to their Play Stations in the basement.
 

Throwback

Chief Big Taw
“Good enough for my pawpaw—-good enough for you” mentality

Can’t hunt deer in Sunday’s for the same reason.

Gee I wonder why more people aren’t getting into hunting ?
 

GAHUNTER60

Senior Member
I just read that PA is going to relax Sunday hunting restrictions next year to allow more opportunities to hunt for working families. Duh!

I also read that the number of hunting licenses sold in PA is down to around 850,000, a decrease of about 10 percent over the last ten years. When I was a kid, Pennsylvania had over 1 million hunters, the highest total in the nation!
 

rugerfan

Senior Member
I remember when I was a kid reading that opening day on public land in Pennsylvania was like shopping at the Mall on Christmas Eve -- shoulder to shoulder, take no prisoners!

I don't know if that has changed as the Boomers have aged and the Millennials migrated to their Play Stations in the basement.

I can tell you from experience it was like that. There was blaze orange everywhere. The surrounding towns made a killing during Bear and Deer Seasons. I hunted public land up there for a few seasons, but also was fortunate enough to have family land, but that is now gone. Decided the public land thing was much to dangerous, but if you could catch on to some of deer drives that went on, you could be successful.

Watched people buy brand new rifles and scopes the night before opening day, and hearing them say they would be sighting in the rifles by headlights.

I a few friends up there that say that the number of hunter's has been down for a number of years, and that they are very happy to see the numbers decline.
 
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