This is a request to all you VA guys as you know our muzzeloader season is just around the corner Nov 4th but we cant use a muzzle loading pistol for big game in VA I have made a request to have the TC ENcore 50 cal pistol barrel looked at by dgif for eval it carries the needed bal. req by VA for big game hunting and i would love to try it. plese send your interest to your local dist office or the main hq for dgif as a change in the current law i have been told it is a one year process has to be proposed and voted on by the state guys thanks for your time.

I've got a better idea. A muzzle loader is shooting the exact same bullets at a 44 magnum. There is nothing primitive about muzzle loaders anymore. Why don't we start a petition to allow handguns any place where legal to hunt with a muzzle loader and have a special handgun season that coincides with black powder season.

Sounds like a winner to me prime example fort picket national guard army base you can use a muzzleloader during special season and regular season and only shotgun during regular season no ceterfire rifle or handgun allowed I would sign and give another 18.00 bucks to the state DGIF

There are only 2 counties in the state of VA that don't allow muzzleloaders. One is Southampton - the dog hunters down there are very organized and told the state they didn't want it so...

Where do I sign?

kentucky needs the same exact thing

Here in Oregon were out of luck for muzzle loader season with a pistol, we can't use the encore because you have to use an exposed cap, no centerfire primers of any type are allowed and you can't use a black powder revolver because it has to be a single shot. If you want to use an in line muzzle loader, pistol or rifle or a revolving black powder firearm you have to compete with centerfire guys during the centerfire rifle seasons . The only thing they havn't thought of is the guy that wants to use a Kentucky pistol, which I don't feel the urge to do and I don't know if the ballistics are there anyhow.

im with you fellers...va needs to do something!!!jim257

In New York State you can use a cap and ball revolver or a muzzleloading pistol during regular gun season ONLY. It MUST be listed on your permit if you have ALL components required to load and shoot. If it is not on your permit and you are caught with the firearm and all components it is a Class D Felony. WELCOME TO NEW YORK

If You look about half way down the regs I posted at the bottom. The cap and ball revolver is not leagl in NY during special season. Are you sure it's legal during regular gun season? I have always wondered about this because if you go to the definitions under General Hunting Regulations it describes the "muzzleloading firearm as follows.

Quote:

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Muzzleloading Firearm—is a firearm loaded through the muzzle, shooting a single projectile and having a minimum bore of .44 inch.

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From the DEC web site;

Muzzleloading
Deer - may only be taken as shown on the Muzzleloading Deer Map
Bear - may only be taken as shown on the Bear Hunting Map.

All hunters participating in the muzzleloading season must follow these requirements in addition to the other regulations in this guide.

Each resident hunter must have purchased a current year Muzzleloading privilege with his/her big game license.
Each nonresident hunter must have a current year Muzzleloading License.
The legal firearm for this season is a muzzleloading rifle or pistol (including smoothbore muzzleloaders) loaded through the muzzle, shooting a single projectile and having a bore of .44 inches or larger. Double-barreled muzzleloaders and percussion cap revolvers are not legal during the special muzzleloading season. If you hunt with a single-shot muzzleloading pistol, you must have a New York State Pistol License.
Hunters shall not have in their possession, or be accompanied by a person who has in his or her possession, a bow or firearm other than the legal muzzleloading firearm.
You may use fiber-optic sights or scopes on a muzzleloading firearm at any time"

looks like some interest out there would love to have both ideas in a perfect world both special handgun season and able to use a muzzle loader handgun now how do we go about getting this pation started hey the crossbow guys got what they wanted in VA

Dale--I got that straight from a NY State Trooper. He told me that the cap and ball revolvers are only legal to use during regular firearms season but not during muzzleloader.
Its considered a handgun when you have all components for loading and a permit, thus it is legal during firearms.

Correction in my last post--I meant to say the single shot muzzleloader pistol is legal during muzzleloader season with a handgun permit, the cap and ball is only legal during regular firearms season. It is not considered a muzzleloading pistol because it is not a single shot pistol loaded from the muzzle.

OK, that clears it up some. The regs can be very vauge sometimes. Thanks