Joe, No knee jerk about it...the folks in charge of the match debated the issue and decided to err on the side of caution. Your perspective changes when you are the one being held responsible for safety at match, which I'm sure you understand from running the matches that you have. It would have been a bit difficult to explain to club officers, let alone a jury, why it was that a problem presented itself and nothing was done by those in charge to correct it. There are many opinions on this topic. Mine, given my limited experience, is that vintage rifles chambered for black powder cartridges should be shot with black powder. This is precisely the argument that took place in the early days of BPCR silhouette. The general consensus at a Shooters Meeting was that, given all the variables in vintage manufacturing plus the "gunsmithing" that has been done to old rifles over the years, requiring black powder to be used was the safest approach. This debate was about the practice of duplexing with smokeless and black, not using straight smokeless. Using straight smokeless in a vintage firearm requires even more care than duplexing, in my opinion. Believe me, there were a few noses badly out of joint, but cooler heads prevailed. Modern-made firearms, made from appropriate materials give one a margin for error, but there was a very good reason why the Ballards and High Walls we made in Cody were marked "Black Powder" on the barrel. Our attorneys advised that this was a prudent precaution, although not completely fool-proof. I was directly behind the line at the Quigley shoot a few years ago when a competitor blew apart a cast-frame Ballard with a smokeless load assembled by her husband. It wasn't a pretty sound, and what really wasn't pretty was the fact that a young shooter was sitting on the line immediately to the shooter's left. The receiver blew out the side and only chance prevented a piece of it from flying down the line. Not good to contemplate what could have happened. In a public setting with spectators in attendance, one must be careful. At home on your own private range, you are largely responsible for your actions. At the public match, those in charge have to consider all factors and make a responsible decision, even if it is not popular with the shooters at the time. Just my thoughts and opinions, Steve Garbe
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