When it comes right down to it, there's just nothing wrong with using the best legal tool available for the job at hand. Some folks felt that way from the start, but for me it was a long time coming. And if I have an occasional attack of self-condemnation or if archaic regulations preclude the use of smokeless powder, I can always tote one of my old faithful smokesticks, or stoke the Savage with black powder and my own home-cast Maxi-Hunter bullets (which it shoots very well). But I imagine that whenever it's legal to do so I will probably only tell myself those things to quiet my misguided conscience for a while, and use the Savage smokelesspole.
I still like my sidelock muzzleloaders. I dearly love my old Ruger 44 carbine, and I like my Savage '06 and 270 as well. The same goes for my other poppers. If it shoots, I like it. Somewhere along the line I forgot just what that credo meant... but I'm learning. I'm coming around.
This Savage shoots. I like it.
- Russ Chastain
