The old axiom associated with Honest Abe Lincoln seemed stuck on a repeating loop in my mind.

"You can fool some of the people all of the time."

Granted, that is only the mid-section of the phrase that some folks attribute to the 16th president. It also mentioned fooling all the people some of the time, but not all the people all the time. Yet, it was only that mid portion that was bedeviling me.

As I made my way out to the shooting range, I was in turmoil for fear that I had found myself firmly ensconced in that group of folks that can be fooled all the time. Having experimented in hunting with a blackpowder pistol on several occasions, I had found the effort a protracted and grimy endeavor. Loading the Navy Colt replica revolver was so labor intensive it had to be done the evening before the outing.

Finally making it into the woods, it took a couple of trips and multiple hours on stand before a coyote came ambling over a ridge and into range of my handgun. Aiming carefully, when I touched off the cap, the animal and everything surrounding it disappeared in a billow of smoke. When the cloud dissipated, an unharmed, but obviously unnerved wild canine was topping the rise headed for parts unknown.

On top of the disappointing shooting performance, I then faced the prospect of the after-hunt phase. The cleanup following firing the pistol required an even more drawn-out evening to complete.

After a couple of such outings, I was sure I was finished with muzzleloading. Yet, I now found myself headed to a shooting range to try out a muzzleloading rifle, while musing over my apparent ability to be fooled on a continuous basis.

The invitation to shoot had been offered by Dave Meredith, a muzzleloading veteran and representative with Blackpowder Products Incorporated, the parent organization for Connecticut Valley Arms. After regaling him with the headaches I had encountered with muzzleloading, he was adamant that I needed to give it another look. Rest assured it was friendship and not enthusiasm that drew me to the range this day.

Upon arrival, I expected to see some Kentucky long rifle replica or maybe a Hawken-style firearm. Needless to say, I was caught quite off guard when Meredith produced what appeared to be an ultra-modern camo-finished, high-powered rifle, complete with telescopic sights! In fact, the rifle was the CVA Kodiak Pro 209 Magnum in-line muzzleloader that had received the shooting industry's Golden Bulls Eye Award for 2005.

A quick inspection revealed the .45-caliber rifle comes with drill mounts to handle the scope, a fluted 29-inch barrel to reduce weight, DuraBright fiber optic sights, built-in sling swivel studs, an ambidextrous stock and a CrushZone recoil pad. The rifle also had Pivot Block Action that makes it virtually weather proof, and most important from my standpoint, it featured a stainless steel breach plug that makes cleaning a breeze. It was definitely a muzzleloading rifle, but by no means a "primitive weapon!"

As for learning how to use the rifle, Dave Meredith was the ideal instructor. He has been with CVA for the past 14 years, promoting and demonstrating the use of muzzleloading firearms. But that association was not his introduction to blackpowder sports. He has been shooting them since he was 8 years old, firing everything from handguns up to a 12-pound cannon!