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David, I have enjoyed this message.  The only thing I would like to add is that if we have done everything we feel we could have done, we must not feel like we have to be forever responsible for the choices our children make.  (See the other thread on free will.)

I feel like I'm stepping into a conversation here, but feel I have to add my 2 cents worth.  
 
I agree that the REASON we take one action or the other is as, if not more, important than the action itself in regards to our souls.  What I mean here is if we follow commandments because of our devotion to Christ, that means something completely different than we think we are earning salvation.  
 
On that same higher plane, I think it applies to the laws of the land as well, realizing that our judicial system does NOT exist on that higher plane.  By that, we know that if abortion is against the law, an individual can still choose to disobey the law and get an abortion, anyway.  It will just be harder to find, probably more messy (for lack of a better total description) and probably more expensive.  
 
But, the choice still exists.  It is just not as easy of a choice to make.  I believe free coice is something only God can take away because it is part of who we are.  Even in the most iron fisted governments, the choice is there.  It's maybe not much of a choice, obey or die, but it is a choice.

Aw, Santa as a symbol of all that is good doesn't bother me.  What does bother me is replacing the real meaning of Christmas with so many false reasons.  We hear so many times that it is about hope, and love, and......  But, if we forget that it is Christ that brings us that hope, and that purest and strongest of love, then we have lost too much.  The thing I find so saddening is that we are free to put up all these false symbols of Christmas, but put up a religious symbol and hear the protests.  Well, I can say "Merry Cristmas" to anyone I want and I can put up a star as a reminder as well.

I often forget to scan new threads so I just got around to looking at this one and I'm glad I did.  This is a subject that I'm pretty passionate about.  
 
I have to agree that abortion in any case is the murder of a child.  Philosophically, I have to apply that to any abortion.  However, I don't think we are near that argument until the free use of abortion as a means of conveniant birth control is ended.  
 
I still find it absolutely incredible that abortion is so "accepted" but the endangerment of beluga whales is a horrible crime, or spotted owls, or..........    I have been reading one of Ann Coulter's books.  While I think she is very caustic, and just downright rude a lot of the time, she does express a lot of truth to my way of thinking.  I'm referring to her passage which points out that many people are ignoring God's placement of Man over the beasts of the earth and they are elevating those beasts to equal Man's level, or even above Man's level.  We are put here for a purpose and I don't believe it's our place to end a person's life before their time.  
 
Defining "their time" could be another discussion, but certainly before birth would qualify.  When my son moved in with his girlfriend he assured us that no children would be born out of wedlock (as if I was terribly worried about that) because they would get an abortion.  We (his mother and I) begged him not to do that, but if necessary, have the child and we would raise it as our own.  
 
There are too many options available for people to just discard lives like this.  People accuse me of being against pro-choice.  I point out that I am very much pro-choice.  But I am pro-choice-and-consequence.  Make your choice, then accept the consequences and be responsible for your choices.  
 
The rape and ****** question always comes up and I have to point out the small (heck, miniscule) percentage of abortions that are related to rape and ******.  So long as we place so little value on individual life our future looks bleak.  
 
To my way of thinking low value on the individual and high value on the species is a very social way of seeing things, but that takes me to another very different discussion.
 
I understand that we as people need to make choices for ourselves, but I'm still very concerned about a people that are OK with this kind of a choice.

I agree with you on most of what you wrote.  Particularly with flintlocks, which require a lower ignition temp.  The new guns with super magnum primers, electronic ignition, shotgun primers, whatever.  I don't really classify them as BP, or primitive.  In my book, muzzleloader does not necessarily equal black powder.  I actually had a somewhat terse response to a magazine article that was glorifying primitive weapons for large African game and they showed the hunter with a TC Encore Prohunter, .50 cal, shotgun primer, scope, stainless steel..........  I told them I could not classify that as primitive.  I suppose in my book, it's not primitive unless it could have existed before the popular advent of cartridges, say around 1870.  Musket caps is as modern as I will accept as being "primitive."  Don't get me wrong.  I've got 3 inlines and would use them in a heartbeat, but I won't call them primitive.  My favorite inline is an old H&R topper in .58.  I guess you could say I am still a fan of big and slow.  A .58 roundball in front of 75 gr FF equals a respectable amount of whoomp downrange.

That would be a lot like my Pedersoli reproduction.  A wonderful piece, but not nearly the class of an original.  Mine is called a 12 guage, but I can't fit a 12 guage ball in it.  It is actually a 14 guage, which is fine for shooting shot, but I like to load a slug for deer.  That's actually the piece I took my first deer with.  Back then, I bought a cheap box of 12 guage slugs down at the hardware store, cut them apart for the slugs and loaded them in the double.  Nice fat doe at about 30 yards.  My next goal is turkey with it.  We used to hunt ducks on the Mississippi with it when there was this loophole between steel shotshells and lead shot.  It's one of my favorite firearms.

To try something different.  But that's too far off the thread.  I'm still waiting to see how the 25 cal works.  I have an SMLE (Ishapore, 308).  Never thought about rebarreling it, but??????

To try something different.

I wonder what would happen if I loaded the 8x56R with black powder.  It probably wouldn't develope enough pressure to seal the chamber.

The P-17 was better than the 03? Isn't that heresy? :) Actually they were both pretty good except that the firing pin was somewhat weak on the 17. As sporting rifles, both were superior, especially since they were designed after (on) the Mauser. We have the luxury of looking back at the SMLE and pointing out all of its faults, but it lasted far longer than the Mauser, the Springfield, the Garand, and a long list of others as the active service arm of a major power. That should say something. Now, as far as wildcatting from the 303 round: If one is wildcatting one WANTS something different, or it meets some other need. What it doesn't need is the approval of everyone who shoots. If it had that, it wouldn't be a wildcat.

For my 2 cents worth, I have always felt I was struggling with an uphill battle supporting the 280 Rem (my favorite chambering and performance wise nearly identical with the 7x64).  I have always felt that if the 280 had been developed and marketed properly, the 270 win would never have come into existence.  For nearly all hunting applications it is nearly ideal (with the exception of dangerous game) and can be loaded down for varmints or loaded up to moose.  If I could only have one caliber (remember, I live in Missouri and the only dangerous game I have to worry about are those saber tooth squirrels , or perhaps coyotes  ), it would have to be the 280.  If I lived in an area that supported the European calibers better, I could easily see my support shifting to the 7x64.     I hope I never live in that world.

And how would you use that in a sentence?  :D

I just had a request to run guide services for jakalope, but I'm trying to tone down my guide services.

I really like the looks of the brown finnish on older style firearms.

I have been reading this thread with great interest.  I have a few accuracy concerns with several of my rifles.  I haven't gotten set up for reloading, yet.  (Heck, I don't even have my presses in the apartment, yet.  They're still in the U-Haul. )  
 
Gitano, I was doing pretty good with all that information until you got into those harmonics.  Those are a little too technical for me.  Some day you'll have to tell me all about that, but not right now.  I have a 243 Win that just shoots all over the place (6-7 inches) at 100 yards.  I purchased a large quantity of factory ammo some time ago and haven't reloaded much of my own, yet.  I had hoped to get it shooting at least well enough to hunt with it, but alas, it doesn't look as if that will happen.  I have already switched scopes, the mounts are solid.....  Ah, well.  I will keep trying.  I think I am going to have to look at that OAL guage.  I had never placed that much importance on distance to the lands, but will take that to heart, as well.