That is funny...I have the optical device from Lyman that uses a suction cup and the only reason I don't use it is because........it won't stick to my lense where the bifocal is...lol!
Close is good....closer is better!! I rarely take a shot outside 25 yards and 30 is way plenty. I prefer 20 yards. I can see the squirrel and see the sights but seeing the squirrel AND the sights is a bit tough these days. However, 2 weeks ago I did take one through the head at 40 long paces across level ground. It was pretty open woods, I could see the squirrel exceedingly well because of where he was and I've been shooting quite a bit this spring. Still, I'm giving it 60% good fortune.
I guess most of us played the smokeless powder and jacketed bullet game for quite a while. I did up until about the mid to late 80's then went all cast except for my 1000 yard target rifle. I believe that was the last jacketed bullets I fired as I sold the rifle in 1999. Except for handguns at long range and that rifle I guess I've been all black powder since about 1995 or so, either muzzleloaders or BPC rifles. The last jacketed bullets I fired in a revolver had to be about '82 or '83. Goodness....doesn't seem like it was 30 years ago...LOL!!!!
I agree with you regarding them being boring. For me, there isn't that much challange left to make a good bolt rifle topped with a good glass shoot MOA or less. Cast bullets make it more fun but still, kinda boring. Now, shoot a 3 in. group with black, a PRB and open sights at 100 and you've done something. Or, shoot MOA with a BPC and a good set of aperature sights and I feel a lot more satisfied, especially when that happens at 600 yards. I believe you'll find the 40 cal. ML quite accurate and it should shoot around an inch or under at 50 off a bench.
Flinters I started shooting about 1977. It was an on again/off again affair for maybe 10 years. Splitting time about equally with flint and percussion. I have a couple pretty decent custom percussion rifles but haven't fired them in years. I have been playing quite a bit with a Pedersoli Kodiak double rifle and it's a percussion but that's the first time in years I've busted a cap. That rifle has been a challange to get regulated to one rear sight but I keep creeping closer.