[cookekdjr]

Been looking at muzzleloaders. Know only a little about them.
Here's what I would like:

1. User-friendly: to operate and maintain. I want operation and clean-up to be a snap.
2. Reliable: I want it to go "bang" when its supposed to (and only when its supposed to :) ).
3. Accurate: Not looking for a sniper rifle, but I don't want hitting the kill zone to be a game of chance.
4. Reasonably priced. Is there any way I can find what I want under $250?


Thanks, folks.
-David

[TaxPhd]

You need to decide if you want to go traditional or are willing to commit a crime against nature and get an inline. ;)

Very serviceable inlines are available at your price point. Try Bass Pro. Sam's club sometimes has inexpensive inlines.

If you want to go traditional, the Lyman Great Plains rifle is hard to beat. A bit more than $250, but well worth it. The T/C Hawkin is another good choice. The real traditionalists may quibble about it, but it is a fine rifle.



Scott

[Mr. Tettnanger]

What floats your boat-flintlock, percussion or gosh forbid..inline? I have the opinion that if you are going to shoot muzzloader, it should be with rock and spark(flintlock). The best flinter in my eye is the Lyman Great Plains. I have the 50 cal. some swear by the 54. Best of luck, and keep your powder dry!


Mr. Tettnanger

[cookekdjr]

Re: traditional vs. modern, I want whatever meets the criteria above. I'm not stuck in the 18th century, so if modern is best, so be it. I'm not a purist unless it comes to function...
Thanks,

David

[RCL]

If tradition isn't an issue, I would recommend a Thompson/Center Omega.
It's easy to learn, easy to clean and maintain.
I've never had misfire with mine.
Mine is very accurate, 1 1/2" or less at 100 yards.
Price isn't bad for what you are getting, with a life time warranty. Cheapest ones go for just over $300.

http://www.tcarms.com/TC_HTML/TC_Muzzle_Omega.htm

[4v50 Gary]

Buy a used Zouave musket. Accurate enough, easy to load because of the minie ball design, fun and very dangerous on game.

OK, I don't own one myself, but I saw one at the NSSA board that was at your budget.

[Texian Pistolero]

If you are considering using this for hunting in special deer seasons, check local state laws. Pennsylvania allows only flinters, no caplocks. (unless they have changed).

Frankly, I don't understand why anyone would go muzzleloader and NOT traditional, unless it as styricly meet the state reg for special deer season deal.

[cookekdjr]

Frankly, I don't understand why anyone would go muzzleloader and NOT traditional, unless it as styricly meet the state reg for special deer season deal.
You got it when you said "unless".
I think I'd like to use the same gun from fall to spring...that's the rational. Plus, its a reason to buy another gun... :D
-David

[4v50 Gary]

BTW, if you want the "easy" way to clean a gun, go to TheFiringLine.com and check out the Blackpowder forum entitled, "Rambling Anecdotes." About the very last entry (page 4 or dated around July 9, 2005) has everything you need to learn about cleaning guns. :D

[jefnvk]

Check out your state laws. They may have certain regs on what classifies as a blackpowder rifle. Inlines are not allowed in many states.

[arcticap]

I think that the most simple all around rifles are the break barrel muzzle loader designs.

[GunGoBoom]

I bought my first muzzle loader last year, an NEF Huntsman, and all reports on the net and from the gun store clerk were positive. But it turned out to be terribly inaccurate, the sights were (what I'll call) 'misaligned' and couldn't be made to get the 2 foot group centered at 100 yards (as if it would have mattered), and the breech block froze up so tight, it has not been opened since, despite all sorts of heat and penetrating lube attempts, and despite the fact that I used breech lube each time.

Lessons: Use a TON of breech block lube, not just a little bit. Every company makes lemons. My theory now is don't buy anywhere in the 'middle' makers/lines (CVA, Traditions, Knight, NEF, etc.) - either get a $50 bobcat, or go for a high end T/C (Omega, Encore), or Savage 10ML.

[Berek]

I think the line "easy to clean" severely limits whether it's traditional or inline. I have a sidelock and if I don't do the "soapy water/plunger" trick, she'll begin absorbing the primer spark before it reaches the breech.

For ease of cleaning, inline would be the only way to go. My next will be an inline but NO DANG DISCS! I have a problem remembering my primers sometimes. Makes for an embarrassing day at the range.

Berek

[rick_reno]

I hunted with a TC Hawken for about 10 years, and last year switched to an in-line. I'd suggest going with an in-line. Find out what, if any, restrictions your state places on them and go from there. I'm using a TC Black Diamond now, it takes various ignition sources, is very accurate, really eas to clean and can be found for right around $250 on sale. I like TC guns, they're a great company to support because they support us consumers.

[Yellowtail3]

For a first-time purchase, if you're looking to get a shooter that doesn't cost much... there is good news. A $100+ CVA Buckhorn (or discontinued Staghorn) will hit accurately & reliably about as far out as a $300+ muzzleloader, and... will have the added benefit of upsetting certain folks who proclaim CVA to be junk.

Will a Knight or TC take venison any better, inside 130 yards, than an el cheapo CVA iinline? Not that I'm aware of. That said.. my next muzzleloader will be a Savage.

[Lobotomy Boy]

Will a Knight or TC take venison any better, inside 130 yards, than an el cheapo CVA iinline?

Maybe not, but the TC will look a lot better doing it. Whether or not that's worth the extra money probably depends on how much extra money you have to play with.

[hillbilly]

I know of where a .50 caliber CVA Bobcat is for $75.

Hard to beat for the money.

Doesn't look very pretty, as it's got a black synthetic stock. But hey, what do you want for $75?

hillbilly

[GunGoBoom]

I didn't realize the Bobcat IS a CVA. I thought I saw one last year at Bass Pro for $50, but I think that was after ML season had started, and the prices dropped a tad. Yeah, I think if I'm gonna spend over $150 on a muzzleloader, I'm going all the way and getting a Savage 10ML smokeless, or a Kathdin from T/C which is an Encore with a kickbutt 20" brush barrel with a rear peep - and then I'll be able to add barrels. But to tide me over til I can afford that, I'm going bobcat I think - should do the job out to 90-100 yards, which is all I'd try to take a shot at anyway with the cannonball trajectory of a .50 cal.

[GunGoBoom]

Oh yeah, here ya go - how bout a $900 (that's NINE hundred) dollar muzzleloader that it not changeable to rifle barrels, not smokeless, for use 1 week a year - now that's just silly isn't it? Who would possibly spend twice as much as the Savage 10ML or half again as much as a T/C for a gun that does quite a bit less, unless it was a very nice traditional steel & wood flintlock or some such, which this is not:

http://www.basspro.com/servlet/catalog.TextId?hvarTextId=65379&hvarDept=400&hvarEvent=&hvarClassCode=3&hvarSubCode=1&hvarTarget=browse

boy there must be some *serious* suckers out there. :scrutiny:

And I'm not seeing the Bobcat on the 2005 CVA catalog - discontinued I guess - rats.

http://www.cva.com/docs/CVA_Catalog_2005.pdf

Yap, I think it is discontinued - it's not showing up anywhere - BassPro, CheaperthanDirt - there WAS both a wood stocked and a plastic stocked version of it however.

[hillbilly]

My very first blackpowder firearm of any kind is a EuroArms copy of an 1853 Enfield rifle musket in .58 caliber.

Boom!

hillbilly