What is everyone's recommended Muzzleloader rifle?
- Thread starter Okie Whitetail Hunter
- Start date
Help Support Long Range Hunting Forum
I am a traditionalist, also.
When I bought my .54 Cabelas Red River rifle, I paid a whopping $100-120 brand new with the starter kit. It has a 1:48 barrel and is very accurate and forgiving for what it is.
The custom long range muzzleloaders do look impressive and I certainly wouldn't blame anyone for wanting one, but give me either a cap and ball or a centerfire.
Or a black powder cartridge rifle.
Would love me a Shiloh Sharps...
When I bought my .54 Cabelas Red River rifle, I paid a whopping $100-120 brand new with the starter kit. It has a 1:48 barrel and is very accurate and forgiving for what it is.
The custom long range muzzleloaders do look impressive and I certainly wouldn't blame anyone for wanting one, but give me either a cap and ball or a centerfire.
Or a black powder cartridge rifle.
Would love me a Shiloh Sharps...
crkckr
Well-Known Member
I have a TC Hawken I built from a kit 35 or so years ago that shoots pretty well for an old guy with bad eyes! It's 50 cal., as is my TC Grey Hawk. The GH is all stainless and has a synthetic stock and handles skuzzie weather better than the plum brown Hawken. The Hawken, however, shoots just a bit better. Both like the TC Maxi-balls. I've tried a pile of other bullets, round balls, sabots, etc. but it always comes back to the Maxi-balls. 90 gr. in the Hawken, 110 in the GH. Last time I had them out shooting, I could still cloverleaf the Hawken at 100 yds and the GH was pretty close. I love tinkering with the BP guns when I have the time but lately, not so much free time it seems! I might drag them out this winter and see if I can still hit a target with them. If I can find the time, that is! I would easily recommend either of them as hunting rifles.
Cheers,
crkckr
Cheers,
crkckr
I started with a Traditions Deerhunter .50 cal $90 Walmart special over 20 years ago. I killed a few deer with patched .490 roundball, but that sidelock was plagued with hang fires and not firing at all. I then had a .54 caliber T/C scout and basically being a simple inline I saw the light to that ignition system.
Now I have a .50 cal H&R Huntsman with new breach plug to run 209 primers without the plastic holder and a .50 cal Bergara barrel for my Encore frame. My daughter uses a .50 cal Knight disk Extreme and just took a spike elk with it, her first ever elk and muzzle loader kill.
I'm thinking a .50 cal Knight Ultra Lite CO legal version might be my next ML. At 6 lbs it would be a great ML to carry chaising elk and mule deer here in CO. I've also looked into a Savage conversion to a ML going the custom route, but the Knight would be a much cheaper way to get a sub 8 lbs front stuffer.
Now I have a .50 cal H&R Huntsman with new breach plug to run 209 primers without the plastic holder and a .50 cal Bergara barrel for my Encore frame. My daughter uses a .50 cal Knight disk Extreme and just took a spike elk with it, her first ever elk and muzzle loader kill.
I'm thinking a .50 cal Knight Ultra Lite CO legal version might be my next ML. At 6 lbs it would be a great ML to carry chaising elk and mule deer here in CO. I've also looked into a Savage conversion to a ML going the custom route, but the Knight would be a much cheaper way to get a sub 8 lbs front stuffer.
pqmaloney
Member
- Joined
- Dec 16, 2011
- Messages
- 19
I have and love my Knight Mountaineer in a 50 caliber. The barrels are the best ever. They are waterproof when using their FPL bolt system with primer inserts. My Knight is grey and has a thumb hole in it. I put a nice muzzleloader scope from Nikon. It is user friendly to shoot and maintain.
pqmaloney
Member
- Joined
- Dec 16, 2011
- Messages
- 19
Doesn't seem like enough powder to me ??
VTbluegrass
Well-Known Member
No but it is fun to get up and figure out how to put the sneak on one.
stljc2
Well-Known Member
Remington UML 50 cal...Knight inline as backup
COBrad
Well-Known Member
I'm not a regular muzzleloader hunter but have still managed to kill deer, elk, and bear with one. The rifle mentioned above is one i have looked at for a while. For the last 15 years I've been shooting an old .50 cal Knight MK85. Great rifle, nice and light but still accurate with a Lyman peep on it. My grandson got a marmot at 168 yards with it last year. 90 gr ffl black powder and 295 gr powerbelt. I'm also in CO so limited in what we can use. Been threatening to build a Kit Carson replica from Track Of The Wolf, but keep eyeing the Cooper as well. I'm confident to 200 yards as is.
VTbluegrass
Well-Known Member
Knight MK 93 and a Knight Disc Extreme. Where I grew up in VA we have 2 weeks of rifle season and 6 weeks of muzzleloader and 4 weeks of archery. I smoked a pile of deer with Knight rifles.
I'm not either, but the older I get I like the ML season dates better. Since I shattered my leg I also prefer the warmer weather and longer days.
COBrad
Well-Known Member
The warmer weather is more attractive every year. Grandson and I may put in for tags again next year for just that reason.
bassassassin104
Well-Known Member
TC Encore with 50 cal Bergara barrel. Shoots great (moa at 100 yards) with 150 grains of 777 and 250 grain Hornady sabots. That combo also works well with my BDC reticle. 100 yard zero and basically 150,200,250, and 300 is the heavy plex. Had a good load with BH209 but it was not always igniting properly with the stock breech plug so I switched back to 777.
