Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Muzzleloaders Which Muzzleloader to buy?????

O.K.

To all of you Muzzleloader Experts....Help me out....

I'm in the market to buy a Muzzleloader this year....I think that I know what I want, but would like to have some imput from all of ya'll....

I am thinking of a KNIGHT - ENLINE.....50 caliber....

I have got a buddy that has one, and he love's it.....Now, down here in Georgia, we don't really have the opportunity to hunt with one but only for a week or so....That is our P/W season....(But, we could use them in Rifle season also....But, who is gonna do that????)

What do ya'll think of this as a choice???? <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" />

I guess the question is: do you want to get into black powder shooting? or are you just trying to fill a deer tag? Knight builds some very nice guns if your into the modern in-line style guns. You commented "....(But, we could use them in Rifle season also....But, who is gonna do that????) " which leads me to believe that you are just trying to fill a deer tag. There are many fine M/L's on the market that you can carry throughout the deer season with confidence that you will take home whatever you shoot at. For the past few years I have carried a M/L exclusively and have about 800# of meat in my freezer. So I guess I am one of those......(But, who is gonna do that????)......people. Good Luck with whatever you choose, and remember, our ancestors did not put meat on the tables with 300 Ultra-Mags.

Tim, repeat after me.... Inlines are an abominantion, Inlines are an abominantion, Inlines are an abominantion. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Get a sidelock. Other wise you're missing out on a lot of history and romance. Besides, they're just more fun to shoot.
7mm

Tim:

First, welcome to the boards.

I would think Knight would be a good choice. As would Thompson Center. TC's Omega or Black Diamond XR are both in-line rifles. The 50 caliber would be a good choice unless you were going after bear then I would want a 54 caliber. That just me; after all Eskimo's kill polar bears with .22 rifles, they just stand closer than I would prefer.

I haven't shot a modern weapon, except my pistols, for almost 25 years and for the last 22 years have been fortunate enough to make meat each year.

I much prefer the traditional rifles but will admit to owning one in-line. I have not shot it in three years.

Hmmmmm. Tough question. There is a lot to consider. I'd guess that you'd be happy with the TC 209x50. Down the road you can get rifle barrels for it and a handgun stock.

That said, you should at least consider a sidelock. 7mm is right. They're more fun to shoot. I really like to shoot ML's. They're a kick. You might find after getting one, you'll want to start using them during the rifle seasons too!

Hey Wall-why don't you sell him your inline!

Wait, no!

Repeat after me, caplock or flintlock only for me! Caplock or flintlock only for me! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crazy.gif" alt="" />

I am just funning. I really have no beef with anyone who shoots an inline, I just prefer the caplocks and flinters. I don't know much about the inlines. I hear they are real good though.

If you are interested in getting into blackpowder rifles, I'd suggest a caplock in 50 cal. They are a lot of fun. T/C or Lyman make good rifles.

Ain't no experts here. Anyway you know what an ex-spert is? A has been drip!
You just fillin' a tag?
Then get the Knight in-line. I've owned several, even the cheapest one shoots very well and they can easily be scoped.
Just keep one thing in mind. Any idjit can take a scoped high powered rifle to the woods and kill something far away. No offense meant. I have plenty of hi-power rifles, but my FAVORITE "modern" rifle is the Marlin 45-70, best pistol round is the .45 COLT, and a muzzle loading traditional looking rifle is the best rifle any HUNTER can use.
In-lines are o.k., I used to have them till I realized they looked just like my .300 Win Mag. 'cept my .300 is better looking with it's wood stock and the .300 does not PRETEND to be what it ain't.
You go ahead and buy what you want. BUT!!! If you want the muzzle loading experience, have a ton of real fun, accomplish something you can be PROUD of, then maybe you orta get a Lyman GPR or GPH in .50 'er .54, spend LESS money on the gun, have more FUN and learn to HUNT closer.
After you bag bambi with your cap 'er flint lock you have earned braggin' rights and can thumb yer nose at in-line users like we do.
ANY damn fool can learn to shoot a scoped in-line.
It takes a HUNTER to bag game with a traditional rifle. Besides, it's good er tha soul.

hancock tim,
buy what you want!!!!BUT keep an open mind that if you get to shooting BP
and going to rhondezvous an inline don't make it!!!!!!!!!Look at the traditional rifle styles as the longstock or hawken.
In my opinion the LYMAN greatplains whether in slow or fast twist is a good deal,the cabelas hawkin traditional or sporter also. They both shoot good.
Now I fit in with MAXI as frontstuffers is about all I shoot. My main hunting weapons are LYMAN GPH flinter 54cal. dixi 50cal longstocked flinter,a12 guage doublebarrled cap lock.Now I know that when you start in it takes awhile to get used to only having one shot but you can do it !!!!!!!!!!
HAVE FUN BE SAFE .

THE OLD FRONTSTUFFER LOVER <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif" alt="" />
ZARK
KEEP IT DRY[powder that is] <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/blush.gif" alt="" />
make lotsa smoke <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

Mine. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" /> I just happen to have a Knight Mag Disc (original disc in .50 caliber, SS, standard black synthetic stock, shot ~20 times) for sale. Would come in original box with accessories and extra discs. Just don't use/shoot this rifle and I'm muzzleloader poor.

Don't overlook White muzzleloaders as good candidates for an inline. Shoot great and load easy.

Well, I'm new here and was going to ask a similar question to you all. I see though that alot of you prefer the traditional ml's. I'm an archer that has been into ml's for about 3 years. My first ml was a inline, and I love it. Fortunately my wife enjoys it very much also, with that said you might see that I'm in the market for a new inline. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />Please don't get me wrong I fully intend on reverting back to trad. but right now I wish to buy a inline for myself, again. I was just wondering what the talk is about the tc encore, and the omega. My first inline was a tc thunderhawk, and it is absoulutely wonderful to shoot.
I have heard some stories about the encore, as it was my first choice, that kind of disturb me a bit. Some people I have talked to that own encores say that they are very difficlut to match to the right sabot/bullet to get optimal preformance. Can anyone out there who has shot or owns a encore elaborate on this.
I 'm really looking at the omega hard now, and any pro/con difrences between the two would be helpful. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />
I have been a bowhunter for 18 years and my new found love for ml's is wonderful, even though it will never take over my first love of bowhunting, it is very similar. It's just the "see how close you can get" theory that I truley enjoy. Both of these methods of hunting bring that to me. Kind of funny cause I have shot deer farther with my bow than I have with my ml.
Anyway, any info will help the choice I make. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> Thanks Iahunter

Just to add to the confusion, CVA has posted up their new Optima muzzleloader. Looks a bit like an Encore and a Huntsman partied a little too much one night. OPTIMA LINK

Between the Omega and the Encore - Encore everytime IMHO.

I shoot a Stainless Encore 209X50 and have not had any problems with it. I get great groups Shooting the T/C mag express sabots, 44 cal 240 grain XTP's. I get cloverleaf groups with it at 100 and 2 1/2" groups at 200. I will say that my Encore likes a clean barrel after a couple of shots the groups start opening if I don't swab it out. This does not really bother me because I like it to shoot great with a clean barrel, the first shot out of the barrel when hunting is the one that really counts anyway. I load it with either 2 or 3 Pyrodex pellets and it seems to like either load. It has a Leupold VXII 3X9X40 mounted in a T/C one piece ring mount combo.
I can't speak for anyone else but I have been very pleased with my Encore and would recommend one to anyone. Just my two cents worth

I'll second SSS recomendation for the Encore. I've hunted with mine for two years, and killed four deer. Shots ranged from 60 yards to 140 yards.

I also have a 26" .280 barrel and a 15" 7mm-08. I just love the versatility!

I didn't have a lot of trouble finding the right bullet combination for the muzzle loader, but did find that I need to dry brush every 3-4 shots to maintain the best accuracy.

I hunted with a traditional sidelock for two years before going to the inline. Due to rain/dampness and not having enough experience to keep them dry, I missed several opportunities due to misfires. LA also now allows for scopes, and due to my eyesight, I chose to change to the inline. To me, its not the method used, but the enjoyment of being there, whether I make a kill or not.

Big-un