Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Muzzleloaders Austin and Halleck

Anybody use an Austin and Halleck inline? Are they any good?

Just got one, but have not had it out yet. Did a BUNCH of research before I bought. Everything looks and appears great out of the box. The wood seems a little on the "soft" side, but it comes with a synthetic stock which is what I will be hunting with anyway. Got the wood stock just for shootin at the club (which the stock will be great for!). I upgraded to the camo stock and per the recomendations of the factory got both stocks bedded. I'll let you know whats up with the busines end of things as soon as I can get out.

Lundboat- Where did you research this rifle? This is the all time mystery rifle.I can't find any articles on it. You are the second owner I have found, and the email doesn't work for the other guy. Where did you buy it? What grade of wood did you get?
I looked at one today at a store in Atlanta. They were asking $670 for the model 420. I don't know if it was the extra good grade of wood. It sure was pretty. I really like the look and feel of this rifle.
Does it say "made in Spain" on your barrel? I know, the barrels are made there, but I don't want to be looking at that while I am hunting. I saw two model 420s at the store today and neither said "made in Spain".

Hey simonkenton7, most of my research was with mlhunter.com, but I think they are going out of business so you better jump on it. Lots of very good info if you dig, but they don't sell A&H. I purchased the gun thru ctico.com and you can also get them thru D&R, and I'm not sure these companies are not together somehow. My gun is nickle plate and I don't recall any markings from made in Spain, but they really are. The stock work is done here, I think. Dinner bell is ringing, so I'll get you more info later. Mike

simonkenton-You sure do get around, I decided to see what's going on
on some of the various gunboards and you're on everyone so far posing your A&H question.
I believe a rifle like the Austin & Halleck represents a reletively tiny
segment of the inline market for several reasons amongst which the
vast majority of inline buyers arent rifle cranks or serious BP shooters
they're looking for something to fill out the extra deer tag and the rifles are really cheap a significant percentage of them are mouthbreathers and
would never shoot a muzzle loader as metering out a powder charge
would be too taxing to their intellects to even contemplate but with the inline
they can pop 2 or 3 pellets down bore, I think the vast majority are going to buy the least expensive rifle with a name they're familiar with that's in the most hideous absolutely tasteless configuration.
The guys who are actual shooters are primarily going to buy whatever the latest most popular Knight or TC that's a hot seller.
I don't think you need to worry about the barrel being made in Spain either
Spain makes some superb rifles and they make some trash, I think the
first CVA's were Spanish which would definately be in the latter category.
The Austin & halleck is way too classy and expensive to appeal to the masses and they're not a "Name Brand"
Back when the A&H's were first introduced there were all kinds of tests of them, but that was a long time back as these things go, at the time they were regarded as being amongst if not the most accurate inline, and I'm sure they still are, most of the big mass market inlines year to year changes are going to be primarily features that involve marketing not shooting.
Regards fredj

There are a pair of Austin & Halleck 420s here, and they are terrific as far as I'm concerned.

They self-extract the 209 primers, the 1/2 octagonal barrel gives great rigidity, the curly maple wood is breathtaking, and they come with the best factory triggers I've had on a muzzleloader.

They are VERY soft shooters, and as accurate as any .50 calibers as I've ever shot. Few ML'ers I have will shot an honest 1" at 100 yards day in, day out. Both these 420s will.

The Austin & Halleck 420 is the best kept secret in muzzleloading. There is no muzzleloader that in the same league in the "pretty" department, and they shoot as pretty as they look.

Just got my 420 out yesturday for the first shots. What a great gun! Soft is right! First target was at 25 yds, with 7 shots for fun and scope adjustment. 2nd target at 50yds to check the group, 3 shots touching. In 2 hours at the range I must have had 6 guys ask about the gun. Nobody had ever seen anything like it. Losts of interest and a real joy to shoot. Next weekend.. I'll put her out to 100 yds and see what happens. VERY FUN!

What will happen, with 100 gr. Triple 7 and 295 / 348 / 405 grain Powerbelts, is 1" groups assuming a good hold / no wind. At least, that is what happened here.

Austin & Halleck 420 review

Those are my impressions; I welcome yours.

i have one, the nickle and wood one. wouln't think of putting it in plastic. but to each is own. i have had it a few years now and really enjoy it. took it to ok last year for their muzzle loading hunt. there is a ten point buck who wishes i hadn't. real nice rifle but not heavily advertised and to expensive for most of the masses.

The Austin & Hallecks just get better and better. The "expensive" label is just not the case. You'd spend $500 for a Knight Extreme, perhaps more for an Encore. An Austin & Halleck 320 is MSRP at 399, the 420 (with two stocks, one being the checkered curly maple) is 499 - - - again, full boat MSRP.

And, they are not going out of business any time soon, IMHO. Look for them to grow. You can order any of their rifles directly off their website at Austin & Halleck.

The 249 dollar Bass Pro special model 320s are gone and good riddance. Two I bought had problems, one my step-brother bought also had problems. Those rifles were made before the A&H buyout and move to Utah, but they have faithfully honored the warranty on the older guns. Good company and Ray Crow is a model for other gun company execs.

Just a little update on my step-brother's situation with the A&H. He received a brand new Provo, Utah Austin & Halleck rifle yesterday as a replacement. Shot it this morning. Covered three shots with a quarter at 100 yards. MAJOR IMPROVEMENT!!