muzzleloader info
 

looking inyo buying a muzzleloader in the new year, i know that thompson center and knight are the best ones which do you guys/gals prefer? and why thanks for our help. i've read a couple of book and magazines but seem to come up with more questions than answers. thanks kevin

Oh boy are you in for some Cranium Aches.

Let us know what you settle on.
Good luck,

What do you want to shoot outr of it? Sabots, cast boolits, patched round balls? Are you looking to use it in general hunting season? A little info here would sure help in answering you.

sorry 209X50 looking at getting a 50 cal for hunting. will likely be useing the pyrodex pellets and the sabots to start.still learning as i go.

I bought a knight American .50 cal inline 8 years ago. this was the low end of the Knights as I didn't know wether I would like muzzleloading hunting so I didn;t want to invest much money in it. I still use it too this day. iI've taken a buck with it every season. It uses the #11 percussion cap only. I shoot 2 pyrodex 50gr pellets with 240gr HP bullets + sabot. The longest distance I've shot a deer is 125yds. It came drilled and tapped for a scope( Ithink they all do). I have a scope on mine. The accessories needed will cost you about $100.00. There are better rifles on the market but mine does what I need it to do.

http://www.outdoorsmenforum.ca/showthread.php?t=9012

:D

Each brand has it's advantages and disadvantages but Knight and T/C are both top brands. I've got lots of experience with the Omega and could highly recommend it but I just ordered a Triumph as well. Shot one last year and really liked it. Shoulder a few...see what fits you best and go from there. If you plan on shooting pellets, I'd highly recommend one that uses 209 primers for ignition.

Me too !

:D

Me too.

If legal for muzzle loading get a savage that uses smokeless powder. You just can not beat it for a hunting gun. I've used Knight, gonic, safari arms, and Thompson center guns in the past 20 years and the savage beats them all for a convenient, trouble free, accurate, and powerful muzzle loader.

If you want to go traditional though this is definitely not an option.

45 gr IMR 4227 behind a 300 gr XTP in an MMP sabot. 2200 fps with 1.5" groups at 100M and will hit a 1 gal water jug at 200M with no worries. Uses easy to load 209 primers with no stupid little plastic disc like the Knights. For $30 worth of powder you'll get about 150 shots. That is a fair bit cheaper than pellets also.

.50 cal is the best choice and look for a rifle with a 26" barrel or longer with 1:28 twist. This is the best setup for pellets and saboted bullets with of course 209 ignition. I like my T/C's, I have a Black Diamond, 3 Omega's, 3 Encores, 2 Encore Pro Hunters and a Triumph all in 50 cal. All are very solid shooters.
The new Knights don't require the disk and are very good rifles by all reports. Knights have always been very good shooting weapons.
The Savage is a smokeless rifle and it doesn't do T7 or Pyrodex very well. While the smokeless advantage is much vaunted other than taking all the fun out shooting a smoker and being cleaner there isn't much advantage. Heat issues are a serious detriment to accuracy while doing range work. You have to be aware of the ventliner when shooting a savage, most are reporting the need to replace them every 40 shots or so when accuracy starts to go away.

thanks for the info guys makes life a little easier. every book i read seems to conterdict the other, so it helps to have people with knowledge to help out. looked at a modern T/C inline 50 cal today for $650 and a bushnell scope for $450. thanks again for the info and merry christmas


kevin

Someone mentioned that SIR had Omegas on sale right now for under $400...would be worth checking out.

I bought a Savage 10ML back in February and just love it. It's a fun gun to shoot and is very accurate. The nice thing about them is, the amount of labour involved in keeping them Clean. I've got 60 shots through my without cleaning and it's still very accurate.
If the grouping starts to spread all you have to do is clean the vent line out with a drill bit, then it's good to go again.

Bushwacker

t/c encore
 

I have been hunting with muzzle for about ten years own a knight remington gonic but the thompson encore is outstanding 250 grain barnes sabot on a 50 cal and 100 pellets 1 inch groups at 125 all the time and 2.5 in at 200 best on the market and if you want you can buy other barrels. I am buying one for my son he is only 10 but it fits great for a small stature

That's cool you are getting one for your son. The great thing about the Encore is that you can get a bantam stock for him at this age and as he grows up, it's a simple matter of changing the stock to fit him.

Omega Z5
 

SIR has the Omega Z5 in synthic stalk and blue barrel with the accessory kit on for 329.99, mine arrived today