Muzzle Loading Rifles

[Hawk]

Not sure where to post this one. Hope this is the correct spot.

My brother and I want to start hunting with muzzle loaders to take advantage of the late season here in Texas.
I don't have much time to investigate or research, so I thought I would tap the members of the forum who have knowledge regarding muzzle loaders.

We will probably only buy one rifle and I want to try to get a good one. I'll spend the money if I need to, but want a good shooter, not an investment gun.

I have had a couple of people recommend CVA Accura or CVA Optima with a stainless steel/nitride finish as a good rifle. I've been told muzzle loaders are pretty much all the same as far as accuracy is concerned, so no need to by a high dollar Thompson.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Winelover]

Depends on if your taste runs to traditional or the newer non-traditional ones. Mine are all traditional. Have a left handed Tennessee Mountain rifle (50 cal) and a 54 caliber TC Renegade, also LH. Both shoot round balls and maxi's well enough for deer hunting. I cast both types of bullets for them. The maxi's hit like a shotgun rifled slug but you pay a premium for it in recoil. Well place round ball will get the job done.

The non traditional ones are mostly used with sabots and a usually a OTC jacketed type bullet. So casting is not coming into play.
Ignition systems are quite different. They usually use shotgun primers vs the percussion or flintlock type, for more reliable ignition.
Although.....I have converted my percussion's over to use small pistol primers, with the now defunct, Accura-shot nipple.

 

[Tony]

Hawk,

Thanks for starting this thread. I'm interested in this topic for many of the same reasons you state.

Best regards,

TJ

 

[Winelover]

The traditional "front stuffers" with octagonal barrels are heavier than their non-traditional counterparts. Don't readily lend themselves to mounting optics. Open sights or tang mounted peeps are the norm......both of which are found lacking in low light hunting situations. BTW, longer barrels,only exasperate these pitfalls.

 

[Hawk]

I'm not necessarily interested in traditional muzzle loaders. More along the lines of modern break over guns that lend themselves to scopes.
I've read a bit about the CVA line and they look pretty good.
Just don't want to be fooled by the hype.
This is the only board I trust to be honest in their evaluations.

 

[yodogsandman]

I run a TC inline, the boys have CVA break action inlines and all with 3-9x40 scopes. I use Hornady green sabots (50 PKs) with Hornady .430" 240gr, XTP's over 100 gr Pyrodex Select and ignited by Winchester 209's. This gives me one inch, 5 shot groups at 100 yards. The boys shot the same this year where they just bought theirs and didn't have time to experiment. The CVA's ran about two inch groups at 100 yards without any tweaking.

 

[S Mac]

I have owned a couple of CVA inlines over the years, have always been pleased with their products, although I've bought nothing of recent manufacture.

 

[KHornet]

Being a traditionalist, will let the non traditionalist's answer.
There is however a true joy in mastering a round ball load!

 

[freebullet]

I'm the oddball, I love them all. Have numerous inlines & 1 traditional. The scoped ss inlines go hunting.

Started on inlines by default in 04. They open a bunch of our state parks for shotgun & mzldr hunting for antlerless deer for 14$ each when they were overpopulated. It was fun and easy hunting. The Fairweather hunter gave up since our deer #'s have come down but, the ss inlines go out with me from dec1-jan15 no matter what.

T/c or cva would serve you well. They each like their own favorite loads. Whatever you do get stainless steel. It is well worth it, unless you enjoy cleaning all the time.

I run a couple omegas and they shoot jax in sabots @200yd every time inside 2moa if you can. Been working on home cast in sabots and shot a button last year with a 300gr HP home cast in sabots. The maxi370 is showing some promise (hope to post some targets Saturday).

Cva wolf (short & light) has taken deer at 176yd and will shoot straight. Had an optima(longer barrel) it did well out to 200yd.

The t/c has the edge in quality, fit, & finish but, cva ain't bad. I did not care for the traditions brand inlines. Remington has a new Super magnum inline available too.

My new optima v2 pistols breech plug is easy to remove without tools after gunking it up. The older styles the require a tool are tough to remove.

 

[yodogsandman]

That brings up some other options to consider. Late season or winter hunts will be cold, I'd rather be clutching a wood stocked inline than a plastic stocked break action. That metal gets pretty cold. Check it with your tongue some day out there. How about the size of the trigger guard, can you wear gloves? Check the length of pull and the focus on your scope with your heavy hunting parka on, too.

Am I a traditionalist if I prefer blued steel and checkered walnut?

 

[9.3X62AL]

Total traditionalist with by front-loaders--patched roundball 54 and 58 calibers, and looking about for a 36-40 caplock that won't break the bank. Had a Traditions 32 caliber, and it shot quite well with PRBs, but fouled out with 3F Goex Flaming Dirt as fuel. I sold it off, and have looked quietly for a half-stock Hawken-pattern in 36 to 40 caliber with RB twist. In other words, I've undergone a lot of sticker shock. Might have to settle for a 45 as a "small bore".

 

[Tony]

Does anyone here have any experience with the R J Renner Faeton 20 bore rifle?

 

[yodogsandman]

I'd swear I still have the powder burns on my left forearm from my dad's .58 cal. Hopkins and Allen under hammer!