45 or 50?

[GM54-120]

Yeah just imagine. The "kid" could start out shooting reduced recoil 180-200gr bullets in sabots at a moderate cost and velocity. Or even shoot the 45cal 250gr Aerolite if he had to. After that the options are endless for much harder hitting loads. While the twist isnt perfect (IMO) its good enough for a huge number of bullets/conicals/ect.

All that in a sub $350 package that weighs under 7lbs and pretty simple to maintain.

 

[MrTom]

I've always thought that those companies that dumped .45 cal guns had a severe case of anal optisitis. CVA would be a world ahead buy making an Optima in .45 that IS NOT geared towards the Powerbelts and with a 1:20 to 1:24 twist. Make those barrels a true .45 for sabots or bore riders. They'd be light years ahead in many ways.

 

[bluedog]

Forget the 1-22 that often comes in oversize....just go with the 1-20 round barrel they already make for the 45-70 Scout model!

 

[edmehlig]

Or you can cast your own and never have to worry about obtaining bullets. I would go with IdahoLewis design the 45-340I mold from Accurate Molds.

 

[Leadball]

lots of great talk about 45 smokers I would love to get into a nice one but have to save up for awhile so the TC system one 50 is it for now

 

[deermanok]

I have a sidehammer rifle in 45 caliber. With a .445 ball and 75 grains of 3f Swiss, it's a great shooter.

 

[GregK]

All things considered and being equal between two guns the 45 caliber will be ballistically superior to the 50 caliber. With that being said, neither is a bad choice or a wrong choice and they were both serve you well as long as you experiment and practice with load development and find a load your gun the best.

Low development and practice are much more important than your choice of those two calibers.

There are still more choices for the 50 caliber whether you choose bore riders or sabots, but if you go fullbore with the 45 the number of available bullets increases dramatically.

In my Mountaineer fast twist 45 I can shoot a fullbore Fury .4505 QT style bullet at 275gr just as accurately as I can shoot the Fury 240gr QT 401 in a sabot

As for the rifle, that’s a personal choice of whichever gun fits your needs the best. My understanding is that the woodman is very light or if you’re hunting long-distance walks and hilly terrain you might want to consider the weight.
I can tell you that my Mountaineer is a joy to shoot but it is heavy although they make a lightweight model now.

If you buy a Knight and you’re going to shoot bare primers I would highly recommend having the gun shipped right to Bestill Creations (with his prior knowledge of course) and have Jeff make you a breech plug that actually fits your gun and won’t leak. Otherwise you will have problems.

I really like the CVA 45 caliber LR-MRX with a 30 inch barrel, but then for me…. I hunt from ground blinds and ladder stands & I don’t walk very far

So the bottom line is you get as many of these guns in your hands as you can to check the fit/feel and buy the one you like.


Greg

 

[JIMYJAC]

Greg, Well said. Lot to think about and consider. I do not seem to do well with a light firearm but at my age some are just to heavy. I think balance is also a key.

 

[GM54-120]

If CVA got the bores right then the MRX in 45cal would be a very comfortable weight. Not too light or too heavy but even in a light 45cal some loads wont be that bad to shoot. I shoot a NULA using a 225gr bullet at 2300fps and its not bad at all. Its about 7.6lbs ready to go. The Super DISC 45 with a 300gr and a max load of BH209 feels worse to me. Load that same rifle up with a 350gr conical and just 70-80gr of BH209 and its very pleasant to shoot too.

 

[ram2]

I just noticed Traditions is coming out with 1-24 twist Pursuit and Strikerfire models in .45.

 

[ronlaughlin]

If you buy a Knight and you’re going to shoot bare primers I would highly recommend having the gun shipped right to Bestill Creations (with his prior knowledge of course) and have Jeff make you a breech plug that actually fits your gun and won’t leak. Otherwise you will have problems.

[email protected]

 

[bronko220002]

IMO the .50 cal seemed to become popular when Jeremiah Johnson came out. And there are so many bullets, sabots, and rifles available in it. Currently I have three .50s but have four .45s - 2 sidelocks and 2 inlines. I almost always grab a .45 when I head out hunting except when I go for bear although I wouldn't feel undergunned with a .45.