IDEAL Hunting Muzzleloaders

[Matthew323]

WHAT ARE YOUR IDEAL HUNTING, NOT RECREATIONAL, OR TARGET SHOOTING MUZZLELOADING WEAPONS?

A. SIDELOCK
1. Rifle
2. Smoothbore

B. INLINE
1. Rifle
2. Shotgun

Please specify brand of weapon, lock type, ignition source, barrel manufacturer, bore size, rate of rifling twist, wad preference (both rifles & smoothbores), sabot, bullet, conical, ball diameter, patch material, patch thickness, patch lubricant, type of iron sights, brand of scope, scope rings, scope bases, sling, overall weight of the rifle/shotgun/smoothbore when loaded/field READY---ANYTHING THAT YOU THINK IS IMPORTANT!

FOR ME:
A.SIDELOCK
1. Rifle: Chuck Edwards, custom, iron-mounted, flintlock, SW Virginia rifle; Jim Kibler, CNC, English, Ketland, export flintlock w/ waterproof pan; Rice, .45 caliber, 1:48" twist, swamped octagon, 46" long, Honaker pattern barrel; AAAA curly maple fullstock, 13" L.O.P., 1.5" drop at comb, 3,5" drop at heel, stained dark w/Aqua Fortis; oil finish scrubbed back & aged w/ScotchBrite pads; hand-forged buttplate, toeplate, patchbox, vent pick holder, bronze vent pick, sideplate, doubleset triggers, triggerguard, forestock wear plate, ramrod pipes, muzzle cap, ghost ring rear sight; copper base & coin silver front sight. Approximate weight, 6.75-7 pounds.

2. Smoothbore: Clay Smith, custom, flintlock, Bumford, Type "G", Carolina Trade Gun; R.E.Davis Trade Gun Flintlock; custom (Bobby Hoyt?), 47" long, 24 gauge , .58 caliber, octagon-round, smoothbore barrel, no choke; sheet brass buttplate, wrist inlay, sideplate, triggerguard, muzzle band; thin, ribbed brass, ramrod pipes; brass front sight soldered to barrel; square iron nails for buttplate & wtist inlay; beech fullstock, 13" L.O.P., stained dark w/Aqua Fortis; 6 coats of Prussian Blue milk paint, scrubbed back & aged w/ScotchBrite pads. Decorated with snapping turtle totem line drawings. Weight, 6 pounds.

INLINES:
1. Rifle: Woodman Arms, Patriot Rifle; McGowan, .50 caliber, 1:28" twist, 24" long barrel; removable breechplug for 209 shotshell primers; Boyds, Zombie green, special order, laminate stock, Kick-eez Magnum recoil pad w/a 13" L.O.P.; GrovTec, GTHM289, H-D, Push Button, sling swivel bases; brass, Spartan Precision Equipment, Gunsmith adapter, installed flush, at rifles balance point; 7075-T6, 3/8" diameter, hard anodized, aluminum ramrod w/10-32 threads, and a SpinJag ramrod tip; barrel shortened to 18" long, re-crowned, and machined for 3/4"-24 threads; LR Customs, MZ REX 2 muzzle brakes (conical & sabot), fitted & timed; custom, steel, STANAG, Picatinny scope bases (2), rear base to incorporate an integral, non-adjustable, ghost ring, back-up, rear sight; steel, STANAG, Picatinny, 30mm, scope rings; Leupold, VX6-HD, 1-6×24mm, Rifle scope, 13.4oz., flip-up lens covers; ramp front sight with custom-machinrd blade to hold the smallest diameter, green, fiber optic, bow hunting, sight pins; GrovTec, GTSW287, H-D, Push Button, recessed plunger, sling swivels; Slogan Outdoors, Long Magnum sling. Approximate weight, 7.5 pounds

2. Shotgun: Woodman Arms, Patriot Shotgun; Rice/McGowan, 20 gauge, 0.620" bore diameter; 32" long, smoothbore barrel w/0.002" deep straight rifling, sized for #5 shot, & no choke; removable breechplug for 209 shotshell primers; Boyds, Royal violet, special order, laminate stock. All other specs same as for the rifle, except for no muzzle brakes. Approximate weight, 7.25 pounds.

If I was going to own long arms, these are the 4 that I would strive to own. In addition to my customized, Optima V2 pistol.

You will notice that NONE of the 4 weigh more than 7.5 pounds, all up. At 66, and with decent osteoarthritis in both shoulders, I want the weight to be low, the ability to change/control the loads/recoil to be low.

I see a lot of shooters burdening themselves with heavy guns, which is fine if one is going to always be close to an ATV.

However, I would at least like to try to return to still hunting, as I did when I was younger; and a lighter weight weapon is a necessity for me to even attempt to do so.


If I could only own one of the 4, it would definitely be the Prussian blue Carolina Trade Gun. For my needs, east of the Mississippi river, it will do everything I could possibly want. It has the power to kill any game animal, smallest-to-largest, from the Canadian/Maine border, to the Florida Everglades.

 

[ENCORE50A]

I'm pushing 69 and weight just doesn't bother me... yet

Inline for me. I'd find a TC Encore that was in tip-top shape and make a few modifications to the frame, add a scope and be dangerous. Its that easy.

 

[Matthew323]

I'm pushing 69 and weight just doesn't bother me... yet

Inline for me. I'd find a TC Encore that was in tip-top shape and make a few modifications to the frame, add a scope and be dangerous. Its that easy.

The last few years have been a revelation for me. I have gone from wearing relatively heavy daypacks on a daily basis, to having to consider every ounce that I carry. It's like they (whoever THEY are!!) say, " Getting old ain't for sissies!!!".

 

[deermanok]

I think for me, my new Traditions Tennessee rifle is gonna be it.
In fact, I was up at the range this morning with it experimenting with different powder. (Swiss 3f)
My other rifle is Traditions deerhunter. It's the 3rd one I've owned. They have been good woods companions for me.
Both guns are very lightweight, under 7 pounds, easy to tote.
For pistol, I really like the old CVA mountain pistol I picked up recently. I can shoot it very well at close range.

 

[ENCORE50A]

The last few years have been a revelation for me. I have gone from wearing relatively heavy daypacks on a daily basis, to having to consider every ounce that I carry. It's like they (whoever THEY are!!) say, " Getting old ain't for sissies!!!".

Well at least we're still on the green side of the grass I keep telling some of the youngsters in the family, PLAN!

I know many have it worse, but dang it seems like once I retired things started going down hill. Guess I should have put in another 10yrs?
Anyone of the Encores I've had in the past, or my last, a Pro Hunter would work well if I returned to another style of hunting but....... those days my friend have past. I bought enough property to hunt on and built blinds, so still hunting is a thing of the past.
My last episode of tearing up a knee really makes it hard to field dress a whitetail anymore. I'll try it again this year, but if I can't get down to do it anymore, I'll pull the darn thing up in a tree and do it standing up

 

[John carter]

For me .... Knight wolverene .... In line. 50 cal with 4"12 scope.

Light weight
Load with 70gr powder
Use tc sabots
Nice sling
Extended ramrod
Carry three speedloaders
Hearing aid case with musket caps

I have deminished eye sight ... Shot in places that are 70yds or less range to even shoot. 70pyrodex is not a punishing load.

 

[deermanok]

Well at least we're still on the green side of the grass I keep telling some of the youngsters in the family, PLAN!

I know many have it worse, but dang it seems like once I retired things started going down hill. Guess I should have put in another 10yrs?
Anyone of the Encores I've had in the past, or my last, a Pro Hunter would work well if I returned to another style of hunting but....... those days my friend have past. I bought enough property to hunt on and built blinds, so still hunting is a thing of the past.
My last episode of tearing up a knee really makes it hard to field dress a whitetail anymore. I'll try it again this year, but if I can't get down to do it anymore, I'll pull the darn thing up in a tree and do it standing up

I think that as long as we can stay in the woods. I'm still a pretty young 67. I retired last year but got bored and took a part time job in town to keep busy. The extra money funds my muzzleloader addiction.
Sounds like you have had a good life and many blessings. Continued best wishes for many more deer seasons.

 

[eekjellander]

WHAT ARE YOUR IDEAL HUNTING, NOT RECREATIONAL, OR TARGET SHOOTING MUZZLELOADING WEAPONS?

A. SIDELOCK
1. Rifle
2. Smoothbore

B. INLINE
1. Rifle
2. Shotgun

Please specify brand of weapon, lock type, ignition source, barrel manufacturer, bore size, rate of rifling twist, wad preference (both rifles & smoothbores), sabot, bullet, conical, ball diameter, patch material, patch thickness, patch lubricant, type of iron sights, brand of scope, scope rings, scope bases, sling, overall weight of the rifle/shotgun/smoothbore when loaded/field READY---ANYTHING THAT YOU THINK IS IMPORTANT!

FOR ME:
A.SIDELOCK
1. Rifle: Chuck Edwards, custom, iron-mounted, flintlock, SW Virginia rifle; Jim Kibler, CNC, English, Ketland, export flintlock w/ waterproof pan; Rice, .45 caliber, 1:48" twist, swamped octagon, 46" long, Honaker pattern barrel; AAAA curly maple fullstock, 13" L.O.P., 1.5" drop at comb, 3,5" drop at heel, stained dark w/Aqua Fortis; oil finish scrubbed back & aged w/ScotchBrite pads; hand-forged buttplate, toeplate, patchbox, vent pick holder, bronze vent pick, sideplate, doubleset triggers, triggerguard, forestock wear plate, ramrod pipes, muzzle cap, ghost ring rear sight; copper base & coin silver front sight. Approximate weight, 6.75-7 pounds.

2. Smoothbore: Clay Smith, custom, flintlock, Bumford, Type "G", Carolina Trade Gun; R.E.Davis Trade Gun Flintlock; custom (Bobby Hoyt?), 47" long, 24 gauge , .58 caliber, octagon-round, smoothbore barrel, no choke; sheet brass buttplate, wrist inlay, sideplate, triggerguard, muzzle band; thin, ribbed brass, ramrod pipes; brass front sight soldered to barrel; square iron nails for buttplate & wtist inlay; beech fullstock, 13" L.O.P., stained dark w/Aqua Fortis; 6 coats of Prussian Blue milk paint, scrubbed back & aged w/ScotchBrite pads. Decorated with snapping turtle line drawing totems. Weight, 6 pounds.

INLINES:
1. Rifle: Woodman Arms, Patriot Rifle; McGowan, .50 caliber, 1:28" twist, 24" long barrel; removable breechplug for 209 shotshell primers; Boyds, Zombie green, special order, laminate stock, Kick-eez Magnum recoil pad w/a 13" L.O.P.; GrovTec, GTHM289, H-D, Push Button, sling swivel bases; brass, Spartan Precision Equipment, Gunsmith adapter, installed flush, at rifles balance point; 7075-T6, 3/8" diameter, hard anodized, aluminum ramrod w/10-32 threads, and a SpinJag ramrod tip; barrel shortened to 18" long, re-crowned, and machined for 3/4"-24 threads; LR Customs, MZ REX 2 muzzle brakes (conical & sabot), fitted & timed; custom, steel, STANAG, Picatinny scope bases (2), rear base to incorporate an integral, non-adjustable, ghost ring, back-up, rear sight; steel, STANAG, Picatinny, 30mm, scope rings; Leupold, VX6-HD, 1-6×24mm, Rifle scope, 13.4oz., flip-up lens covers; ramp front sight with custom-machinrd blade to hold the smallest diameter, green, fiber optic, bow hunting, sight pins; GrovTec, GTSW287, H-D, Push Button, recessed plunger, sling swivels; Slogan Outdoors, Long Magnum sling. Approximate weight, 7.5 pounds

2. Shotgun: Woodman Arms, Patriot Shotgun; Rice/McGowan, 20 gauge, 0.620" bore diameter; 32" long, smoothbore barrel w/0.002" deep straight rifling, sized for #5 shot, & no choke; removable breechplug for 209 shotshell primers; Boyds, Royal violet, special order, laminate stock. All other specs same as for the rifle, except for no muzzle brakes. Approximate weight, 7.25 pounds.

If I was going to own long arms, these are the 4 that I would strive to own. In addition to my customized, Optima V2 pistol.

You will notice that NONE of the 4 weigh more than 7.5 pounds, all up. At 66, and with decent osteoarthritis in both shoulders, I want the weight to be low, the ability to change/control the loads/recoil to be low.

I see a lot of shooters burdening themselves with heavy guns, which is fine if one is going to always be close to an ATV.

However, I would at least like to try to return to still hunting, as I did when I was younger; and a lighter weight weapon is a necessity for me to even attempt to do so.


If I could only own one of the 4, it would definitely be the Prussian blue Carolina Trade Gun. For my needs, east of the Mississippi river, it will do everything I could possibly want. It has the power to kill any game animal, smallest-to-largest, from the Canadian/Maine border, to the Florida Everglades.

My needs for hunting are simple , a couple of Renegade stocks to hold a 50 cal 1-48 twist stock barrel around 8LBS (my heaviest) likes the Lymans 395gr Great Plains/ my favorite is a Bob Hoyt 54 cal 1-60 twist /Lee REAL 320gr conical over a bear oil soaked 3/8 felt on top of a card that covers 90 gr of OE 3F .This load is zeroed @190 yds/@100yds it is 8-10 inch high and not to skip the important stuff it sports a Leupold and Magspark ignition . If my best stand has deer this is the setup that has not failed . My other 54 barrel is a Bob Hoyt 1-54 RB shooter that likes my 530 gr patched by again a (bear oil) soaked .18-20 mattress (Joanns Fabric)over a bear lubed felt over a card over 80 grains of OE 2F and my farthest deer was 83 yds . Then there is a .610 smoothy that shoots the Lee 600gr (actual 595 gr)RB out to 50 yds/ can kill tree rats with 1 1/2 oz of 6 shot I miss with the 45 Kibler SMR (walnut stocked) I assembled . I did not mention the 58 cal Zoli or the other Bob Hoyt barrels as this typing is more than I"m used to/Ed (The 54 can do it all)

 

[brotherlloyd]

tc hawken or renegade 50 or 54 70gr goex 3f, over powder wad, prb. deer never run off. 54 is my favorite it has put more meat on the table than any other cal.

 

[Mnt monkey]

I'm a little obsessed with this issue right now Bruce, I stay in good physical shape and I work out everyday, it's more to me at my age than just the weight of the gun, it's the little milliseconds of handling the rifle, of bringing it to your shoulder and pointing, i hunt in a lot of different types of environments and a lot of different methods, I like to sit in a blind sometimes like encore mentioned, other days I may still hunt creek bottoms all day long,I guess to me in an ideal world a hunter could have both a heavy rifle and a light walking rifle, one thing for me over the years of hunting and blinds I have noticed The lightweight walking rifle even handles easier in the deer blind ,it gets out of my shooting window quicker, it settles in quicker, Yes when I shoulder it it moves around a little bit more if my heart is beating but sometimes those little split seconds have just getting the gun up and pointed can make all the difference in the world,I like to think after years of hunting that I just can take a deep breath and relax a little bit when I'm in the blind, but sometimes when a big buck walks out I just fall to pieces I'm sure none of you do that, when I'm sitting in a blind and I have a five or 600 yd shot I'm going to have the heavy rifle, however if I'm sitting in my blind and it's 200 yd and closer I think I would rather have my lightweight rifle even in the blind,,,,my favorite rifle of course has been a CVA Acura mountain rifle for the last 2 or 3 years, going to be walking with the Woodman Patriot this season,I'm still in egotistical ninja superhuman man that can win and beat everybody at everything, but I'm getting much more sensitive to a pound or two Bruce!!!

 

[Hatchet Jack]

Sidelock would be TC Renegade for sure.
In-Line would depend on what day you asked me. I like my Omegas, Encores and Whites. Today is an Omega day.

 

[Confederate rifleman]

Humm... All questions should be so easy!
Sidelock. My laminated TC Hawken. With 200, 230 and 250 grain 45 cal XTP's in Harvester sabots over 70 grains of 3f Swiss. Pure joy. The Lyman Plains 400 grain soda cans show promise too.
I have a custom flintlock that I HOPE I can finally settle down with.
My be all to end all last to ever part with rifle by of ANY kind is my stainless/ walnut 24 inch .50 TC Firehawk.
70 grains of 3F Swiss under 230, 250 and 300 grain XTP's in Harvester sabots are SCARY accurate for ANY rifle, let alone an aperture sighted inline muzzleloader. The afore mentioned Lyman 400 grain soda cans, lubed with SPG and with a 1/8 inch Ox Yoke .54/.56 wad, same 70 grain charge, will very nearly match the sabots for accuracy.
Of course, for special occasions, there's Victoria. My repop '53 Enfield .577. 4 deer and LORD knows how many Yankees over 20 year of reenacting...
Don't own a smoothie.

 

[Bushfire]

I have looked at sidelocks left, right and centre lately and I think the most beautiful is the Pedersoli Missouri River in maple. If it came with a recoil pad instead of a curved butt plate I wouldn't hesitate. I would probably have it with a ghost ring too. I've always loved flintlock but percussion would get the nod.

I have my TC triumph inline, it's good but I'm falling out of love with inlines.

I would never scope a muzzleloader, to me it defeats part of what it is to hunt with one. If I did I scope one I'd just use a centrefire. Mind you we have no weapon specific seasons, so whether I hunt with rifle, bow or black powder is entirely dependent on how I'm feeling that day.

Don't know much about mz shotguns but maybe something I'd dabble in one day.

It is a good question though as I'm probably going to keep in line with my practical view on things and only have one black powder. For me it's time to move toward a sidelock

 

[deerlessbob]

I love my Accura MR. It’s light and well balanced.

 

[sheriffjohn]

If it's raining, my H&A underhammer .45 with PRB & 80 gr of 2FG goes to the woods for deer. If not, it could be about anything from original .54 over 12 gauge double to one of the flintlocks. Always favor a patched round ball and true black powder for rifles and felt wads for shotguns. Flint 12 ga fowler is fun, but only for small game. Ruger Old Army sometimes. Tingle .40 pistols are also fun. Specifics bore me. Cheers.

 

[user 31408]

I hunt with my 54 Lyman flint that Bobby Hoyt rebored from a 50 cal. I also put an RPL 5 L&R lock on it and Brad Emig from Cabin Creek did an excellent job tuning it for me! Got my first flintlock deer this year in the late flintlock season. This black powder stuff is addicting!

 

[anonymouscowherd]

Sidelock that is mostly traditional but I would like to see a 209 or rifle primer based ignition designed from ground up that eliminates the small moving parts issue of the magspark etc

Would also like to see modern steels and finishes (even good old paint over parkerizing like the fn-fal as long as it isnt baby poop yellow and green)

 

[bronko220002]

The last few years have been a revelation for me. I have gone from wearing relatively heavy daypacks on a daily basis, to having to consider every ounce that I carry. It's like they (whoever THEY are!!) say, " Getting old ain't for sissies!!!".

That quote was from my Momma, God rest her soul. When I started hunting many many moons ago all I took was my long johns, jeans, a Woolrich coat and hat, rifle, ammo, knife and drag rope. For lunch a sandwich (which usually ended up about 1/4" thick) and an apple. I'd leave the cabin at dark and not return until dark unless I shot something. Then it was either before dark or once in a while long afterwards!
Seems today with all the "necessary" things you need to take hunting with you you need an ATV and a trailer to carry it all into the woods...LOL

In response to the thread, for a sidelock I'll take one of my .58 Renegades - either flint or percussion depending on the season. An inline that's a tougher decision. Either my .45 Knight Mountaineer or for bigger stuff than deer one of my .50 700MLs.
But Encore50 has a good idea for the Encore. I'll take my .45 Encore if I'm going to be doing a lot of walking. Its light and deadly.