So, like a crazy fool, I lost track of time and forgot to get my extra tag for bow season. This leads me to be a bit more selective on my choices for deer. I let one go that I might regret because I'm sure if the other two guys hunting the farm this year see him in range, he's toast. It was a heavy 6 point with very long tines. He's about 16"-17" wide inside. Truly a great looking deer. But, I thinks he's only 2.5 years old. Pretty certain he was the decent 1.5 y/o 6 point from last year but not entirely certain. Wasn't ready to end my archery season in the first 40 minutes of hunting. Anyway, it got me to thinking about other seasons and it turns out, I enjoy our BP season about as much as I do the bow season.
I bring this up because I've hunted with several ML's over the years. Some inlines, some percussion. My wife and I were talking the other day about an upcoming BP trip to Colorado. Due to the time, energy, money and planning that goes into what could be a one shot ordeal, I'm not gonna leave chance to one of my percussion guns. Going to snag a CVA Accura before that time comes. Not my cup of tea for the general season but had one of the first gen models and it shot like a dream. As good as some of my rifles within its own personal limits.
Anyway, I'm curious as to the ML y'all are using. Don't care what it is. Just curious. I've got a couple of T/C Hawkens (.45 and .50), a .54 Renegade, an older Charles Daly .50 cal Hawken and a Traditions Deer Hunter also in .50 cal. The CD comes out when the weather is rough. Bought 2 of them from a guy for $75. Cleaned them up and sold one for $85 to my neighbor since he had nothing for out Mountaineer Heritage season. We had fun last year but my T/C's took a beating in the nasty weather and I'll not put them through that again. I like them to much. Plus, the CD shoots a PRB better than the others do with a more reasonable charge behind it. Regardless, whatcha using? No judgment here. I'd like to see some of the flintlock fellas chime in too. I plan to get a custom long rifle in the next couple years too. Already got it lined up with the gunmaker.
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A custom long rifle. You might enjoy a book by Tom McKenney called Jack Hinson's One Man War. It's about a civil war sniper.
Thompson Center Encore
90 grains Blackhorn powder
Hornady SST 250 bullet
The Blackhorn burns very clean and has tightened my groups to where I'm cutting holes at 100 yards. Insanely accurate.
I have several , but my favorite is Remington in-line 50 cal...
I have a few, enjoy shooting the sidelocks the most. I would like to get a flintlock some day.
T/C renegade .54
CVA bobcat .50
CVA hawken .54 and .50 barrels with a slow twist for prb that I built from a kit. Just finished her at the beginning of Sept.
CVA optima .50
CVA nwtf gobbler 12 GA.
I will hunt the muzzleloading season with the one I built this year.
Last one I set up was a savage ml shooting smokeless and a sabot. If I ever set up another it will probably be either a 45 CVA with a conversion to shoot smokeless and no sabot or get my savage rebarreled to a 45.
Quote from: dirt road ninja on October 02, 2019, 06:02:03 AM
Last one I set up was a savage ml shooting smokeless and a sabot. If I ever set up another it will probably be either a 45 CVA with a conversion to shoot smokeless and no sabot or get my savage rebarreled to a 45.
What model CVA has a smokeless conversion?
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Im a big Knight fan, have several
Quote from: mspaci on October 02, 2019, 08:14:02 AM
Im a big Knight fan, have several
Only thing that turns me away from knight is the cleaning of the bolt assembly. Otherwise, they seem great.
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I've got one of the old T C , Cherokee in 45 cal... it's one fine little muzzleloader
I use a 50 caliber THOMPSON Center Encore. Topped it with a Weaver Grand Slam Scope. Easy to load, easy to clean, and drives tacks. I use 2 Pyrodex 50 grain pellets and a Powerbelt 295 grain Aero Tip sabot. It is one of the earlier guns, but It is fantastic. THOMPSON Center makes a fine muzzleloader.
Quote from: wvmntnhick on October 02, 2019, 07:39:09 AM
Quote from: dirt road ninja on October 02, 2019, 06:02:03 AM
Last one I set up was a savage ml shooting smokeless and a sabot. If I ever set up another it will probably be either a 45 CVA with a conversion to shoot smokeless and no sabot or get my savage rebarreled to a 45.
What model CVA has a smokeless conversion?
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The hunter and scout in 45-70
over the years many muzzle loaders have passed through my door. old school hawkens, knight, cva, etc..
this love of muzzleloaders grew from hunting illinois gun season with my father for past 20 years. then one day in calhoun county a gentleman in deer camp showed me his bad bull and targets from range. i was blown away and as with any new weapon i had overflowing interest. so off to the range we go . he showed me the all the details and how to safely load it correctly. i fired a 3 shot group at 200 yards. upon checking the target it was a 1.5 inch group. he and i were all smiles until he revealed the cost which was more than i could afford at the time. fast forward a few years and i had saved enough to get a used one which performed flawlessly. gun was an absolute hammer in accuracy but was on heavy side and my cousin just had to have it so it was sold to him. not long after this i ran into some guys on range shooting ashland innovations muzzleloader and i picked their brains and shot their guns a few times. as before i was impressed and proceeded to build one with charles from ashland innovations in ashland ,virginia . gun turned out great and it too was a hammer and extremely accurate out to 300 yards. only downside is cost as they are like building custom rifle. i'm sure there are other rifles that are just as good and better priced in this arena of custom muzzleloaders but it will sure drive tacks and anchor whitetails effectively at extended ranges. if you want any more info on these please pm me.
About 8-10 yrs. ago I picked up a CVA Wolf on Clearance at Walmart for $70. I use 2- Triple 7 pellets and 250 gr. Barnes Expander MZ bullets. It's the only ML I have owned or shot for that matter. I have taken deer from 30 to 125 yds. I know it's not the most accurate or a very high dollar gun, but the deer I've taken don't know it. It hits where I aim at the distances I'm comfortable shooting and I guess that's what counts. If I hunted with a ML more I would probably consider getting something different.
I don't hunt with it much any more, but when I do, I use my stainless TC Encore barrel in 50 cal. topped with a Leupold VariX 2 in 3x9x50. I shoot 245 grain Powerbelt ballistic tips, pushed by 100 grains of Shockey's Gold pellets ignited by 209 shotshell primers. Nothing primitive about it, but it's accurate and reliable. :fud:
I started out hunting bp with an old side lock. It wasn't much but I could drill pie plates at 75 steps with it. Now I shoot a T/C Omega with 90 grains of 777 and 250 gr Hornady sst. I actually took the scope off it this past weekend. Since getting glasses last year I can shoot open sights again and to be honest I just really prefer shooting bp without a scope. No offense to those who do.
Quote from: RutnNStrutn on October 07, 2019, 06:36:05 PM
I don't hunt with it much any more, but when I do, I use my stainless TC Encore barrel in 50 cal. topped with a Leupold VariX 2 in 3x9x50. I shoot 245 grain Powerbelt ballistic tips, pushed by 100 grains of Shockey's Gold pellets ignited by 209 shotshell primers. Nothing primitive about it, but it's accurate and reliable. :fud:
Doesn't have to be primitive to be fun man. No ones judging you at all.
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Didn't take it that way. I just know that some states don't allow scopes, in-lines, shotshell primers, etc. I started out with a TC sidehammer, patch round ball, percussion caps and iron sights.
Thompson Center Encore
90 grains Blackhorn powder
Barnes 250 grain TMZ