Any muzzle loader suggestions?

[Soundguy]

What's your goal.

near modern shooting with the thrill of ramrodding a conical bullet in a sabot down a barrel and using a shotgun primer and pyrodex pellets for a quasi- old-time experience with most of the practicality of a modern weapon.. if so.. get an inline.

or.. a little more primitive.. go with #10/11 or musket cap / ball or bullet /sabot shoorint for a good archaic experience, yet still a decent chance of landing a furry creature? knight makes a good entry gun..

or.. are you goin all out danial boon and using a flintlock with pyrodex, round lead balls and patches and a hand primed frizzen? if so.. get a hawkins rifle / kit.

soundguy

Originally Posted by thatguy

I know some (a lot?) of you muzzleload hunt.. Share your wisdom with me..

I am starting to research muzzleloaders and looking for any input you care to share.. Based on some articles I found online I am leaningn toward the Knight or Thompson Center brands (reliabliity, dependability, safety, design)...

I really like the TC encores that have the stock that drops down, but really dont see me switching barrels on it.. The other models I like have the thumbhole stocks.. I am very much leaning toward stainless steel and a composite stock..

thanks


Brian

[thatguy]

My goal is to extend my hunting season more than the 2 wks of general rifle season.. I am definately leaning toward an inline rifle... I want to improve my chances all I can LOL

Brian

[Dozernut]

I have a TC Black Diamond .50 caliber. I use sabots with a .45 caliber jacketed hollow point pistol bullet. A 3X6 variable scope on top, zeroed for 100 yards and it is a tack driver. This in-line uses a 209 shotgun primer which I really like. The only time I had a misfire was when I didn't snap a cap before loading (snapping a cap clears the oil out of the nipple). If i were to buy another it would be the Omega because it breaks open like a single barrel shotgun. This allows you to easily access the breach plug for cleaning. The Black Diamond I have, the scope gets in the way of getting the breach plug out making cleaning a a lot harder.

[keving]

I didn't read any of the previous posts but, the Thompson Pro Hunter is the absolute best muzzleloader I have owned. It shoots sub MOA groups and I use it during rifle season with a .270 barrel. In 2007, I took 5 deer with it using both the muzzleloader (2) and the .270 barrel (3). It's not cheap, but it's very functional and incredibly accurate!

[ToadHill]

Dozernut: My Omega trigger drops to get access to the cap, my brothers Encore breaks open like a single shot shotgun.

[Dozernut]

Originally Posted by ToadHill

Dozernut: My Omega trigger drops to get access to the cap, my brothers Encore breaks open like a single shot shotgun.

Thanks for the correction, I figured I would screw up the model when I said the Omega.

[thatguy]

Originally Posted by Dozernut

I have a TC Black Diamond .50 caliber. <deleted text>.

someone else mentioned the Black Diamond.. I could not find it listed on the TC website, but when I did a google search I found it on the TC website.. Even after knowing it was there, I could never navigate to it from the website.. STrange..

thanks

Brian

[MikePA]

Originally Posted by thatguy

Even after knowing it was there, I could never navigate to it from the website.. STrange..

Since it's no longer part of their web site navigation, odds are either they are no longer manufacturing this model or they are not emphasizing it since it's not listed on their Modern Style Closed Breech In-Lines page.

[Dozernut]

They still sell it and I was able to go directly to it on the TC site. Nice gun if you don't want a scope. Muzzleloaders - Modern Style In-Lines - Thompson/Center

[MikePA]

Originally Posted by Dozernut

They still sell it and I was able to go directly to it on the TC site. Nice gun if you don't want a scope. Muzzleloaders - Modern Style In-Lines - Thompson/Center

I know you can still go directly to it. thatguy already indicated that. It's also listed as a current model in their Owner's Manual section. That wasn't my point, which was they aren't going to sell many if it's not listed on their Modern Style Closed Breech In-Lines page.