Newb questions....

[Stuart C.]

I think I been bit by the BP bug, especially since I could've enjoyed more of the deer season had I jumped on the bandwagon sooner.  This is what I'm thinking.  Please share some of your experiences and tell me where I might be making newbie mistakes. 

- Traditional cap lock for deer hunting and target range.
- I was thinking fast twist for sabots, but now I'm leaning more toward round ball.  Which is more accurate?
- I've seen a lot of Thompson Center Hawken guns and they seem nice, but they only offer 28" barrels. What other brands should I look into.
- What brands or kit guns should I avoid?

Thanks.

[Doe]

Well I'm not as experiences as other, but I just made a purchase and it  CABELA"S HAWKEN 50cal with 1-48" twist and has a 29" barrel......I can so far put 3RD balls in a playing card at 50 yards with 50gr of FF T-7. Will be working on hunting loads soon with MAXI-BALL I'll be sighting that in a 100yds. GOOD LUCK!!!

[quickdtoo]

Stuart, sabots can't be discussed here, if you want opinions on them, please ask in the Modern forum.

Tim

http://www.gboreloaded.com/forums/index.php/topic,102791.msg1098280539.html#msg1098280539

[simonkenton]

Round balls are just as accurate as the censored loads. Round balls are very good deer killers.
Get a TC Hawken, or a Lyman Great Plains rifle. Shoot Goex black powder and the patched round ball, you won't regret it.

[Wynn]

Stuart, check out the Lyman Great Plains Rifle. It has a 32 inch barrel with a 1 in 60 twist for round balls. I have a couple of TC's but my GPR shoots round balls much more accurately. The only "censored" I shoot are a .018 patch around a lead ball.

[blackpowderbill]

Round balls are alot cheaper than the censured stuff for plinking and practice.

[Will Bison]

Of all the "off the shelf" guns available today, I like the Lyman GPR. I also like it in .54 with the slow twist. Quite simply, it puts metal on target. They shoot good right out of the box, no muss no fuss. The sights are quite workable as is. Cap or Flint, your choice. The GPR is an excellent representation of an American Plains Rifle, a composite if you will, of many guns made at the end of the muzzle loading era.

I make the above comments with a battery of high end custom guns at my disposal. The GPR is more than competitive against the expensive guns.

The patched round ball remains popular for a reason, it is both accurate and effective against game.

One shot, one kill.

[Stuart C.]

Thanks for all the info.  I need to check out the gpr first hand.  Haven't had the chance to see one up close.  I see they sell them in kit form...

I did however see a 'high grade' TC Hawken Cougar I believe.  Very nice wood, stainless hardware, blued barrel.  Just really nice looking.  Two questions; 1.) do these high end ones hold their value, and 2.) do people actually hunt with the high end ones, or are these mostly for collecting and fun at the range.  I can't see sitting in the rain/sleet with one.

[blackpowderbill]

I remember seeing the results of a 200 lb doe shot while quartering away with a 45 cal RB and 70 gr of FFF. The ball entered in the area of the right hip and exited fwd of the left shoulder

[simonkenton]

No these old time muzzleloaders do not hold their value. Sadly, there is not that much interest in the traditional muzzleloaders these days as most of the money is spent on inlines.

[Idaho Ron]

blackpowderbill, I would have to see that to believe it, and to be honest I don't. Not for one minute.  Ron

[blackpowderbill]

I saw the enrty and exit hole. I can only take the guys word on the powder charge , but it was in the days before the industry convinced hunters that they needed 150 grains on powder to drop a deer. Back in the mid 70s I think just about every body in our club was loading 50 to 75 grains in 45 through 54 cals.

[Buckskins & Black Powder]

I bought a lyman great plains rifle kit off a forum and i am still putting it together but have shot it even tho its not finished. Mines a .54 cal 1:60 slow twist flintlock and i love it. Shoots clover leaf patterns @ 50 yards. I still have to sight it in for 75 and 100 but i will do that once its finished. The kit is time consuming but the slower you work, the better it will turn out. I really like the rifle.  Deer creek is also another place that sells excellent kids. I bought one of their Northwest Rifle's in .45 percussion and the rifle is just an amazing shooter with PRB or powerbelts.

[boommer]

 I think you would be very happy with a great plains hunter 50 CAL the hunter has a 1 in 28 twist if I remember right if not 1 in 32 ? it will shoot round or conical.I have one and for the money it's a good deal paid 250.00 USED in like new shape.IF you look around ! ALL I CAN SAY LEAVE THE BANNED WORD AT THE STORE!! muzzle loading is about doing it old school it's the experience . If want to shoot fast and flat you  should look at one of them new fan geld ones. JUST ONE MORE OPINION DOESN'T MEAN IT'S RIGHT!                                                                                         

[Buckskins & Black Powder]

great plains hunter is 1:32 twist. I honestly wouldn't go with the .50   The .54 packs a bigger punch at the receiving end.