I have 2 of the 4 youth MLs mentioned here.
Rossi Youth .45 ML stainless and CVA Wolf Youth Carbine.
I wish a company would put together a youth like the Rossi, but with better materials. The Rossi is only going on it's 4th season and already the stainless is corroding around the breach pretty bad. It is a 20" barrel in .45 cal. I can make one hole at 25 yards using 75gr of 777 pellets and CVA 195gr PowerBelts with a Winchester 209 primer.
Kids have been accurate with it at the range. No steaks to speak of yet. Nothing hit with it yet. I would want a quality ML like it for myself. Lugging this thing around the woods is a joy. Shooting it with the loads I've worked up for it is even more of a joy.
Rossi still makes this in .50 cal. But with the .45, I worked up easy loads a few years ago when the kids were real small, that would have taken deer from a ground blind.
A 158gr .358 lead flatpoint or keith nose in a sabot over 60grs of 777(2x30) Or 125gr flatpoint over 60grs, are the lightest shooting muzzleloader loads that can safely take deer at 25yards.
Check your local fish and game before trying to harvest deer with this. I did, and via email F&G said it was legal. Not even sure they still make the 30gr 777 pellets for .45 anymore.
Again, kids are bigger, so I now load up one 50gr 777 pellet and snap one in half.. total 75gr. of 777 pellets. then a CVA 195 gr. PowerBelt. This has been the most accurate out of the Rossi with being able to shoot first 4 rounds without a cleaning, and I can make all shots touch at 25yrds.
So I didn't have to hear any arguing from my kids about who would take the Rossi, I've been looking for the same thing for 2 years. the .45 is not made anymore.
So, if I could only get a .50, I broke down and bought a CVA Wolf Youth Carbine this past month. .50 cal.
Very impressed with it's accuracy. However, because it is made with more and better steal, it is still front heavy for my kids. And they can't hold it up freehand without being way to shaky.. They do shoot it well from a bench rest. hand on carpeted block of wood and forend in hand.
I load up one 50gr pellet followed by a 30gr. Then put a 245gr CVA PowerBelt. I've only tried 777 primers in this one. Will try the Winchester next time out.
At 50 yards, I can get shots to touch. I put my Leupold 2x7 on this Wolf and I'll be using it this Fall.
I've never shot a whitetail here in NH hardwoods past 80 yards, so I believe I will go back to the range and site in the Wolf 1" high at 50 yards and test what happens at 100 Yards.
The kids can get within 2" of the bullseye with the Wolf on the first shot off the rest. If asked to take a second shot, they kindly say no thanks. They are not ready for this one.
So, for youth, you have to ultimately make the call. (size/strength of the shooter)My14 yr old daughter and 11 yr old son are both 5', 95lbs soaking wet.
For me, 9-13 years old, Rossi .45, Rossi .45, Rossi.45
Older than 13, anything that fits and shoots right.
I've not seen/held the knight in person.
I also keep saying I'm going to purchase some Barnes bullets to play with in the Rossi, but haven't done that yet.
A Barnes .358 rifle TSX bullet in a .45 MMP sabot would be interesting to play with and find out if it could shoot well.
EQ
