Author Topic: Sidekick or Black Diamond? (Read 1055 times)

wanderer · « **on:** September 23, 2006, 07:58:53 PM »

Here's the deal:
Although I have hunted deer with centerfire rifles in the past, I am currently in college and have little time to hunt, so I am looking to buy a muzzle loader to take advantage of the long ml season which happens to be at the same time as Christmas break. The shots will not be long range, the longest shot I have taken with my 30/06 is 150 yards, with most others being well under that. I do have some muzzleloading expirience from scouts and shooting relatives' guns, so I am not completly ignorant (about this anyway

). The two guns I am considering are the sidekick and the t/c black diamond. I have an opportunity to buy a NIB black diamond for $180. It is the blued/syn model with the short (22") bbl. Or I could buy the sidekick for $169 (blued/wood). The truth is that I like both guns (Unfortunatly the wallet says I can have only one

). Here are my questions/ concerns.

Major considerations:
Sights: The regs say only iron or peep sights can be used for hunting. Which one has better sights? Or are they both decent?
Trigger: I have shot handi rifles and I would imagine the trigger on the sidekick would be similar (kind of stiff, but no creep) How does the T/C compare?
Ease of Loading: I like the idea of the primer carriers on the sidekick for field loading (cold hands and what not), but the ramrod on the T/C is better. Also how well does the QLA system work?

Minor Details:
Bbl. Length: I know I could get more velocity out of the Sidekick's 26 incher, but I feel that it won't be a significant factor at the ranges I anticipate.
Accuracy: I know both guns have solid reputations for accuracy and they are probably better than I am with iron sights.
Warranty: T/C is lifetime, NEF is 1 yr. I know both companies stand behind their products so I see no clear winner here.

These are the things I have thought of. Right now I am leaning toward the T/C, but since I have never fired either I would appreciate your feedback greatly. I am really not sure that I can go wrong here.

Thanks (and sorry if I bored you with the long post),

wanderer

quickdtoo · « **Reply #1 on:** September 23, 2006, 08:55:33 PM »

Welcome to GBO! You might want to check out the Huntsman forum for more info on the Huntsman/Sidekick, it's up in the NEF/H&R Talk. Also, you can save a few more bucks on the Sidekick or Huntsman at Walmart and use the money saved to upgrade the rear sight to the WGRS if you like a peep better, it can be had direct from H&R for $18 and a few bucks shipping.

The Huntsman has the benefit of being able to have any of their shotgun barrels fitted except the 10ga and slug barrel to it.

Tim

http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=4003416

http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=4003415

wanderer · « **Reply #2 on:** September 24, 2006, 06:50:55 AM »

Thanks for the welcome quickdtoo, although I am not exactly new here, I was on the old site. I have read thru the Huntsman forum (lots of good info by the way). I really didn't want to buy at walmart because of an issue I had a few years ago. I tried to buy a bore brush and some solvent, but I was not 18 at the time so they wouldn't let me. The clerk was rude and treated me like some kind of criminal. She wouldn't even let my older brother (who was 19) buy them for me, because she knew I was the one really getting them. Needless to say I haven't bought any sporting goods stuff at walmart since. In fairness the clerk probably didn't know about shooting so when the computer said that I had a restricted item, she assumed it was correct. And I also went to the then-new self checkout which may have had some bugs to be worked out on what was restricted. Maybe I should just forgive and forget.

After all it was just one clerk out of thousands (and not completly her fault either)

thanks again, you all know your stuff (I knew there was a reason that I came back to this site

)

wanderer

quickdtoo · « **Reply #3 on:** September 24, 2006, 07:21:39 AM »

Well, welcome back then!!

Don't cut your nose off to spite your face just because of an ignorant sales person, that can happen anywhere, unfortunately.

Due to Walmart's employee turn over, they have more of those people than they should, certainly doesn't help their image.

I deal with 2 stores here that sell firearms, one has a terrible staff, the other is excellent.

Tim

wanderer · « **Reply #4 on:** September 24, 2006, 09:26:09 AM »

Quote

Don't cut your nose off to spite your face just because of an ignorant sales person

That advice makes alot of sense now that I think about it. The profit from a sidekick is a barely drop in the bucket for WM and the money I would save would almost buy my tag. I'm going to order a sidekick in a few minutes because I like the idea of the peep sight. I have shot airguns with both peeps and blade sights and I always shoot the peep sighted ones considerably better. I have a couple shotguns already so I see no reason to get the huntsman.

I appreciate your help.

wanderer

quickdtoo · « **Reply #5 on:** September 24, 2006, 09:37:29 AM »

slayer · « **Reply #6 on:** September 26, 2006, 11:26:34 AM »

Good choice on the Sidekick although I love the BD also

Hery don`t forget, a ton of Wal-Marts are not sellinf firearms anymore, so you may want to call ahead. Jack.

quickdtoo · « **Reply #7 on:** September 26, 2006, 01:17:05 PM »

Jack's right, I have 2 BDs, like them a lot, don't have a Sidekick or Huntsman cuz they're not legal here, or I would have had one long ago!!

Tim

wanderer · « **Reply #8 on:** September 26, 2006, 04:51:08 PM »

Walmart's supplier is out so I didn't get one ordered. I may also put this idea on hold until next year because I don't know if I will have time to get comfortable with the gun in time. I probably could pull it off but I am not sure.

Again thanks for the help.

wanderer

quickdtoo · « **Reply #9 on:** September 26, 2006, 05:18:27 PM »

That seems to happen a lot lately, it might come in 3 weeks or 3 months, some have waited even longer for a Buffalo Classic.

If you have a Gander Mountain store anywhere near you, they match Walmart's prices regularly from the posts I've seen on them.

I hope it works out for ya.

Tim

http://www.gandermountain.com/storelocator/index.asp

slayer · « **Reply #10 on:** September 27, 2006, 05:05:40 AM »

Wow Tim, I didn`t know GM would match WM in prices. I will have to try that at my GM as most of the WM`s around me stopped carrying firearms. Thanks-Jack.

wanderer · « **Reply #11 on:** September 27, 2006, 08:16:08 AM »

thanks for the tip but no go with the gander mt. The closest one is (unfortunatly) over 300 miles away. I might just order one from cabela's so that I get it in time. Yeah it's extra $, but if I want to have a chance of using it this year that is the price I will have to pay. Of course, now I could get the BD for only $10 more than cabela's price on the sidekick. hhhhhmmmm I can't go wrong either way and that's what makes this so gosh darned hard

wanderer

quickdtoo · « **Reply #12 on:** September 27, 2006, 11:11:12 AM »

Williams has a used Huntsman for $120, dunno anything about their used guns or their retail store, they used to have new BDs for considerable discount, but those are gone. They're in Michigan.

Good luck in your quest!!

Tim

http://www.williamsgunsight.com/gunsights/813usedblkpowderguns.htm

http://www.williamsgunsight.com/contact_us.htm

wanderer · « **Reply #13 on:** October 04, 2006, 03:13:44 PM »

First of all thanks again for your help. BUT I didn't buy either. I found an older knight wolverine on gunbroker and got it for $85 plus s/h. I couldn't pass up that kind of deal. It uses #11 caps, but I don't plan on shooting pellets so no problem.

wanderer

quickdtoo · « **Reply #14 on:** October 04, 2006, 03:20:00 PM »

Hope it shoots good for ya, you can't beat the price!!

Tim