Newbie with black powder

1
I've been looking into getting a traditional black powder rifle for hunting. It would be used for deer and maybe elk. I've looked at the Cabelas Hawken, but I've also heard about the Lyman Great Plains rifle. I think I'd like to stick to .50 caliber just for the ease of buying balls and various other tools. I'm completely new to black powder, but I'd like to go traditional. Otherwise, I'd just use my centerfire smokeless .308. Nothing against modern inlines, but that's not what I'm looking for. I don't even know if I'd hunt with it. One of my friends hunts with an inline in Nevada, where you can't use optical devices during muzzleloader season.

Anyway, what do you all think about the two mentioned rifles? Any other suggestions for a traditional percussion cap? (I'm not confident enough for a flintlock, though I guess I am confident enough to forgo the 209 primers and an inline, at least if I practice enough.)

Re: Newbie with black powder

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I hunt with a TC Hawken 54 cal. I have probably shot more than 20 deer with the rifle and all but one were round ball. The other one was a buffalo bullet. I love to hunt with a traditional black powder. It makes me feel like I am hunting with my great, great, grand pappy.

I don't know anything about the Cabela's rifle but the Lyman rifle is sweet.

Re: Newbie with black powder

3
I hunt with a TC Hawken 54 cal.
Do you find any logistical problems with a .54 vs a .50? Such as finding balls or cleaning accessories? I imagine if you hunt with a .54 you'd stock up on anything you'd need.

Do you notice any advantage with .54 over .50?

That's what I'm talking about, round ball hunting.

Re: Newbie with black powder

4
I have a TC Firestorm. That's a weird bastard cross of a .50 flintlock with modern tech. It's got coil springs, a synthetic stock & a pretty blue steel carbine length barrel with fiber optic sights :shock: But it's a fun rifle to shoot and makes nice big clouds of smoke to the front and to the side like a proper Fire Lock should. It's got a faster twist than traditional but not the super fast twist of the inlines, so I could easily shoot patched ball or conicals. I prefer patched ball 8-)

http://www.tcarms.com/firearms/mzModernFlint.php

I doubt that I'd buy it these days but it was excellent for learning and a delight to carry in the woods.

These days, if I were buying, I'd probably be looking for a smooth bore flint lock, somewhere near 20 gauge, and use it for both round ball or shot depending on the game I'm chasing. Probably just a simple gold bead at the muzzle for sights, like many modern shotguns.

Gah, gotta find some place near Hayward where I can get a pound of FFFg...
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Alex White

Re: Newbie with black powder

5
My first black powder kit was a Lymans plains rifle. Invest arms of Italy makes them for Lyman. They are the closest you can get to a real Hawken that doesn't cost an arm and a leg. Mine is a 50 with a round ball 1in 60" twist. If you wand to shoot round ball and are considering hunting Elk I would suggest the 54 cal. The Cabelas "Hawken" is made by Invest arms also, or at least they were. They have ok locks that can be replaced with after market locks and there are after market triggers available too.
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Re: Newbie with black powder

7
Thompson Center, Lyman, Pedersoli...Look at Dixie Gun Works site and you will find all the above...I am not a fan of Cabela's for anything.
I have a Thompson Center .50 cal Renegade flinter made from a kit from the 1970's...the second TC i have owned. They are not 100% authentic designs, but they are very reliable, rugged and well made and the shoot very well..you will be surprised by them.

mark
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Re: Newbie with black powder

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Old thread but since it's up would everybody stop with the inline bashing. For those of us in areas where our choices are buckshot or muzzleloader, no centerfire rifles, it's the best choice there is if you are simply interested in putting meat in the freezer. I hunt with my TC Triumph probably 90% of the time. I'll carry it afield tomorrow.

Rant off. :) I know nothing about traditional.
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-John Cleese

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