Muzzleloaders

[Corley5]

I'm gonna be able to hunt during this years muzzleloader season and was wondering what everybody is using these days.  Dad's got a Thompson .54 traditional that weighs about 20lbs  : that I could use when he isn't but I'm sorta interested in one of these newer inline ignition models.  Any input on what's good and what isn't ???  Nothing fancy just something that I can put a scope on and kill deer.  Anybody have a double barrel muzzloading rifle ???  Second shot just in case ;)  Of course the old .35 Rem doesn't leave a hole much different than a front stuffer ;) ;) ;D

[beenthere]

I just use the ol Thompson .54 cal. 

20 lbs  ???  "I didn't know that!"  :

[Corley5]

Sure feels like twenty pounds.  Why carry anymore than you have to ??? ;D

[gary]

I have a Traditions muzzle loader and a in line. The mumuzzle loader was $99.00 the inline was $149.00. The inline was more because it came with an accessory kit. Both have a lifetime warrenty. With the inline you want the 209 igniton system.

[ARKANSAWYER]

 

  I shoot an ole .45 cal Kentucky Rifle percusion cap that is about 6 ft long.  Patched ball and about 65 grains of FFFg black powder.   Cost is about $0.15 per shot.  Boy's got a .50 cal inline with 209 and shots sabots and cost about $1.20 per shot.     He does not shot as much as I do.  It does a fine job out to about 150 yards.   There is no telling how many deer I have taken with the ole .45 for I have had it 25 years.  Patch and ball do a fine job at stopping them if you hit them good.  It is heavy but that helps in shooting and most shots are under 100 yards any way.

[Part_Timer]

Corley5

You mean one like this



This one is special.  A lof of good friends helped make it happed.

     It is .44 caliber.  THe barrels and stock are from Neumerich arms.  I welded the barrels together and breached them with the help of a friend at work.  Another friend helped me joint the sides of the stock and laminate an extra piece down the sides so we coupld make it wider to hold the 2 barrels.
    When we went to send it to RayCanton he laughed at me and said that he made the same mistake 50 years ago.  With the barrels welded like they are you can't regulate them. " No fear though I can fix it for ya are ya left or right handed?" 
    Well long story short Ray made the locks, triggers and sights for me and set them in the stock.  There is a bit more sanded off of the right side of the stock.  All I have to do is lean my head a bit to the left to pick up the far sights and the near sights are right there. 
     The tubes are only 24" long and the whole thing only weighs 8 1/2 pounds.  I shoot pached round ball out of it and man it does a number on the deer. 
    Ray passed on about 7 years ago.  He was a master at making smoke poles.  His single barrels are some of the finest I have had the pleasure of shooting.  Everytime I get my double out I think of him and all of my friends that helped with the project.

[Dan_Shade]

I've never seen locks like that, Part_Timer, do you have any pictures of that?  it looks like they come in from the side instead of from the top.  I'm assuming it's percussion?

didn't the old double barrelled rifles have a wedge or something to regulate them?

[Part_Timer]

Dan

I'll get you some pictures tonight.  Yes the locks move from side to side.  There is no drum, the nipples are tapped right into the side of the barrel.  All you do is set the set trigger pull one or the other, or both out to the side.  Squeese the trigger and Boom or BOOM if you set off both. ;)

The real nice part is that instead of a wedge to regulate them at say 75 yards I can just tap the sights around and file them down and now both are set for 100 yards.  never get to shoot that far.  Most all my shots are around 35-55 yards.

    I have one set of locks and triggers left.  I'm thinking about making the son a smoke pole this winter.  I have a couple of real nice maple stock blanks in the shop.

[sawguy21]

Are those hex barrels laminated or one piece? I don't know much about firearms but seem to remember hearing  about those old barrels splitting when used with modern powders.

[Part_Timer]

THey are 1 piece modern steel welded together side by side.  I only use FF and FFF anyway. The rifle won't shoot worth a hoot with Pyrodex.

[farmerdoug]

I use a Knight Wolverine .50 cal inline muzzleloader wih a 3x power scope.  As far as quick shots, I have shot 3 deer in less than five minutes.  I use sabots with the .44 cal Hornady XTP bullets I shoot I my 44 handgun also.  The biggest thing to remember is the twist of the rifling of the barrel.  Slow 1 in 50+ for round balls, 1 in 32 to 48 both round balls and conical bullets, 1 in 30 or less for conical bullets only.  Also more powder is not always better.  To much powder can ruin your accurancy or worst blow the barrel.

Farmerdoug

[Corley5]

Good info 8) 8)  Next time I get to Jay's in Gaylord I'll have a look see at what they've got then go to Wal-Mart for the best price : ;)  I'll probably end up with something along the line of what you've got Farmerdoug.   8) 8) 8) 8) double barrel Part-Timer

[moosehunter]

That is one cool double Part-Timer!!!

I shoot a Ruger 77-50 stainless inline, the Mrs. uses a Tompson Center Encore inline. I like hers better, but they both harvest deer just fine. Have not used a shotgun for deer in 8 years!

There are many inexpensive quality inlines, just find one that fits ya and enjoy!

mh

* remember; guns are supossed to be METAL and WOOD!

[Kirk_Allen]

I shoot a Thompson Black Diamond with a Leupold 3x9 scope.  I use 150 grains of pyrodex pellets (3 pellats) and a nozler 250 gr partition handgun bullet/w sabot. 

I have taken a few deer at 200 yards with it.  It is 2 1/2" high at 100, 1 1/2" low at 200 and 6" low at 250.   Most of the shots I have taken are within 75 yards though.  I just like to know what it does at a good poke into those fields for that "just in case" monster buck we all dream about ;D

I really lke the new Thompson Omega.  Easy to clean and has a 28" barrel versus the more common 26" barrels.  Just a little more umph! 

[Tom_Averwater]

I bought a Savage ML ll last year. In- line , it uses a 209 primer. It is also able to shoot smokeless powder in it . I use accurate arms mp 5744 in it. I shot a doe with it.

[ARKANSAWYER]

   You boys with the fancy inlines------  What does it cost per shot?  I see where the guns have gotten cheap but the fodder is high for them.   I can buy a box of .44 mag shells for my Blackhawlk pistol for what the boy is paying for just the sabots for his .50.


  Yea! guns made of metal and wood.  Long metal and pretty wood.  Lots of smoke too.

[eldorado]

I use a Thompson Renegade with round balls and iron sights.  I'm thinking about getting a flintlock.  8)

[Blake22]

I use about the same thing as farmerdoug. I usually kill one every year. If it's raining I just take my 30.06, don't want to take a chance in case one comes along that I really want to kill. One rainy day several years back my muzzle loader snapped so I threw a claw hammer at the deer. DanG near hit him too. ;)

[Kirk_Allen]

Dave,
I buy my plastic sabots in bulk, (100) and the bullets in bulk (100).  If I recall my cost per shot was around $.40 cents after powder cost, which I also by in bulk. 

If I were to buy the pre packaged sabot/bullets the cost triples. 

[Darin]

While not a inline I use a Thompson New Englander with open sights. I use 370 grain maxi-balls. Its a small, rugged, simple ML. I believe the last time I used it I took a small spike from Avon Park Fl.

Sad to say that I haven't used it in a long time or even hunted for that matter. I got tired of the heat and bugs in Fl.,but thats changing as of gun season next month.

Recently bought a small farm in NE Ky and will be there for gun season.

I have started a small online photo collection of the farm, if any one cares to take a look.
www.snapfish.com

Use my email address to log on and the password is 12345.
darinalexander@bellsouth.net

Darin

[Lenny_M]

 I use a ruger 77/50  stainless with a lamanated stock and 1.5-4 scope.
the most accurate load for me is 85 grains of pyrex,then a dry patch then a lubed patch and round ball
The kids use my old H&R huntsman 58cal barrel fitted to his eastern arms 410 reciever with a breech plug  i made to take 209 primers.they use the same load,except for the ball. shoots nice
I find ya gotta play around with the loads to find one thats good for you.More is not better as it burns the back of the bullet.then it flys funny.

[Bro. Noble]

Last I ML hunted,  I used a .71 smoothbore with a .69 round ball and a thich patch,  90 grains of FFG.  It was good for 100 yards.  I also loaded it with shot and used it on rabbits ;D  It smelled like a bean-eating convention

[DanG]

Nice pics, Darin.  Great looking place and family.  You might want to rethink putting your password on here, though.  ANYBODY could get it and make a mess of your albums.  You probably should delete that and change your password, then put the pics you want to share on your ForestryForum gallery.

[Jason_WI]

Last Christmas I bought my dad a Traditions muzzel loader. We boutht him a muzzel loader kit about 15 years ago - it looked like too much work so he took it back to the store. This new style is break action for the 209 primer. The breech plug can be removed for easy cleaning.  It was a package deal with sabots, scope, and cleaning kit for $219.  Claims it can be accurate to 200 yards. Dad has it sighted in for 150 yd with Tripple 7. Cost per shot is about 2 bux with the Tripple 7 and sabots. Ya only need one shot per year! ;D

Jason

[Darin]

DanG

Nice pics, Darin.  Great looking place and family.  You might want to rethink putting your password on here, though.  ANYBODY could get it and make a mess of your albums.  You probably should delete that and change your password, then put the pics you want to share on your ForestryForum gallery.

Thanks for the kind words.

Yes I thought of that and my greatest fear is someone adding something objectionable. Due to the numerous sites that I visit I thought it would be the easiest. I will change the password from time to time.

Will be going up in a couple of days for hunting season and to start the timber stand improvements (thanks to the forestry forum for lots of ideas with that) All I need is to get ready, but it seems since Wilma I haven't been able to get anything accomplished, but tommorrow is my last day to work this month then "its the farm life for me" for the rest of the month. 8) 8) 8) 8)