Picking out a muzzleloader

[aarolar]

I want to pick up a muzzleloader for this upcoming deer season but I need some guidance. I have some nice public land that is primitive weapons only and that includes inlines with scopes and as much as in would love a traditional style I need to go with an inline to stay competitive and plus my main goal is putting meat on the table. However I want an inline with wood instead of plastic because I hate plastic, also I want to use my own cast boolits. So with that in mind what would be the best option to go with?

[repawn]

I don't know what your price point is - but I have Thompson Center encore 309x50 - wood stocks - blued frame and barrel with Williams peep sights - not very traditional looking - but not plastic either. It is a very accurate shooter as well.

[condorjohn]

A few years ago I found an ealy KNIGHT inline w/wood stock on GUNBROKER. In case your'e not familar with them, Knights were made in The USA and of very good quality. The one I found had a factoy Douglas barrel and the previous owner had installed Weaver scope mounts. Paid $120 for it shipped. While back I gave it to my brother. He shoots it a lot. They ae out there, you just have to look aound. Good Luck...

[aarolar]

Price point is as low as I can go for something that is worthwhile. Like I stated this is strictly a meat gathering tool for me although it may turn into more eventually.

[NSB]

After fifty some odd years of deer hunting, with great success, I've come to the conclusion that hunting for meat is much cheaper in a butcher shop. I can buy USDA Prime for a lot less money than I get meat I hunted myself. I think my "hunted" meat runs somewhere around twenty bucks a pound....at least.

[dondiego]

If you want to "stay competitive" you will need to shoot it a lot whether it is an inline or traditional. Either will put meat on the table.

[aarolar]

After fifty some odd years of deer hunting, with great success, I've come to the conclusion that hunting for meat is much cheaper in a butcher shop. I can buy USDA Prime for a lot less money than I get meat I hunted myself. I think my "hunted" meat runs somewhere around twenty bucks a pound....at least.

I dont have that issue my combo hunting fishing WMA liscense is 35 bucks then the cost of a few boolits and some powder and Im set.

[BrianL]

as much as in would love a traditional style I need to go with an inline to stay competitive and plus my main goal is putting meat on the table.

Who are you competing with if this is a hunting gun? The guy who can shoot 250 yds with a scoped inline? Up north here, you can't see more than 50-75 yds if in the woods but your situation may be different.
You can not beat the look of the wood one many of the traditional rifles and they surely will put meat on the table.

[NSB]

I dont have that issue my combo hunting fishing WMA liscense is 35 bucks then the cost of a few boolits and some powder and Im set.

Didn't have to buy a gun, cloths, scope, binoculars, boots, gortex raingear, gasoline, knife, etc, etc, etc? Oh yeah, lost wages for taking off opening day, maybe a weeks vacation, etc, etc, etc? I wish it was just the cost of the license....I'd be getting off cheap.

[mooman76]

I want to pick up a muzzleloader for this upcoming deer season but I need some guidance. I have some nice public land that is primitive weapons only and that includes inlines with scopes and as much as in would love a traditional style I need to go with an inline to stay competitive and plus my main goal is putting meat on the table. However I want an inline with wood instead of plastic because I hate plastic, also I want to use my own cast boolits. So with that in mind what would be the best option to go with?

If you think traditional isn't competitive look up Idahoron.

[aarolar]

Didn't have to buy a gun, cloths, scope, binoculars, boots, gortex raingear, gasoline, knife, etc, etc, etc? Oh yeah, lost wages for taking off opening day, maybe a weeks vacation, etc, etc, etc? I wish it was just the cost of the license....I'd be getting off cheap.

Nope typically go in blue jeans and tee or a plad jacket if its cold. Never drive more than 5 miles to hunt and use the same pocket knife I carry every day for cleaning. Like I said strictly putting meat on the table 80% of what the wife and I eat was home grown or killed by me and Im constantly looking to up that percentage.

Im not saying traditional isn't competitive guys but its no where near as effective as a scoped gun. The deer on public land are super spooky due to all the pressure they receive and a lot of my shots will be weekday afternoon and I want dead deer so I dont have to spend all night tracking.

[BrianL]

Nope typically go in blue jeans and tee or a plad jacket if its cold. Never drive more than 5 miles to hunt and use the same pocket knife I carry every day for cleaning. Like I said strictly putting meat on the table 80% of what the wife and I eat was home grown or killed by me and Im constantly looking to up that percentage.

Im not saying traditional isn't competitive guys but its no where near as effective as a scoped gun. The deer on public land are super spooky due to all the pressure they receive and a lot of my shots will be weekday afternoon and I want dead deer so I dont have to spend all night tracking.

Huh? A half inch hole thru an thru is not effective? Hit them right and there is very little, if any tracking. Hit them wrong and your inline will still have you tracking all night.

Not saying to pick one or the other, but the effectiveness when hit, is not an issue. If badder bullet is the key, use a maxi.

[aarolar]

No you misunderstand I am strictly talking about the sighting systems scope vs irons not the firearms themselves.

[GabbyM]

"Stay Competitive".

I've never felt out done with my Hawkins 45 caliber cap lock. Caliber is a little light for some things. Not little Ga Deer when using maxi balls or other conical bullets. I shoot 100 grains of FFg under a 240 grain Maxi Ball. 54 gr under a 265 grain RCBS hollow based Minie ball for fast reloads. 54gr is what my powder flask spout drops.

Rifle will hit C sized peach cans at 100 yards. Measuring cool factor along with pure class. You need a different system of measurement to rate an inline. As they are not on the same scale.

[BrianL]

No you misunderstand I am strictly talking about the sighting systems scope vs irons not the firearms themselves.

In that respect,an inline is easier to scope, though you can scope a traditional. It just looks so wrong though (actually my brother needed to scope his TC Hawken due to an eye injury)

[Pyro&Black]

I want to pick up a muzzleloader for this upcoming deer season but I need some guidance. I have some nice public land that is primitive weapons only and that includes inlines with scopes and as much as in would love a traditional style I need to go with an inline to stay competitive and plus my main goal is putting meat on the table. However I want an inline with wood instead of plastic because I hate plastic, also I want to use my own cast boolits. So with that in mind what would be the best option to go with?

New or used inline?
How much are you spending (without scope)?

If used, gunbroker.com is the place to look.

[mooman76]

Very few inlines will come with a wooden stock but either way I wish you luck. Inlines are a little harder to get cast bullets to work but they will work with some load work. I have never paper patched but they seem to be the most promising using cast boolits.

[johnson1942]

check your pm/s

[bob208]

please how a inline is better then a traditional. when we had shooting matches every weekend to breathe some new life into the program we opened it up to inlines. not 0ne showed up to even give it a try.

[aarolar]

Im starting to feel like I kicked a hornets nest...