Knight Wolverine.
Knight Wolverine.
If you are going to make a hole in something. MAKE IT A BIG ONE!
Mine is a T/C Impact. It's an inexpensive rifle, but it's been a very solid performer. I've taken deer and elk with it, one shot was all that was needed on any of them. I use BH209 with Hornady SST's or T/C Shockwave saboted bullets. It'll shoot cast in a sabot, but not with the accuracy of the jacketed models. Some of the Barnes bullets that I tried were super accurate, but very tight and difficult to seat.
In M/L season I only hunt with a caplock, but I picked up a CVA Wolf to play with. I have a scope on it (not allowed for deer here) and it cloverleafs 50 cal maxi balls at the 30 yards it is sighted in for. Plan to take it beaver hunting this weekend and see if I can bag one with it.
When you care enough to send the very best, send an ounce of lead.
I have used my 50 cal. Remington 700 ML with success on Elk. You can find them reasonable, now and then. Last one I saw for sale was about $250
Tons of input. Many thanks guys.
-Paul
I've got the T/C ProHunter FX. It's the muzzleloader only, not interchangeable. A little over the $500 mark. Admittedly, I'm a novice, but I like it. A break-open action makes it super easy to clean.
If I was to offer any suggestion for muzzleloader hunting, it would be the Hornady Lock-N-Load bullets. Love 'em. They are the ultimate convenience. I don't have to carry a pocketful of components. The packaging they come in allows you to carry 5 bullets, assembled with powder pellets, and 5 primers in your shirt pocket. The only other supplies I carry is a micro ziplock bag with a dozen patches and my cleaning jag.
With 100gr of the Triple 7 pellets, this gun and bullet is about as accurate at 100 yds as any hunting rifle I own. Groups under 2" is the norm.
The Lock-N-Load bullets are a little pricey for me at the range so I play with my .452 cast boolits in sabots over loose powder. Groups are typically about 3", but cost is 90% less.
I'd look at the used market to find a deal. This time of year isn't a bad time to hit the pawn shops or scour the used guns racks. Care to see poor maintenance clues and obvious issues. Lots of really good designs for in-lines. You just have to find one that you like. I'd say it would be hard to go wrong with Remington 700ML, T/C Omega, Knight, T/C Scout, that T/C model that is supposed to look like a rolling block, or so many others I am not familiar with. I have a few and one on my favorites is a T/C Impact. Like most, I got it used & abused, had Bobby Hoyt bore out the roached out .50 to a .54 round ball twist, and never looked back. It is a big time tack driver. I think it can shoot better than I can. YMMV. Good luck.
Thanks guys. I often get ideas from Cabela's though I tend to look elsewhere as I think they're overpriced on most things. They don't carry or are out of stock on most of the rifles I was interested in but I the Impact did catch my eye.
-Paul
I have resisted new purchasing a new inline for decades simply because my old Knight MK 85 knocks a half inch hole in whatever I point it at . However some of the fellows around here are doing some impressive shooting with the newer smokeless inline rifles at double my range , but they are paying quite a bit to be able to do it .
I'm kind of an oddball because I use an inline but insist on lead boolits and sights. So, I guess I'm using a front loading 1870's centerfire rifle!
Currently casting and loading: .32 Auto, .380 Auto, .38 Special, 9X19, .357 Magnum, .257 Roberts, 6.5 Creedmoor, .30 WCF, .308 WCF, .45-70.
Fred Sinclair built 50 on a Remington composite stock, 2oz trigger etc. No false muzzle on this one. It was my first BP rifle and got me hooked on target BP shooting. I can’t remember where I saw it online, but it was love immediately. Mr. Sinclair passed in 2020. I will continue to shoot it in remembrance of him.
90g FFFG 5 shots at 100y
Last edited by Plastikosmd; 01-28-2023 at 09:57 AM.
I have a CVA Optima. You get a long of bang for your buck with that one. It's got a really nice barrel and the best trigger of any of my other rifles. I really like the one piece mount that CVA sells. It comes in low medium and high. It will shoot patched balls accurately with lower charges and I've recently started shooting 600gr conicals out of it.
The Renegade/Hawken triggers are phenomenal. I'd have them on every one of my rifles, modern centerfire included if such a thing existed. I will admit the Optima trigger is not bad at all, but they can vary a lot from gun to gun. Again, I don't really understand the bang for the buck thing. An Optima is over $300, closer to $400. The TC Impact when they were sold until TC closed were the same price or less. Their triggers were at least as good. Even today, that Knight Vision is even less, currently on sale for $200. Now THAT is bang for your buck. A 100% American made rifle that is super consistent for $200. If you want a really good trigger, most every other Knight comes with a Timney trigger that is as good as they come. The Knight timney triggers are the best non-set triggers on the market, outside of custom guns.
I've shouldered quite a few inlines over the years. Either the barrels sight plane or a short stock gave me cause to keep looking. One day I shouldered a brand new to the market place a CVA Optima. >Perfect fit and a sight plane that came into view >naturally. So that would be my choice if I were to buy a inline. CVA. Model of CVA? that is another hard choice. "I like them all"
Last edited by OverMax; 01-30-2023 at 01:47 AM.
Oh, I like my side locks too! I have an ancient CVA built from a mail order kit by me and dad when I was in grade school that shoots great and has taken a few deer with PRB no problemo. Also got an ugly pawn shop rescue TC Renegade that shoots alot better than it looks. Its nice to have both options, 'cause usually if primers are available then caps aren't and vice versa.
Currently casting and loading: .32 Auto, .380 Auto, .38 Special, 9X19, .357 Magnum, .257 Roberts, 6.5 Creedmoor, .30 WCF, .308 WCF, .45-70.
BP | Bronze Point | IMR | Improved Military Rifle | PTD | Pointed |
BR | Bench Rest | M | Magnum | RN | Round Nose |
BT | Boat Tail | PL | Power-Lokt | SP | Soft Point |
C | Compressed Charge | PR | Primer | SPCL | Soft Point "Core-Lokt" |
HP | Hollow Point | PSPCL | Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" | C.O.L. | Cartridge Overall Length |
PSP | Pointed Soft Point | Spz | Spitzer Point | SBT | Spitzer Boat Tail |
LRN | Lead Round Nose | LWC | Lead Wad Cutter | LSWC | Lead Semi Wad Cutter |
GC | Gas Check |