I'm looking at getting a black powder rifle for deer season, and maybe bear season. What should I look for, what should I avoid? Any help, comments, suggestions etc appreciated, thanks in advance.
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school me on blackpowder rifles
- Thread starter squatch413
- Start date
bdb
NES Member
I did this last year. Spent a ton on time researching and deciding. The TC Omega was my first choice for a long time. Ended up choosing the CVA Optima and absolutely love it. Shoots great, easy to clean and great gun. YMMV.
Hunting inline
You think that's the way to go?
Is the stainless worth the extra money?
GunGrey
Banned
I don't have one but I have I've been looking at it
My grandpa has been like you need to get this good deal....get it
Gotcha.
GunGrey
Banned
All I have is an old renegade percuison and haven't used it. Forever
You still have that mossberg or Remington? Can't remember what it was but you can get a muzzleloader barrel for a mossberg
You still have that mossberg or Remington? Can't remember what it was but you can get a muzzleloader barrel for a mossberg
HorizontalHunter
NES Member
TC Impact for me. When you look at the features and the price you can't go wrong. Mine is a tack driver for sure
IMPACT™ - Thompson/Center
I also like the Hornady SST low drag LnL sabot in 250g. It shoots great and is easy to load. Everything goes down the barrel in one piece.
Bob
IMPACT™ - Thompson/Center
I also like the Hornady SST low drag LnL sabot in 250g. It shoots great and is easy to load. Everything goes down the barrel in one piece.
Bob
Love my Thompson Center with the stainless barrel. The modern designs have a faster rifling twist to shoot the sabot loads like the one HH is showing. The more traditional ones usually have a slower twist for shooting round balls. If you go for a used one, beware of anything in .56 caliber - they were the smoothbore barrels required for hunting in MA years ago. The most common caliber is .50, plenty of gun for whitetails and bears, but .45 and .58 guns are popular, too.
With the break-open now legal in Mass, the in-line ones are even cheaper than they were. I bought a CVA Buckhorn in-line a few years ago from Cabelas after sale and mail-in rebate it was like 70$. The nice advantage to the break-open is ease of cleaning and unloading if you dont shoot it. They are very fun to shoot and very accurate. Probably cant go wrong with any of the new guns out there. You'll need primers, powder pellets, sabots and some cleaning supplies. I like my inline and would love a break open but I dont use it enough to justify the cost. It gets used for a few weeks a year in muzzleloader season, thats it. I use a .50cal with 100grains, it has dropped every deer in its tracks thus far.
Nope I traded the marine magnum for the BPS.
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I've been looking also to start for this fall. Haven't been too impressed with Thompson's website. I've heard that all the manufacturers show up at Kittery Trading Post and put rifles on sale on but I haven't seen a calendar with dates yet. I'm leaning toward either a TC Omega or a CVA Accura V2.
Fitz
Fitz
I have a TC omega .50 and i love the thing. . The thing is great, Although If you get one you have to experiment with loose powder, pellets, different grain bullets ect.
Cleaning in between shots is necessary to achieve the accuracy you want. I use a harvester sabot with a 300grain .45 cal harvester bullet and 2 50 grain pellets. that is the load im sticking with because its the best combo for my gun, yet they are all different. It can shoot a 2 in at 100 yards. Probably even tighter with loose powder. The main thing is keeping it clean.
The TC is a great gun as well as the CVA but im not a fan of the break action and there is no reason behind it. Also look at the knight rifles they are also great but expensive.
Cleaning in between shots is necessary to achieve the accuracy you want. I use a harvester sabot with a 300grain .45 cal harvester bullet and 2 50 grain pellets. that is the load im sticking with because its the best combo for my gun, yet they are all different. It can shoot a 2 in at 100 yards. Probably even tighter with loose powder. The main thing is keeping it clean.
The TC is a great gun as well as the CVA but im not a fan of the break action and there is no reason behind it. Also look at the knight rifles they are also great but expensive.
Had an Omega a couple years back. You best pray the deer drops and stays down after the first shot. Reloading the darn thing for a second shot was a PITA. BROKE a ramrod trying to reload. Ended up pushing the foolish thing against a tree to get the slug down. I was lucky that my son was near and he ended up putting it down. And yes my shot was where it was supposed to go. I now own a CVA Wolf. I can do 3 shots before it gets tough to load. My bro-in law bought the Omega and he has a dowel with like a mushroom cap on it that he leaves in the tree stand. He still has to beat it down. Just my 3 1/2 cents..
Just finished the process of research/purchase and ended up with a TC Impact. Best one-shot bang for the buck IMHO.
Significant lessons learned: Charges based on VOLUME not weight, quick swab between shots, and keep the breech plug threads coated with anti seize.
Significant lessons learned: Charges based on VOLUME not weight, quick swab between shots, and keep the breech plug threads coated with anti seize.
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dieselauto
NES Member
I have to agree with most of the posts. I'd been looking at the websites for Thompson Center, Traditions, and CVA for sometime. There were a few others that had some impressive products but they were were way outside my budget so I limited it to those 3. I went to SL Guns at their open house and shouldered what they had from each manufacturer. I think going someplace that has examples from each manufacturer and having the opportunity to shoulder each and operate the action of each to see what works for you is important.
I settled on a TC Impact in Real Tree Camo with a factory mounted scope. I ended up buying from Pelletier Sports in Jaffery New Hampshire. I could have bought from Shooters Outpost in Hookset for less but I paid a bit more (about $30) and bought from Pelletiers because they seemed to have a better selection of models and supplies for Black Powder.
I've been to the range once with it and took 7 shots. I used 250 grain sabots and 100 gr of 777. First shot was 7 inches off at 50 yds. After adjusting the second shot was 3 inches off. Adjusted again and pretty much on target.
I pulled my first hunting license last week. I put in for a antlerless tag in Zone 9 and will take off Thanksgiving week which is during bow season. My employer is closed between Christmas and New Years (muzzleloader season).
Again best advise is to get out to a shop that has some to shoulder and play with. Wish I could suggest some place close to where you live. Should you choose to drive out towards me (central MA or NH) I'd try Callahans in Marlborough, SL in Mason NH, Pelletiers in Jaffery, Blue Northern in Ayer but only for Thompson Center as I think that's all they carry.
I settled on a TC Impact in Real Tree Camo with a factory mounted scope. I ended up buying from Pelletier Sports in Jaffery New Hampshire. I could have bought from Shooters Outpost in Hookset for less but I paid a bit more (about $30) and bought from Pelletiers because they seemed to have a better selection of models and supplies for Black Powder.
I've been to the range once with it and took 7 shots. I used 250 grain sabots and 100 gr of 777. First shot was 7 inches off at 50 yds. After adjusting the second shot was 3 inches off. Adjusted again and pretty much on target.
I pulled my first hunting license last week. I put in for a antlerless tag in Zone 9 and will take off Thanksgiving week which is during bow season. My employer is closed between Christmas and New Years (muzzleloader season).
Again best advise is to get out to a shop that has some to shoulder and play with. Wish I could suggest some place close to where you live. Should you choose to drive out towards me (central MA or NH) I'd try Callahans in Marlborough, SL in Mason NH, Pelletiers in Jaffery, Blue Northern in Ayer but only for Thompson Center as I think that's all they carry.
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I stopped by Wildlife Taxidermy and Sport today. They had a pretty decent selection. I managed to shoulder a TC Prohunter FX, CVA Accura V2, and a CVA Wolf before my wife walked around the corner and gave me "the look." The Accura and the Prohunter felt the best and unfortunately the price tag reflected it. Trigger break on the Accura was excellent. The gun just felt solid.
Choices....
Fitz
Choices....
Fitz
You should look hard at the guy selling the x7 for 400. That is a very nice gun if its in good shape. IMO I'd only go with a TC. I've owned a few and they are the best of the BP world. Good luck.
HorizontalHunter
NES Member
Mine shoots the 250 Hornady low drag LnL sabot using 100g or 150g 777 pellets extremely well. Much easier than loose powder for a reload.
Bob
Switching to Blackhorn 209 will make follow up shots easier to load (and overall cleanup easier too). I've been using 95 grains of that behind a 290 grain Barnes Spit Fires with great results out of my TC Impact.
I purchased a couple of bags of sabots (100) for around six bucks each and shoot Berry's 230g plated HP 45ACP bullets. The Powerbelt bullets are great for hunting, but at $1 a pop, its a little pricey for paper punching.
I use those little vials (eBay) for loose 777 powder and fill them with 80 grains at home. Not as convenient as pellets but not a hassle either.
BP is more fun than I thought.
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