Recommendation for new black powder hunter

[Dontdrinkthekoolaid]

I am new to the black powder scene and am looking to get started. I was wondering if anyone has any recommendations on a relatively inexpensive BP gun that isn't crap. I'm not looking for anything spectacular, just something to get started but still be fairly consistent. I live in MA so I believe by law I can't use anything where the breach opens. Any thoughts would be great, thanks.

[MountainDevil54]

The NEW CVA Wolf or CVA Optima wont hurt the wallet and they both are accurate as heck.

www.cabelas.com
www.budsgunshop.com
www.rrarms.com

Carry them.

[Gm54-120]

According to this

http://www.mass.gov/dfwele/dfw/regul..._primitive.htm

"Hinged/break action" is NOT allowed during the primitive season. Im not sure if a TC Omega or Triumph would be considered a hinged action or not. Its more of a drop action...i think

Most of the CVAs are hinged so they would not be allowed during that season but are allowed during another. The CVA Kodiak might be allowed and is very affordable if you can still get them.

[falcon]

The CVA StagHorn and ElkHorn are good rifles. The StagHorn can be bought for around $120-150: It is as accurate as any muzzleloder out there.

[lemoyne]

Do to the laws there I believe you may want to go traditional.
There for a Lyman Hawken or a TC Renegade in 54 caliber would be my recommendation.
A 54 because that is the caliber that properly loaded can drop a deer on the spot a good part of the time and you should look up the Hawken match that is shot at friendship to see the long range capabilities.
There will be people who will recommend a 58 and while the 58 has a tremendous amount of powder it also has a rainbow trajectory which is much harder to master.
A 54 on the other hand has the flattest trajectory with a round ball and a 54 PRB[patched round ball] traveling at 2000 FPS compared to the 58 PRB at 1400 [what most are shot at because of the twist and recoil. well I will let you do your own math if you want foot pounds but remembering that the 230gr PRB in a 54 is going to make up a lot of FPE by being 600 FPS faster as well as having less kick if I remember correctly the 575 that I shot 30 years ago weight about 360 grain and at even 140 FPS it kicked much more than my 54 at 2050.
Also do not look down on the PRB it will take any game on the continent.

[cayugad]

If you are going the inline route, then you need what is known as a hammer striker model. Some of the better ones are the Knight Bighorn, Wolverine, LK- series, CVA Staghorn Magnum, Buckhorn Magnum, and then there are rifles like the White Model 97. If you can find a good used Knight Wolverine, they are sure a hard rifle to beat for hunting.

Lee also gave you some good information about the traditional rifles.

[Dontdrinkthekoolaid]

Thanks so much to everyone. That's a lot of great info and I think enough to keep me busy for a while :-) Traditional it is and now I'll start looking. Thanks again.