Soilarch

I'm giving serious thought to buying a Muzzleloader since my state only has shotgun/BB/pistol/archery seasons...three I've got covered, but I want to try muzzleloading, because I've never been please with shotgun setups and you can use BB guns in shotgun season.

Here's the question: .50 components are much more prevelant, but I would think the .45 cal produce alot better ballistics. If I'm alright with having to search around for bullets/pellets/cleaning stuff is there any reason to go .50?

Gotbuck

I'm not sure what state your in, but in MO we have to have anything above 40 cal to hunt with so be sure to check your regs. We can hunt with pretty much anything and I hope it stays that way. I shoot a 50 because frankly I see more bullets and wider selection for the 50. I have seen a 45 disk extreme laminated thumbhole stock I may purchase though...lol. The 45 is a flatter shooter than a 50 and the ranges are extended based on what I've seen at the shooting range. If you plan to hunt large elk, moose, etc you may want a 50 or higher. If you plan to hunt deer, hogs, or smaller game the 45 is just the ticket.

sabotloader

Soilarch

Here we can not use less than a 44 cal projectile and we can not use 209 primers, must be open or peep sites... BUT we can use sabots. Actually the 3 states in the Pacific northwest do not allow 209s... So all those ML's that only use 209 ignition are out of luck here. So you will need to check your states rules... With all of that said I would still go with a 50 vs a 45, I also must say I am biased because there is such a greater selection of everything for a 50.

Good luck in whatever youchoose...
Have a great Turkey day...

Soilarch

Yeah I'm in Illinois so the biggest this thing will see is a 220lbs deer. The rest will be coyotes, rabbits, squirrels and those pesky little diet coke cans.

Tree climber

as said ; if you will go west for elk, you will need 50 cal. not that the 45 want take them; it's just the laws out west.

I use the 45 cal. and have for 35 years. as for not being able to find projectials and stuff ; I don't know where everyone gets that from. I have never had a problem getting what ever I wanted and needed.it has always be avalible in Fl.

I shot 2- 50 grain pyrodex pellets and the 225grain hollow point powerbelts.great combo. I have taken 14 deer with the new CVA inline I have now. the old TC hawken I retierd a few years back took that many or more.(it was also a 45)

I will not be going west ; so the 45 will stick with me.[8D]

cayugad

While some impressive shooting is being done with .45 caliber rifles, I would still recommend the .50 caliber. The reason for this is when shooting sabots, consider the projectile size. You have already reduced the speed of your projectile by going the muzzleloading route. This to me is not the time to reduce the size of your projectile as well. For all it is worth, projectile weight can still make a big difference in killing power.

Check your state regulations and make sure a sabot load in a .45 caliber projectile is legal. Some States require a .44 caliber or bigger. That means in a .45 caliber you must shoot a conical which might not be the best choice for your rifle.

There is really not a ballistics advantage in the .45 caliber. Granted you will get more speed out of the smaller lighter bullet, but most shots you will make are under 150 yards. There is nothing the .45 caliber can do that the .50 caliber can not do as good or better.

.45 caliber has improved a great deal in bullet selection but they still can not match the selection of a .50 caliber. Also .50 caliber are more common and easy to find. Plus they get some excellent sales on them.

There is of course the issue of hunting some day where the caliber requirements could make a difference. If all you were going to do is shoot deer, I am sure the .45 would more then get the job done. I just can not see the reason to under gun yourself with a smaller caliber.

Don't overlook the traditional rifles out there. They are just as accurate as an inline rifle no matter what people argue, and are more then able to get the job done. The problem is they are getting to be very expensive when compared to the bottom entry level inline rifles.

There are some excellent rifles out there on sale right now, and will be more of them after Christmas.. Sportsmans guide was selling a Knight Disc Elite (I believe it was) at a excellent price. A top of the line rifle.

Sharp Shooter

I say 50. caliber. Then you will have that bigger caliber if you get the chance to go on an elk hunt. I would even want a 50. cal hunting deer. Then sometimes you wont need to track them as far. I say 50. cal. I have a traditional 54. cal. But you see, I like in Colorado where the game are larger.

eldeguello

The .50 will produce as good a ballistic performance as a .45, provided you use bullets of equal ballistic coefficient and an adequate powder charge! The only difference is, a .50 bullet with a high B.C. weighs more, so it takes more powder to get adequate velocities, AND these two factors makes for more recoil in the .50.

However, in a number of states, .50 cal. is the minimum legal caliber for elk and larger game, so if you ever plan on going for bigger stuff than just deer, get a .50.

In addition, the .50 is more versatile as a lot more R&D has gone into .50 rifle and bulletdesigns.

AQUATECH

I GUESS I'M PARTIAL TO THE 45 BECAUSE I SHOOT
ONE. BUT I'VE NEVER HAD ANY TROUBLE FINDING
BULLETS, IN FACT THE LOCAL GANDER MOUNTAIN,
CARRIES JUST ABOUT AS MANY 45'S AS THEY DO
50'S. CLEANING SUPPLIESOR ANY SHOOTING ACCES
JUST NOT A PROBLEM HERE IN WEST KY. I REALLY
LIKE THE FLAT SHOOTING LESS RECOIL PART BEST.
SO I WOULD NOT BE SO QUICK TO TURN AWAY
FROM THE 45. JUST MY OPNION

eldeguello

Better yet, get yo'sef wun of each size!!