dathein

I'm new to this forum, spending most of my time on the traditional bowhunting forum. I want to start taking advantage of the gun and muzzleloading season, but prefer to use a traditional muzzleloader. Here's where my questions begin. I'm currently considering a Cabela's traditional Hawken rifle or Cabela's Blue Ridge rifle.

Are these rifles worth considering?? What do I need to get started??

I probably should have mentioned I will use this rifle for deer and hog here in south TX.

Thanks,
Dave

frontier gander

The cabelas hawken is an excellent deal. The blue ridge is also another great deal. I personally would go with the blue ridge as it seems a lot more traditional. Flintlock or percussion? If you want a flintlock, be sure there is a store around you that will supply the blackpowder that you will need. For deer and hog, a .54 caliber rifle shooting a patched round ball is a deadly combo.

cayugad

Both would make excellent rifles.. I would suggest the .54 caliber though. If you want to shoot roundball then go after the slow twist like 1-66. If you want to shoot conicals, then look at the 1-32 twist or the 1-48 is a do it all twist.

gleason.chapman

There is a couple of guys up in Penna where I FL hunt that shoot the Cabelas Hawken Flintlock with TC Maxi balls. The are good shooters, and the price is excellent. They use a 50 cal for deer. I would stay with the .50 cal and get a 1-48 twist and shoot Gold Dots in it, better bullet selection with the 50 cal. If you plan on only shooting traditional then go with the .54 cal.
Chap Gleason

wabi

The shorter barrel Hawken might be handier if you hunt heavy brush. Either one, with a 1:48 twist, will give the option of round ball or conical.
Both should be good rifles, and if they aren't Cabela's has great warranty service. I bought a .31 revolver from them a couple years ago and it wouldn't fire the caps (weak hammer spring?). I called them and had a replacement that works fine in only a few days.

cayugad

Cabela's has a Hawkins Carbine for brush hunting and stalking. It has a 21" barrel and a 1-24 twist. This would be my choice, again in .54 caliber if I were shooting less then 100 yards with open sights, and wanted real knock down power. For hunting out of trees or stalking, that short barrel would be easy to handle, quick to point, and hard hitting because of the caliber. I'd load a Lyman Maxiball with about 80 grains of powder and just blow through anything that was in my way.

I would guess... the Carbine would be a great conical shooter and even a good sabot shooter. You could scope it or peep sight it. Never let a short barrel make you think short range. I've seen too many short barrel rifles shoot side by side with the long barrel ones.Granted you might not be shooting 200 yards with a 21 inch barrel, but for most of the stuff I do, it is plenty good. I have a CVA Stalker Carbine with a 1-32 twist that shoots maxiball real well. Even though it has a 21 inch barrel.

Cabela's rifles are made by Investarms Inc. The same people that make Lyman Rifles, out of Italy. The Blue Ridge Series is made by Davide Pedersolli of Italy. Another great gun maker. When you look at Lyman Rifles, the Great Plains Rifle is a roundball rifle. The Great Plains Hunter is a conical shooter. The Trade Rifle is a do anything rifle. I own one of the Trade Rifles in a .54 caliber Flintlock. It shoots 90 grains of black powder and a roundball with some real authority. Last year it shot lengthway through a deer at 52 yards, through the brisket, heart, out the bottom of the stomach, and then broke a back leg before the ball disappeared somewhere in the ground.

I have never owned a Pedersolli rifle but got the opportunity to shoot a Blue Ridge .50 caliber one day. It was a sweet rifle to shoot, but for some reason I did not like the overall balance of the rifle when we were free hand shooting.

lemoyne

If you really want traditional then the alower round ball twist which allows higher velocity with out blowing the patch would be closer and the advice on using a 54 cal is good it has a combination of caliber and velocity that no other caliber matches. Now if you are only going part way to traditional and are going to use sabots and bullets a 50 cal is best. If you find it fits you and can afford it a TC Renagade is an excellant choice but there is nothing wrong with the ones you are looking at either. Lee

dathein

Thanks for all the advice. It looks like I'll be taking a trip to Cabelas for a .54 cal Hawken.

What else do I need to get started equipment wise??
What type of powder, patches, round balls, etc??

Thanks again,
Dave

frontier gander

If you are shooting patched round balls, Pyrodex RS, pyrodex P or Goex blackpowder ffg or fffg is the best. Stay away from triple 7.
Speer or hornady .530 round balls with either a .010 or .015 patch. As for something to carry your powder in, Buy a large powder horn. i find that flasks they sell these days do not hold enough powder for me. My horn holds a little over 1/2 a pound.

cayugad

WHAT DO I NEED WHEN I AM ABOUT TO SHOOT MY RIFLE[/b]

Black powder rifle supplies

DECIDE ON THE KIND OF POWDER[/b]


Pyrodex
Triple Se7en
Goex
Black Mag3
American Pioneer Powder[/ul]
If this is a percussion cap which would be recommend for someone new to the sport, I would suggest Pyrodex RS, Goex 2f, or Triple Se7en 2f. Pyrodex while dirty is a very consistant powder, with excellent power, and good ignition. Also it is easy to find in most places. Get the powder in loose form. This is also a good time to pick up a new Stainless Steel Hot Shot nipple.. make sure the threads are for the rifle you pick... and some #11 caps. I like the CCI Magnum (NOT THE STANDARD CCI) and the RWS 1075, also the Remington 40% hotter will do when nothing else is around.


[/b]
TOOLS NEEDED[/b]
[/b]

See through powder measure
Cleaning jag
Bore guide (not essential)
Cleaning mop
Patch worm
Bore brush
Short starter - the hard wooden ball type
Capper
Loading jag for the projectile
Nipple pick[/ul]


CLEANING SUPPLIES from your home & store[/b]

Isopropyl alcohol 91%
Car windshield washer fluid
Bore butter for patch lube andfor conical bullets
Gun Oil – Birchwood Casey Sheath, REM OIL, Breakfree CLP
Q-tip safety swabs
Cleaning Patches
Bore Solvents[/ul]
recommended store cleaners are;

Birchwood Casey Bore Scrubber
Butch’s Bore Shine[/ol]

[/b]
[/b]
PROJECTILES[/b]
[/b]

Conicals
Roundball and patch
[/ul]
Also a range rod will come in handy, and a tool box or something to carry all this stuff in. I am sure I forgot some things, but others will help add to the list.