arcticap

Cabela's just opened up a super store in Hartford, CT, the first in New England. Traditions has a company store located at their headquarters in Old Saybrook, CT.
I've seen some older discontinued.50 #209 Trackers therethat were a good deal, they just didn't have the new florescent sights,only theplain black ones.
Or depending on your location, why not just go to a neighboring RI, VT, NH, NY store?
There's evena Bass Pro in Foxboro,MA now!

http://www.basspro.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/CFPage?storeId=10151&catalogId=10001&langI d=-1&appID=94

dmurphy317

If your in the eastern part of the state it's not that far up to Kittery Maine and the Kittery Trading Post. Here is the website: http://www.kitterytradingpost.com/

falcon

"Also check Wal Mart. They have a CVA Buckhorn Magnum at mine for $109.99."

The CVA Buckhorn is a great gun atthree times the price. Have scoped several of them for friends and have bedded the actions and floated the barrels ona couple of them.This gunis a tack driverwithboth the 240 grain XTPand the 250 grain SST bullets.

xd9x19

I'm looking at several muzzleloaders to potentially buy or put on my "Christmas list". If I buy a muzzleloader, the practical implication is that I could add two more weeks (read: Saturdays) to get into the field, so I'm not in the market for a high $$ ML - I don't think I'd use it enough to justify the extra cost.

The Wolverine is attractive, but how does cleaning it compare to the break-open models that I'm considering - H&R Sidekick, CVA Wolf (blue or stainless) or maybe the CVA Optima. I've got a friend who has the Optima and I love the feel of that rifle. I'd really like to get a stainless model, but since I probably won't use it more than 3 or 4 times a year in the field, I may not spend the extra $$ on that option.

cayugad

The Wolverine is a good rifle. They are a meat and potatoes rifles. As for the cleaning of them VS the cleaning of a break open.. this always confuses me why people feel the bolt or the hammer striker models are do much more difficult to clean. If a couple extra minutes of your life mean that much to you, I am surprised you can find the time to even hunt. On the Wolverine, you pull the hammer striker assembly, and then the breech plug. You now have a barrel without the breech plug, just like any break open. I really like my Wolverine.

If Santa is generous I would look at the stainless steel Knight Rolling Block. In fact that is what is going on my Christmas List.

Also if you can afford it, get the stainless steel model. Exactly for the reasons you have stated. You want a rifle that you might shoot three or four times a year. That means it will not get constant attention. Here is where a stainless barrel might be a real advantage. These rifles have fowling that will make them rust. And unless you are one of them that really inspects them, it is easy to miss a small spot which will rust.

xd9x19

Thanks for the info. That starter pack looks very attractive, even though it's not stainless.

BTW, has the Bighorn replaced the Wolverine? The Wolverine doesn't show on Knight's web site as a current model.

ProStreetCamaro

I was the one that posted that wolverine. Its a fantastic rifle for the money and it comes with just about everything you need to get started. My father owns a Huntsman which is the same thing as the sidekick and it to is a great shooting muzzleloader. I dont feel it is any easier to clean that as it is to clean a knight wolverine. Either way you go you will be getting a quality good shooting muzzleloader.

gleason.chapman

Read this info:

SELECTING AND BUYING MUZZLELOADERS:[*]Beware the First Year Models (Article by Randy Wakeman)[*]Buying A New Muzzleloader? (Article by Randy Wakeman)[*]How to Select a New Muzzleloader (Article by Randy Wakeman)[*]Rating the Inline Muzzleloading Manufacturers (Article by Randy Wakeman)[*]Recommended Muzzleloader Brands (Article by the G&S Online Staff)[*]Want to Buy an Inline? A Short History of Modern Inline Design (Article by Randy D. Smith)[*]What Makes for a Good Muzzleloader (Article by Randy Wakeman)[*]What Muzzleloader Should I Buy? (Article by Randy Wakeman)

Go to a couple of stores and handle a few rifles that meet your eye. Then get back with the forum for your picks. Good used ML available at Williams Gun site company:

http://www.williamsgunsight.com/gunsights/813usedblkpowderguns.htm

My pick for a beginner rifle is a TC Omega, they are accurate, easy to clean and right at $250 to $300. Chap Gleason

Buckhunter46755

Yes they are. I know some older guys who have been shooting ML's for 40 years, and the Omega is there newest, favorite rifle. What was your beginner rifle? And what are you shooting now? Just curious.

chris

gleason.chapman

My beginner rifle was a Knight Disc, I now shoot a Savage 10ML2 and my 2nd rifle was a TC Omega. I also shoot a TC Hawken FL in Penna ML season. Chap Gleason