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how long have you been using one

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how long have you been using one

Old 01-11-2008, 06:35 AM
  #11  
Nontypical Buck
 
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Been ML since 1994 or so, just a couple years after I was old enough to be hunting. Shot a Traditions Deerhunter I got for $110 at K-Mart until 2002, killed probably over 25 deer with it. Next was a Traditions Lightning LD, an accurate butdangerous MF that I sold in 2004. Done with Traditions. Bought the TC Omega thumbhole that is my primary now in 2003. Bought another Omega, an X7, in 2006, as my woods gun.
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Old 01-11-2008, 07:30 AM
  #12  
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Default RE: how long have you been using one

31 years, CVA 1:66 Mountain rifle. Still shoot it some.Mostly shooting Cabela Hawken w/GM 1:28 barrel on it.
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Old 01-11-2008, 07:47 AM
  #13  
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Location: MICHIGAN
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My little brother got me into it in 1975. He belonged to a group (all Night shifters)at work that would go shoot 3 times a week at a local range. He invited me to go along and we would take turns shooting hisT/CHawkins. Most of the other guys would also let me take a turn with theirs. They had mostly Hawkins of one brand or another Like the Browning, T/C and Lymans.
I was loaned an old 69 cal (I think) smooth bore for Muzzle loader season that fall here in Michigan. didn't get a deer with it as I never saw one.
My brother bought me a T/C hawkins kit For Christmas that year.
I shot & hunted with it till 1992 when I could no longer make the sights work with my ageing eye sight. I got a T/C Plains rifle and put a 4 power weaver K 4 scope on it.
My wife saw me eyeing a Remington 700 every time we went where they were sold. She bought me a 54 cal for Christmas of 1998 (I think) or 1999.
Two years a go I was moaning the fact I couldn't find 54 cal sabots localy, Kare told me to buy a 50 cal then. Nothing triped my trigger that was on the market so I turned to a used Remington 700 50cal.
Funny I learned about buying sabots direct from MMP and use my 54 mostly now. I still shoot all of them though. The hawkins is stil a favorite and a joy to shoot since I put a peep site on it.

Al
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Old 01-11-2008, 08:46 AM
  #14  
Giant Nontypical
 
Join Date: Feb 2003
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I got started with a CVA Kentucky rifle kit in 79. Started accumulating a whole bunch of muzzleloaders, all traditionals and replicas. Loved shooting and hunting with them.Well, a burglar wiped me out in '88 and I've been whole hog archery ever since.

I'm just now getting back into it and here I sit, nearly 30 years later, with a Kentucky rifle kit....
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Old 01-11-2008, 09:12 AM
  #15  
Typical Buck
 
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Mesa, Arizona
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Default RE: how long have you been using one

First percussion experience was with an original Remington New Army 44 revolver that was junk and I rebuilt it to shoot. That was about 1960. Since then I took a break and started again in 2000 with a T/C Scout in .50. Killed first elk with that rifle. Sold it to buy an Omega .50, got the bug and bought a .50 Traditions Pursuit LT (bad idea) traded it for an NEF .50 Huntsman, bought a .58 T/C Hawken used, bought a .50 GM barrel for same rifle, bought a Lyman .50 Trade Rifle in Flintlock, bought a White 97 in .504, bought another White 97 in .504, bought an action for a White Thunderbolt and had a barrel installed by Doc also .504, Bought a Knight KRB7 .50 ,just bought a White Ultra Mag in .504. Probably two favorites will end up being the KRB and the U-mag. Have to do a lot more shooting before making any real decision. They are all fun but unfortunately not enough time available recently to shoot them all.
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Old 01-11-2008, 11:25 AM
  #16  
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Join Date: Feb 2003
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~35 years. What year was the Thompson Center Hawken first sold? 72?
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Old 01-11-2008, 12:21 PM
  #17  
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Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Illinois
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I just have one year under my belt. CVA Wolf, Nikon Pro Staff,300gr Barnes Expander MZ..........Two shots, two harvested deer. I'm hooked, must buy more muzzleloaders
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Old 01-11-2008, 02:45 PM
  #18  
Giant Nontypical
 
Join Date: Nov 2005
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My Grandfather taught me to use his Remington 44 [a matched pair from his fathers civil war days] and a 43cal Kentucky rifle in 1949 after that I aquired a 45 cal underhammer dated 1837 [which I still have] then in 1962 I started out to build one off a 22 auto frame 40 cal and my first inline then into pistol compitition and a bussinness related to muzzleloading and archery, retirement in 1991. I still shoot my Rugar Black powder, my Hawken I built from scratch to a set of plans from the museumin St Louis, Two TC's a Hawken 45calI won long a go gave to my dad and got bad when he died and a Renagade that I have taken 27 deer and two bear with a System One with 54 and 50 cal barrels an Omega and a Triumph. Now thats the ones I shoot regular thebig gun safe is packed my wife had a nice set before she got cancer and died and some others from grandpa and dad but I stored some and like to keep the amount I am actually using down to where I can strip and clean all in one afternoon. Lee
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Old 01-11-2008, 05:20 PM
  #19  
Fork Horn
 
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Rochester, NY
Posts: 212
Default RE: how long have you been using one

Wow,
We some long time shooters for sure!
My first experience w/a BP was w/a single action army or navy pistol. I was probably 8-10 yrs old in 1965. Don't know if it was a replica or not. A neighbor took me to the dump, sorry, the transfer station and we shot @ old cars and rats. He later broke out a M1 carbine w/a 30 rd banana clip.I got to shoot a few rounds w/ it...
Spin ahead to 1988 whenI started huntin deer in FL @ age 33. Only quail and dove before that. A real talented fellow named Paul Swaney had 2ea 1982 unfired TC 50 cal Hawken's in his attic. I wanted to extend my deer season into the BP season which is quite beautiful in central FL in the late season. I bought that rifle and he let me borrow his baker climber and that seasonI set out a huntin after he took me to the range to work up a load. One of the best men I have ever met. We were both cameramen specialists @ the Cape andI got him back into hunting w/my new found passion. We did many hunting trips together. Some of the most memoriable times in my life arebecause of him. WhenI quit my job to move north to Rochester, NY I liked rifle hunting and didn't like slug guns so the Hawkin saw a lot of woods time. I graduated to a TC ThunderHawk Shadow (still one of my favorite rifles, light slim and very accurate) Being a LH shoooterI didn't like the RH bolt, the difficult clean up or the scope burn. In addition I bought 3 Omega's, a completed LH custom kit gun, and a RH Austin Halleck percussion (for sell).I did pu a old1861Navyreplica by an Italian maker Pilipo? in 45 cal. I cleaned it up and have nver fired it yet. Still have all my BP guns...
I own a few high power rifles and pistols but I hunt w/BP even in the new rifle season.
Love to see that smoke, smell that powder and just enjoy the one shot challenges.
Steve
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Old 01-12-2008, 08:38 AM
  #20  
Typical Buck
 
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Long Island, NY
Posts: 552
Default RE: how long have you been using one

Around 1996 for me. Still using the same 50cal Lyman Deerstalker with a Lyman peep.
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