muzzleloader for hunting in indiana
 

OK guys i got my 12ga for Xmas
well two weeks before

and a day after i though well i want a muzzle loader and not a shotgun go figure
i found out in Indiana you can hunt with a ml in gun season which gives you three more weeks then a shotgun would.

What muzzle loader would you recommend for a newbie to muzzle loaders
i thought at first that a encore for the changing factor but i am not it's worth the extra money

what would you buy
also what brand and model
also money is not a big issue but i would like to stay under 300 or 400 or around there if i can get agood gun for little more for the gun itself

RE: muzzleloader for hunting in indiana
 

As far as brands I would say a Knight ot a T/C. There are a some very good guns in both of those lines.

RE: muzzleloader for hunting in indiana
 

Get a Knight Hands Down The KRB7 or Disc Extreme The Knights will shoot Sabots or Conicals with great Accuracy .

Ron

RE: muzzleloader for hunting in indiana
 

+1. The TCs have good customer service even on 15 or 20 year old guns, guarantee for life. The Knights have a green mountain barrel, which is the most accurate ML barrel. Another option for you is to buy a Smokeless MLer, the Savage 10ML, about $500 for a stainless tupperware stock. An TC Omega is about 300 or 350. A Knight Long Range Hunter (you have big bean fields) is a good gun, don't know the price, but they are accurate.
Chap

RE: muzzleloader for hunting in indiana
 

bigtim6656

First thing I would ask is what is legal in Indiana during ML season? That can make a big difference in what you might purchase...

RE: muzzleloader for hunting in indiana
 

Well there are a lot of good brands out there. Thompson Center or Knight would be my choice. A Triumph by T/C or an Omega by T/C. A Knight Rollingblock, Disc Extreme, would also be good choices. All of them are good rifles. Also it depends on what kind of shots you might encounter.

RE: muzzleloader for hunting in indiana
 

A Triumph or a KRB7 or if you could get one a White, but first check the laws some states have law makers that only have a minimal ides of what a muzzle loader is and have awful screwed up laws. Lee

RE: muzzleloader for hunting in indiana
 

Smokeless Is Legal in INDIANA just make shure that what ever gun you get it is .45cal or bigger

Ron

RE: muzzleloader for hunting in indiana
 

I like my CVA Optima and I am here in Indianapolis. Where in Indiana are you located? I think I would recommend 50 cal. I think there are more loads to chose from. Welcome to the forum.

RE: muzzleloader for hunting in indiana
 

i am in sullivan south of terre haute which is about 80 or 90 miles south west of indy

RE: muzzleloader for hunting in indiana
 

thanksguys i am thinking a tc omega or trumiph or a knight
also i would be up for a smokeless what would you guys recommend in that line up

RE: muzzleloader for hunting in indiana
 

Smokeless (Savage )

RE: muzzleloader for hunting in indiana
 

[quote]ORIGINAL: bigtim6656

i am in sullivan south of terre haute which is about 80 or 90 miles south west of indy [quote]

I get over that way....my youngest son goes to ISU in TH. Good fishing around Sullivan!

RE: muzzleloader for hunting in indiana
 

cva optima elite. Its like an encore only its no where near as expensive and you can buy centerfire/shotgun barrels for it. They have a nice looking 45-70 barrel out for them...
www.budsgunshop.com has the best prices.

RE: muzzleloader for hunting in indiana
 

ya thats why i moved here for the hunting and fishing [quote]ORIGINAL: oldrookie

[quote]ORIGINAL: bigtim6656

i am in sullivan south of terre haute which is about 80 or 90 miles south west of indy

RE: muzzleloader for hunting in indiana
 

I own 2 T/C MLs and would not say ANY brand is "hands down". We should all be willing to admit that there are several brands making quality guns and a lot of it will come down to personal preference.

I have never owned a Knight yet would recommend either T/C or Knight for a beginner. I am biased a little against the break-actions due to accurization concerns but that again is a personal preference factor. The comment I will make on the Encore is people buy them because you can switch barrels, yet I know few people who actually do that.

I'd look at the Omega or a Knight if I could recommend one. I would be interested on the opinions of anyone who owns a T/C with the new "speed breech", it is an interesting concept yet I won't be buying a new ML anytime soon so I'm interested to hear how they work and last under use.

RE: muzzleloader for hunting in indiana
 

I should add that a lot of what your setup will look like depends where it will be used. I have one gun for wide open fields, and another for carrying in the woods.

RE: muzzleloader for hunting in indiana
 

Also here in Indianapolis. I would recommend the cva's, TC, and Knight. Those are all the brands that I've actually hunted with. Currently I hunt with CVAs, Usually a wolf or optima. The wolf is a good rifle. Its inexpensive and I've taken afew deer with mine over the past two seasons. My only complaint about mine is that the ram rod is kinda cheap. I got mine with a scope and starter kit included for $220ish. The optima is alittle better rifle. It has afew more of the bells and whistles. I think it runs around 250 to 300

RE: muzzleloader for hunting in indiana
 

A Savage 10ML 2, 50 cal, blue or stainless with a thumbhole stock is beautiful and accurate as heck.

Here is the rifle:
Chap

RE: muzzleloader for hunting in indiana
 

Buds Gun shop has them:

http://www.budsgunshop.com/catalog/advanced_search_result.php?keywords=savage+10+ml+2 &osCsid=363f052507d3afb52fb406a8285f9006&x =13&y=8

Chap

RE: muzzleloader for hunting in indiana
 

Read this comparison of Savage vs Encore:

http://www.randywakeman.com/ballltd120.htm

Chap

RE: muzzleloader for hunting in indiana
 

Go to here: http://www.chuckhawks.com/index2h.muzzleloader.htm

and read all the info on different guns for a "general look", please realize these are biased apprasals, just read for general knowledge, you will be much better informed to make a decision on which gun:
[*]The Austin & Halleck 420 Rifle (Article by Randy Wakeman)[*]The CVA Optima Pro Rifle (Article by Randy Wakeman)[*]Knight's .52 Caliber Rifles (Article by Toby Bridges)[*]The Knight Disc Elite Rifle (Article by Randy Wakeman)[*]NEW Knight KP1 Utility Rifle (Article by Randy Wakeman)[*]The Knight Revolution: Just another Revolting Development? (Article by Randy Wakeman)[*]The Knight Vision Rifle (Article by Randy Wakeman)[*]The Lyman Deerstalker Left Handed Flintlock (Article by Terry Hart)[*]The NEF Sidekick Rifle (Article by Randy Wakeman)[*]Pedersoli .45-70 "Officers" Model Trapdoor Rifle (Press Release by Toby Bridges)[*]The Remington 700 ML / MLS Rifles (Article by Randy Wakeman)[*]Ruger Old Army Cap-N-Ball Revolvers (Article by Chuck Hawks)[*]The Ruger 77/50RSO Rifle (Article by Randy Wakeman)[*]Savage 10MLBSS-II Accu-Trigger Rifle (Gun Review by Chuck Hawks)[*]The Thompson/Center Contender G2 Rifle (Article by Randy Wakeman)[*]The Thompson/Center Encore 209 x 50 SS (Article by Randy Wakeman)[*]The Thompson/Center Encore Pro Hunter 209x50 (Article by Randy Wakeman)[*]The Thompson/Center Omega 50 Rifle (Article by Randy Wakeman)[*]Thompson's Omega Z-5 Rifle (Article by Randy Wakeman)[*]NEW: Thompson/Center Triumph Rifle (Article by Randy Wakeman)[*]The Traditions Evolution Premier Rifle (Article by Randy Wakeman)[*]Traditions Express O/U Muzzleloading Rifle (Review by Randy D. Smith)[*]The Traditions Pursuit Pro Rifle (Article by Randy D. Smith)[*]Uberti/Remington 1858 New Model Army Revolvers (Article by Chuck Hawks)[*]The White 98 "Elite Hunter" Rifle (Article by Randy Wakeman)[*]The Winchester X-150 Rifle (Article by Randy Wakeman)

Chap

RE: muzzleloader for hunting in indiana
 

Another happy savage shooter. I couldn't even hit the 300 yd target with my knight, barely the 200 yd target. The savage is atleast minute of deer(5-6") at 300 yards, and still has1300 ft/lbsenergy to kill cleanly. 100 yd range practice has gotten boring!

RE: muzzleloader for hunting in indiana
 

Get yourself a flintlock - it'll make your life a whole lot more interesting.:)

RE: muzzleloader for hunting in indiana
 

I aint that good yet!

RE: muzzleloader for hunting in indiana
 

Heck, here in Indiana you couldn't find a straight line 300 yard shot unless you were standing on the interstate!....well maybe spaniel could.:D

RE: muzzleloader for hunting in indiana
 

thanks alot guys i have never got this much good help on nay post be it in the bow forum or gun forum which i use daily
you guys are all stand up guys that show the good side of hunting

I have it down
from the t/c line a omega
or
cva optima

or i plan to check out some knights and savages before i buy

RE: muzzleloader for hunting in indiana
 

bigtim6656

Just so you know I am as prejudice (sp) as they come but between those two - OMEGA.... I have two of them a plain Jane Z5 and a Stainless. The Z5 is new so I can tell you much about it yet - the stainless is a great shooter, with whatever ipush down the bore... Have not tried conicals from it.

Here is some reading on a Z5 by one owner...

RE: muzzleloader for hunting in indiana
 

Also in regards to the Savage.. since I know so little about them but admit they do interest me.

How often do you have to change the vent liner and just what does this vent liner actually do? Is a vent liner expensive? Also I read a post where someone did not seat the projectile hard enough and got a misfire because of that. I should have asked them but is there something to remember about seating the projectile?

RE: muzzleloader for hunting in indiana
 

i am leaning toward the omega not sure if i will go plain or go with a stainless i wont a stainless in camo but it will all come down to how much i can spend

RE: muzzleloader for hunting in indiana
 

The vent liner is replaced every 100 shots--whenever the hole goes above a certain number .035. The vent liner is basically the little hole that your primer shoots thru to ignite the powder. With a regular breech plug,it is the hole, which is build into the breech plug. With smokeless because of the higher pressure, they wear a breechplug hole out very quickly, hence the work around is a vent liner. Cost from Savage is about $4. You can buy better breech plug liners, Randy Wakeman sells them that last a lot longer. Breech plugs for the Savage are about $28 bucks I think.

Yes, seating a projectile on a charge with Smokeless is a lot different than BP, because BP ignites so well. With smokeless unless it is compressed down, it doen't ignite well. Also the sabot must be tight, now how tight is the question. Well they say 30 lbs of force, that is why I make up my little "goldilocks example", because too loose (like a Parker BE) and the powder will not ignite and too tight (like the TMZ) and the bullet will not go down. Just right is real tight, but not push down with 1 hand tight.
Chap

RE: muzzleloader for hunting in indiana
 

Consider used then, here is a good company to deal with (Same folk that make the Williams open sights that are on so many guns, they have good fibre optic also for MLers):

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

and here are the Omegas.That SS with scope looks sweet and in your price range, no FFL required.
They let you look them over for 3 days, and if you don't like them then return it. Oh, C/O means consignment, so they are selling it for a private owner.
Chap

RE: muzzleloader for hunting in indiana
 

I can not say I am not a smokeless fan because I reload and shoot all kinds of smokeless guns.
But I do believe that someday prehaps not to far in the future that the law makers will get their heads out of that spot where the sun dont shine and establish some sort of national referance of guide lines for the people who have to make laws like they have in some other areas so the state people have some sort of referance thats not pushed in one direction or another by some silly sort of fanitic or an other. If this comes about or any other sort of standarsization does its likely that one of the things that wont be considered any true form of muzzleloading will be smokeless. Not remember this is what I expect might happened not my opinion, if it were not for this I would build my own using a Remington 700 action for a base and a blank for a 50 X110 Dougles barrel with a shortened 44 mag case to hold a large rifle mag primer with a 200gr SW and the right powder I think you could get 2800 fps. Lee
PS If you are going to be a seasonal hunter Take a close look at these two guns if they are in your price range either one is a life timer if you keep on shooting. First is the Triumph Best points in my opinion very easy to clean and take care of properly, light enough that I would not want it any lighter, is very accurate and well built with lifetime service that means something. The KRB7 If you like some weight this might be the one I love the way they shoot but it felt just a bit heavy and a little of on the handling to me but they fit some people quite well they shoot just as well as the Triumph and the Omega and are not bad at all on the cleaning. they are also good conical shooters if you like conicals [I dont have any problem getting 2 inch groups with my Omega or my Triumph which I consider plenty good for conicals as they have a sharp trajectory anyhow but I have to us a wad and some cornmeal which you dont usually have to do with the Knights.
If your budget is a little tight take a look at the Z5 Omega at a lot of the Walmart stores, it is a high quality gun for a decent price ; it is a real shooter very accurate, much like the Triumph with out the break open action and the very neat breach plug which has no blowback and can be removed with fingers.
What ever you chose expect to spend a lot more time at the range than you would getting a cartridge gun ready to hunt with, and the real trick to getting a sabot gun to shoot right is in getting the right fit between the sabot with your bullet of choice in it and the barrel. Lee