I have hunted NY State the last 7 years with a MLer and I can tell you from personal experience that the MLer are far more accurate. I don't think you will sell your old slug gun, you just won't use it as much. If you get a TC Triumph, and you shoot Barnes 300g MZ in it with the supplied sabot and 100g of Blackhorn 209, then you will never return to a slug gun. I can shoot 1 to 1.5 inches with mine at 100 and would never dream of taking a 200 yard shot with a slug gun, with a MLer, 200 is fairly easy, 150 is a piece of cake, with a good scope. Even a plain old MLer with Open sights is better than a slug gun with Open sights. Much better bullet selection in MLers also, you got the whole 45/70 lineup from Speer, Nosler and Barnes + the pistol bullets, much cheaper to shoot also. A Savage cuts that cost in 1/2 again because it will shoot 44g of Powder instead of 100g of Blackhorn, and it will shoot 250g or 300g Speer Gold Dots, so considering cost in your equation, MLer win hands down. Only problem is lack of a 2nd shot, and who needs that? Chap

I would have to endorse the Triumph for ease of cleaning over the optima.

Another vote for the triumph, ive been watching first hand my buddy shooting lights out to 200yds.....

Obviously do whatever you want but I would strongly consider saving an extra few months to get stainless. I know many traditionalist love the look of "blue" barrels, but stainless is hassle free. Also, I doubt you'll be using the slug gun after driving tacks at 200 yds with the TC. Anyway you go, be careful and have fun!!!

Hammer

Its all going to come down to price when i start to see them go on sale, when does walmart start to clearence them? I can effectively use one for 1 week in reality...We hunt some thick stuff during gun season, so its really nice to be able to take more than 1 shot sometimes, which is why i have stuck with a slug gun forso long. as for a 200 yrd shot...probaly a few places i could take one, but not likely where we hunt locally during gun season.

I bow hunt as well which overlaps the muzzleloader antlerless season here in PA and really am just looking for something to break up the waiting game on a buck during archery...I probaly will never use it aside from a little antlerless shooting and maybe some more antlerless in the late season....

fouling isnt something im worried about. i can pull a breach plug and swab...once its sighted in only gonna need 1 shot at a time from there.

I was also wondering if most of you use a scope or shoot open sights. If scoped, which one

Where legal, go with a scope. I think that would be true for most of us. Fit of the scope to the rifle will matter... but a good scope fairly reasonably priced would be the Nikon ProStaff 2x7.

Wal-Mart varies a lot about clearancing. Location to location and store to store. You'll just have to check forums and stores to see if any are doing close outs after the season ends in your area.

Right now you can buy either a blued .50 disc elite or a SS .45 disc elite from FFF for $199.99. These are both legendary rifles and would be all the gun you would ever need for deer hunting IF you are allowed to use a scope.
Art

Most of us use scopes, I have a Bushnell 3200 Elite 3x9 40mm objective on both my Savage and my Omega. Nikon scopes are good also. About $200 iswhat you will pay for a good scope, you can of couse spend more. I would get a 4x14 if I were doing it again.
Chap