I am new to having a muzzleloader, but have shot one years ago. Recently my grandfather passed away and I was helping clean up and empty his garage and found a new muzzleloader in the box. So I took it and plan on learning this type of hunting and using the gun one day. It is a CVA .50 Plainsman Flintlock. There was also a magazine in the box from 1992. I don't know if that is how old the gun is. So my questions are, Anyone familiar with this model? How old it might be? Is it a decent, accurate,gun to begin with? Any help appreciated.

The CVA Plainsman has a 1-48 twist. They shoot roundball and conical bullets just fine. 80 grains of powder and a .490 patched ball will usually get you going. Since its a flintlock, use only black powder. 2f would be my choice for starters. 3f will also work. 3 or 4f for the pan. Use a 5/8th flint in that jaw. A Thomas Fuller Black English should work real well.

The Plainsman was not a top of the line rifle. It was offered in kit form as well as assembled. There was nothing too fancy about them, but they were good shooters as I am sure yours will be. Never judge a rifle's accuracy by its cost. Look on the barrel at the serial number. Usually the last two diget numbers will tell you the year it was made.

Keep your charges under 100 grains of powder and you should be fine.

You're in for some fun (and maybe a little frustration) Zrabfan. As Cayugad said, you need real black powder for that gun. Don't even bother trying substitutes like Pyrodex. I useGOEX FFFg for both the charge and in the pan in my .54 and it works quite well. I've done the same with FFg and really had no problem getting the larger granules of the FFg to ignite in the pan. Were there any flints in the box with the gun?

First off, sorry about your grandfather. But congrats on the find. And welcome to the fun and addicting world of muzzleloading. Besides the advice already given, I recommend you quit before you get hooked. If you like guns, you will probalby find, like most of us have, that it is a hobby, sport, or whatever you want to call it that grows on you.
Keep the questions coming and you will get all the help you need in here. Even if it later comes down to counceling.

The serial # is 919353. So I'm thinking the year could be 91 because of the magazine. There was a small paragraph on the gun in the magazine, and said it has a 1 in 66 twist, which I don't know what that means? Most other guns in there were 1 in 32, or 1 in 48. There wasn't any flint in the box either. I'm sure I'll have loads of questions until I become fully accustomed to this new style of shooting and hunting.

1-66 is a round ball barrel. While the majority of that model rifle had a 1-48, some of the very early ones were different. I have a couple rifles like that, where they do not match the manufacturer's barrel chart.

Because of the slow twist, it will stabalize a round ball perfect. So you need to get some .490 roundball and some patch and lube. Start out with 80 grains of 2f Goex black powder, or other brands of black powder and that should shoot real well.

Thanks for the info, I'll be heading to Cabela's soon to pick up what I need, so I can get practicing.