dead on

I lurked for years and have learned that you folks are crazy about muzzle loaders. what I dont understand is why so many of you have 45 cal rifles when it has been proven time after time that the 50 cal is the best for hunting`and more of everything is available for 50 cals. I have owned a traditions pioneer . which i still have because it is so much fun to shoot with patch and ball, I have also bought and sold 2 knight rifles and an omega because they did not shoot groups across sand bags that i felt i needed to hunt with. With each of these rifles including the disc elite that I now own i bought every bullet and powder and primmer or caps made and tested each.I go back to when powerbelts were called black belts and they came in plastic bags. I found Celil Epps because my son married a Canadian girl. I have litteraly spent Thousands on bullets, powder and primers.I dont have the time or the money to just shoot because i love to shoot. Are most of the regulars on this forum retired or independently wealthy or what?Please dont be offended by this post ,i dont mean any harm. I write like I talk and my wife says I am about as diplomatic as a tarantula in heat. I think, with the limited time and money i am maybe more crazy about hunting.

cayugad

Retired? For many years now.
Independently wealthy? I could only wish.

I have time to shoot, and I watch sales and purchase in bulk. Plus a lot of my bulk shooting is with patch and ball or conicals,that I cast myself. BUT I honestly would hate to guess what I have in rifles and shooting supplies. If I ever sat down and figured it out.. I would have myself committed.

sabotloader

dead on

45 vs 50.... I have just begun the search for the answer to this. For years I have always asked... why would you by a 45? there are so many different options available for a 50 and most anything you can shoot in a 45 I can shoot in a 50 and probaly just as well.

Theoretically there will be a velocity gain with a 45 over the larger bore 50, but how important is it? I am finding it is real no big deal - now that is just my opinion... but, after all of that is said I will keep my 45 as I believe I can shoot it cheaper than I can a 50. It becomes my 22-250 of ML's....

Ditto here, but I have been really forunate in the ML's that I have I have been able to make them shoot 'lights out.' And I hate to say this - I am one of those guys that everyday is 'Saturday' - I did retire in 2002 - but living on a fixed income is no picnic either - but shooting is my recreation and I do spend more than I should on the sport. I do not qualify for the independently wealthy portion of the quote I really wish I did...

I am one of the most politically incorrect people in the world... Terry tells me so all the time... same as my coaching assignments... 'do it my way or the highway' - now I do not ever recall saying that but Terry says I really imply it... I do tell the kids - there is a 'wrong way' a 'right way' and a 'Peterson way' - they should probably consider the Peterson way the right way when playing for me and then when they get to the next way his way will be the 'right way.' I do not consider that being 'one way' but Terry does...

OK better quit before I dig to deep...

Semisane

Yep! I'm retired also. Wealthy? Not by a looonnng shot. My little Ford Ranger pick-up is six years old. The one I had before that was 11 when I sold it to a broker shipping used pick-ups to Mexico. I'm thinking about getting one of those new fangled Televisions that have color and something called a "remote". (Hey, that was a joke. ) When you hit your 60's, and the kids are grown and on their own, and the houseyou've lived in for 40 years is paid for, and your fortunateenough to not have big medical bills, you just kind of figure you ought to spend a little money on what you like - and I like to shoot.

EDIT: Oops. Almost missed the main topic completely. I have one .45 that I bought to play with. It's interesting and fun, but definitely not as versatile as a .50. Still, I'll be making a few hunts with it next season.

nchawkeye

I'm not sure if you are talking of inlines or sidelocks and roundballs...

In inlines, I prefer a .50 because of bulk sabots and bulk 44-45 caliber pistol bullets which can be easily mated together and used for hunting...

When it comes to sidelocks, flintlocks in my case, I prefer a .40 and a .54...The .40 is my small game gun and I go down to 25grs of FFF powder for a charge...A pound of powder will last a long time using that small of a charge...The .54 is my big game rifle...

I don't worry about components because I mold my own balls, buy patching in bulk and make my own lube and cleaner...So I'm spending most of the money on powder and flints...I can get 50-100 shots out of a flint if I take care of it...

As far as money, let's see...I'm self employed, have worked over 30 years and have 3 daughters...
I have bought them 3 cars, paid for 2 college degrees and one Masters and have paid for 2 weddings...

My payback so far??? None were pregnant before marriage, never had to go to jail to bail them out,
have always had very honest and frank conversations with them about boys and sex...I do have a 7 month year old grandson, that's priceless...

rjhans53

One of those white male construction workers at the top of my field that our pres is down on. Make a decent living, don't drink, don't smoke, don't have a wife to spend what I do have. Mow my own grass, reload my ammo. Kids are grown and on their own. Eat a bunch of venison and noodle dishes, live in a mobile home and my house payments aren't as much as some. I shoot 2 days a week unless it's hunting season. Now I'm cutting down on my CF because of the current primer situation (namely there ain't none to be had). As to the 45 verses 50, my savage with a 45 pac-nor is awesome. My knights and other savage are 50's. And yep I'm in the market for a 45 so in taking it for a back up I only have to add BH or 777to the shooting box

gregrn43

Retired? Nope work 4 nights a weektwelve and half hour shifts at two different ER's in two small towns here in Arkansas. Wealthy? I could only wish for. 45 vs 50 cals? All my ml are 50 cal

Grouse45

One thing i have noticed is everybody does things a different way. I used to be the one that said just buy a 50cal. The reason was you did not really have any good bullets. Now with the 200grn Lehigh in a 45 things have changed. Dont kid yourself, speed kills. I can almost reach 2600fps with a 200grn Lehigh and have a bullet that works. That's close to 30-06 speeds. With the 50 i can really only do about 2300 to 2350. Of course i'm just talking black powder subs. But here again the 50cal can use a wide variety of bullets and 45's are illegal to hunt Elk in Idaho to mention one state. So if your only gonna own one, you better buy a 50cal.

txhunter58

what I dont understand is why so many of you have 45 cal rifles when it has been proven time after time that the 50 cal is the best for hunting`.

what I dont understand is why so many of you have Chevys when it has been proven time after time thatFord is the best for hunting`.

Everyone hastheir own opinion andbelly button too!

P.S. I own 3 50 calibers and no 45's because I hunt Colorado!

bronko22000

I've hunted with both the .45 and the .50 cal ML in the traditional versions (hawkens) and every deer I've shot with either didn't know the difference. With experience with both - I would have to say that for deer or hogs, choose whatever trips your trigger.