Looking for some recommendations on what you fella' s feel is the most reliable, accurate, easy to clean, and quality built flintlock for under $500.00 dollars? I would like to shoot Powerbelts or other sabots in it. Last year I shot a T/C Firestorm but was not happy with it.

fastflight1 A GOOD FLINTER IN 50 CAL. I WOULD HAVE TO GO T/C HAWKEN WITH A 1 IN 48 TWIST OR A LYMAN IN A 1 IN 32 TWIST I SEE FROM YOUR LOCATION YOU ARE IN PA. THERE IS A PAPER UP THERE CALLED THE PAPER SHOP AT YOUR NEWSSTAND THEY HAVE SOME GREAT DEALS ON M/L AND HUNTING GEAR
I PICK UP T/C 50 CAL. LAST YEAR FROM A GUY WHO LIVED IN PA FOR $165.00 STOCK WAS CRACKED I RETURN IT TO T/C THEY REPLACED THE COMPLETE STOCK WITH ALL HARDWARE THEY OFFER A LIFE TIME WARRANT ON THERE GUNS MY T/C HAS A 1 IN 48 TWIST THAT SHOOTS 300 GRAIN SABOT GREAT SEEMS ALSO IT LIKES THE 385 GRAIN CONICAL LEAD BULLET NEVER TRIED POWERBELT IN IT .

If the flintlock you are looking for is intended to shoot conicals, then I would go with the T/C Hawkins with 1-48. You have the best of both worlds there with conicals or roundball. I have a T/C Renegade, same twist, .54 caliber, which is a dressed down Hawkin, and it shoots conicals excellent.

The Lyman Great Plains Hunter is also a great conical rifle. As Lonewolf said, with its 1-38 twist, this will shoot conicals excellent. I have not personally shot a Great Plains Hunter, but I have shot the Lyman Great Plains Rifle with the 1-60 twist, and we were shooting roundballs and making some excellent groups with it.

Roundballs are so under estimated by so many hunters, on whitetail. Some need to really sit and look at their shooting situation and their ranges. They might find that a roundball is all they need for the whitetail department.

What did you find wrong with the firestorm? Just curious is all. By the way I still vote for a .54 caliber over a .50 caliber, but that is personal preference. I can not justify it when you are talking whitetail deer hunting.