Quite a few years ago I decided, more or less on a whim, to buy a .54-cal Hawken-style muzzleloader from Cabela's and see what this blackpowder thing was all about. I was hooked. Since then I've bought (and shot) some really good blackpowder arms, and a couple of not-so-good ones, but I still have that first frontloader and it's still my favorite out of the bunch. Young Mike with a couple of blackpowder guns, back in the mid-90's: And making a little smoke in the Nevada desert: Who else in this group enjoys muzzleloading?
Always wanted to get a smokepole...but when I had the money, always found something else to do with it. Still would like to buy a Pennsylvania Longrifle...in .48 caliber with a curly maple stock. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Long_rifle
Yeah, nice ones can be expensive. I passed more than once on rifles I would have dearly loved to own, because funds were tight. And a longrifle is an excellent choice...pretty guns, those, and one in curly maple would be just beautiful.
I was looking at a muzz'pistol at bass pro. Looked akin too a TC Contender. I didn't catch the brand, but I'm intrigued. My Dad has a 50 rifle, birthday pistol looked like tons of fun! Sent from my PH44100 using Tapatalk 2
Vortek Traditions makes a 50 cal pistol called a Vortek (sp?) Supposed to be a pretty good shooter. My first longrifle was a Navy Arms .44 with a 35" barrel. Lotsa brass and extremely accurate. I built a CVA long rifle similar to the navy and it was more accurate than the Navy. Next was a 54 T/C Renegade. Best gun I ever owned but had to sell it one Christmas so I could put something under the tree. I have had several modern pieces of...junk and a Lyman .54 Great Plains Rifle. Now I am ready to get out of Blackpowder except for some emergency guns. They just aint the same anymore. If I do get another BP gun it will be a squirrel gun...like the Traditions Crockett .32 cal. cap and ball.
I have been giving it some thought lately myself. I'm really not interested in any of the modern versions, but have always liked the old muzzle loaders. I built a pistol from a kit years ago, and would like to do a rifle now that I have a decent work shop to do it in. Maybe this fall or winter.
Back in the '70s I built a cap lock and a flintlock pistol. Both were from kits. I've got a cheap rifle I bought about 1½ years ago and have yet to take it down for a full inspection yet. I think it's a CVA, don't remember the model. Wont shoot it until the inspection is done. Maybe in the next few weeks?
I've got a 45 cal muzzle loading rifle barrel for my Contender. I haven't really found a load that shoots real good though. I've taken a few deer with it under 50 yards but that's about as far as I trust it on deer because of the groups I'm getting with it. I'd like to get a 50 cal Hawken or Kentucky rifle some day.
