Cabela's .50cal carbine?

[MattyB]

A shop close to me has a Cabela's .50 caplock carbine/short rifle/whatever it's called for $199. I have been shopping around, putting off buying a ML for a while, but something about the size of this one really calls out to me. Are these pretty good guns? Does it sound like a good deal? How do they shoot? I would be using it for plinking out back and hunting deer on my property, where my longest shot is likely to be not more than 35 yards or so. Thanks for any input.

 

[swquiro]

Matty,
Id go with the Lyman Deerstalker if its a short rifle you want. On this forum and elsewhere Ive read that people have trouble getting good accuracy with the carbines (21" barrels I believe). Midsouth Shooters Supply sells the Lyman for $236, well worth the extra $36. My .02 cents worth.

 

[dry ball john]

Hi Matty, I learned a long time ago "you pay for what you get" I think I would go the extra mile and get a Lyman, you just can't go wrong with one.
My four cents, John

 

[silverfox]

Check the twist in the rifling. Most of the short barrel guns are 1/28 or 1/32 which are only good for shooting slugs or sabots. You said you wanted to just plink and maybe shoot deer on your property. Find a PRB gun 1/48 or 1/66 is better and a lot cheaper to plink with. And a .50 PRB will kill any deer inside 100 yards just as well as a slug. As was said you get what you paid for. :thumbsup: Cheap isn't always best. But cheap as in shooting RB instead of slugs can be called a lot less expensive and more fun.
Fox

 

[shmrck1]

Matty,
First off let me thank you for your service to
our Country.
As to your question I own a Cabela's(Investarms)
sporterized carbine. Its most likely my fault
that I just don't shoot it enough.But IMHO
it is not worth $199.I bought mine new 5 years
ago new for $189.That being said if you are
talking deer shots at 35yds or even 50yds you
can certainly make it a deer harvester.With PRB
even at 50yds with 70grns 3fff Goex and time on the range it will work.
As to the $199 price tag(Maybe new in box at $180)Used even slightly,down to $150 or lessIMHO
snake-eyes :hmm:

 

[MattyB]

Thanks for the replies. I'll continue looking around.
Another shop outside of the gate has a couple T/C .50s, round barrel, and fiberglass stocks, one of them for $99, another for $139. The one for $99 has some stupid see-through scope mount BS on it, so it would need a new rear sight. Do they sound like good deals? The bores on them look OK from what I can tell. They're not as traditional as I would like, but from what I can tell, I can upgrade to more traditional parts a little at a time.

 

[swquiro]

TC round barrels and fiberglass stocks? Sounds like the New Englander family (Grey hawk, Tree Hawk, Black Mtn. Magnum). I have a New Englander with a nice piece of walnut which prints 1.5" at 50yd off a rest. Does a nice job in the deer woods. If one of those rifles in that shop is a Black Mtn. Magnum be aware that it has a fast twist barrel meant mainly for conicals and those funny plastic covered things. Otherwise, if the bores are fine you wont get hurt at those prices. The rynite stocks are close to indestructible, and if you want to get a walnut stock someday they are available. All stocks and hardware in that family of NE rifles are generally interchangeable.

 

[MattyB]

Well, it's not a tree hawk (that's camo, right?)so how do I tell if it's a BMM or a grey hawk? I think this could be a sweet deal, and I don't mind moulding conicals for it (it's been my plan to mold the projectiles myself anyway), but the option of shooting PRB would be nice. I couldn't find anything on the gun to say what model it is. Is there a way to tell? Thanks again.

 

[Nimrod]

If it is a TC it will say so on the barrel I beleave! If you can swing the 235 for the Lyman I would do that then you know what you have { Y O U R NEW RIFLE} and not someone elses problem.

my 2 cents Nimrod

 

[playfarmers]

I will add another voice to the Lyman Deerstalker. I have had one for the past 16 years and still think it is great.

 

[MattyB]

Cool, thanks for the advice guys.

 

[Landngroove]

Hi Matty, I learned a long time ago "you pay for what you get" I think I would go the extra mile and get a Lyman, you just can't go wrong with one.
My four cents, John

Did You know that the Cabelas Carbine, and the Lyman Deerstalker are made by the same company? Investarm, of Italy.

 

[Landngroove]

Well, it's not a tree hawk (that's camo, right?)so how do I tell if it's a BMM or a grey hawk? I think this could be a sweet deal, and I don't mind moulding conicals for it (it's been my plan to mold the projectiles myself anyway), but the option of shooting PRB would be nice. I couldn't find anything on the gun to say what model it is. Is there a way to tell? Thanks again.

If it is a GreyHawk, it will be in stainless steel, not blued. If it is a Black Mountain Magnum, it will say so on the barrel, and have fiber optic sights. The New Englander, also a round 26" barrel ML, should also say so on the barrel, with traditional T/C open sights.