I've been looking and looking and looking for information on muzzleloading. I started reading through the messages and saw there was a vast amount of knowledge to tap into. I need to purchase a new muzzleloader for hunting. In the past I've used a cva .50 hawken for deer and have good success but feel I need to graduate to at least a .54 for elk hunting. I plan on shooting conical bullets and want to stick with a traditional muzzleloader. I have been looking at the lyman rifles but thought I would ask for advice. If you were going elk hunting,in the wilderness from horse back and on foot (rugged country) what muzzleloader would you take. Thank you in advance for your help.
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- Thread starter Justin
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Justin
First let me welcome you to the best forum you will find on your question. Let me say from my own experience
either a .50 or .54 will do the job if you hit in the
deer,elk bear or whatever in the vital area. Practice
and don't shoot what can't hit & kill.
I am snake-eyes
First let me welcome you to the best forum you will find on your question. Let me say from my own experience
either a .50 or .54 will do the job if you hit in the
deer,elk bear or whatever in the vital area. Practice
and don't shoot what can't hit & kill.
I am snake-eyes
hello justin welcome aboard.....you need to know we hava the answers.....don't be afraid of musketman he means well :haha: :haha:.....just kidding great bunch of guys here and will let u know anything u need to.....................bob
Justin, are you also shooting from horse back?
If yes, there are a few things you must know in advance...
1. Elk don't know how many feet a horse has (see Jeramiah Johnson movie)
2. reloading while on horse back can be tricky, place the butt of the muzzleloader on the top part of your foot as it enters the sturip, with part of the butt plate in the sturip as well...
This will lock the butt of the muzzleloader in place and give you something solid to load on (like the ground) without dismounting...
3. If the horse you are riding on is not use to guns being fired off of it's back, chances are, you will be on yours soon...
4. Elk country is also bear country, I would choose a .50 caliber as the bottom choise and go up from there, a .58 caliber should make short work of both elk and the grizzly that wants to eat your downed elk...
If yes, there are a few things you must know in advance...
1. Elk don't know how many feet a horse has (see Jeramiah Johnson movie)
2. reloading while on horse back can be tricky, place the butt of the muzzleloader on the top part of your foot as it enters the sturip, with part of the butt plate in the sturip as well...
This will lock the butt of the muzzleloader in place and give you something solid to load on (like the ground) without dismounting...
3. If the horse you are riding on is not use to guns being fired off of it's back, chances are, you will be on yours soon...
4. Elk country is also bear country, I would choose a .50 caliber as the bottom choise and go up from there, a .58 caliber should make short work of both elk and the grizzly that wants to eat your downed elk...
Welcome to the camp.
I think your on the right track with the .54 caliber but be prepared to hear that the round ball may be the best bullet to use if you can get within a range of 100 yards.
The round balls higher velocity makes it shoot flatter than a heavy slug so it's a good bullet to use out to that range. Beyond that range, it starts to loose velocity and energy pretty fast.
The thing about shooting at ranges beyond 120 yards with a traditional gun with iron sights is that many people can't consistently keep the bullet in the critical target zone regardless of what bullet their shooting. This is just the nature of iron sights.
When you add up the flatter trajectory and the difficulty some people have with iron sights it makes the round ball IMO a good choice.
Again, welcome to the Forum.
I think your on the right track with the .54 caliber but be prepared to hear that the round ball may be the best bullet to use if you can get within a range of 100 yards.
The round balls higher velocity makes it shoot flatter than a heavy slug so it's a good bullet to use out to that range. Beyond that range, it starts to loose velocity and energy pretty fast.
The thing about shooting at ranges beyond 120 yards with a traditional gun with iron sights is that many people can't consistently keep the bullet in the critical target zone regardless of what bullet their shooting. This is just the nature of iron sights.
When you add up the flatter trajectory and the difficulty some people have with iron sights it makes the round ball IMO a good choice.
Again, welcome to the Forum.
Justin: Welcome To The Camp ! !
Just some infor on what caliber to buy. I got a T/C Hawken 54 ca. I love it, It shoots great I have just pick up T/C Hawken 50cal flintlock rifle. I've heard that a 50cal will take down any North American aminal. I wanted something
a little bit stronger. I know that there's other Calibers, like 58, 62, or 72. That's alot of hitting powder. If you would like more informarion check witk Dixie Gun Works. (www.diviegunworks.com )They have all kinds of guns and supplies.
There'a alot of fine folks here at the Camp, and there's alot of topics, to take a look at.So kick back and enjoy your self, Again Welcome!!! Mtn-Man2u
Just some infor on what caliber to buy. I got a T/C Hawken 54 ca. I love it, It shoots great I have just pick up T/C Hawken 50cal flintlock rifle. I've heard that a 50cal will take down any North American aminal. I wanted something
a little bit stronger. I know that there's other Calibers, like 58, 62, or 72. That's alot of hitting powder. If you would like more informarion check witk Dixie Gun Works. (www.diviegunworks.com )They have all kinds of guns and supplies.
There'a alot of fine folks here at the Camp, and there's alot of topics, to take a look at.So kick back and enjoy your self, Again Welcome!!! Mtn-Man2u
robinghewitt
62 Cal.
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Nothing wrong with a conical, but you might not want to go too big. Big calibers favour ball.
When I bought my .451 from the late Peter Asquith, he said he'd shown it to gun historian de Witt Bailey for an opinion.
The opinion was that it looked like the kind of thing the Victorians used to take up to Scotland and shoot at deer from 400 yards ::
Shooting ML conicals at deer and stuff over 400 yards is a fine tradition. Even Queen Victoria managed to shoot a 400 yard bulls eye hitting one inch above dead centre. Josiah Whitworth built the rest and set the shot for her, but she did the tricky bit and pulled the string.
When I bought my .451 from the late Peter Asquith, he said he'd shown it to gun historian de Witt Bailey for an opinion.
The opinion was that it looked like the kind of thing the Victorians used to take up to Scotland and shoot at deer from 400 yards ::
Shooting ML conicals at deer and stuff over 400 yards is a fine tradition. Even Queen Victoria managed to shoot a 400 yard bulls eye hitting one inch above dead centre. Josiah Whitworth built the rest and set the shot for her, but she did the tricky bit and pulled the string.
Welcome,
No elk experience, but my .54 T/C Renegade gives me the impression it would be up to the task, especially with a conical.
No elk experience, but my .54 T/C Renegade gives me the impression it would be up to the task, especially with a conical.
