Investarms Hawken vs Buffalo hunter for hunting with PRB

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Discuss: I have opportunity to purchase either rifle. I will need to shoot out to 100 yards regularly, and occasionally to 150 yds. I am inexperienced with muzzleloading rifles. Which one should I give preference to?
 
No,

you make a decision,



then come back and tell us how it worked.
I appreciate that. If I had the budget for comparison, I would get both and write an article for you. I have one shot at this, and need to make the right decision. I was hoping someone had used either extensively, and could provide solid counsel.
 
The Buffalo Hunter is basically a sporterized Zouave (1863 Remington). The rifling is 3 lands & grooves and a slow twist. The twist is fine for a round ball but is quite shallow as it was intended to shoot minies. It can shoot round balls quite well but it'll take a little work to find the right ball/patch/powder combo. The Hawken is probably the better choice with that in mind though they tend to be a little heavy. The Buffalo Hunter that's for sale on the forum right now is priced quite reasonable and they are light and handy with a shorter barrel.
 
I agree on the Hawken when held up only against the buffalo hunter but there may be other even better choices. Also with some considerations as to whether shooting at game or targets.
 
I agree on the Hawken when held up only against the buffalo hunter but there may be other even better choices. Also with some considerations as to whether shooting at game or targets.
I do shoot for fun quite a bit, but I shoot anywhere from 3 to 7 deer a year, and an elk when I come across one. It is primarily a hunting rifle. The choices are due to budget!
 
I do shoot for fun quite a bit, but I shoot anywhere from 3 to 7 deer a year, and an elk when I come across one. It is primarily a hunting rifle. The choices are due to budget!
Unless I have things mixed up, the Navy Buffalo Hunter shot conicals kind of ok with 5” to 6” groups at a hundred yards, and that seems to be what it was intended to do, but it was quite the shot in the dark with patched roundballs unless significantly downloaded. Wanted one for years after reading Val’s African safari stories, but only owned one for a very short period of time (after being told not to do it) before moving on. Accuracy just wasn’t there for me.
 
I have a few of the Investarms hawkens in .58. They are excellent deer rifles but I’d never shoot past 100yds and much prefer 50yds. That’s a long shot for a 58 cal round ball.
I just need to be able to hedge my bet. I am curious if the rifle is accurate enough for "longer" ranges. I do a lot of general hunting with modern rifles, but have several spots that are often a stretch for a shotgun. 2 years ago, I borrowed my hunting partner's .50 and shot a doe at a touch over 100 yards, and last year killed a skipper at about 35 with an original 1861 Springfield. Occasionally, the best shots are a little farther. I also want to maximize my elk hunting during the muzzleloader season if needed.
 
I just need to be able to hedge my bet. I am curious if the rifle is accurate enough for "longer" ranges. I do a lot of general hunting with modern rifles, but have several spots that are often a stretch for a shotgun. 2 years ago, I borrowed my hunting partner's .50 and shot a doe at a touch over 100 yards, and last year killed a skipper at about 35 with an original 1861 Springfield. Occasionally, the best shots are a little farther. I also want to maximize my elk hunting during the muzzleloader season if needed.
If you want range you should consider a smaller bore. Pending condition of the bore you should be able to find all the information here to develop an accurate load out of any muzzle loading rifle. Do some research on rb velocity at different ranges and see how fast it falls off. If Im shooting at 150yds it’s probably not going to be a rb. At least for me, my guns and my skills I can’t confidently ethically take a deer. Let us know what you decide to do.
 
If you want range you should consider a smaller bore. Pending condition of the bore you should be able to find all the information here to develop an accurate load out of any muzzle loading rifle. Do some research on rb velocity at different ranges and see how fast it falls off. If Im shooting at 150yds it’s probably not going to be a rb. At least for me, my guns and my skills I can’t confidently ethically take a deer. Let us know what you decide to do.
I just got a couple of inexpensive .50 Cals off the forum. I take a lot of folks hunting (mostly kids and new adult hunters from church) so I always have a spare gun or two for whatever we are doing.

I am set on a .58 for myself. I did a bit of reading, and saw that the .58 starts at lower velocity, but does not lose that much at the distances I am talking about, and still has more knock down than a .50 when it gets there. I am familiar with the rainbow trajectory of larger black powder cartridges, so I feel confident I can get it figured out over the summer. I really want the bullet weight and diameter at the terminus. It will still be big enough to knock a hole through a deer, even if it is not travelling fast.

I am all about the humane kill, and will not do anything unreasonable, I just want something that still put something down at the upper end of my self-imposed distance when needed.
 
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Get the Hawken. The extra weight of the Hawken will tame the recoil when loaded for the 150 yard shots. The trajectory will be significant enough to justify the expense of an accurate range finder. An error of 25 yards at 150 yards will put that round ball or conical aimed at the top of the spine under the belly.
 
.58 on both.
Neither rifle on your list has a long enough barrel to attain the velocity necessary to make the 58 caliber preform.

If you want to shoot 150 yards with a 58, I suggest you save your pennies a little while longer and keep your eyes open for a 38"-44" inch barrel.

A 58cal really starts to shine as velocity gets up aound 2000fps.
 
Neither rifle on your list has a long enough barrel to attain the velocity necessary to make the 58 caliber preform.

If you want to shoot 150 yards with a 58, I suggest you save your pennies a little while longer and keep your eyes open for a 38"-44" inch barrel.

A 58cal really starts to shine as velocity gets up aound 2000fps.
I see what you are saying. I was not planning on making a long range shooter, just one that could do a maximum 150yd shot in a pinch. Does that change your thoughts?
 
I see what you are saying. I was not planning on making a long range shooter, just one that could do a maximum 150yd shot in a pinch. Does that change your thoughts?
Lots of practice, with just one rifle, will make you and the rifle form a bond.. Given your choices, I would choose the Hawken and start burning powder.
 
Lots of practice, with just one rifle, will make you and the rifle form a bond.. Given your choices, I would choose the Hawken and start burning powder.
I try not to make it a deal, but I am a former LEO and civilian weapons instructor. I don't know a thing about muzzleloaders, but I know how to shoot. I will carry it with me everywhere I go for a few weeks, and shoot the snot out of it. Also, I may have come into a couple hundred more dollars from a surprise bonus check. I might try to do better.
 
I see what you are saying. I was not planning on making a long range shooter, just one that could do a maximum 150yd shot in a pinch. Does that change your thoughts?
Big fan of 58 with patched roundball for hunting, though I prefer a shorter barrel than many (well under 30”) and use powder charges of 3F Swiss in the 80 to 90 grain range. For me, the fun goes away with heavier charges.

With a roundball, I like to sight in at 85 yards, giving me a point blank aiming out to about 100 yards, with POI less than 3” above or below aim point. Believe the 80 grain charge pushes the roundball over the chronograph at about 1650 fps, and zeroed at 85 yards is about 2.5” low at 100, drops to about 9” low at 125 yards, around 18 low at 150 yards and about 4’ low at 200 yards, at least the last time at ran it through its paces at the range. The challenge much beyond 100 yards is knowing the near exact distance to the intended target.

And by the way, I would choose the Hawken.
 


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