New guy from co

[Dsnow9]

I’m just at the entry level of all this muzzle loading stuff. In the process of figuring out exactly what I want to buy. Just creating for now and getting familiar with the different rifles. Need 50 or bigger for Colorado.

Leaning towards a hawken style with lots of character. Hoping to find an accurate shooter but don’t want to hunt with any of the new plastic stuff on the market. Was told to check this place out and I think it’s gonna cost me a lot more than I was planning.

I think I have expensive taste.

 

[Stumpkiller]

Welcome from Upstate NY.

I can tell you my two current flintlocks cost 80% of what I made the first year of full-time employment out of college. But that was in 1980 and the firearms purchased much more recently; a lot has changed inflation-wise since then. You can easily sink thousands into a custom flintlock. But, on the other hand, what a joy to own something elegant and nicely made. I hunt with mine. They get rained on and snowed on. But they are reliable. I've owned "off the shelf" flintlocks that were miserable and 50% successful for ignition. But that was pre-internet and I'm sure a site like this would have helped me figure out things like lock geometry and frizzen tempering.

Pity we lost Thompson/Center to the side-lock world. They made a series of wonderful "entry level" paper/meat accurate firearms, if not entirely historically accurate. My .54 Renegade shoots as well as anything I use with iron sights and my .50 New Englander (swap barrel rifle/12 ga. shotgun) was/is the best little carbine for hunting.

 

[kelljp]

Welcome from East TN

 

[Dobegrant]

Welcome from Arizona

 

[Eutycus]

Howdy and Welcome from Texas!

 

[Dsnow9]

Welcome from Upstate NY.

I can tell you my two current flintlocks cost 80% of what I made the first year of full-time employment out of college. But that was in 1980 and the firearms purchased much more recently; a lot has changed inflation-wise since then. You can easily sink thousands into a custom flintlock. But, on the other hand, what a joy to own something elegant and nicely made. I hunt with mine. They get rained on and snowed on. But they are reliable. I've owned "off the shelf" flintlocks that were miserable and 50% successful for ignition. But that was pre-internet and I'm sure a site like this would have helped me figure out things like lock geometry and frizzen tempering.

Pity we lost Thompson/Center to the side-lock world. They made a series of wonderful "entry level" paper/meat accurate firearms, if not entirely historically accurate. My .54 Renegade shoots as well as anything I use with iron sights and my .50 New Englander (swap barrel rifle/12 ga. shotgun) was/is the best little carbine for hunting.

Thanks, still learning all about the different styles and everything. Will probably focus on percussion cap. But who knows. I feel like this is going to be a deep, dark rabbit hole

 

[LANEY REECE]

WELCOME from Nth. LOUISIANA

 

[leadhoarder]

Great deals can be found on here for entry level percussion reproductions that we generally refer to as hawkens. For Colorado elk I would opt for a .54 but a .50 would serve well if legal.

 

[BackDraft]

Welcome from South-Central Indiana

 

[toot]

Welcome.

 

[Thingamajiggy]

Hello and welcome from PA. A really nice classified section here to help you find that perfect gun. Some great introductory level production guns are available currently and some beautiful custom ones. Careful treading around the rabbit hole, once you fall in, very difficult to get yourself out. Good luck.

 

[nit wit]

Welcome from Maine
Nit Wit

 

[VA Hawken]

Welcome from Winchester, VA!

 

[Hatchet Jack]

Welcome from Maryland.

I just killed my biggest bull to date in your state back in September with one of my TC sidelocks.
You should check out the links below. The Investarm Hawkens are pretty nice. I have one myself. You can also check out Traditions for their sidelocks as well. They are solid hunting sidelocks that won't break the bank.
Good Luck

https://muzzle-loaders.com/collections/investarm-gemmer-hawken
https://muzzle-loaders.com/collections/traditions-hawken-muzzleloaders

 

[user 31232]

From southern Indiana welcome

 

[William Lincoln]

Welcome from Sunbelt

 

[GregK]

Welcome from the Catskills. I like Thompson Center guns. Search on gunbroker lots of the listed

 

[bptactical]

Welcome from Colorado native.

lots of good info here.

Decide one thing before you go down the rabbit hole.
Just what is a "Hawken rifle"?
What makes a rifle a "Hawken"?

Be careful- it's a minefield.

 

[gkainz]

Welcome aboard!
I’ve killed elk with .50s, both a T/C Hawkin kit gun I built back in the ‘70s, and an Investarms Cabela’s Hawkin.
I’ve occasionally given thought to a .54, but so far the .50 gets the job done.
Greg

 

[dracer]

welcome to the forum