Percussion lock rifle for new shooter

[Coopscraft]

What are some good options for PRB 50cal. I am a new shooter and I don’t want to spend too much money before I get properly addicted. I will be hunting big game in oregon next year I hope. Bear, deer, elk, bobcat, cougar all been photographed on my trail cam.

 

[Bearkiller]

One of the best bang for your buck rifles is the Lyman Trade Rifle.

 

[Phil Coffins]

Don’t go for the cheapest rifle you can find! A Lyman GPR or TC Hawken or a Renegade will serve you well and you won’t have to start over or suffer a poor quality rifle to learn a new sport.

 

[Coopscraft]

How much should I expect to spend?

 

[Mad Professor]

I'd look around for a good used TC hawken/renegade, or lyman/investarm/cabelas. Inspect the inside of the barrel well, besides looking for pitting/pits run a tight patch down the barrel to check for bulges. Look the stock over for cracks. And lock and trigger function smoothly. You can get a barrel re-rifeled to a larger caliber if bore is bad. Guns with neglected barrels often sell cheap.

You might consider a 54 for elk and bear. A 50 will do the job but a little more lead helps making meat. You'll also need tools/supplies for loading and cleaning. Sometimes sellers will throw in cleaning/loading supplies with the rifle

Prices have went up for used "Hawken style" rifles. I'm not sure what the current market values are. Check classifieds here.

 

[kje54]

How much should I expect to spend?

An Investarms (Lyman) .54 Hawken listed on the site for $465 shipped.

 

[Coopscraft]

I’ve been looking around and the guns I think I would like are in the 4-600 range. So that means I have to be patient. Meanwhile my wife knows a lady who’s husband is asking 120 for a cva optima. The price is cheep because they are relocating and liquidating their belongings. If it is in reliable condition I might use that till I can afford a gun I prefer. Is there anyway to use prb in that or am I stuck with ‘say boo’. I could sort of except a conical less than .75”long. Could I use prb for plinking and use conicals for hunting without resighting it in at 50 yards?

 

[NorthFork]

Any of the Traditions caplocks would be fine. There currently is an Ardesa on the classifieds (Ardesa makes Traditions). Older Lymans/Investarms. Some of the Pedersolis are less costly like the Kentucky. The cheapest new rifle you will find is the Traditions Deerhunter. I have owned one for years and it is just a fine little carbine.

 

[Bent Sight]

If you keep your eyes open, you should be able to find a Thompson Center Renegade for a decent price and they are darn nice rifles.

 

[Carbon 6]

I might use that till I can afford a gun I prefer

Save your money and get the gun you want, get a decent gun.

 

[renegadehunter]

Don’t go for the cheapest rifle you can find! A Lyman GPR or TC Hawken or a Renegade will serve you well and you won’t have to start over or suffer a poor quality rifle to learn a new sport.

This is my recommendation as well, and I'd add a CVA Mountain Rifle to it. Especially an older one with "Made in the USA" stamped on the barrel. There's one in the classifieds right now.

 

[Dale Lilly]

The Lyman Trade rifle is great; the CVA Mountain rifle [made in America stamped] is also great and a Thompson Center Hawken is also among my choices for a beginner. Excellent rifles, decent prices and easily resalable. Just my 1 1/2 cents worth. Polecat

 

[bpd303]

I would go with a 54 cal also. This 8 point buck was taken at 100 yards with a CVA Hawken 54.

 

[DJH]

The CVA Optima is an inline and we are not allowed to discuss those modern designs on this site. Having said that and in the spirit of helping turn folks onto traditional weapons, you will likely not be able to shoot roundballs very well in the Optima as they typically have a very fast rate of twist that is not ideal for accurate shooting of a patched round ball.

As others have mentioned, save your pennies and get one of the many traditional sidelocks that are being offered on this forum. A buddy of mine just picked up a Lyman GPR for a little over $400. A T/C Hawken or Renegade makes for a fine rifle. I also have a Traditions Springfield Hawken that is a dandy little rifle. I think you'll be happier in the long run. Good luck buddy.

 

[hanshi]

Generally, most factory made percussion rifles are more than simply "acceptable". I've owned several cheap ones and they were accurate and reliable. Imported barrels used on these rifles are quite well made and and often shoot as accurately as any USA made barrels. As long as the bore is in very good shape even used guns of this type will serve you well. I killed deer with a $120 Traditions until I finally traded it well over 20 years later. This little cheapy performed like a champ for decades.

 

[Eddie2002]

Don't forget to add in about another $100.00 to your budget for accessories and neat stuff that goes with your rifle . I've had success with an older CVA Hawken cap lock in .50 caliber I picked up for cheap but it needed a bit of tweaking to shoot right.

 

[deermanok]

You can get a brand new Traditions deerhunter rifle, 50 cal. from deer creek products, under 300 bucks. It's a decent gun, I own a 50 and a 45.

 

[drharris]

What are some good options for PRB 50cal. I am a new shooter and I don’t want to spend too much money before I get properly addicted. I will be hunting big game in oregon next year I hope. Bear, deer, elk, bobcat, cougar all been photographed on my trail cam.

I chose not to shoot it today. Damn near stepped on it!

 

[Boomerang]

Is that bobcat sick? Or was it somebody’s pet at one time?
That’s definitely not normal.

 

[drharris]

Honestly I think it was injured. I took a video and as I started it it ran off into the clear-cut and it seemed to not be using one front leg. They were logging in the area. May have gotten wacked by a tree?