Which would you choose?

[Pork Chop]

I need to hone my skills for the impending fall hunts. I have a few rifles at my disposal to hunt with. I plan to hunt deer and hogs with these - small game will be taken with other firearms. Which would you choose and why?

CVA Mountain Rifle (USA made).50
CVA Bobcat.50
TC Hawken .45
TC Renegade .50
TC Renegade with 12 Gauge Toledo barrel
Investarm Hawken .50
CVA Squirrel .45

I have round balls as well as the TC Maxi Hunters and Maxi Balls at my disposal in .50. I have roundballs in .45. For the 12 gauge,I don't have much of anything...

I have shot the Hawkens and the Mountain rifle. All are good. The Renegade I have not shot. The Squirrel is unfinished at this point.

 

[outdoorman]

My son has a TC Renegade in .54, and it is a highly accurate gun with Maxi Balls.

I don't know anything about hunting hogs except what I have read, but for deer I think you would be better served with a 50 caliber gun. Choose the rifle that you feel most comfortable with, and shoot every time you get the opportunity.

I hope this helps you out some.

Outdoorman

 

[54]

go with the gun that you think will work for you. :wink:

 

[longcruise]

For the deer and the hogs I'd go with prb in a .50 and stay with one of the longer barrels.

All assuming that you shoot well with it.

 

[Rogue River]

Any of the ones you mention would probably work. You have to try them all and use the one that fits you and that you are comfortable with. I have 7 and there is only one that I really like, it's like an extension of my arm and it's an Investarm Hawkins .50 cal., seems like I can't miss with that one. Shoot as much as you can before season.

 

[Osprey]

The true answer for a real hunter would be neither of those will work - you need a new gun of course! At least that's the excuse you give the wife. :rotf:

For deer and hogs I'd lean toward that TC .50, bullets would depend on barrel twist rate.

 

[Little Wattsy]

Dontch love it when peopel awnser the question with an awnser that is NOT on the list of possibilities... :youcrazy:

Anyway I REALLY like ( I own and shoot both) The Renegade .50 cal AND the CVA Mt Rifle USA Made! I doubt that you could go wrong here for good straight shooting!
I would most likely lean to the T/C Renegade however for its slightly more reliable ignition with a musket cap over the CVA.
Either way though these two are DEFFINATELY shooters!

 

[Allan Gray]

Where will you be going for the hogs?

If "up close and personal" in thick bush a shorter barrel might be the way to go.

Either way, I'd go with the .50

 

[shootemup]

I have to agree that you should go with the one you are most comfortable with.

That ain't a cop out :grin: - I think that any of the guns you mentioned will get the job done if you do your part. But which one do you have the most confidence in?

For me, I have always been a big fan of the T/C Renegade. I've taken more game with one of those than all other muzzleloaders combined. I also like to rotate my guns, but that's just me.

I think you need to set yourself up a little shooting range on that hunting property you recently gained access to and go out and burn some powder. It'll come to you.

And if it doesn't, there's a great alternative that has already been mentioned - get yourself ANOTHER gun! :haha:

 

[BrownBear]

Assuming they all shot about the same, I choose between mine for a hunt based on handling. I size up the hunting conditions and choose the one that's best suited for field carry and shooting.

In my hands nose-heavy is great for range work and hunting in open areas that allow more deliberate shots. For tighter cover and the potential of quick shots, I don't want nose-heavy. Give me a gun with its center of gravity or balance point right between my hands as I mount it, and I'll get on target lots quicker.

I've got perfect examples right in my gun rack- two 58 calibers:

One has a 36-inch barrel tapered from 1 1/8" to 1". It's absolutely wicked for deliberate shooting and shots longer than I'll take hunting.

The other has a 26-inch barrel tapered from 1 1/8" to 15/16". It's no lightweight by any means, but it swings and mounts as fast as a 5# gun rather than one that actually weighs twice that. Give me a longish shot with it, and I'm going to be looking for a quick rest to help steady the barrel. It's my timber and brush gun.

Pick yours up and check the balance points. Try shouldering and aiming each one as quick as you can. Pretty quick you'll know enough about them to pick the one to match the conditions you'll be hunting.

I'm betting you settle in on two rifles rather than one.

 

[Pork Chop]

Thanks to all that responded! The consensus appears to be to use whichever I have the comfort level with, but to stick to the larger calibers. That makes sense to me. I will be hunting in a variety of terrain (well as varied as it gets in Florida...) but will keep shots to within 100 yards - more preferably 50 - 70 yards. Hopefully I will have photos of successful hunts to share...

 

[BrownBear]

Best of luck, and don't forget the pics!

 

[bwhoffman]

Going from your listed choices,
I would go with the cva mt rifle in .50.
reason being, fit is a little better for most as compared to a tc hawkin.
TC has a better lock.
I like longer barrels.
The big question is, of all those listed,which shoots the best for YOU? and which do YOU have the most faith in?

 

[Pork Chop]

Well, that is the question. Several I have not shot. I like the CVA Mountain, so it is high on the list. I have not shot the Renegade much. I need to schedule a range day...

 

[tg]

I would opt for the CVA Mt rifle as it is the only one of those I have shot and it is a very nice gun to handle, I like a longer barrel than the others have, it also looks/feels a lot more like a traditional ML than the others and to me that is an important factor, I just prefer traditional guns over hybrids.

 

[Rat Trapper]

I'd lean towards the TC 50 only cause you don't have a TC 54. Try some Hornady great plains 385 grain conicals in the TC 50. Use a felt wad under the bullet. If you use Triple Seven powder use CCI #11 mag caps and standard CCI #11 with Goex.

 

[ZERMATT7]

Have you handled all the guns you've listed...Tried throwing each one up to your shoulder and sighting down the barrel ?

You might or might not notice a big difference in the way they feel. And one will probably just feel the the best. That would be the one to use.

Good Luck

 

[John Wasmuth]

Pretty much what TG said. I like the CVA Mountain rifle, have one, killed plenty of hogs and deer with it. Mine favors 80 Grains of FFg, pillow ticking bacon grease patch, and a .490 round ball. Above all, HAVE FUN!

 

[shdwlkr]

To answer your question a little differently. A .45 caliber will take a deer but the .50 caliber will do a better job. The .50 caliber has a larger mass and that translates into more hit when it connects with the game. Now that being said if you hunt around you can match impact with a sabot in .45 caliber that will come close or exceed the .50 caliber round ball but if you use a sabot in the .50 the .50 will win again.
If I were going to hunt hogs I would use at least a .50 caliber muzzleloader depending on the size of the hogs being hunted. I know some use a .36 caliber on the small hogs out west here can't think what they are called but they are small. Now if I were going to hunt some of the bigger ones like they have in texas that go 200 pounds or so then I would use a .50 caliber at the least and more likely my .54 caliber.
As to manufacture that is a personal thing. Me I like TC and own several because they just feel right for me when I shoulder the rifle.

 

[oneeye]

.I know some use a .36 caliber on the small hogs out west here can't think what they are called but they are small.

Javelina (peccary)