Looking to get back into Muzzleloader for Elk.. I used a family members set up a few years ago but now want to get one of my own.. looking for reviews on all components..
Gun: I think I want to buy new and not certain if I want to pay for a knight yet looking for recommendations between CVA optima NW and the Traditions pursuit Ultra Light NW also open to any recommendations
Personally, and this is only me, I would really look hard a getting a Knight, even the less expensive Bighorn or a Wolverine. The Littlehorn "Adult" version (which is really a Wolverine) is an rifle - although make sure to get the Western version
http://www.knightrifles.com/product/littlehorn-adult-max-1-muzzleloader/Barring this I would be more inclined to a CVA rather than a Traditions.
Sabots vs Power Belts: looking between the green based power belts or the Barnes Sabots
Again personally I would really suggest a 'PASS' on PowerBelts. The certainly are convenient for use and are accurate but 'Terminal Performance' can often be suspect.
Barnes are a quality bullet - no doubt, but I would suggest you look at the different Knight Bloodline options. If your main target is deer then the 452x250 Bloodline is great. The .458x275 is probably the best all-around bullet and the .458x300 excellent Elk medicine.
Also Lehigh Defense is building a new line of bullets to compete with the Bloodlines they build for Knight. These new bullets - solid copper - are awesome.
Right now they only have a .452x265 grain - but in the near future will have several other options. This bullet came out right at the beginning of hunting season. It has been tested and tortured in a few states in the East. I have some an they shoot great. Really impressed with them. They operate exactly like the Bloodline and have shown great 'Terminal Performance'
You might take a look at this thread for a recent outing that I shot. Kinda ignore the rifle I was shooting one of the rifles that I use during regular rifle season here in Idaho - so it is scoped...
http://hunting-washington.com/smf/index.php?action=post;msg=2809712;topic=211034.0Powder vs Pellets Idk
Thanks all for the advice
Powder - I would and do use T7-3f and ignite the powder with a @11 Mag cap and/or preferably a German RWS Dynamit Noble 1075+ cap. With either of these two caps and the correct nipple you can make the breech area virtually water proof.
Hope some of this helps....