Interested in Muzzleloader hunting, differences between Knight models?

[WAnoob]

Hi there, I've hunted modern rifle my whole life and I'm looking for a new hobby and challenge.  I've contemplated bow hunting because it has always appealed to me, but with working full time and going to school I don't think I can work in the amount of time needed to practice for proficiency. I like the idea of hunting with a muzzleloader due to the challenge and using iron sights.

I was comparing the Optima models vs Knight and I've heard good things about both.  I am leaning towards the Knight western models,(this will only be used in Washington so I probably won't buy a conversion kit).  My main question is what is the difference between the Bighorn, Littlehorn and Disc Extreme western models?  Anything that could benefit me more than the other, I am not looking to spend any more than around $500.00.

Thank you,

[superdown]

I have the bighorn and it is a slam fire inline and the little horn is just a shorter version of the bighorn that has a shorter length of pull and a shorter barrel and takes less powder.The disc extreme is a bolt action and is a bit more expensive and worth it to some.The CVA muzzy's don't have a good reputation for going off reliably. Sabotloader should be along to answer your questions in more detail as he is a wealth of knowledge on the subject. The bighorn has served me flawlessly for six years now and i would recommend it to anyone it is dirt simple to clean and shoot.You will be hard pressed to find anything it shoots poorly 

[Westside88]

I was in the same situation as you. I ultimately chose the Disc extreme. I received some great advice on here. I'll bump the thread back to the top for you

[WAnoob]

Thanks for the advice, I am someone hesitant about these questions because most of the time they tend to turn into pissing matches comparing brands.  The only downside I've heard about the Knight is the weight, price and the ease of cleaning.

[Westside88]

I know what you mean, there are many good brands. I don't regret a my decision to buy the Disc and I really like the thumb hole stock. My dad has a Bighorn, it's also a good gun although I do prefer the bolt and how it functions. I don't find it very difficult to clean. I know the break action guns are probably easier, but I'm fine with it. I've heard good things about some of the other brands too. Just try to handle them all and see what you like.

[kerrdog]

My Son has the Littlehorn.  It fit perfectly into an extra Disk Extreme stock that I had, so now it's like a Bighorn Carbine!  I have the Disk Extreme which fits perfectly into a Mountaineer Thumbhole stock.  They are all interchangeable, which is cool.

The Slam-Fire of the little horn (or a bighorn) is very robust and hits the cap very hard. I'd guess that it's about as reliable as cap ignition gets. But I prefer the bolt on the Disk Extreme; there's less space for debris to fall in. And I imagine the lock time is shorter making it possibly more accurate.  We like our knights.

[Sabotloader]

Hi there, I've hunted modern rifle my whole life and I'm looking for a new hobby and challenge.  I've contemplated bow hunting because it has always appealed to me, but with working full time and going to school I don't think I can work in the amount of time needed to practice for proficiency. I like the idea of hunting with a muzzleloader due to the challenge and using iron sights.

I was comparing the Optima models vs Knight and I've heard good things about both.  I am leaning towards the Knight western models,(this will only be used in Washington so I probably won't buy a conversion kit).  My main question is what is the difference between the Bighorn, Littlehorn and Disc Extreme western models?  Anything that could benefit me more than the other, I am not looking to spend any more than around $500.00.

Thank you,

The rifles you first listed are considered to be "slam fire" guns in the trigger releases a hammer that slams in to the primer/percussion cap causing ignition.  It is really nothing more than a side hammer only 'inline'.  These rifles are very simple and work very effectively and are considered a more reliable for a majority of the hunters versus a 'side hammer' rifle.  The down side, which is really some what minor, is that the hammer can be blown back by 'back pressure' coming back through the nipple.  The breech area can become really dirty and the open breech area is a collection point for debris, snow, rain and etc.  But again rifles like the MK - LK - Wolverine - Bighorn are just plain good rifles.

I believe the step up from these 'slam fires' to the DISC series offers some very good extras.  The DISC is a true bolt action, blow back pressure will not push the bolt back.  The breech still gets dirty, but the breech area is much smaller and is not the collection point that the open breech slam fire rifles are.

You can see the breech are in this picture is reduced in size + the cap weather be a #11 or Musket can not fall off the nipple post.



I also feel that the DISC does make your hunting rifle much more versatile in the things you can do with it.

These thought are just my opinion and certainly others may see it differently.

 

[WAnoob]

Hi there, I've hunted modern rifle my whole life and I'm looking for a new hobby and challenge.  I've contemplated bow hunting because it has always appealed to me, but with working full time and going to school I don't think I can work in the amount of time needed to practice for proficiency. I like the idea of hunting with a muzzleloader due to the challenge and using iron sights.

I was comparing the Optima models vs Knight and I've heard good things about both.  I am leaning towards the Knight western models,(this will only be used in Washington so I probably won't buy a conversion kit).  My main question is what is the difference between the Bighorn, Littlehorn and Disc Extreme western models?  Anything that could benefit me more than the other, I am not looking to spend any more than around $500.00.

Thank you,

The rifles you first listed are considered to be "slam fire" guns in the trigger releases a hammer that slams in to the primer/percussion cap causing ignition.  It is really nothing more than a side hammer only 'inline'.  These rifles are very simple and work very effectively and are considered a more reliable for a majority of the hunters versus a 'side hammer' rifle.  The down side, which is really some what minor, is that the hammer can be blown back by 'back pressure' coming back through the nipple.  The breech area can become really dirty and the open breech area is a collection point for debris, snow, rain and etc.  But again rifles like the MK - LK - Wolverine - Bighorn are just plain good rifles.

I believe the step up from these 'slam fires' to the DISC series offers some very good extras.  The DISC is a true bolt action, blow back pressure will not push the bolt back.  The breech still gets dirty, but the breech area is much smaller and is not the collection point that the open breech slam fire rifles are.

You can see the breech are in this picture is reduced in size + the cap weather be a #11 or Musket can not fall off the nipple post.



I also feel that the DISC does make your hunting rifle much more versatile in the things you can do with it.

These thought are just my opinion and certainly others may see it differently.

 

I am going to assume the DISC in the picture above is the Western version?  The only thing I am worried about is finding musket caps or RWS #11, I heard they can be hard to come by?  Thank you for the information, I think I'm going to head to the store in a week or so and see which model fits me best.

[Sabotloader]

Hi there, I've hunted modern rifle my whole life and I'm looking for a new hobby and challenge.  I've contemplated bow hunting because it has always appealed to me, but with working full time and going to school I don't think I can work in the amount of time needed to practice for proficiency. I like the idea of hunting with a muzzleloader due to the challenge and using iron sights.

I was comparing the Optima models vs Knight and I've heard good things about both.  I am leaning towards the Knight western models,(this will only be used in Washington so I probably won't buy a conversion kit).  My main question is what is the difference between the Bighorn, Littlehorn and Disc Extreme western models?  Anything that could benefit me more than the other, I am not looking to spend any more than around $500.00.

Thank you,

The rifles you first listed are considered to be "slam fire" guns in the trigger releases a hammer that slams in to the primer/percussion cap causing ignition.  It is really nothing more than a side hammer only 'inline'.  These rifles are very simple and work very effectively and are considered a more reliable for a majority of the hunters versus a 'side hammer' rifle.  The down side, which is really some what minor, is that the hammer can be blown back by 'back pressure' coming back through the nipple.  The breech area can become really dirty and the open breech area is a collection point for debris, snow, rain and etc.  But again rifles like the MK - LK - Wolverine - Bighorn are just plain good rifles.

I believe the step up from these 'slam fires' to the DISC series offers some very good extras.  The DISC is a true bolt action, blow back pressure will not push the bolt back.  The breech still gets dirty, but the breech area is much smaller and is not the collection point that the open breech slam fire rifles are.

You can see the breech are in this picture is reduced in size + the cap weather be a #11 or Musket can not fall off the nipple post.



I also feel that the DISC does make your hunting rifle much more versatile in the things you can do with it.

These thought are just my opinion and certainly others may see it differently.

 

I am going to assume the DISC in the picture above is the Western version?  The only thing I am worried about is finding musket caps or RWS #11, I heard they can be hard to come by?  Thank you for the information, I think I'm going to head to the store in a week or so and see which model fits me best.

It is a Knight DISC converted to Western ignition, and it does also have a scope on it. I was just testing a Western conversion in the rifle...

For some reason and I do not know why... CCI #11 MAG caps are difficult to find.  Regular CCI #11's are easy to find but I would only suggest Mags for hunting - the #11's will work but I really like the extra heat the Mag's provide.  Also you can find RWS #1075+ caps in most places - I believe they are actually better than the CCI's anyway.  But, they are also more expensive than CCI's

This picture shows a #11 Western system installed

 

[WAnoob]

Hi there, I've hunted modern rifle my whole life and I'm looking for a new hobby and challenge.  I've contemplated bow hunting because it has always appealed to me, but with working full time and going to school I don't think I can work in the amount of time needed to practice for proficiency. I like the idea of hunting with a muzzleloader due to the challenge and using iron sights.

I was comparing the Optima models vs Knight and I've heard good things about both.  I am leaning towards the Knight western models,(this will only be used in Washington so I probably won't buy a conversion kit).  My main question is what is the difference between the Bighorn, Littlehorn and Disc Extreme western models?  Anything that could benefit me more than the other, I am not looking to spend any more than around $500.00.

Thank you,

The rifles you first listed are considered to be "slam fire" guns in the trigger releases a hammer that slams in to the primer/percussion cap causing ignition.  It is really nothing more than a side hammer only 'inline'.  These rifles are very simple and work very effectively and are considered a more reliable for a majority of the hunters versus a 'side hammer' rifle.  The down side, which is really some what minor, is that the hammer can be blown back by 'back pressure' coming back through the nipple.  The breech area can become really dirty and the open breech area is a collection point for debris, snow, rain and etc.  But again rifles like the MK - LK - Wolverine - Bighorn are just plain good rifles.

I believe the step up from these 'slam fires' to the DISC series offers some very good extras.  The DISC is a true bolt action, blow back pressure will not push the bolt back.  The breech still gets dirty, but the breech area is much smaller and is not the collection point that the open breech slam fire rifles are.

You can see the breech are in this picture is reduced in size + the cap weather be a #11 or Musket can not fall off the nipple post.



I also feel that the DISC does make your hunting rifle much more versatile in the things you can do with it.

These thought are just my opinion and certainly others may see it differently.

 

I am going to assume the DISC in the picture above is the Western version?  The only thing I am worried about is finding musket caps or RWS #11, I heard they can be hard to come by?  Thank you for the information, I think I'm going to head to the store in a week or so and see which model fits me best.

It is a Knight DISC converted to Western ignition, and it does also have a scope on it. I was just testing a Western conversion in the rifle...

For some reason and I do not know why... CCI #11 MAG caps are difficult to find.  Regular CCI #11's are easy to find but I would only suggest Mags for hunting - the #11's will work but I really like the extra heat the Mag's provide.  Also you can find RWS #1075+ caps in most places - I believe they are actually better than the CCI's anyway.  But, they are also more expensive than CCI's

This picture shows a #11 Western system installed

 

Thanks for all the info, I've noticed you are the person to talk to after I have been stalking the muzzleloader threads and seeing all your info.  It's nice to know when I purchase one I can just go CCI 11 Mag caps or RWS 11.  Thanks again

It'll be nice to do something different, I need a change from modern rifle for awhile.

[Sabotloader]

It'll be nice to do something different, I need a change from modern rifle for awhile.

I should warn you moving to a ML is awful infectious - sort like moving to the 'Dark Side' it is awful hard to come back from there.

mike

[WAnoob]

It'll be nice to do something different, I need a change from modern rifle for awhile.

I should warn you moving to a ML is awful infectious - sort like moving to the 'Dark Side' it is awful hard to come back from there.

mike

That's ok, new hobbies can never hurt   I have a 30-06 and .270 wsm both model 70 with a few modifications and they are shooters.  I just don't like how crowded the modern season is here, I never had to deal with anything like this in Alaska.  I showed up last weekend to sight in my rifle at the range right when it opened and I was maybe the 20th person in line   It seems that muzzleloader would put me in some good times for the elk rut and for me hunting the rut is 80% of the fun.  Never had any experience with elk but hunting the moose rut back home definitely gets your blood pumping.

[Sabotloader]

It'll be nice to do something different, I need a change from modern rifle for awhile.

I should warn you moving to a ML is awful infectious - sort like moving to the 'Dark Side' it is awful hard to come back from there.

mike

That's ok, new hobbies can never hurt   I have a 30-06 and .270 wsm both model 70 with a few modifications and they are shooters.  I just don't like how crowded the modern season is here, I never had to deal with anything like this in Alaska.  I showed up last weekend to sight in my rifle at the range right when it opened and I was maybe the 20th person in line   It seems that muzzleloader would put me in some good times for the elk rut and for me hunting the rut is 80% of the fun.  Never had any experience with elk but hunting the moose rut back home definitely gets your blood pumping.

yep! exactly!

[floatinghat]

It'll be nice to do something different, I need a change from modern rifle for awhile.

I should warn you moving to a ML is awful infectious - sort like moving to the 'Dark Side' it is awful hard to come back from there.

mike

That's ok, new hobbies can never hurt   I have a 30-06 and .270 wsm both model 70 with a few modifications and they are shooters.  I just don't like how crowded the modern season is here, I never had to deal with anything like this in Alaska.  I showed up last weekend to sight in my rifle at the range right when it opened and I was maybe the 20th person in line   It seems that muzzleloader would put me in some good times for the elk rut and for me hunting the rut is 80% of the fun.  Never had any experience with elk but hunting the moose rut back home definitely gets your blood pumping.

Muzzy was very crowded where I went this year.  Last year same place 2 other people, this year 8 on the opener and before someone says get off the road this was 4 miles deep on the way in.  Couple guys we spoke with said they figured it would be a slam dunk.  It's a blast but lots of new muzzy hunters out and about.

[WAnoob]

It'll be nice to do something different, I need a change from modern rifle for awhile.

I should warn you moving to a ML is awful infectious - sort like moving to the 'Dark Side' it is awful hard to come back from there.

mike

That's ok, new hobbies can never hurt   I have a 30-06 and .270 wsm both model 70 with a few modifications and they are shooters.  I just don't like how crowded the modern season is here, I never had to deal with anything like this in Alaska.  I showed up last weekend to sight in my rifle at the range right when it opened and I was maybe the 20th person in line   It seems that muzzleloader would put me in some good times for the elk rut and for me hunting the rut is 80% of the fun.  Never had any experience with elk but hunting the moose rut back home definitely gets your blood pumping.

Muzzy was very crowded where I went this year.  Last year same place 2 other people, this year 8 on the opener and before someone says get off the road this was 4 miles deep on the way in.  Couple guys we spoke with said they figured it would be a slam dunk.  It's a blast but lots of new muzzy hunters out and about.

I figure that it can still be crowded even with bow hunting depending on the area.  Muzzleloader would probably help but it also puts you in the time of rut for elk I am told.  Just something new I've been wanting to try