Looking- New Generation .50 Caliber muzzleloader

[mackdaddy]

Looking for guidance in a new in-line muzzleloader that is WA state compliant. I have shot a T/C Hawken .50 cal. for over 30 years. But after a recently shoulder surgery (new parts) I am thinking about a new unit with a recoil pad to help absorb some impact. You know that 50 with a brass butt plate has a little kick to her. I have not looked at what's offered out there in years. Any suggestions?

[Oh Mah]

Went and bought mine today,tired of problems with the traditional.Don't get me wrong i love my traditional but when in the field looking down the barrel of a 3x4 (TODAY)and it not going off is not a good feeling.yes it can happen with the in lines to no doubt but i can take the breech off an inline push out the problem and still have a chance at that deer.getting the puller out putting it together fighting it out reloading again,,,,,,Deer is not gonna still be around i'm sure.


               Anyways I bought the CVA Accura V2 NW Compliant breech plug for    319.00 Cabelas lol no box

[castnblast]

I've been happy with both of my Knight Bighorns in terms of reliability, ease of cleaning, and accuracy.

The prices keep rising on them over the years, so picking up a used one is a good option.

I'd also think about dropping the powder and bullet weight. Last year for my son's first muzzy deer hunt I dropped down to 80 grains of powder and the 245 gr Barnes spitfires for him.  Less load resulted in a very manageable recoil and still had plenty of punch on his first deer.

Best of luck to you!

[BigGoonTuna]

i really like my bighorn.  however, if they had been making the littlehorn when i bought it, i would have gone that route instead.  that 26" heavy barrel makes it nice to shoot, but i'd like carrying that shorter littlehorn any day.  hard to deal with a bighorn with a sling, i find myself carrying the rifle in my hands most of the time.

i think i paid about $350 when i bought my knight in early 2012, i had heard they'd gone up quite a bit and when i looked at their site a couple days ago, my jaw about hit the floor.  makes me wish i would have bought another one(or two) when they had a big sale last year.

[b.roberts]

I have a tc renegade and a knight disc extreme.   Recoil is way more comfortable in the knight.  I don't think the in-lines are any more reliable than the traditionals.

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[Goex2Fwithroundball]

I walked down this road in recent years. Having all of my buddies switching over to modern in lines. I chose to stay with my traditional. Mainly because I have the utmost confidence that when I squeeze the trigger it will fire and shoot accurately. No doubt every time.
I have been shooting a TC Hawken .54 for many years. I did not like the feel of an inline and don't get me started on the misfires. . I found that the new modern guns with their 150 grain charges kick harder than my Hawken.
I also have shoulder issues. My remedy is to wear a shooting shirt with an integrated pad. I also shoot a patched round ball bullet which provides much less recoil than sabots or conicals.

Good luck.

[crowinghen]

I like my Knight Little horn. it is awkward to carry because of the weight distribution, looking to get a no slip sling, that might help. It's too small to be comfortable for my husband though ( Length of pull) so keep that in mind. Recoil is fine- shooting a 290 grain Barnes Tez with 2 pyrodex pellets.
susie

[arees]

My son recently got a CVA Wolf and we were working on that for this season.  I would not buy another one due to the misfire issues with plugging the flash hole.  The very first time we shot it the musket cap went off but not the charge.  This has repeated itself over and over.  Sometimes you get a few shots before it plugs, other times you get one shot.  Once it is plugged it is not easy to clear it with a nipple pick.  We spent too long trying to drill through the blockage with a nipple pick while his elk was kicking in the brush.

We have been using Pyrodex powder and RWS musket caps.  This is not a viable combination with the CVA Wolf Northwest edition.  If it were not for this one issue I would give it a pretty good review.

The other minor issue with it is that the ram rod is in two pieces and you have to take off the 6 inch tip part before you slide the ram rod under the barrel.  That leaves you keeping the tip in your pocket.  I keep thinking that they must have had another plan that I don't understand but I haven't found it yet.

[MountainDevil54]

Can't blame the sidelock for not going off. Its all user error of loading and not keeping the rifle protected during the hunt.

[Smoke]

Can't blame the sidelock for not going off. Its all user error of loading and not keeping the rifle protected during the hunt.

beg to differ.... hunted muzzy a lot back in the 70's..  CCI #11 caps, and never, never, never had a misfire or hangfire....  pulled it back into service last year to take my grandson out muzzy hunting, had to buy new caps and powder of course... now almost half my shots end up misfires, and if it does go off, half of those are hangfires.... tried 3 different brand of caps, and same problems...  checked everything on the weapon, even changed the nipple... no help... it's not the gun or the operator... its the lower quality of supplies they put on the shelves now days...

[lazydrifter]

I'm in the same boat. Shoulder surgery last year.  I shoot a TC Renegade in 54 cal.  100 grains of pyrodex and a 425 grain bullet.  Very hard on my shoulder.  Very heavy to carry. Been looking at the new Traditions Vortek Stryker fired NW Magnum. 50 cal. You can get  either a 28  or  30 inch barrel. Nitride coated.  No hammer and very quiet to cock.  Hear alot of good things about the Knight Bighorn too, but I haven't seen one in stock anywhere where I can handle it.  Not to fond of the double triggers on the Renegade.  I haven't had any misfires with my Renegade but I went on my 1st elk hunt in 30 years last weekend and missed a 100 yard shot at a broadside 6 point bull.  Forgot to set my trigger.   Bull knew I was there.  Started pulling the trigger and it didn't go bang like it should at the touch.  I think I wound up jerking it.  We couldn't find any sign of a hit and looked for 2 days.  Shot my Renegade today and it is still shooting a 3 inch group at a 100 yards  I've seen an aftermarket single trigger assembly for these but don't know how they work.  Think it's just time to hang the Renegade up and buy a new inline.

[mackdaddy]

Thanks everyone. I feel your pain, in the shoulder Lazy. I like the sound of the Vortek Stryker NW version also but have not had my hands on one yet. Its on my short list. I will keep the T/C Hawken around for backup or visitors. Let me what you come across or decide.

[Goex2Fwithroundball]

I'm in the same boat. Shoulder surgery last year.  I shoot a TC Renegade in 54 cal.  100 grains of pyrodex and a 425 grain bullet.  Very hard on my shoulder.  Very heavy to carry. Been looking at the new Traditions Vortek Stryker fired NW Magnum. 50 cal. You can get  either a 28  or  30 inch barrel. Nitride coated.  No hammer and very quiet to cock.  Hear alot of good things about the Knight Bighorn too, but I haven't seen one in stock anywhere where I can handle it.  Not to fond of the double triggers on the Renegade.  I haven't had any misfires with my Renegade but I went on my 1st elk hunt in 30 years last weekend and missed a 100 yard shot at a broadside 6 point bull.  Forgot to set my trigger.   Bull knew I was there.  Started pulling the trigger and it didn't go bang like it should at the touch.  I think I wound up jerking it.  We couldn't find any sign of a hit and looked for 2 days.  Shot my Renegade today and it is still shooting a 3 inch group at a 100 yards  I've seen an aftermarket single trigger assembly for these but don't know how they work.  Think it's just time to hang the Renegade up and buy a new inline.

A good rule of thumb about double triggers: Never use the set trigger for hunting. Only for target shooting. I also learned this the hard way!
I always practice shooting without using the set trigger. It takes awhile getting used to the heavy trigger pull.

[lazydrifter]

I handle one of the Traditions Vortek Strykers today and really like it.  Really quiet cocking it and has a simple uncock button.  Buds has a great price on these.

           https://www.budsgunshop.com/catalog/product_info.php/products_id/719005053/TRA+VRTK+NW+LDR+50+30+NIT+XTRA                 

[Sabotloader]

Looking for guidance in a new in-line muzzleloader that is WA state compliant. I have shot a T/C Hawken .50 cal. for over 30 years. But after a recently shoulder surgery (new parts) I am thinking about a new unit with a recoil pad to help absorb some impact. You know that 50 with a brass butt plate has a little kick to her. I have not looked at what's offered out there in years. Any suggestions?

I am totally biased so really keep that in mind! 

I would really suggest a Knight rifle to you... They are American made and they are so darn reliable!

I do not know how much you might use a ML but if you are like me using the rifle during regular rifle season and the short ML seasons I would highly suggest a Western Knight ULite.  They are really light 6 lbs. with a Kevlar stock and a bedding block built into the rifle...







The problem they are expensive but they are a lifetime rifle...

After that the DISC Extreme is a great rifle and as other people have suggested here the Bighorn is just a journeyman's muzzleloader. It just gets the job done...

This is my Knight MK-85 it is sorta the old man of the Bighorn.  They look basically alike - bighorn has a longer barrel.

 

I would suggest this rear sight for a Bighorn