So, I would imagine this topic has been hashed out many a time so my apologies if it has. I have rifle hunted for the past 30 or so years but am definately getting a muzzleloader for deer next year. Probably won't be hunting elk and needs to be legal for this state. I would prefer something with a synthetic stock and probably stainless barrel. I was told .50 cal would probably be best? Where does a guy start in trying to decide? Sights, bullets, etc... Thanks in advance
This is an easy one for me... A Knight DISC Extreme with a Western Kit installed. It might be an overkill since the Big Horn will do a lot of the same but the DISC offers some really nice enhancements.
OK… but remember this is just my personal opinion, which in my house seems to carry no weight at all!
Knight over TC… for me this one is not to difficult… The only TC that would be legal to hunt with during ML season is a slow 1/48 twist in the bore. Not that the 1/48 is that bad but it can limit what you can shoot effectively – so I pass on that. If you were able to use a regular TC like a Triumph to hunt with vs. Knight – that would be a little tougher decision but again one I could easily make as I have both guns and much prefer the Knight.
Now then… Big Horn vs. DISC Extreme… There are several reasons that I prefer the DISC vs. the Big Horn and it has nothing to do with accuracy as both guns are or can be deadly accurate. For me it comes down to two main things… Reliability and versatility, and again remember this is just my opinion, I much prefer the semi-closed breech area the DISC provides vs. the large open breech area of the Big Horn. As an example I would offer this scenario… when I hunt with the Big Horn, or MK 85 in my case, I always have to pay attention to what debris have fallen into the open breech. It is so easy for that area to collect many things such as Tamarack needles, pieces of small sticks, rain, snow, and etc. I can bet you can think of some other stuff that could/can get in that area while hunting. Then! Will any of these interfere with the action of the hammer and possibly stop ignition.
With the DISC most of these problems are gone with the semi-closed breech area. In addition if you get the correct #11 nipple and have the cap installed correctly on the nipple you are almost water proof. Any worry out the door. The other thing the new Western bolt with the bolt hood provides even more protection to the breech area…
In this picture you can see how much more protected the breech area is but yet complies with Washington, Idaho, and Oregon rules…
I also believe the DISC offers you the versatility to change the gun back to 209 ignition, drop a scope on and have a viable ML that can be used in other seasons… (I am thinking that Washington has other draw opportunities for ML hunts and you can use a more modern ML). I do not even hunt with a centerfire any longer just tack up my DISC to a modern ML and I hunt rifle season with it…
Hope some of this helps… any other questions just give a shout…
We have some of the same rules that you do during the ML season so for a sight I use the Williams FP peep sight with a fiber optic front sight with a Fire Sight Hood.
Bullets… I would offer two choices… first choice would be a Knight Bloodline .452-250 grain bullet and second choice would be a Speer .452-250 gain HP Deep Curl.
This is a 300 grain but the 250 is about the same…
These are some pictures of the Speer Deep Curls. They are a bonded bullet with controlled expansion.
This might help explain the Speer Gold Dot now called a Deep Curl
Hope some of this might help….
