What's the best deer hunting caliber & gun?

I currently have a TC Hawken 50 cal., but I think that it's time to buy a new "in-line" for deer season. I hope that modern muzzleloaders are OK to discuss here.

I want some advice on whether any caliber is best for accuracy and distance. I may use a scope as well.

I've looked at several guns, (i.e. CVA Kodiak, Traditions Pursuit, TC Omega) and want some good/bad info from people who own them.

Thanks for the help!

Think you might be in the wrong place my friend.

The Hawken is fine but we don't discuss inlines here. Check the forum rules here.[url] http://www.muzzleloadingforum.com/fusionbb/showtopic.php?tid/195840[/url]/

I am fairly new to the whole front stuffer thing, so this may be old ground. The TCs have a good reputation in the eyes of most folks, so why do you think it is time to put it out to pasture?

learn to shoot that T/C hawken and ya won't need to buy that other thing....ya won't have any advanage over the hawken and ya will feel better bringing down a deer with a flintlock over a piece of plastic anyway....i've shot my friends one time and thought there wasn't nuttin special bout it in no way or form....and he didn't even have a scope on it....felt just like shooting a 30-30 bolt action gun no biggy i my mind............bob

Anything you can kill with a cheatline you can kill with a sidelock. Unless you're on of "them" that want's to hunt with bp and a scope. :nono: If that's the case take it somewhere else.

Why not just use the Hawken? It's a fine rifle for deer. The inlines offer absolutely no advantage over it. Not better accuracy, reliability or anything else.

I've heard from a lot of muzzleloaders in the past few years saying that they didn't have to track animals until they started using sabots. Don't let the paper numbers fool you.

Stick with the TC hawken

I gotta agree with the boys.Shoot that TC.Aint nothin like huntin with a sidelock and a roundball.

Oh boy! :shake: Not sure if this is a 'troll' or not but if not my advise is to stick with the Hawken. Stick around and ask some questions on how to get it to shoot the way you would like rather than buying an i####e.

STICK WITH THE HAWKEN! you'll be further ahead! T/C makes great sidelocks,and trust me, when you kill one with real black powder gun, the smile and satisfaction will be 10 times greater!and if ya can't get one w/ the hawken,I'm pretty sure that line thing ain't gonna help..and IF yer trollin...shame on you! :winking: RC

Well, it's not that I don't WANT to use the Hawken...
but there's a few special circumstances to my story.
My father bought the gun in kit form in the 70's and
put it together.
At some point between then and when I recently
received it, he let a friend borrow it who somehow
managed to cross thread the nipple.
My father then had someone replace the entire
breach, but it doesn't look like the original
(the top flat is level but the side flats are not quite even).
That being said, I have shot the gun a few times
since I got it and it seems to misfire quite a bit.
Now this could very well be due to mistakes on
my part...BUT, nonetheless I would be quite leery
about drawing down on a monster buck only to
hear "Click"!
My father says that it's a gun for FUN, not hunting.

P.S. I don't know what a "Troll" is, but what exactly
would be wrong with putting a scope on a muzzleloader?

Thanks for the advice, I welcome the help in making
my muzzle loading experience more fulfilling.

BURN THE WITCH! BURN THE WITCH! OFF WITH 'IS 'EAD! :rotf: :rotf: :rotf: :blah:

I like a round ball in .54 caliber. "Best rifle" is hard to pin down, as we all have different ideas as to what is best. Fast handling, good sights, accuracy, weight, ranges and hunting conditions, etc.

Where I deer hunt I get 10 to 40 yard shots, so rifling is just a luxury but not a necessity. :haha:

I also can't really justify a rifle just for a special one week deer season, so I use my flintlock for small game, target, plinking, reenacting and deer hunting in both regular and muzzleloading big game seasons. That's a better choice for me than any in-line I am aware of.

You could probably also send that barrel back to T/C and they'd make it right at no charge. They have a history of standing firmly behind their product. A polite and nicely worded letter may bring about a reworked and like-new barrel. The .50 is a great caliber for deer.

Someone on my own forum said he has a Hawkens and an inline. He said the Hawkens is a lot more fun and he will hunt with it mostly. Send it back to T/C and they will make it right free of charge. Whenever you touch an inline be sure to wash your hands with soap and hot water before touching your hawkens again.LOL

raturpin said:

That being said, I have shot the gun a few times
since I got it and it seems to misfire quite a bit.
Now this could very well be due to mistakes on
my part...BUT, nonetheless I would be quite leery
about drawing down on a monster buck only to
hear "Click"!
My father says that it's a gun for FUN, not hunting.

P.S. I don't know what a "Troll" is, but what exactly
would be wrong with putting a scope on a muzzleloader?

Click to expand...

What kind of powder are you using? When I first started out I had quite a few missfires with Pyrodex. A buddy hooked me up with some real Black Powder and the problems went away.

There may also be some things you need to do or stop doing that would help. I found that slapping the lock side of the gun after pouring the charge and before seating the ball made a WORLD of difference on one particular CVA.

Are you using the right caps? Are they fresh?

Once you figure out what the gun likes and needs, it should go off reliably every time. (Of course there will be the odd exception even with a inline or centerfire)

Get on the percussion forum (I'm assuming your rifle is a caplock) and do some reading. Then ask detailed questions. Tons of good advice here.

This being a "Traditional Muzzleloading" forum is why we do not discuss inlines or scopes. They just ain't traditional.
Get the TC shooting right, then practice. You'll be amazed at how accurate you will be.
If youre not satisfied with open sights, how about a peep sight? Works just like a 1 power scope.
And forget about those 300 yard magazine shots. It just ain't right.

Welcome to the forum.
Shoot straight.
Jethro224 :hatsoff:

PS. Indy is only about an hours drive from the NMLRA range at Friendship. I bet there would be someone there who would be more than willing to help get you shootin' right...

If you're shooting Pyrodex, that might be some of the problem. I'd suggest using real black powder, or changing the nipple to a musket cap nipple. Perhaps magnum caps would help it fire. T/C's are pretty reliable guns. As was suggested, you can always send it in to T/C. They have a great warrantee and customer service. They'll get it working for you.

track of the wolf sells a new green mt. 50 cal. barrel in a 1 in 70 twist that will drop right in your hawkens for $178.50

raturpin said:

My father says that it's a gun for FUN, not hunting.

Click to expand...

Our forfathers would have got mighty
hungary if not for the guns of fun. In one way
your father in correct, It's fun to hunt with
the REAL muzzleloaders.
snake-eyes :v :hatsoff:

a TROLL is someone that is lurking around these internet forums with a sole purpose of causing a stir.
Your lucky your posts of Inline talk hasen't got deleted.
I think my T/C New Englander loaded up with her pet load is by far the best hunting gun I have ever owned.But of course that's just my opinion. :v