BigGameHunt.net Hunting Forums

[jasonkdailey]

I have just recently bought a traditions .50 caliber in-line muzzleloader from a friend at work for $150, and I am not sure what model it is. I asked him, and he forgot what model it was. He also told me that he wasnt quite sure where the breech plug and nipple wrench was, so that is why he sold it for $150. He said he had it for about 5 years, until he recently bought one of the new savage muzzleloaders that shoot smokeless powder. What I know about the gun so far is that it is a traditions muzzleloader in-line that uses #11 caps, it is a bolt action, and has a 1:32 twist barrel. He put a Tasco 3X9X40 scope on it that works very good. He said the last time he shot it, he took a deer at over 200 yards with 120 grains of pyrodex and a 177 grain round ball. He told me that I still need to shoot and see it is still accurate because it has sat for over a year. I can't wait to get the breech plug and nipple wrench so I can break it all down and get some nitro solvent to run down the barrel to completely clean the barrel and action out. I can't wait even longer to get it out and sighted in to take it to the field. I need to do it quick because archery season starts thes weekend, but it is supposed too be 90, so we will see how many people are sitting in the woods.

[saskie]

Congratulations on your new rifle. I just got my first smokepole too, it'll be a while though before I have the chance to try it out - that's ok. I've got all year to break it in for next season.

[donmillion]

jasonkdailey wrote: He said the last time he shot it, he took a deer at over 200 yards with 120 grains of pyrodex and a 177 grain round ball.

Sounds like BS to me, especially from a gun with a 1:32 twist. This gun should be shooting fairly long conicals or sabots (if they're legal for hunting where you live), not roundballs. I'd also double-check the local laws and make sure that the scope is legal for hunting--they aren't in quite a few states.

[fuzzybear]

Rule of thumb. The faster the twist. The longer the projectile.
Don't go out and buy a whole bunch of round balls exspecting to be able to shoot, accurately at 200 yds. Try a few out first. I think your going to find that the conicals shoot better.
You should check to make sure that the rifle is legal to hunt with, before you plan on rigging up to hunt with it.

[WalleyeSlayer]

why would the muzleloader be illegal isnt it harder to kiill with than a normal rilfe?

[saskie]

WalleyeSlayer wrote: why would the muzleloader be illegal isnt it harder to kiill with than a normal rilfe?

Generally speaking, yes. For that reason muzzleloadder hunters usually are given more permissive seasons and regulations (usually a longer season, or access to game sanctuaries, access to semi-urban areas etc). However improvements in powders, rifling, bullet design have narrowed the gap dramatically from the original "traditional" muzzleloaders shooting balls or crude rifled bullets to the point that some states and provinces are becoming more specific in what types of muzzleloaders qualify for these benefits. I doubt that any individual muzzleloader is illega per se, however some modern, smokeless inlines, with scopes might only be allowed in the regular rifle season. Check your local regs to be sure.

[WalleyeSlayer]

thancks the way he said it I didnt understand,he made it sound like he wouldnt be able to use it.

[donmillion]

I meant that sabots might not be legal. I can see where the wording of my sentence could have been better.

Muzzleloader hunting regulations are quite often hugely misunderstood. Here in Colorado it is illegal to use sabots, pelletized powder, scopes, or smokeless powder during the muzzleloader season. Nonetheless, I have seen people out during the muzzleloader season with scoped rifles, and all of the gun shops sell pelletized powder, sabots, and scopes for muzzleloader rifles. When I have specifically asked I have found that about 75% of the time the sales people do not know that what they are selling is illegal to use for hunting.

That is why I constantly stress that anyone who is new to muzzleloader hunting should not rely on what a buddy or some guy at the gun shop told them. They should carefully read the regulations for the area in which they hunt and figure out for themselves what is legal and what is not.

[quigleysharps4570]

jasonkdailey wrote: He said the last time he shot it, he took a deer at over 200 yards with 120 grains of pyrodex and a 177 grain round ball. He told me that I still need to shoot and see it is still accurate because it has sat for over a year.
Sounds like your friend is blowing alot of smoke. I find it hard to believe that he worked up a patched roundball load capable of doing it through that rifle, let alone sat down and shot it enough to be confident with it at that range. I also find it hard to believe he'd lose track of parts and want to sell a rifle capable of the feats he described to you. I sure wouldn't. Also wonder why he thinks it wouldn't be accurate after setting for a year? If it shot like he described when he put it up...it still should. That aside...I hope you do well with it this season. Like DM said...check your regs...alot of states don't allow scopes. Kansas is one of them. During muzzleloading season that is. During regular firearms season them boys can put a scope on those in-lines.

[CD]

Sorry, dont believe the round ball story for a second.

Look on the barrel. The model of the gun should be there.

Drop in 2 Triple Seven 50 Grain pellets, a 245 grain Powerbelt Aerotip bullet(if legal there), and go hit what yer aiming at.

CD

[jasonkdailey]

I asked him last night, and he said he had used the gun and had it sighted in at 70 yards with 120 grains of pyrodex, and he said he took deer at about 200 yards, but he had to aim about 4 1/2 inches above the back of the deer to take it. My mistake, sorry.

[jasonkdailey]

As I had said in my before posts about the gun, he had told me that he used round ball and 120 grains of pyrodex, and had tack driving accuracy at 70 yards. I went the other day and bought some 145 gr. aerotip powerbelts, and took them home and let me tell you, it was awful. I had tried from 90-120 gr. of pyrodex, and I couldnt get a pattern for anything. the best I had was at 100 yards and 120 grains of pyrodex, and not one touched the bullseye. One shot high and right, the next shot low and left, and the next shot 3 inches below the bullseye. I gave up on them, so I am gonna try some round balls today and see if they work. I was talking to my father in law and he agrees with the round balls. He told he thats all he uses in his, thats all he has ever used since he was young. He told me too, that if it is a tackdriver at 70 yards that is excellent, since we usually dont have to make shots past 50 yards where we hunt. He still likes to give me cain for buying an inline, since he uses only his 25 year old CVA .45 sidelock with 90 gr. of powder and round ball. I had a 270 grain sabot laying around so I tried it the other day, and it was very close, I may just wait and get some sabots if they work good. I put it in my gun on top of 100 gr. of pyrodex and it clipped the left side of the bullseye.

If the round balls dont work I am going to try sabots, and if they don't work I got to do some thinking. Maybe too much powder on a lighter gr. bullet, maybe get a little heavier one. I had a buddy of mine who uses 295 grain powerbelts, and he agrees. He said sure the 245 grain is fine if you plan on making 100 yard plus shots, but if you want accuracy within 100 yards, use th 295 with 100 gr. of powder and see what happens, and if it can shoot magun loads, try in to get more knockdown power, and a cleaner kill.

Back to the roundballs at hand though, my father in laws muzzleloader is a 1:48 twist, and he said that he has his sighted in for 70 yards, thats all he needs, and he said for hunting behind the house, thats really all we need. Mine is a 1:32 twist amd he said it should still work for 70 yards, but don't plan on making easy shots beyond that with that twist. Like I said though, I am trying different projectiles and loads, I just want to know what the gun can shoot accuratly and with what powder load works best,

Another thing too, Christmas is coming soon, do you have your wish list of things you would love to have? For me, my gun uses the #11 cap, which is fine, but I sometimes jerk when hearing the cap fire, but I have gotten better. My wish is for a 209 primer conversion kit. I have shot one, and before you even hear the primer snap the bullet is where it was aimed.

[jasonkdailey]

This is an update to a post I put 3 years ago. I have found out alot about this gun. It is a traditions buck hunter .50 cal, with a 1-32" twist. I believe it is a disc action. I found all this out when I had to order a new ramrod last year after the original broke. The guy I bought it from told me it was 5 years old and had taken deer at 150 yards with 110 gr pyrodex and roundball! The company told me that the gun was more like 15 years old. It was one of the first in-line models traditions made. Anyhow, I did some tinkering with it myself. The whole 150 yards with 110 pyrodex and round ball.....out of the question. I had so many people telling me he was blowing smoke up my rear to get me to buy the gun. My father in law, who still hunts with a CVA sidelock, and until last year, used round balls in his, said he never took a shot past 75 yards with a round ball. So I tried using powerbelts, and they shot all over the place. I would get the scope dead on, and after 2 shots the pattern would wonder all over the shooting board. The scope was a Tasco 3x9x40, so i took it off, and used the open sights. After 3 shots, I can now put 5 shots in a circle the size of a snuff can at 75 yards. My father in law gave me a simmons 3x9x30 scope, but don't know if I will put it on there or not. Most of my hunting is done in the woods, so my shots dont have to be made far off.

Since I have moved here to Tennessee, all I hear everyone talk about is their rifles and scopes, but I can't persuade myself to buy one. Being from Indiana, we had 3 seasons. Archery, muzzleloader and shotgun, and never had to mess with a scope. I like to keep my shots within 100 yards, so I am for certain the shot is gonna be dead on. So whether it be here in Tennessee, or back home in Indiana, my open sights should work just as well anywhere.

I have added a pic this time of my muzzloader.

[j.peter.b]

I'm glad you updated this post so recently.

I am borrowing the same rifle from a co-worker.

What load ended up working for you?

Thanks,
J.Peter.B
Winston-Salem, NC

[Kirrmeister]

Hello from Germany!

Had a .50 CVA buckhorn inliner for a year or so, but sold it. i only want sidelocks. Have now a Traditions deerhunter .50 and ordered another one in Nickel finish and .54. The .50 made already meat (Look at the "Rest of the world"-topic).

I tested the inliner with RB and moderate loads of WANO PP (50-60 grs). It was able to get good groups at 30-40 meters, but then they got bad fast. With Hornady sabots TXP HP and 90 grs WANO PP I got very good groups at 50 and 75 meters. I would this load also recommend for your rifle. A .50 inliner can be laoded up to 120 grs bp.

Regards

Kirrmeister