What muzzle loader should I get?

After reading a few posts by oconnell I had to join this site. His posts make me want to :barf: :barf: :barf: :barf: :barf: :barf:

He clearly has no idea about the Savage, or any other firearm for that mater. I strongly suggest that he visit all 3 of the sites that several others have listed, and read a little bit about this rifle before he posts more BS like what I have read on here.
 
This is from another thread but thought it fit here as well

1SHOT1KILL, as it pertains to the false or misleading information on the Savage10ml-II I could not have said it any better than you. Your experience and knowledge are second only to Henry’s himself. However, I would like to add a bit to the overall debate. Again, this is my humble opinion so let’s all keep that in mind.

Having grown up hunting the fields and woodlots of central and southern Indiana I’ve hunted may types of game animals and used many legal weapons to harvest them. The weapons used have been dictated by the game laws set forth by the state DNR and voted on in the state legislator. From my first rabbit harvested with a wrist-rocket sling shot at 10 years old to my most recent deer harvested in December of 2004 with my 10ML at 46. I’ve used the laws of my state, the knowledge of the area hunted, the knowledge of the game I’ve pursued, and the training with the weapon to make a clean ethical harvest.

Now if Indiana gave a special hunt to those using longbows over compound bows I would put down my PSE for the weekend and go buy the best longbow I could afford and practice reflex shooting to improve my skills. If Indiana went to a truly primitive black powder hunting season like some areas of the west and Pennsylvania then I would buy the best weapon of that particular legal description and become proficient enough to ethically harvest a deer using that weapon. It has been said by some who know me well that if we were to open a deer season where you dropped from a large limb with a knife in your teeth onto the back of a deer and with one quick slice created a clean harvest then I would be the first to sign up. That might or might not be true!

Hopefully this wondering tale of day’s gone bye and hunts still to come will show all of us that we are really all on the same side.

Humbly submitted,


IndianaHunter,
aka, Pat Allen
HB#106
 
IndianaHunter, point well stated and understood. I too, regardless of whether it be rifle hunting, muzzleloader hunting, bow hunting, changing oil in my vehicle, or hanging new shelves for Mrs. 1SHOT, try my best to have and use the best tools and equipment for the job at hand, within my meager resources, of course.

When it come to muzzleloading hunting, the actual muzzleloader is the tool in which the hunting is conducted with. Example, when nailing a 2x4 stud in place, the hammer is the tool in which the nail is drive in place with. A saw is the tool in which the 2x4 iscut to the correct length. etc.

Rifle, muzzleloaders, and bows, are just tools in which we utilize to cleanly take the game with. The actual preparation, scouting, studying terrian, studying animal movements/habits, stand placement, scent elimination, physical conditioning, weapon practice, etc., and the hunt, is pretty much the same, regardless of the tool that we use to take the game with.

Here in NC, if they were to all of a sudden go back to strictly blackpowder and flintlocks only, then I would have the best flintlock I could possibly afford to build. The same with bows, if compounds were not allwed anymore, I would simply pull my first bow off the wall, a Bear Kodiak Magnum recurve, and go back to hunting with it, like I did 25 years ago.

If they dictated that only sharp rocks on the end of long heavy wooden lengths could ever be used to deer with, then I would have me the best sharpest rock on the end on the best wooden length I could get.
 
The savages

The responsible use of any firearm is the best way to prove it's worthiness....- as I've stated before any dumb_ss can blow any gun up with enough powder and ball-My opinion on the member using a bunch of pulled mixed powders borders on whether he is a lunatic or ? :eek: and then to state that the gun is unsafe after he did that- I don't know if his education comes into play or just his sanity-the Savage is probably the safest yet most criticised muzzleloader by uninformed shooters- Part of which comes from Savage not putting up the mega bucks on advertising the rest do- these guys should look into it closer-and see the quality- some of these same shooters that dismiss it stand behind a "tradition flag"-ie -its NOT sporting or its NOT a ML if it shoots smokeless - I disagree completely. I still enjoy shooting 3F Black powder in my 45cal Wm. Moore target rifle or showing smoke with friends with one of my old sidelocks but as stated earlier I want to hunt with the BEST tool available- and for me it's the Savage 10MLII- hands down.
 
Knife in teeth

Indianahunter;
If you are really looking for some such thrill, a bunch of id- uh , hunters in Arkansas and Florida hunt hogs with dogs and go in for the kill with a 6" knife.
I bet that is a hoot, might try it myself if I was 50 years younger.
Don :D
 
I have read a lot of storries about hog hunting with a knife. I even met a guy here in Indiana that does that when I was trying to find places to hunt hogs. I have no idea how he gets hogs as often as he does with where he said that he goes. i have ridden 4 wheelers on the same piece of state property, and have not seen any hog sign at all.
 
Ah me, whatever happened to respect for tradition. A Messner or a Falchion was what was used for that particular hunting.
Either way, not exactly easy on the pigs...
 
Dang - I don't think I'm brave enough to go against a full grown russian boar with an extended bowie knife :eek: - I'll use my Savage 10MLII for the same reason I use a drill press instead of a brace and bit to drill steel- more efficient and faster - (read humane on the kill) - Tradition has it's place but so does innovation- just look at history :D
 
here is a good reason!
Little time between shots, no more than 3 min.
Only two patches down the bore all day.
3 shot groups

Group 1 Barnes 300 MZ
45.2 5744
209-A primer
scan.jpg
 
Indiana, that group would be at what distance please?

Gary, can you explain why the Enfield replica civil war rifle using a minie is so superior for long range shooting than say, the Savage 10 - I just don't get how it could be that much better. Better velocity and therefore trajectory over all other MLs by a wide margin? How can that be, esp. as compared with the smokeless powder ML of the Savage 10. P.S. IIRC, now that I think about it, a "minie ball" is not a ball at all, but a conical bullet, correct? Still, I don't get how a replica rifle can be so superior in either trajectory or accuracy to something like an Encore or Savage 10 let's say. :confused:
 
First Freedom - As to the English made Parker Hale Enfield, I know it shoots good with the minie casted from the mold they supplied. I cannot attest to how well it shoots with other bullets including the English Pritchett Ball. The latter was used by the Confederates during the war and they were able to attain kills out to 1,000 yards with it. Of course, ask the shooter to repeat that shot and he might just miss. Historically the Enfield was the weapon of choice for the Confederate sharpshooter both in the Army of Tennessee and for the Army of Northern Virginia. It was the best general issue arm for long range shooting in its time. The target guns or Whitworth rifle were superior though but there were trade-offs in terms of weight, amount of training for familiarization and cost.

However, as to how the Parker Hale Enfield stacks up against a Savage 10ML, I don't have first hand experience with the latter. I gave my opinion as to only the crop of Civil War repros. A good place to look would be to see what matches (and what guns are permitted).
 
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