Pardon me while I ramble a bit here-- but I am looking to get back into muzzle loading - strictly for hunting. I previously have hunted with several TCs and Knights in 50's and 54 taking several critters including six elk and multiple deer and antelope all of which occurred over 15 years ago.
Since I have been out of the muzzleloader venue doing archery for some time-- I am a bit out of current knowledge as to the "best" muzzleloader medicine for bigger critters such as elk and moose.
We used to believe that bigger was better and therefore a 54 was better than a 50. Now it appears that the 50 cal rifles are the favored caliber. I am sure there is a reason for this but I am clueless as to the “why†part.
Although I have several smoke poles in my possession there is a growing itch to acquire a new and better one to scratch the itch and go let the air out of a bigger type critter.
Therefore, 50 or 54 cal??? -- what is the current recommendation??? -- please keep in mind I will hunt primarily in Colorado so cannot use the sabot type ammo -- heavy conicals only so lets avoid the sabot issue.
Second to the choice of caliber is the choice of rifle to acquire -- TC -- or Savage or White -- I am open to all qualified options.
Your thoughts please.
G

50 cal seems to be more popular than the others but I have BP rifles in 50 & 54 most of mine were designed to shoot sabots.

I have a Lyman Great Plains rifle in 54 with a slow twist made to shoot round balls with acceptable accuracy 3 to 6 inches off a bench rest at 100 yards. I have shot this rife at 25 yards with the Lee REAL with acceptable accuracy but I have not tried them at 100 yards. It can also be purchased in the Great Plains Hunter with a faster twist that shoots conical bullets.

Lyman is now producing a Mustang Breakaway 209 Magnum Muzzleloader that will shoot sabot, Power Belts, and conical type hunting bullets. I have no experience with this version.

Good luck with your search for a BP rifle.

I own both a sidelock and inline in 54. I have my sidelock 50 to a nephew for a gift. Tells you what i think of the 50!

50's took off because of Sabots like was said before. Another thing is non sabot bullet selection is better and I think that the fast twist of the 50 has something to do with it. At long range the 50 has better performance with conicals.
Since you want to shoot conicals the list you made are good. You said you had smokepoles. Why not get a fast twist Green mountain barrel? They shoot conicals better than most guys are capable of shooting. I get 1 1/2" groups from mine at 100 yards all the time. Ron

If you want to get a new "modern style" rifle I would suggest a White (if you could find one since White is basically out of business but they are available used if you search). I just bought a Knight KRB7 (Rolling Block style inline) and they shoot conicals great. I would stay with the .50 as the selection of bullets is much better. KRB only available in .50 anyway. I would stay away from T/C inlines as they have the QLA barrel muzzle which effects the performance with conicals in some rifles. Mine (an Omega) does not like to shoot conicals.

I have heard good things about the White rifle -but -- what about parts and parts if something breaks??--- also -- will someone please explain that 504 cal thing -- do they shoot regualar 50 cal bullets or does one have to use a special bullet???
TKS
G

My vote is with the 50 caliber Knight Long Range Hunter. I own and have owned alot of MZ;s. This is the best one I have ever had. I have owned a couple of Omega's and Encore's. I found them to be too darn finicky, and the barrel's were just too hard to load.

I prefer the red primer holder's. They are very easy to handle under hunting conditions, and seal the ignition very well.

As far as 50 versus 54??? Well 50 caliber is a very large hole, and if you are shooting conicals then weight is comparable also.

I cast a 525 grain bullet for my MZ. In my MK85 I shoot 130 grains of loose 3F-Triple 7.

I just bought this new Knight LRH, so I am working up a conical load right now. the sabot load for this rifle shoots everything inside a one inch black circle at 100 yards, and line cutters out to 225 yards. We shot three deer with it last fall. Things are looking good for it. Tom.

I like the traditional style rifles, and had been using a .50 cal Lyman Deerstalker for the past 16 years. Last year I broke down and got a new Lyman Trade in .54, and I can tell you that the .535 round ball hits hard. I am very pleased with the performance of this rifle, and the 2 whitetails that fell to it this last season.

The White .504 is usually just about that for bore diameter. Many of the T/C rifles measure .499 to .500 and are a bitc# to find bullets and sabot/bullet combinations that will work. The White barrel measures very close to my new Knight KRB7 so they will both take similar bullets. Many of the White owners order Bullshop bullets or No Excuses bullets in the specific diameter that works best for them. A lot of the over the counter stuff will shoot in the White as long as the bigger diameter stuff is selected. Unfortunately there is not a standard bore or bullet diameter out there so you have to do some selection with any of the rifles. My T/C Omega is one of the worst to find anything that can be crammed down the tight bore, it slugges .499-.500 after a lot of polishing with JB bore paste. The big advantage of the White is that it can be shot a lot without the swab between shots that most others require and it handles heavy conicals better than most but will also shoot sabot/bullet combinations.

I don't post over here much because I have not hunted with my muzzle loader for a number of years, but I have shot a number of deer and a couple of elk and I preferred the 54 cal. hands down..I still have my Lyman Plains Rifle in 54 cal. but I had a custom barrel installed and it now shoots about 2 to 3 inches at 100 yards...My new barrel is a 1x48 twist for shooting bullets...