Just how much more accurate are the newer in lines compared
to say my older T/C Hawken? I used to be able to shoot 2 in gps at 50 yds and 5 in gps at 100 yds with open sights with the Hawken. Maybe I should mount a scope on my Hawken and just try it ( I can't use a scope here in CO, but I can in TN) Thanks Ray

The best I did with my Knight 54cal Predator using a sabot, and 44cal 240gr Hornady XTP, 80grs of Pyrodex RS, was 3" open sights of a bench at 100yrds. If my memory is correct Knight claims it will shoot 1.5inch groups at 100yrds with a scope. If your rifle is shooting 5" at 100yrds I can see no reason for you to go inline. The farthest I have shot a Deer with this rifle was about 90yrds most were 10ft to 50yrds.

Swede44mag

Hi Ray.

I am a gunsmith, and I earn my living making muzzleloaders. I have also done a lot of gunsmithing in years past, on high accuracy rifles like benchrest rifles and sniper rifels. I know something about rifle accuracy. So I feel quite qualified to answer this question.

There not!

The only reason that the new inlines are claiming the accuracy over the "older style" guns is a function of the scope sights that they use. I have proven this by putting scopes on traditional style flintlocks and cap lock rifles, and I can tell you, a good one will keep up, shot for shot, with any inline I have ever seen. I made a .54 cal filinlock for a man named Lon Shipe who has shot several groupes with it at 100 yards which were around 1 1/4 inch.
I have made more muzzleloading rifles than I can count that will hit the 2" mark every time, and all I make is traditional style rifles.
That is not to say anything bad against the newer guns. The are very accurate, but they are NOT MORE accurate.
And the whole "plastic sabot and pistol bullet" argument becomes BS after you get over 50 cal. Think about it! A 240 gr. bullet in a plastic sabot which will expand to....say.....54 cal. ??? (A 54 cal ball weighs 230grs. and it's uh......54 cal....) A 58 ball weighs about 270 gr and a .62 ball weighs 330grs. They all shoot flat enough to kill game to normal hunting distances, and the pistol bullets don't have the "advantage of range" because they won't expand reliably past 200 yds anyway. (many won't past 100 ) And none of them will penitrate like a hardened round ball!
Many people will say my last statement is false, but they are wrong! Cast the balls out of wheel weights, water drop them from the mold, and try it.(you may want to roll them around on a couple of files to give them a little texture, so they grab the patch better. Use a .490 in a 50 cal., a 530 in a 54 cal., a 562 in a 58 cal and a .600 in a 62 cal.)
I have shot in and out of elk, deer, antelope and 1 moose with round balls, and I know many of my friends have done the same things. I can give names and phone numbers if you'd like, or have them call the "nay-sayers" to tell them the facts
Take a look at Ned Roberts book "The muzzleloading caplock Rifel" printed in the 1920s. He has many pictures of rifles made in the early 1800s with the groupes shot with them. VERY SMALL!
I think Cooper said it best when he talked about the Titanic...
If You had to get more people on the life boats you should tell the English that it "shows their superiority".
To the French you say "it's a mark of culture".
To the Germans You say "It's required by law".
To the Americans you say "It's NEW"!
Americans will usually buy things which are "new" just to try them.
But muzzleloading "bullet guns" have been around for a long long time. The Rigby team showed the world just how accurate they could be way back in the 1800s. Any student of the American civil war can tell You about muzzleloading bullet rifles, and the use of them by snipers on both sides of the conflict. Then there is the remarkable shot made My Tim Murphy in the American Revolution. (flintlock!!)
Trust Me......old guns shoot just fine.
SZ

You may like to go to the single shot forum, and look at the thread "some of my work" , if You like traditional muzzleloaders

SZ

There are no doubts that ml guns have been very accurate for years, however in todays inline world a 2" shooter is very marginal performer. In fact 1" shooters @ 100 yards aren't very remarkable, with serious shooters it takes groups under 1/2" to raise eye brows anymore. Yes, scopes do make a huge difference in accuracy and only improve the groups of a good gun in a good shooters hands. In my opinion they also ensure a more precise bullet placement in hunting situations.
Round balls are the only news older than pistol bullets in ml projectiles. Todays shooters have their choice of a wide variety of modern bullets designed for use in the ml performance envelope. Bullets that have Ballistic Coefficents that rival center fire bullets. The 50 cal shooter has bullet weight from 175 grains up over 500 to choose from and their is no need for bigger bores for more range or knock down energy.
The beauty of living today is we all can choose what is right for us.
Rich