1st Black Powder Hunt

[n8tive97]

All,
So I got drawn for black powder buck this year and am in search of a black powder gun to hunt with.
Any suggestions on a make or model? I plan on putting in for a black powder hunt every year so I will have it for a while.
Any help or expertise would be greatly appreciated.

n8tive97

[hghclsswhitetrsh]

I'd go knight all day long. If it is within your budget they make a new version of the long range hunter.

[whitewalrus]

I've always used Thompson center. Note that in CO you cannot have a scope, so avoid any model that is setup for one.

[Irving]

I've got an Optima II that I really like. Relatively light, inline, kind of cheap factory sights, but for the price, it has served me well.

[GilpinGuy]

I've got an Optima II that I really like. Relatively light, inline, kind of cheap factory sights, but for the price, it has served me well.

Yep. A CVA Optima is a great starting black powder rifle.

[Irving]

Now that I'm not on a cell phone, and actually remember the manufacturer of my rifle (thanks GilpinGuy), let me expand on what I said earlier.

The factory sights are fiber optic, and work very well with a good sight picture, IMO. However, after carrying the rifle around in the woods the first year, and leaning it against trees and stuff, I must have hit the fiber optic and cracked it. This in itself would be okay, except the glue holding it in let go, and now the tube slides around. You can see in the photos that half of it has fallen out and the half remaining has an additional crack. A more enclosed sight would be more durable. I didn't take photos, but the rear sight could use some locktite as it tends to come lose after multiple firings and slide around. The year before last I was sitting in the woods and just happened to look down at my rear sight and saw that it has move about 5 notches on the elevation. Fortunately I had remembered where I had set it and could slide it back. The screw starts to round off before you can get it very tight. More robust sights and I wouldn't even look at another rifle (not for the distances that we shoot here anyway). All that said, I took down a decent buck (my first ever) last year with the sights as you see them in the picture.

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https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/2GuKzcPo06Yceq0OGRaIPKwjy6541_T6ec-6yUvaFj4I7S-9_D1kSZqcTKBFFc1zSD7zhxgaHsUaUqD26PiYjWbH5OVA8bLXU rxyPoqSoW3LHb52TgurYPJCTAGpCfi3U_j8waJKJHb8poV6QOI CHH6JQaG9pw-5hhOK4KH4GSZdV0hUXuUnGxmwmZKyfyX--7mnz-d2eWQ16dd3Uj32cIBkMSlvuC7x0U9-aLA6GmAxjRuqJI3BF-hiJqrg5885OWktyH8F_S9zqJcqWN5WiNmUVMcwyng0NWrbwv0X nhIN2Y9QJWU_SL_unEbjQqWdB8Ab7kf-iAKlLKSLVVbnHmjbe-NuhvVm_LppXUqobriRP-MJEgK3Qoua2fH4PdrfgJxQ5FIBpZXMLmiWggy5wAPTQkRm5hC_ KLTv0ql1A9IIZDk6_3GmbwG8dnBAbAHPnXjayMhZ7a0TOjTQcQ Ug1Bl1ZjxwwFjfRXmNgpXCPYpCWgThCMR8yogrSMoKGITzeTZH uzSIksBu-JZ0rr5k9msGuZr-m3B0pbhQYatsscmvRmhFpDt-EKJ2n8DuqQjqdesPDQdHfnk_-s4rYIleO8iEA7Dxmf1Y=w1698-h955-no

[n8tive97]

Great info fellas, I'll start researching your suggestions, thank you!

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[wrestler034]

PMd

[MarkCO]

I got the T/C Impact. It is simple and easy to use. With the Blackhorn 209 powder, it is a clean, easy and simple system.

You will also want to explore handling of the meat. It is usually warm and big game almost always needs to be skinned and cooled to keep from spoiling in BP seasons. I run with Coleman Extremes and a Pelican cooler. I put jugs and bottles and ziplock bags of frozen water (ice) in the Pelican which will keep it frozen from my freezer for several days. When I get an animal, I layer it with the ziplocks and get it cold ASAP.

[Bentsight]

If you have any interest in a primative style BP rifle the Cabelas Hawken is a great place to start. Classic style, very accurate, reliable and they have a faster twist barrel so you can still use conical bullets in them. Next step up are the Lyman's and the Pedersolli's, all three are also offered in multiple calibers and in percussion or flintlock ignitions. Either way you decide, I've never heard anyone say that they wish they had a smaller caliber.
Good luck next season!