Muzzleloading rifles are enjoying a whole new wave of innovations in 1996. Smokepolers can look forward to firearms that feature improved dependability, better accuracy, more versatility, and a wealth of cosmetic improvements.
Propellants and projectiles are also vastly improved, making muzzleloading firearms even more deadly on big game than ever before.
Remington
Hunters interested in a new rifle will enjoy sighting down the barrel of two new blackpowder models from Remington. That's right Remington. The oldest manufacturer of centerfire rifles and shotguns in the world has jumped into the muzzleloading market with both feet. Built on the famous Model 700 frame, the two rifles will be available this fall.
The Model 700 ML is offered in .50 caliber with carbon steel barrel and synthetic stock. The Model 700 MLS is made from 416 stainless steel, comes in both .50 and .54 caliber and also features a synthetic stock.
These rifles have the same look, feel, and balance of a short-action Model 700 centerfire rifle. The bolt stroke and cocking motion are the same as a standard Model 700. A modified bolt is used that houses a cylindrical pin that's cocked in much the same way as a normal firing pin. When the trigger is pulled the pin strikes a No. 11 percussion cap with an amazing 3.0 millisecond locking time.
Barrels are rifled with a 1-in-28 inch twist suitable for firing sabots, conical bullets, and patched round balls. Drilled and tapped for short-action scope mounting, these rifles are accompanied by a full line of projectiles including Core-Lokt sabots, conical bullets, round balls, plus accessories like percussion caps, a blackpowder starter kit, and blackpowder cleaning kits.
Markesbery
Also new, the Markesbery KM-94 is manufactured by the same folks who gave us Rusty Duck gun cleaning solvents, lubricants, and grease. The basic KM-94 is a hunter's version available in a straight or pistol grip walnut stock and blued barrel. There's also a Black Bear that features a laminated wood stock and stainless steel barrel/receiver. The Grizzly Bear features a two-piece thumb hole stock and stainless steel construction, and the Brown Bear sports a one piece thumb hole stock in Advantage camouflage and a blued barrel.
All models feature the unique Markesbery interchangeable barrel system in .36, .45, .50, & .54 caliber. A high-quality arm, Markesbery muzzleloaders feature 24-inch barrels with button precision cut rifling and a 1-in-26 inch twist that's perfect for shooting sabot ammunition. Each rifle has a double safety system, aluminum ramrod, adjustable trigger, and comes drilled for scope mounting.
Thompson/Center
Thompson/Center recently introduced two affordable series of in-line muzzleloading rifles. The Fire Hawk series is available in three different versions including a walnut stock and blued barrel, a walnut stock and stainless barrel, and a Rynite stock and stainless barrel.
All versions feature a 24-inch barrel with 1-in-38 inch twist for firing both sabots and conical bullets, thumb safety, and raised cheek piece on the stock. The Fire Hawk's ignition channel is also half the length of other in-line rifles, improving ignition time and making the rifle easier to clean and maintain. Also, a one-piece breech eliminates the need to disassemble the breech plug during cleaning.
The similar ThunderHawk series features three different rifles and two carbines. Rifles feature a 24-inch barrel with the same 1-in-38 inch twist used with the Fire Hawk rifles. Hunters may choose from Rynite/blued, walnut/blued and Rynite/stainless versions. The carbine models come with a 21-inch barrel in a Rynite/stainless and a walnut/blued version. The striker handle on the ThunderHawk series acts as a simple and effective safety.
Both series of in-line rifles are available in .50 or .54 caliber and feature quality open sights, scope drilling, sling swivel studs plus Thompson/Center's new Quick Load Accurizer or QLA System. With the QLA System the rifling in the barrel starts approximately one inch down inside the muzzle. When sabots, conical bullets or patched balls are started down the barrel the QLA System insures that the projectile aligns itself perfectly with the rifling. The result is amazing accuracy, shot after shot. The QLA System also makes it easy to hand start projectiles, eliminating the need for a bullet starter.
Modern Muzzleloading
Modern Muzzleloading Inc., manufactures of the popular Knight rifles recently introduced their Multiple Barrel System that allows hunters to match up a .50 and .54 caliber rifle, or a 12-gauge shotgun all from the same stock and receiver. Also available, hunters can choose from a wide variety of Green Mountain Hawken-style rifle barrels that offer the maximum in versatility and muzzleloading performance.
Knight's MK-95 Magum Elite represents the state-of-the-art in modern muzzleloading design. Knight's Posi-Fire ignition system does away with the nipple and percussion cap and ignites the powder with a hot magnum rifle primer enclosed in a plastic percussion capsule. A stainless bolt-style hammer assembly chambers the capsule in a recess at the rear of the breech plug.
The result is the hottest ignition available, uniform powder burn, and the ultimate protection against wet hunting conditions. A side benefit is the elimination of particle blow back so common with percussion caps.
Also new at Knight is their special order department. Some of the custom features available include left-handed guns, custom stock lengths, sight selection, modifications to grips, and letter stamping for personalization. Call 515-856-2626 for details.
Shooting Systems
White Shooting Systems has taken a unique approach to their muzzleloading firearms. All "W" and "G" series straight-line actions are designed with action, ignition, rifling, and bullet in mind to produce weapons that are easy to load, dependable, safe, and accurate even at ranges up to 200 yards.
The Super 91 "W" series rifle is available with a blued barrel and black hardwood stock, composite stock and stainless barrel, or a birch laminated wood stock and stainless barrel. Each rifle features an adjustable trigger, one-piece nipple-breech plug, delron ramrod, bullet puller, and cleaning jag. These rifles are available in .41, .45, and .50 caliber.
Connecticut Valley Arms
Connecticut Valley Arms offers their new Apollo Comet as an affordable stainless in-line rifle. The Apollo Comet features a 24-inch barrel with 1-32-inch fast twist rifling designed to handle conical bullets or sabots. The gun is dressed in a synthetic stock and features a synthetic ramrod, automatic trigger safety, and Williams open sights. Available in .50 caliber the Apollo is a fine looking and shooting frontloader.
The CVA Staghorn provides in-line performance and accuracy for under $180. The Staghorn features a synthetic stock, blued 24-inch barrel with 1-32 inch twist, and chrome bolt. The rifle handles both sabots and conical bullets and the manufacturer guarantees the gun will produce two-inch groups at 100 yards when CVA Deerslayer bullets are used.
Balls and Powder
In addition to great new guns, blackpowder fans will want to try Barnes's new Expander-MZ Muzzleloading Bullet/Sabot. The only solid copper muzzleloading projectile on the market, this unique bullet features a large hollow point that allows the bullet to expand perfectly even at speeds down to 1,000 fps. At the opposite end of the scale, the Expander retains 100 percent of its weight when impacting at 1,900 fps.
Because these bullets are made from copper not lead, tolerances are much tighter resulting in groups half the size of other muzzleloading bullets. The Barnes Expander-MZ produces excellent results in guns with 1-in-16 to 1-in-34 inch twists. Available in .50 and .54 caliber packages of 10 bullets and sabots. The same high-quality bullet is also private labeled to major muzzleloader manufacturers including Knight and Markesbery.
White Shooting Systems expanded their SuperSlug line to include a .54 caliber 750-grain bullet. Designed to belly into the rifling when fired, this new bullet offers shot-to-shot consistency and unbelievable down-range energy.
CVA expanded their bullet line-up with the Big Game Sabot. A soft-lead bullet that features a hollow point and boattail design, hunters can expect excellent accuracy, great expansion, and better down-range accuracy than traditional muzzleloading bullets. Available in 300-grain .50 and .54 caliber bullets.
Last but not least, Pyrodex users have some good news from Hodgdon Powder Company. Hodgdon recently introduced Pyrodex Pellets a new way to load muzzleloading firearms. This pelletized muzzleloading propellant is destined to revolutionize the muzzleloading industry.
The Pyrodex Pellets are compacted to approximately 3/4 inch in length with a hole through the middle. A black pad on one end of the pellet is the ignition pad and must be loaded into the muzzle first. Pellets are a 50-grain blackpowder equivalent and up to two pellets may be loaded behind a sabot/bullet combination.
The advantages of pelletized powder are many. No longer will hunters need powder measures or flasks, plus reloading will be quicker and easier than ever before. For more information on this exciting new product call Hodgdon at 913-362-9455.
Copyright (c) 1996 Mark Romanack. All rights reserved.
Home | Library | Hunting | Shooting Sports