I am moving to Nebraska in the next month and looks like there muzzle loader season is pretty long. Never hunted with one before and would like some advise. What are some of the better ones on the market etc. Also my 10 yr old son will need one too, what caliber is best for youth? I checked Nebraska Game and Parks website and a muzzle loader has to be at least a .45 caliber. My son has been hunting for 2 years with a H & R single shot .223.

Thanks for the advise in advance.

Look into what is and isnt allowed there, ie electronic ignition. The TC encore prohunter would be at the top of the list for me if I had to buy another ML. As for youth I would look at the TC impact its built for smaller shooters. Get a 50 cal. and just use less powder. CVA also makes some compact ML that you might want to look at.

Yup 50 cal and for the son less powder. There are makers of 45 cal barrels though for the TC contender, one of thise with youth sock would work for him also. Have killed deer with 50 gr of BP behind a round ball and that load is pretty easy on the shoulder.

Have a TC Firehawk 50cal stainless that have been thinking of selling on here for a while. Haven't shot in in probally 9 years or more.

I agree that .50 cal is the way to go. The beauty of muzzleloading is like reloading regular ammo - you can down-load for smaller/younger hunters and still get good results, than load heavier as the hunter grows and can handle the recoil. The recoil of shooting 50 grains of powder behind a light projectile will be minimal. Our Boy Scout troop shot a .50 cal with a lead ball and nobody complained, and some of those guys were pretty small 11-year-olds.

I have owned and shot 45, 50, and 54. I have usd the 45 exclusively for the last 12 years. I am talking about in line with a 209 and 150 grains of powder pushing a 195 grain CVA power belt. It shoots flat and hits hard out to 250 yards. Dropped many a deer with it in KS.

I like my 45 over my 50.

PM sent.

Thanks for all the info guys. Been moving stuff to Nebraska. I am going to go see the guys at Cabelas in Sidney, Ne and see if they can get me up to speed on what I can and cant use.

I have both- 45 (CVA) and 50 (NEF). Like the NEF better. Not really the caliber- I like the gun the best. I can shoot my favorite load in it (100gr BH209, 250 gr THOR bullet, & 209 primer). Can't use the BH209 or the THOR bullets in my 45.
Both are inlines, but the NEF is a break action like your H&R.

Not sure, but I think that you can get a muzzleloader barrel for your sons H&R if you wanted to go that route.
I would also recommend that you get a rifle / barrel that can shoot BH209. That powder is MUCH easier to clean up after (almost as easy as modern rifle clean up). The POWERBELTs are very good bullets. Just like with any rifle, yours may like (ie accuracy) a specific bullet weight.
Good Luck.

One consideration to think about is future hunting trips. Some states only allow primitive weapons (flint or percussion cap with open sights only) during muzzleloader season. Other states allow in lines (209 primer). Here in Texas, the in lines are very popular and with the right saboted bullet and load can truly be tack drivers. I have a TC Encore (w/ 3x9 scope) and it's as accurate as a good centerfire. Unfortunately, to hunt Oregon elk during muzzleloader season, the TC inline has to stay home (primitive only).

Feech

I have went thru several ML over the years. First started out with TC .54 (you don't need .54 unless you are shooting elk)it was a in-line, then switched to NEF in a .50, it was a good gun but we could not ever find a scope and rings that would work on it because of the rear sight and hammer. Then I purchased the best ML I have owned,shot,carried and cleaned it was a CVA Acura in .50. It is an increadiable gun, so I tryed to purcase another one for my wife, they quit making the Acura, they improved it with the Acura V2. Really the only difference is the breach system. The stock fits good in your hands,they are break overs with easy out breach, it makes cleaning a brezze. The best feature is the accuracy thanks to the Bergara barrel, they lead the industry in accuracy. I picked up another CVA for my son to use, but his is the CVA Optima Elite, but it also has the Bergara barrel. CVA makes several models but not all have the Bergara barrels, just look on the barrel for Bergara and it will be good. I have and shoot CVA Accura,Accura V2 and Optima Elite and these are what I would highly recomend. They might be to much money for some, but if you can afford it these bad boys are worth it.
In Nebraska you deer will be heavier, and mule deer, I would also suggest the power belt bullets by CVA, but use anything that is over 300 gr bullet, you wont have much of a blood trail. Most reports I have read, people using under 300 gr bullets are having long blod trails, they can't locate animals and they dont get pass thru shots, it hits front shoulder and falls apart and the deer run off, so the heavier the better.
With all my experiance over the years, CVA is the only way to go.
Good luck to you in Nebraska, knockem dead.

the .54 is a real advantage if youre shooting traditional ML with round ball

What I've been discovering is those that are having that problem are typically overpushing the bullet (like running 110-150gr powder), which is WAY to much. I've shot several boars (heaviest was around 250lbs) in the shoulder with the 295gr Powerbelt Aerotip and didn't have to worry about a blood trail - it dropped the hog where it stood and when I opened the big one up to look (he stunk bad and wasn't worth it to me to clean to eat) at his chest cavity there was lung and heart tartare there.

okjhutch,
I too use CVA. I love those gns. I bought one for $50. It shot the 211 percussion caps. I now own a CVA Inline. I have a Knight TK2000. Man the Turkeys don't flop at all when they get the smackdown from the 3 1/2 inch full of pellets. CHRIS81, Good luck. You will be hooked. Remember, cleaning your guns often is your friend. Enjoy.

I have the TC Impact and for its price it is pretty hard to beat. Shot two deer with it so far and have been pretty happy with. It is a little bit smaller than the Encore but I am 21 and it suits me just fine.

My 7yr old son and I both have TC Encore's. He isn't big enough for the ML barrel yet, but I shoot 90gr of Blackhorn 209 powder with a 255gr Hornady SST out of my Pro Hunter. Very accurate and with the smaller charge, alot less recoil. I had a CVA prior to these, and it was a great ML for the money. We just like being able to change over to a rifle barrel when the need arises. Only downfall to the Encore's is the price. However, they suit our needs just fine.