AJ

WalMart had the blued version for $327. I have read nothing bad about them. They are great shooters and definately one of TC's top two muzzleloaders, the other being an Omega.

Yep, good luck in the draws. Myself, I applied for bull elk, mule deer, pronghorn, ibex, and oryx all in New Mexico. Hopefully I will draw deer and elk but I really want a oryx tag.

Very true, but I can't see the DGF giving up that much $ in the draw fees. Since the interest rates are in the crapper, they don't gain much by holding on to some money for a couple months. They will make more from everyone and their family getting in the draw. I hear ya Bob.

In case you have not heard, Leupold is dropping the VX-III and VX-L line for the new line of scope to be released in 2009. If you are a fan of the Gold Ring scopes, watch the retailers and you can find decent bargains on the VX-III scopes.

The 2009 New Mexico Big Game Proclemation is out. Soft copy in PDF format is available on the New Mexico Game and Fish website, or by clicking here. Here are some of the bigger changes for 2009: Applying for Quality (Q) or High Demand (HD) elk or deer hunts or any pronghorn hunt • Anyone applying for a 2010 Q or HD elk license, may NOT have received a Q or HD public draw elk license in 2009. • Anyone applying for a 2010 Q or HD deer permit may NOT have received a Q or HD public draw deer permit in 2009. • Anyone applying for any pronghorn hunt in 2010, may NOT have drawn a public pronghorn license in 2009. Youth Encouragement Hunts These new elk hunts will be made available to youth hunters that applied for big game hunts and were unsuccessful in the draw. Barbary Sheep Barbary sheep are now a draw instead of over the counter. Full Fee Up Front Anyone applying for a pronghorn, bighorn sheep, ibex, javelina or Barbary sheep draw license, MUST pay the full license and application fee when applying. Customer ID Number Anyone applying for a public land draw license or permit, or purchasing a license via a private landowner authorization or a Valles Caldera access authorization must first obtain a Customer ID Number.

Way to go! Sounds like you were in Unit 30'ish. Did you hear they want to make Barbary sheep a draw? No more over the counter. We'll see.

Since I had a muzzleloader elk tag, I set my ML up for the big critters. I am shooting a 300 gr SST/Shockwave (same bullet) in a Harvester sabot. I throw the junk that comes with the SST/SW and use a good sabot. This setup is super accurate out to 300 yards. So good, in fact I am using my ML for my mule deer hunt even though I have a centerfire rifle tag.

The Triumph just loves the 250 or 300 gr Shockwave or SST and 110 - 120 gr by volume of Blackhorn 209 ignited by CCI 209M, Win 209, or Federal 209A primers. Do not use the primers designed for muzzleloaders. They are not hot enough for BH209.

I am on my 4th jug of this stuff this fall. It's great stuff. High velocity like T7 except no crud ring. I have shot over 40 shots without cleaning and still get 4" groups at 300 yards from my Omega with 300 gr bonded SW. I am using it for elk and my muley hunt this weekend. I also use it in my Knight Disc Elite using the red FPJ. I am using 110 gr bu volume or 78.0 gr by weight of BH209 behind a 350 gr Hornady FPB. It will shoot 1.5 MOA from my Knight and it packs a wallop. There is another new BP sub coming out next year. It's called IMR White Hots. I think we will be getting a bunch of new and better BPO subs in the next few years.

I have been shooting the 290 gr TMZ with 85.2 gr by weight of BH209 and a Win 209 primer. I get MOA groups out to 250 yards. At 300 yards they open to about 4". I like BH209!!!!

Congrats on the prairie pony. Was this a Stallion or Rhodes Range hunt? The numbers at the Small Missile Range are going down a lot. It's not the drive up and shoot hunt it used to be. There are actually hunters that do not get one. The 2 day season can make it hard if the weather does not cooperate.

I bought an Omega this year for my elk hunt. I went with the stainless gun in a laminated non thumbhole stock. I got it from Sportsman's Warehouse for $350. This gun will not see the corrosive stinky powder. It will only be used with the new Blackhorn 209 powder. Its not corrosive, does not need to be swabbed between shots, gives very good velocity, and is accurate. I mounted a Nikon Monarch in a Talley one piece ring/mount. I had to max out the scope in elevation to get the gun zeroed at 100 yards. I was ticked. It was shooting ~2-3" groups. I did some checking online and heard this is not uncommon for the gun to shoot that low. So I ordered a Ken Farrell +20 MOA base on it with some Warne high rings. While I was waiting for these to come in I did a bedding job and floated the barrel. Once the mounts and rings were in I installed a Kahles 3-10x50 scope with a ballistic reticle and back to the range. I zeroed the scope in just a few shots and found the gun now shoots very well. I had some groups right at 1" at 100 yards so I decided to move out to 200 yards and check things out. This group is a 200 yard, 3 shot group of Barnes 290 gr TMZ bullets pushed by 120 gr of BH209 powder ignited by a Winchester 209 primer. It measures just under MOA. It still retains 1500 ft/lbs at 250 yards. It's a good elk load. This group is another 200 yard group but this time its a 300 gr Bonded Shockwave in a short Harvester sabot, with the same 120 gr of BH209, and Win 209 primer. This group is well under MOA and will be my elk load this year. It also retains 1500 ft/lbs at 250 yards. I was able to hit a gong at will at 300 yards with this load. By the way, these shots were number 25-27 and 28-30 without swabbing or cleaning. I like BH209!!! The ballistic reticle is fine for 100, 150, 200, 250, and 300 yards.

It is superb ML powder. I have shot 40+ shots in my Omega without swabbing or cleaning the bore. I was at the range today working up my elk load and I had great results. I had groups of 300 gr Bonded SST/ShockWave and Barnes 290 gr TMZ bullets shoot sub MOA at 200 yards with 120 gr of BH209. This was after shooting 30+ shots without cleaning. I was able to hit kill zones on a deer size target at will from 300 yards. I would not shoot that far at elk, as 250 is my limit with a ML. Try it, you will like it.

Some of them do load easier. But it has been my experience that the tighter the fit, the better the accuracy and velocity. I don't care for loose fitting bullets. The Hornady FPB is extremely easy to load if your gun has a QLA, but it shoots 10" groups in my gun. I have no use for them.

Neither. I would use a decent 200 - 250 gr bullet pushed by 100 - 120 gr of Blackhorn 209 powder. The 250 SST with a Harvester short sabot and 110 gr of BH209 is a sweet combination. But of course you will need to test and see what works best in your gun.

Some of the Ez Glide sabots are easier to load than the high pressure sabots. Personally, I do not use the sabots that come with the bullets. I know my gun likes MMP high pressure sabots, so I use them for all of my .45 caliber bullets. Another option is the crushed rib sabot from Harvester. They are a bit easier to load and still give decent performance. The Hornady FPB was very easy to load in my Omega but it did not group for beans in my gun. Some have had good luck with them though. The downside is they do copper foul the bore. You have to clean the copper out after a few shots.

If it is for elk, I definately do not recommend the lightweight Powerbelts. Elk are not deer they are much thicker and you need penetration to get through the hide, the thick tissue and vitals. An elk's ribs can be harder than a small whitetails leg bones. Go with something heavier, the recommended PB is the 348 or the 405 gr when it comes to elk sized game. Personally, none of my guns will shoot PBs worth a crap at the velocities I want. Hornady does have a new bullet called the FPB. Wal Mart carries these as well as Cabelas. They are 350 gr and have a flex tip. If you are hunting Colorado you must remove the tip to make them legal. Otherwise they are too long. I am in the process of working up my own elk load. I am testing the 340 Dead Center, 300 SST, 300 SST Bonded, 290 TMZ, 350 FPB. So far the 290 TMZ is looking decent with a 1 1/4" group at 100 yards. What powder are you using and how much? Are you swabbing between shots? What ignition source? What is your rest?

This is from the Wolf owners manual on CVA's website: But of course you saw this when you read your owners manual.

I think you just answered your own question. You need to have a gun that fits you first and foremost. You will feel the recoil much less with a gun that fits. It will not disappear, but it will be more controlled. Go to a gunsmith and have them cut your stock to fit you if you are an adult. If you are still growing, get a youth stock. You can add thicker recoil pads as you grow until you can use the full length stock. Get a slug barrel. At the minimum get a rifled choke tube. What tube do you use now? The 2 3/4" slugs are typically more accurate than the 3" versions. Are you shooting sabots? If not, get closer to the target. I would not sight them in over 75 yards. They peter out pretty quickly. Get a good rest and shoot at the range. All you are doing is wasting $ by trying to sight in while you are wiggling. It's not hard to make a good shooting bench. You can make one from a sheet of plywood and some fold up table legs. Its easy. get some sand bags as rests and stabilize the gun for sight in. Once its sighted in then you an bang away from field positions to work on your shooting skills.

The difference is a lot of R&D finding the optimum beginning diameter, taper, parallel, and constriction of each tube. Many of the higher end tubes are developed for individual models, not just a .729 bore, tapering to .660" over 1.2" like the cheaper chokes are. Now, this is not to say that cheaper chokes can't achieve a good pattern, but when compared to a custom choke, it does not have holes or hot spots, its evenly dispersed, or tight, or ??? Many wingshooters will see no difference between a factory choke and a custom choke. It will not make a good wingshooter out of someone that does not follow through, lifts their head, does not lead the target, etc.

It all depends on what powder you are using. If you are shooting black powder, Pyrodex, or Triple 7, I definately recommend swabbing with a spit patch between each shot followed by a dry patch. Definately so with T7 powder, it forms a nasty crud ring and can be a pain to get the bullet seated on top of the powder after multiple shots w/o cleaning. Yes, swab between shots is the best method. Yes, I do this in the field also. If you are using the latest new powder called Blackhorn 209, you can shoot over 30 shots without cleaning or swabbing the bore, with no loss in accuracy.

Look at some of the bullet manufacturers websites. Many offer ballistic charts that will give you a rough idea of how the bullet will perform. Basically, the higher the ballistic coefficient is, the flatter the trajectory is and the less energy loss there is going down range. Comparing a 250 gr SST to a 250 gr XTP shows this rather well. The XTP looses a lot of speed going downrange even though they can leave the muzzle at the same speed. You have to match the bullet type to the game you are shooting. I would not use a 200 gr SST on elk. Also, I would not use a 340 gr Dead Center for deer. Although they will both work under certain circumstances, there are better choices out there. As to accuracy, that depends on your gun and the velocity you want. Trial and error is the only way to find what is best for your setup and requirements.

Barrel length can have a big impact on accuracy. The longer the barrel is, the less stiff it is. The amplitude of the harmonics will be greater with a longer barrel compared to a shorter barrel. Granted the chamber, throat, and crown will have greater impact on accuracy than the length. The long range benchrest guns that are popular for the 1000 yard shooting often wear 30" barrels. But they are also very heavy tapers or full bull profile. Personally, I prefer longer barrels. They give higher velocity, move the blast farther away from the shooter, and only cost a little more weight. My elk gun is a custom 300 Weatherby Magnum with a 28" barrel. I will carry it up and down mountains walking 5-8 miles per day.

Unless you intend to purchase extra barrels, the Encore is not worth the extra $ or hastle (gun paperwork). The Omega or Triumph will shoot as well as the Encore or better. I have been looking at new ML guns also. I pretty much narrowed my search to the Omega. I wanted a laminated stock as the injection molded stocks do not hold bedding compound well or very long. That alone kind of eliminated the Triumph. I searched the internet for the stainless Omega with laminated stock and found the best deal at $442 shipped. I decided to stop at the Sportsman's Warehouse in town and look at them in person. I also looked at the Triumph while I was there. It was ok, not great. The action works opposite of the Encore/Contender or Handi as you push the lever forward to tilt the barrel. I did not care for the design. The hinge will wear and get sloppy over time. I personally do not care for a 2 piece stock design. I will take a one piece stock anytime. It is more rigid and allows a floated barrel, which promotes accuracy. They had the same Omega but in a brown laminated stock. I liked the gun as it was light and handled good despite having a 28" barrel. The lack of an action makes the overall length compact, even compared to an Encore. Then I looked at the price tag, $359+tax. Needless to say, its in my safe now. If everything goes as planned, it will never see Porodex or Triple 7. The new BH209 powder will be its main propellant, its not corrosive like the other stuff is.

Tough decision. If the kid is that gung ho about football, re-schedule the scouting trip. Since you said you can get a credit for them it may be the way to go. Personally, I would show the kid that its only his freshman year in football, there will be many more games to go. The Utah hunt may be a hunt of a lifetime. They have some huge bulls there. He may not get this chance again. Football will always be there. Tags are hard to come by. As he gets a few years older, he will have to compete with adults for tags. Take advantage of the youth hunt while you can.