Ditch the old .54 and buy a .50 for CO?

[baldwin1968]

Hello all,
I was hoping to get some feedback from the members on a good muzzleloader for Colorado. I've read a lot of the info on here and thanks to the collective sharing of knowledge, I've gotten a bit smarter on the subject.

First off I already own two muzzleloaders. The first is a Remington 700ML in .54 caliber that uses #11 caps (I bought this when they first came out about 20 years ago). Now that I live in Colorado, I can't use sabots and really didn't understand the entire picture when I bought this. I've shot with it with open sights using triple 7 powder and big lead conical bullets and powerbelts. I'm nervous to use powerbelts given what I've heard about them and I really need to validate the accuracy of the gun and different loads, however I'll say this, that dang thing rattles the fillings out of my teeth when I shoot it! It's my least favorite gun to shoot and the recoil pushing those big lead chunks out is unreal. I also really want to hunt deer this upcoming year with a muzzleloader and a .54 without being able to use sabots just seems like major overkill.

The other gun I own is a Remington Genesis in .50. I picked this up many years ago for $99 and just keep it around to "lend" to friends/family if they want to come with me on a muzzleloader hunt. I've had a couple of times where it has failed to set off the .209 primer, but I think I was using Winchester and I think those are harder primers.

So I've convinced myself that I'd do better to buy a .50 caliber quality muzzleloader that is reliable and that I could use for deer and elk in CO. I've read a lot about Thor bullets and the Federal Trophy and it seems from what I've read and what I'm seeing in reviews that the 1:28 twist guns can shoot these well with the right powder load and the right gun. The two guns I see mentioned a lot are the new Remington 700 UML and the CVA Accura V2. I've held the Accura V2 and liked it, held the Vortek Stikerfire and LOVED it, and haven't held a 700 UML but assume it's the 700 platform so should be the same as what I have. I'm leaning toward the Accura V2 because as I've said I've seen a lot of reviews/forum posts stating they will shoot well with non sabot loads, it has a good trigger, is a reasonable weight and a reasonable price.

Thanks for sticking with me this far, here are my questions:
1. I'm feeling like that .54 won't do me any good for CO outside of elk and as punishing as it is I think maybe I should get rid of it. Any feedback?
2. Has anyone gotten a good non-sabot load with teh Vortek Strikerfire and is it mild enough to shoot given the light weight of the gun?
3. Any feedback on the Accura V2 being a good choice for CO Muzzleloading given the restrictions here? Anything I'm missing?

Thanks all!

 

[ChrisA]

I have a vortek strikerfire and its fairly manageable with a stiff load of Blackhorn 209 and a 50 cal 300 grain flextip. Accuracy wasn't stellar but certainly minute of deer. I didn't test a lot of powder charges though and every rifle is different.

I do have it scoped so that additional 20 oz or so dampened recoil a bit.

Chris

 

[elkduds]

50 cal is plenty for elk under CO ML rules: no scopes, no pelletized powder, bore-sized bullets only. For me these rules mean an effective range on deer of about 100 yd, add 25 yd for elk. My CVA Optima shoots 3" @ 100 yds, rather that is what I shoot w it, open sights, hood-of-truck rest.

 

[baldwin1968]

Thanks ChrisA, When you say that accuracy was not stellar, can you tell me what kind of groups you got? I'm assuming Minute of Deer means 4-5 inches at 100 yards, but I'm hoping it's not worse than that. I REALLY love the way that Vortek feels in my hand and fits me, but like I said, I see more posts about the Accura V2 and achieving great grouping with thor and federal trophy bullets.
thanks again!

 

[ChrisA]

Disclaimer, I'm sort of an accuracy freak. The vortex with 300 grain flex tips had 2-3" vertical stringing. Could have been loading pressure or maybe mine just doesn't like those bullets. It shoots saboted bullets into 1-1.5" 3 shot groups.

It is nice to carry and handle.

Thanks,

Chris

 

[5MilesBack]

My 16yo daughter shot her bull this year with a 338gr Powerbelt Platinum and 100gr of BH209 out of a T/C Omega. It was a late notice tag and we didn't have time to do much testing, so we went with those because she had a 2" 3-shot group at 100. They worked, but she did have to put another one in him. He went about 80 yards after the first shot and there was no blood at all on the ground or around the entrance hole. No exit, bedded up against the offside hide. The first shot would have killed him eventually (behind the shoulder), but the second shot put him down for good.

We'll be trying different bullets for next time.