Gun-barrel Diplomat

lonewolf5347:
Thanks for the link to TC Custom Shop. The custom Renegade looks like a sweet gun, but I wonder about the double set trigger mechanism, and isn't the .58 caliber a bit too much for whitetail?

popeye

All you really need in a 50cal for deer and bear in VA. The 50 also gives you a wider selection of bullet types and weights. I have a friend who's hunted with a 54 but everyone else I know stays with a 50. I've been hunting whitetails with a mz in va for about 15 years. The hunting is usually really good during the early season. Good luck this season and welcome home, even if it's only for a short time.

Gun-barrel Diplomat

popeye:

Now you got me all excited. I haven't been able to do any kind of hunting in over 10 years--longer for deer. My last hunt was a goose hunt with my dad in the early 90's. Can't even remember my last deer hunt. Now I will be able to take my own boys out for deer. I figure the muzzleloader season will extend the season for us and maybe even provide more experience for the boys and meat for the table.

I will be living in northern VA. I will be a language student at the Foreign Service Institute for a year before we head off to Adana Turkey. My intention is to use every weekend during the season to do some kind of hunting in VA.

Do most VA hunters belong to clubs or have farmer friends that let them hunt on their land? Is there any decent hunting on public land anywhere in the state? How difficult/expensive is it to get into some good hunting in VA? Living in northern VA (probably around Falls Church), I imagine I'll have to drive a ways out to get into some deer country. Any advice to a VA hunting newbie would be appreciated.

txhunter58

Actually I like the double trigger set up. You can either just pull the actual trigger (with a hard pull) or pull the set trigger when you are ready to shoot and then the shooting trigger becomes a "hair" trigger. I like this set up because you only pull the set trigger when it is aimed at a targer and then the hair trigger helps me prevent flinching. Watch Quigley Down Under again. If he uses one it must be OK!

Be advised, any of the trigger guards, especially the elaborate ones, can be knucle knockers. My renegade has some areas behind the trigger for your fingers, but when I put them there the gun recoil tends to hurt my fingers. I may just not know how to hold it right, but after a few knuckle busting times, I don't put my fingers behind the trigger guard.

Also, if you are at all recoil shy, I would recommend an add on recoil pad. I got a slip on Limbsaver recoil pad and it has made a big difference. before that, I would have a bruised shoulder and sore neck for a few days after shooting. I think it also helps me not flinch.

popeye

I live and hunt primarily in the western part of the state. Hunting in NVA and east of the Blue Ridge is done to a large extent on private land and hunting clubs. Based only on what I've read from various sources I would say that that finding a place to hunt locally in N.VA would be both difficult and very expensive. Public hunting land east of the Blue Ridge is limited with a lot of people hunting Quantico and the army bases around Richmond. There is an abundance of national forest land(1 million plus acres), which is almost free, about a three hour drive from Falls Church. A $3 permit is required and is purchased over the counter.

Tomster

BP,

I like and use the flint since there is a season in PA that is Flint only. I have a friend that uses a percussion during deer season, but he is thinking about selling it since he really likes an in-line. I would try both if I were you and get the one you like the most. Percussion is slightly more modern than flint. Both might not work when wet and when dampness gets into you muzzle and dampens your powder, nothing will happen. I have also seen this happen in in-lines, only the cap will fire.

Anyway, I am not much of a traditional hunter. My flint-lock is a synthetic stock, and fiber optic sights, plus I shoot powerbelt bullets. I like the flint but with a choice like yours, I might go with the percussion since it is slightly more modern. If you intend to go hunting in other states which have flint only options like PA, than I would go with the flint.

That is just my opinion.

Tom

Gun-barrel Diplomat

How is most black powder hunting done in VA? Tree stand? Still hunt? How is bear hunting in VA?

Gun-barrel Diplomat

What are powerbelts, and what advantages do they have over other conicals?

Tomster

GB,

Powerbelts are like sabots and have a small plastic cap on the bottem of the bullet. They are so easy to load, I use my finger. They shoot far better than round balls and are deadly against deer. They are sold at Gander Mountain, local Hardware store, and local gun shop. They are a product of CVA. To find out more about them, goto Google and enter CVA Powerbelt and take a look at the product.

Some people like them while others hate them. I happend to like them a lot. I shout 80 grain of T7 with the 295 grain aero tips powerbelts. They work great in my inline as well as my flint.

T

popeye

Generally, the best bear hunting is in the National Forest in the counties that border West Virginia. Most people hunt with hounds with a few, like me, still hunt them. Hunting bear and deer over bait is prohibited. Augusta, Rockingham and Shenadoah counties always have good numbers with many over 300lbs and some bears topping 400lbs on the official scales at the checking stations. How people deer hunt during the MZ season is really personal preference. Most guys that I know hunt from stands during the early season and still hunt the late season.