NEF huntsman or sidekick muzzleloader???
11-03-2004, 06:33 PM
#1
Fork Horn
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: lebanon,virginia
Posts: 143
NEF huntsman or sidekick muzzleloader???
Im going to get one of the two and i dont know exactly which one to get. The sideckick has a 26inch barrel as to the huntsmans 24inch barrel(advantage?). Are they a decent gun for a begginer? Please help!!!
11-03-2004, 07:21 PM
#2
Dominant Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Wisconsin
Posts: 21,193
RE: NEF huntsman or sidekick muzzleloader???
From all the postings I have read, they are a excellent value for the money. As for which is better, well the Huntsman I believe you can send the rifle in and have a second barrel fitted to it. The Sidekick is made so that you can not do that and therefore it does not fall under certain guidelines in some states reference sales of it...
The only advantage of the extra two inch barrel is the longer sighting plane and the fact it is a little better at burning off powder better then the other one. The shorter the barrel the less able to burn gun powder in an efficient manner. That's why people with 22" barrels really make no sense shooting more then 120 grains of powder because un burned powder will normally blow out the end of the barrel. Also because it will handle magnum charges is no reason to shoot them. The accuracy will not be there. 100 grains is the standard charge.
If your not going to fit a second barrel to the rifle and use it only for black powder I would get the 26" model.
The only advantage of the extra two inch barrel is the longer sighting plane and the fact it is a little better at burning off powder better then the other one. The shorter the barrel the less able to burn gun powder in an efficient manner. That's why people with 22" barrels really make no sense shooting more then 120 grains of powder because un burned powder will normally blow out the end of the barrel. Also because it will handle magnum charges is no reason to shoot them. The accuracy will not be there. 100 grains is the standard charge.
If your not going to fit a second barrel to the rifle and use it only for black powder I would get the 26" model.
11-04-2004, 01:28 PM
#4
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 3,092
RE: NEF huntsman or sidekick muzzleloader???
I have a Huntsman - excellent little rifle. But if I were to buy again, now that the Sidekick is available, I would go with the Sidekick in SS/Nickel/Synthetic stock and I would choose the available 24" barrel. No sense going through an FFL to get the Huntsman (unless you really want a shotgun barrel later). They are pretty much the same gun and all reports I've read on the Sidekick have been very good (save one complaint about the stock bolt in a wood stocked version). The 24" barrel would seem to me to be better balanced and I'm doubtful you would realize much gain from the extra 2" of the 26 except for carrying extra weight and maybe more forward balance - if that appeals to you.
