muzzleloaders

grizzlybeardavid · Rookie Member Joined: Feb 09, 2006 Posts: 13

I'm thinking of buying a winchester X 150 in stainless 50 cal. gun. Anyone have any experience with this rifle?

DallanC · Site Admin Joined: Jan 18, 2005 Posts: 3572 Location: Utah

I know a guy who split the barrel on one... using a standard load. I bought a .30-06 off him for my wife and know first hand he takes good care of his firearms. Personally I'd look elsewhere.

-DallanC

grizzlybeardavid · Rookie Member Joined: Feb 09, 2006 Posts: 13

Thank you very much!!

I lent my gonic to a friend a few years ago and i'll call himup to get it back. I know it isn't as easy to clean as the new muzzleloaders and ammo isn't available but I think I'll be able to use any 50 calibre ammo for it. By the way this is the best site I've ever participated in, thanks to you all.

RPM1031 · Posted: Thu Mar 09, 2006 10:24 pm Post subject: Re: muzzleloaders

I own one and love it. It has been very accurate for me. I got it from Cabela's in Hamberg, PA. A fella who worked there had one in 45 cal. and loved it. Winchster muzzleloaders are hooked up with CVA and I think they have the same barrels. I got mine a couple of years ago and at that time the barrel wasn't SS. I think it was somekind of nickle finish. killed my first deer with it last year. I'm very surprised to hear that about Dallan's friend's barrel.

cjp45 · Posted: Sat Mar 18, 2006 7:46 am Post subject: Re: muzzleloaders

GBD,
They are made by BPI so it is really a renamed CVA. Their barrels are made in Spain and aren't proof tested. I've read on different forums that they have blown up when people used 3 - 50 gr pellets of Triple 7 powder.

RPM1031 · Posted: Sat Mar 18, 2006 1:39 pm Post subject: Re: muzzleloaders

I'm checking with CVA next week about this. Talked to Cabela's in Hamberg, PA where I got the X-150 and they now say that only a max. load of 100 grains is recommened in the gun.???? "X" usually stands for extreme and "150" wouldn't that indicate 150 grains of powder when that's what all the in-lines were going to at the time the gun came out? Not what I was told by CVA & Wincherter reps and sales person at the store at the time I purchased the gun. The manager of the gun dept. hadn't heard anything about the barrels but said if I want to bring back the gun they will set me up with another gun.

Crackshot · Posted: Sat Mar 18, 2006 1:45 pm Post subject: Re: muzzleloaders

I would not buy it! Personaly the CVA's are a great failure in my book.

Bushmaster · Posted: Sat Mar 18, 2006 2:29 pm Post subject: Re: muzzleloaders

Thompson/Center .50 cal. Hawken cap lock...

cjp45 · Posted: Tue Mar 21, 2006 8:45 am Post subject: Re: muzzleloaders

GBD,
You could save up your money like I did and buy a Savage 10MLII stainless and laminate. Laminate for the ridgidity and stainless because it's only type to come with laminate. Very accurate,easy to clean and it shoots smokeless powder! Instant message me for more details if you like.

Dwtrees · Rookie Member Joined: Mar 20, 2006 Posts: 7

I agree with bushmaster, Thompson Center 50 caliber percussion or my 50 caliber custom flintlock. Only way to shot black powder or pyrodex. And by the way you do not need 150 grains to shoot a deer. I use 75 grains of 3F black powder and have harvested deer out to 125 yards with both the percussion and the flintlock.

I belong to the Missouri River Muzzleloaders Club and the way we shot an inline is to take the inline and shove the muzzle in the ground at least 1 foot. Then we back up and shoot at it with our flintlocks and the one that knocks it over wins the shoot.

Vince · Posted: Wed Mar 22, 2006 6:58 am Post subject: Re: muzzleloaders

Have no idea what an "inline" black powder rifle is so I did a little searching and found the following:

Winchester X 150

Don't know if this will provide any more info than what you already have, but it is an interesting read.

Cheers, Vince

RPM1031 · Posted: Wed Mar 22, 2006 12:04 pm Post subject: Re: muzzleloaders

Thanks for the info Vince.

terry264 · Posted: Wed Mar 29, 2006 12:53 am Post subject: Re: muzzleloaders

rpm1031, according to the winchestermuzzleloading.com site, all winchester muzzleloaders are capable of the 150 gr. (equivalent by volume)
powder charge although they don't recommend it for accuracy. They say 100 to 130 gr. charge should be sufficient. Go to their website and check it out.

RPM1031 · Posted: Wed Mar 29, 2006 1:21 am Post subject: Re: muzzleloaders

I've talked to their customer service and they do say it is a magnum and able to handle 150 grains. They also said the only problems they knew of were due to customer error, improper loading, incorrect powder, etc. According to the guy at Cabela's the barrel has been pressure checked but only for 100 grains and they didn't recommend using more than that. I've seen this in other reviews. Dallan's friend told him his barrel split in 3 places from 150 grains of Pyrodex. I may take Cabela's up on their offer to give a full refund for the gun plus things I may have gotten for it. A friend is recommending an Encore muzzleloader so I can pick up other barrels for it later.

Even though I don't use more than 100 grains at this time, hearing this stuff makes me a bit uncomfortable.

Crackshot · Posted: Wed Mar 29, 2006 5:58 am Post subject: Re: muzzleloaders

Now your talking, Take it back and get a Thompson Center!
CVA makes the Winchester, and in my oppinion CVA is a piece of crap! there quality control has been bad for 20 or more years, they have made it better this last few years, but I still dont like the junk they make.