Pennsylvania Game News - April 2020 - 59

time you get off your second shot.
BLACKPOWDER

Blackpowder
Winner: .50-Caliber Flintlock

WINNER

.50-CAL FLINTLOCK

If I could advise two guns here, I'd
recommend a scoped inline muzzleloader
for early-season opportunities, as well as
an open-sights flintlock for the late season.
But since I'm limited to choosing one, I
must select the muzzleloader currently
legal for all muzzleloader rifle seasons,
the flintlock.
While there's a following in both
the .45-caliber and .54-caliber flintlock
camps, a .50 seems to be the most
common caliber selection among blackpowder hunters. A rifled barrel .50-cal is
a solid choice for white-tailed deer, and it
is just as deadly for black bears.
One of the most reliable flintlocks
around is the Lyman Deerstalker,
equipped with English flints and fiberoptic sights. When adjusted properly, the
frizzen throws nice sparks and the gun is
a pleasure to shoot. It disassembles easily
for cleaning and is light enough to carry
for extended walks in mid-October or
late-December weather.
Like any blackpowder rifle, it takes
some practice and fine-tuning to find the
right powder and projectile pairing, but
once that is determined, a Deerstalker can
be a real treat in any of Pennsylvania's
muzzleloader seasons.
SMALL-GAME RIFLE

Small Game Rifle
Winner: Bolt-Action .22 LR

WINNER

BOLT-ACTION .22 LR

Every hunter should own a .22 rifle.
They are inexpensive, fun to shoot, and
serve as a perfect gateway firearm for
APRIL 2020	

turning on new people to the sport. With
light recoil and pinpoint accuracy, .22s
transfer well from the range to the field
for squirrels, rabbits and groundhogs, all
of which are plentiful game animals that
help keep the interest of novice hunters.
My favorite is a Marlin - a company
that's been around since the 1800s. I use a
Model 25N bolt-action rimfire in .22 longrifle. It's another wallet-friendly gun that
carries its weight well afield. I primarily
use it for squirrels and as a dispatch gun
for trapping, but it has taken out plenty of
pesky groundhogs, too.
Feel free to get sentimental in this
category, as .22s have been around for
decades, and have long been a household
staple on rural homesteads. If you're lucky
enough to acquire grandfather's old .22,
have it checked by a gunsmith, test shoot a
few rounds and then take it for a walk. Let
the memories settle in like your grip on
the walnut stock. It'll become a familiar
friend in no time.

THOUGHTS ON FAVORITES
I've done my best to provide a thorough and reasonable explanation for each
of my aforementioned selections, and I
hope I haven't offended anyone by leaving
personal favorites off my list.
There's justification for any firearm
that performs as it should in the field,
whether new or used, expensive or inexpensive, highly-featured or standard. Use
what you enjoy hunting with the most,
what you can afford, and what you shoot
the best. Don't let me try to convince you
otherwise.
But if you're just starting out, my hope
is that this lineup of Beginner's Arsenal
firearms will help steer you in the right
direction, which is more than I can say
for my golf swing.
59
Pennsylvania Game News - April 2020

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Pennsylvania Game News - April 2020
