So my new group of hunters got me to borrow a muzzleloader and brave the cold for muzzleloader this year.

I've shot flintlock and percussion cap muskets before, only a couple times.

Now after today I've experienced a scoped inline muzzleloader.

I'm digging the black powder thing so I'm going to pick up a muzzleloader of my own this year, practice with it , and get some meat next winter with it.

I'm really partial to the Lyman trade percussion cap rifle. It's a cap rifle, traditional look and load, modern design, good price. I think I'd prefer a traditional rifle, maybe even one with a longer barrel.

Anywho, what do you think? I don't like the look or feel of inlines. I want this gun for target shooting as well as hunting, and I don't think I'd enjoy shooting the inline like I would the traditional.  Or is the inline just that much better that it's not worth buying the traditional?

What's your opinion

I have numerous models of both.

when I am serious buck hunting I use my Knight Disc Extreme. when I am out to kill a deer ( either sex) I use my T/C Renegade.

I bought mine for practical hunting, so my choices are dictated by the state regulations, Idaho calls it primitive hunting, with the restrictions they mandate they're not kidding.
Lyman Great Plains percussion cap .54 caliber, and the nice thing is I can legally use the peep sight.

Use whatever makes you happy.

I have a T/C White Mountain Carbine (percussion lock carbine) I carry for fun, particularly on days when I'm mostly going to be spending a little time in the woods.  For serious hunting, I have a CVA Accura.  

If your goal is to fill your freezer I would recommend a modern inline with a scope.

I have a Savage stainless 10ML. I like not having to concern myself with keeping the powder dry and using smokless powder to eliminate having to clean the gun everytime I shoot. It's basically like a single shot rifle that takes a little longer to reload than using a cartridge. It's a personal preference. If you really want a traditional muzzleloader then that's what you should get.

For range and hitting power, nothing beats a minie rifle.   OK, a Whitworth will but it fouls very easily.  While the Whitworth fires a 535 grain bolt, it has a superior ballistic coefficient than the Minie (.577/.578) and bucks the wind better and penetrates more.  Repro-Whitworths are very expensive though and the minie will do the job.

For fun (for me), make mine a flintlock.

The Lyman Great Plains rifle is a fine rifle. Many report excellent accuracy from them.
I'm a traditionalist so I favor the historical pieces more than the modern in-lines.
To me, in-lines seem to take away the challenge. They're just like using a modern firearm with the scope and all.
Half the fun is doing it the Old School way and making meat.
To each his own.

Traditionals are fine.  No problems so long as you treat them right....

I've had one problem with traditionals.  Its easily fixed.  My traditional had a tendency to misfire.  Then I discovered the culprit:  After cleaning I'd oil the bore, set the gun in the cabinet, muzzle up as is traditional in most cabinets and safes.  Oils would migrate down into the the little metal 'thimble' the nipple was threaded into.  When I'd charge the barrel with powder, this powder would get wet with oils and I'd get a misfire or a hang fire.  The fix was easy:  Clean.  Swab with oil.  Run dry patch to remove most oils.  Store muzzle DOWN on rag, so oils run down to muzzle, not breech.  When its time to hunt, run dry patch again, snap a cap or two, then call it good -  load up and hunt.  This was a 100% fix for my misfires.....  

Be careful on your muzzleloader choice....  Even those with side locks have two barrel twists.  Fast twist, for conicals, often about 1 in 32 or faster for .50's.   And slow twist, often on the order 1 in 60" for round balls.  If you choose a slow twist rifle, you pretty much have to use round balls.  A .50 round ball isn't as effective as a .50 conical/minie....  If you are going to go full on traditional and shoot patched round balls, a .54 cal would offer substantially better performance....

I prefer the Percussion cap/traditional over the Inline.  It's a personal preference and i'm not knocking those who choose the newer inlines.  I've had a CVA Hawken 50Cal since 1991.  Used it to shoot several deer in Indiana.  used a patched round ball for all but one of them.  For that one I used a TC mini ball or maxi ball whatever it was called.  Been so long since i've used them  I didn't notice it doing any better than the patched round ball.  
This year i'm putting in for a Muzzleloader tag here in Nevada and hopefully will draw for deer.  If I draw then I think I will pick up one of the Lyman trade rifles in 54Cal with a faster twist so I can use some of the bigger lead bullets out there.

Cool thanks for the responses. I haven't picked it up yet, waiting to sell a couple shotguns I don't use then I'm thinking I'll go with the Lyman trade percussion cap. It'll be for meat and for target practice, and for fun. Hoping it can accomplish all of these tasks

I've used black powder muzzleloaders in the past.  I bought a Ruger M77 stainless 50 cal. a few years back.  I like that I don't need to do much as far as cleaning and the performance is nearly like a centerfire rifle. You're either an old time muzzleloader person or you're not. I'm not.

Me either.  Thompson Omega for me.  3 Triple 7's, a 209 primer, a hornady XTP.  Thors hammer indeed.  Boom, puff of smoke, whap of the bullet and flop.  Only thing more impressive in my hunting career was a 12 Ga. slug broadside at 35 feet.  By the time we get to ML season were hunting specific deer too. Big deer.  It's a great time of year to be in the woods.  Bundle up...it's cold out there Bob.

Get both.
I love using my inline during the early doe season we have in PA... Basically like having a single shot 06 with the right loading...
My homemade flintlock gets out to play in January during the late, flintlock only season... Although now I could also legally use the inline, or a regular rifle, in 2 nearby counties...