Thinking of buying an inline. I dont know much about them. Which ones are good? Local shop has a bunch for sale. The 2 states I hunt in allow for a scope but would like to have the option of open sights too.

My first in-line was a cheap CVA that was around $100 new. I killed a PILE of deer with that thing. Later I upgraded to a TC Pro Hunter but honestly, inside 100 yards or so it was a toss up. The CVA was lighter and I rarely shot over 100 yards anyway. If you load a 50 cal with 100 grains of powder they are pleasant to shoot. Use 150 grains and then not so much. I bought a pile of them about a year ago and sold them for $100 each NIB. They are cheap and fun to shoot.

CVA's Optima is a good choice
you can use shoot through rings if you want to use scope and fiber optic "iron" sights.

If buying used, take extra time checking barrel, breech and plug for pitting. Lot of folks dont clean their blackpowder guns as well as they should. As for brands, Im partial to Thompson Center inlines. Knight used to make an accurate inline as well. Never been a CVA fan but I know a lot of people that have bought them. Good luck on your purchase

If you are looking at a "lower end" ML, I would avoid used. As Midlander stated, most don't get the cleaning they need. For just a little more get a new one. I have seen used ones with HORRIBLE bores and breech plugs stuck in place.

bore condition is everything well almost everything any way
if the bore is bad other things will be bad

you shop for muzzle loaders with a flashlight and some patches in your pocket

look at the bore , run a patch if it catches on the bore walk away

the CVA bobcat was the cheapest of the cheap and it will clover leaf balls at 25 yards if you do your part
Walmart and most places were clearance them out in the 2003-2006 time frame for 69 dollars
the blueing was cheap and thin , the lock metal finish is like oiled cast iron
but none of that makes a muzzle loader shoot well , the bore condition could be bare metal as long as it is smooth well lubed and kept bare metal.

my first muzzle loader was a NEF Huntsman 50 for $99 dollars on sale at Gander mountain

it has been a great muzzle loader , the plastic sights stunk , I had a scope on it for several years it worked very well wit that
I eventually went to a Williams adjustable 5D target rear sight and a Globe front sight and a New-Metrics breech plug to gt rid of the little orange primer carriers and get better seal up

I have 2 older traditions bolt guns 50 cal both have adjustable triggers only mod i made was replaced the 209 primer with a #11 nipple with harvester 260 grain sabots 85 grains triple 7 both will shoot 2 in. group/100 yds all day long probably do better with a better shooter Shine up a nickeled 38/357 and drop down the bore then you can use a flashlight to check if it hangs up or doesnt rattle down you don;t need a light make sure you can find a replacement breech plug for a used one usually standing on end and soaking it with kroil for a day or two will help bust it loose as many i looked over had good bores but never had the plug out as far as i know Good rule of thumb is if its got a ramrod probably had a little care

Interesting GCP the old huntz i had you used a ramrod to knock out the plug there is a 50 cal barrel on ebay for a buck and a quarter but i got no response when i asked what kind of plug it had did see the new metrics plug for h r /nef huntsman

love my cva,

Cheapest CVA you can find and go shoot deer. 100 grains of powder is all you'll ever need for deer and your shoulder will appreciate it too!

I bought a couple of used knights for a 100 bucks 20 years ago and they still kill deer.

I still have the original breech plug and a few of the orange plastic primer holders , but when NEF went under I knew it was a matter of time before the plastic carriers would be sold out and not made

the new metrics plug works great uses a standard socket to get it out so no worries loosing the original tool

good point besides bore condition since we are talking inlines specifically , removing and inspecting the breech plug which also lets you see the bore from both ends

I bought a stuck breech plug Thompson omega I did get it out , the last couple inches of the bore are pitted I spent a decent amount of time cleaning and polishing the bore
to get the beech plug out I stood the barrel up in penitrating oil for a week then hit it with a socket and small impact wrench and it spun right out

it works it shoots it still snags a patch all the way to the bottom every once in a while , as an inline that isn't as big of an issue but it isn't ideal or what you want for a first or primary muzzle loader
I got it for fairly cheap

this is part of why range rods are a must or an extended cleaning jag
I have seen a bunch of muzzel loaders where that last 2-3 inches at the plug is rough
it seems to be people clean , they just don't clean that last 2-3 inches because they clean with the factory ram rod and jag and the rod is only as long as the barrel so they need a little to hold onto
thus the last 2-3 inches of the barrel gets pitted

this is the best range rod I have found , love these creedmore range rods https://www.trackofthewolf.com/List/Item.aspx/33/1
and while you are at track of the wolf they have the best ball puller as well which isn't as important on an inline but that it also makes the best patch worm and that is handy.
https://www.trackofthewolf.com/List/Item.aspx/839/1

breech plugs you make sure to put ant seize on them , then you run them in and make them no tighter than a spark plug 10 foot pounds then back it out a half turn and just go in till it is in not tight like 5-7 inch pounds tight is all.
you need thread engadment you don't need to stretch the threads or make them in hard or you are just working against yourself later.

Kngihts are probably pretty easy to find, i think we still have one or two.

I would try to find a TC or the CVA clone. Much easier to clean.