Thought I might take up muzzle loader for hunting deer this season. Anybody recommend something that is easy to use and shoot? Probably use it from a blind inside of 100 yards. I have never shot a modern muzzle loader, just old fashioned black powder stuff. Whats good here?
Muzzle loaders? Anybody recommend a good one?
- Thread starter USP
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Northman999
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Southern Yukon
I've got a Traditions Tracker. I'm pretty sure it's the cheapest modern you can get. Honestly, it will shoot cloverleafs at 100 yards using 100gr Pyrodex and 300gr SST sabots. Crazy accurate, simple to do maintenance on, and cheap enough you won't cry if you scratch it.
Northman999
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Southern Yukon
Ah, sorry I left that out. I've got a basic Bushnell Banner 3-9x40 on my Tracker. With scope/bases/rings and a sling, I'm pretty sure you can be all set up for under $400 if you went that way.
My only other BP experience is with a .58 cal traditional Hawken rifle. Also quite accurate (3" or so with open sights), and will literally put a 565 gr maxi-hunter through the length of a 6' black bear, but due to the percussion cap ignition system, it is not nearly as reliable.
Get a Savage and use smokeless powder. You can use mild loads and have a 100yd gun or load it up and shoot 250 yds accurately. No messing with blackpowder or substitutes. You will spend as much time cleaning as shooting using blackpowder and substitutes. Whatever gun you choose be sure to get on that uses a 209 primer for ignition.
Smokeless muzzleloaders = 
I used to own a Knight Disc and it was alot of fun. Any of the modern muzzleloaders with a removable breach will serve you well. I have decided to buy another, not a modern and I may even go to a flintlock. It's like an addiction, and it feels good to go back to the roots of it all.
I used to own a Knight Disc and it was alot of fun. Any of the modern muzzleloaders with a removable breach will serve you well. I have decided to buy another, not a modern and I may even go to a flintlock. It's like an addiction, and it feels good to go back to the roots of it all.
I don't personally own one, but I would get a T/C encore. I just think they are a very accurate, great quality ML. The people I talked to that own one can't say enough good things about them. Plus if you choose, you can run a CF barrel on it.
Northman999
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Southern Yukon
Reliability of the new Tracker is 100% perfect so far. The traditional Hawken style rifle is about 80% reliable in good conditions and about 50% in bad weather. Hence the traditional percussion rifle has become more of a range rifle until I can find some reliable percussion caps. I upgraded the nipple to a high performance aftermarket one, but still, of the three brands of percussion caps I've been able to try, I get a fair amount of dud caps.
savage no longer makes their muzzle loader. and knight is out of business.
i wouldent recomend the smokeless kind, to much to go wrong if you aren't paying attention (hence why savage no longer makes theirs)
TC make excellent ML's can also switch the barrel off and use it as a center fire.
from a ground stand i wouldn't use a traditional black powder, you might smoke yourself out.
i wouldent recomend the smokeless kind, to much to go wrong if you aren't paying attention (hence why savage no longer makes theirs)
TC make excellent ML's can also switch the barrel off and use it as a center fire.
from a ground stand i wouldn't use a traditional black powder, you might smoke yourself out.
Riflesmith
CGN Regular
- Location
- On The Line
I bought an encore only to lengthen my hunting season. I can say honestly I do really like it. I purchased a different breech plug that uses a .25 acp case. THis has cut down the amount of powder fouling on the face of the receiver. The plug turns out easily for cleaning and straight through for barrel cleaning. Being a centerfire guy I do hate the cleaning required for a muzzleloader but they are fun. As has been mentioned I also took advantage of the ability to use a centerfire and bought a .223 barrel this spring. Good luck
I really like my TC encore. It is nice and accurate.
Some people don't like the fact that you have to clean them lots, Thats part of the fun of the ML.
Another bonus of the TC encore or prohunter platform is you can (if you want) get different barrels, which I think is a pretty cool option.
Some people don't like the fact that you have to clean them lots, Thats part of the fun of the ML.
Another bonus of the TC encore or prohunter platform is you can (if you want) get different barrels, which I think is a pretty cool option.
So how is the pyrodex pellets? Is it better than Powder? Is the Omega a good safe choice? I want this mainly to extend my hunting into the winter months as the season is much longer for it. Where I am setting up my blind the meadow of death will be a long shot for my crossbow, thats why I thought the ML might be a good choice.
How are these things on optics? Do thier recoil impulses hit optics harder or softer than regular centerfire guns? Softer?
How are these things on optics? Do thier recoil impulses hit optics harder or softer than regular centerfire guns? Softer?
What is there to go wrong with a smokeless Savage that can't go wrong with any other modern inline if you don't pay attention when using either.
