New to muzzleloaders

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Looking to get into hunting with a muzzleloader so I can squeeze another week out of ontario's deer season. Right now im gravitating towards Traditions muzzleloaders due to them being cheap.

Now i know that cheap doesn't mean it's going to be a quality firearm but im really looking to only use this for one week per year so I don't want to be spending $500+ on a muzzleloader.

Would you guys recommend Tradition made muzzleloaders for taking down deer or should I look elsewhere? Any other recommendations?
 
I find the Traditions to be at best just ok. If you are just using it for the one week of the deer season then you will probably be happy with it. A better choice though in my opinion is the T/C Omega Z5. You can find these for around $340 bucks. These guns come with a good quality barrel and if you decide to play around a little with different loads you will probably get better accuracy with the Omega.
 
I took it up a few years ago to take advantage of an extra 3 weeks of deer in Manitoba.

I bought a Lyman Trade Rifle which basically a Hawken side hammer "primitive weapon" design. It had iron sights and of course a "sidehammer" doesn't exactly lend itself to a scope. Because of my age I started to have a little trouble with my eyesight vis-a-vis iron sights. They were a little blurry (although I can see at distance just fine). I was missing "easy" shots too often and also I began to learn where some of the old sayings originated, like "hangfire", "shot my wad","misfire", etc.
Also, with a replica muzzleloader unloading can be a trial.

Long and short is if you are not a dyed-in-the-wool traditionalist and just want the extra field time go buy an "in-line" modern muzzleloader with a scope. There are a few package deals around that will be in your price range.

Personally, because we have a 3 week season in Manitoba, I sprang for a Knight Disc .50 Cal & 3x9x40 Redfield scope and I shoot 45Cal Hornady XTP pistol bullets in a black sabot,and 80 grain 777 powder.Of course these modern guns use a 209 shotshell cap so you almost always get ignition no matter how damp and cold it is.

Whatever you get, read the manual and all other instructions because you can really hurt yourself.

One thing about muz season is it is very good fall weather and perhaps the best time to be afield.

Hope all this is helpful!

Good luck.
 
Lex said:
I took it up a few years ago to take advantage of an extra 3 weeks of deer in Manitoba.

I bought a Lyman Trade Rifle which basically a Hawken side hammer "primitive weapon" design. It had iron sights and of course a "sidehammer" doesn't exactly lend itself to a scope. Because of my age I started to have a little trouble with my eyesight vis-a-vis iron sights. They were a little blurry (although I can see at distance just fine). I was missing "easy" shots too often and also I began to learn where some of the old sayings originated, like "hangfire", "shot my wad","misfire", etc.
Also, with a replica muzzleloader unloading can be a trial.

Long and short is if you are not a dyed-in-the-wool traditionalist and just want the extra field time go buy an "in-line" modern muzzleloader with a scope. There are a few package deals around that will be in your price range.

Personally, because we have a 3 week season in Manitoba, I sprang for a Knight Disc .50 Cal & 3x9x40 Redfield scope and I shoot 45Cal Hornady XTP pistol bullets in a black sabot,and 80 grain 777 powder.Of course these modern guns use a 209 shotshell cap so you almost always get ignition no matter how damp and cold it is.

Whatever you get, read the manual and all other instructions because you can really hurt yourself.

One thing about muz season is it is very good fall weather and perhaps the best time to be afield.

Hope all this is helpful!

Good luck.
Click to expand...

Good post, I like the traditional stuff, but I can see the appeal with the inline guns.
 
It really comes down to what you want. Lots of guys in our area are shooting the CVA wolf. I shoot Savage and MDM myself but I know a few guys shooting under 2" groups at 100 yards with scoped CVA's. Accuracy Plus in Peterborough stocks them. PM me if you want... I'm close to you and happy to share what I know about BP guns with you.
 
i got 2 deer in Manitoba this year in bp. but 0 in rifle.
last year i got 2 in bp And one in rifle.

the extra 3 weeks helps a lot!

i say if you want a good and cheap new gun take a look at the h&r guns.

right now i use a encore.
 
Traditions or CVA will fill your tag, but you wont be entirely happy with them, and will most certainly upgrade. My first ML's were a CVA inline's (Staghorn, Hunterbolts), and a Traditions Kentucky sidelock, and I thought that they were the cats meow. After pulling a trigger on a Knight disc, TC Encore, and Pedersoli sidelock, I had a "were have you been all my life?" moment.. I sold them all a went with a more mainstream line. I then swore a blood oath to never own any other cheapo ML line.
 
Ontario makes your calibre selection a bit easier. There's a minimum ML calibre for deer. .45, I think.
Buy a copy of Lyman's Black Powder Handbook & Loading manual. Has lots of good info about ML's and how to load 'em. Lists at about $30.
 
I dunno I have a Traditions inline elcheapo .50 cal.Tracker 209 and it works just fine. I find 300 grain sabots work best and I can't complain about it at all. It is compact, well balanced (feels like a light model 94 Winchester in hand) and shoots where I aim. The shotgun primer ignition system works flawlessly and have yet to suffer a hangfire. I like it. Be carefull of the ramrod though. It can scratch the rifling. I use a dowel out of hardwood instead.
 
I like the traditional style muzzleloaders and have only once in about 20 years had a fail to fire, and maybe twice had a hange fire, in horrid conditions. I hunt with others that use Knight, Remington, TC, and Traditions inlines and most of them have had fail to fires at one time or another. Most often it is because of improper cleaning before loading. I also am getting to the age that scopes are best, but I get close enough for the iron sights to do the job. I sugest you get the best muzzleloader you can afford no matter what style you choose.
 
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