Do You Hunt With A Muzzleloader?

[Cuda]

I have a 45 MacGowen on one of my guns and shoot a 275be Parker sabotless. I load it with 69gr of IMR4198 and a wool wad and a Win209 primer. You on Doug's Message Board?

 

[Truc]

Oh yeah, been a life saver and just upgraded to the bushing instead of the vent liner by Savage. My name is Curt there

 

[jkupper]

GOD YES!!! The muzzle loading season in Nebraska is a whole month versus the rifle season which is only nine days. I do most of my big game hunting with the muzzle loader and a bow!

 

[SidecarFlip]

I will, not yet. Have a CVA Accura V2 but I'm tricking it a bit right now.

 

[ARTJR338WM]

I hunt with a Savage 10ML-II SST/LAM that is designed to use smokeless powder. Shooting NON-SAVAGE loads using NON-SAVAGE recommended powders I can launch a 290 grain Barnes T-MZ at around 2450fps MV or a Barnes 245 Spitfire at about 2560fps MV. I also use my Encore 209x50 and have enjoyed superb results using BH 209 BP sub. I have fired well over 1500 shots out of my Encore prior to using BH 209 and the first ever 3 shots I fired out of my Encore using 150grns of BH 209 and a saboted .451" 300grn XTP tied my past best ever 100yrd 3-shot group using 3-F/777.

If I have to use a BP sub or wish to hunt with my Encore I will only use BH 209. It is IMHO opinion based on 1500+ shots, the BP sub that will give you the best possable and consistant accuracy and the highest velocities of ANY non-smokeless BP sub.

 

[AuSSLO 555]

Applied for Cow Elk Muzzleloader, NV Resident
Mule Deer Muzzleloader, NV Resident
Just picked up my first MZ loader. Encore Pro Hunter Endeavor.50cal. Love it..
IMR Whitehots no good, compared to 777....
If all goes well, might consider it for NM Oryx hunt on WSMR. If I draw..
Shooting paper till then.

 

[Greg Duerr]

Round balls and Patches over 90 gr of 3F in my old Hawkin copy from Track of the wolf......................................13 bucks to it credit.

I feel that the Muzzle loader needs to be kept as a Buck Horn sighted close range hunting rifle...........................No scopes etc, etc ,etc

 

[SidecarFlip]

Having never owned one until this year (late winter) but growing more fond of it everyday, I have to say a muzzleloader takes one back to the basics of ballistics and becaue you really only get one shot (despite being able to reload fairly quickly with pre-measured powder tubes and bullets in your pocket), a follow up shot to cover a miss is really not an option.

You get one and you make it good, period.

I can see, next to my 308, the smoke pole will be my 'go-to' rifle.

The only thing I don't care for is the Accura V2 is a might nose heavy. It shoulders well, the trigger is very crisp with no slop or pre-travel and I never fiddled with the pull, just left it set at the factory setting.

It's sort of funky looking in Real Tree with a Real Tree Nikon in the mounts. Other than that (because I used to a snot stocked ((synthetic black or grey stock)), it handles and shoots like a cartridge rifle.

The one important feature to me is our hunting rules here in Michigan, where I reside. In this unit, you can't hunt with a centerfire rifle at all. You can hunt with a hangun of sufficient caliber (which I have in a S&W 44 long barreled revolver) or bow or muzzleloader.

We have some fine whitetails in the area, large bucks and adult does that I haven't been able to hunt until now because toting a scoped 44 in the woods and field is cumbersome at best while the Accura can be on my shoulder, out of the way. I'll be added to the deep freeze and mounts this fall.

 

[aythya]

78 grains by weight of Blackhorn 209
290 grain Barnes Spitfire T-EZ
T/C Omega

Harvested a 330 inch elk in Utah in 2013 @ 225 yards.

Double lung shot.

 

[SidecarFlip]

78 grains by weight of Blackhorn 209
290 grain Barnes Spitfire T-EZ
T/C Omega

Harvested a 330 inch elk in Utah in 2013 @ 225 yards.

Double lung shot.

Nice... I consider 250 about the outer limit for a saboted Barnes (I send the 290 TMZ's). Bullet drop is getting real seroius over 200 and at 250 resembles a banana....

Will be switching to Thor, non saboted in 300 grain next year. Thor's are Barnes ballistic tipped, modified for no sabot.

I hear that the Thor will make 400 yards and be lethal.

 

[deaner 20]

cva optima 100 grain blackhorn 250 grain schockwave

 

[Greg Duerr]

Yes, However I use a Patched Round ball .54cal using 90gr of FF..........in a uberti curry maple perfect copy of the original Sam Hawkins Rifle.

I have killed 14 Mule Deer bucks with this Rifle and the longest shot I ever made was 104 yards, most kills were 80yds and less

 

[Butch523]

Do You Hunt With A Muzzleloader?

Yes. a few guns.

 

[Rick Richard]

Yep. A custom built cap lock in 50 cal pushing a patched ball with FFG.