Help me get started ML hunting

[Bominiscious]

I wanna expand my seasons and opportunities. Also learn something new. I love bow hunting and rifle hunting but haven't done this one yet. I need help buying a ML and I can hunt fields and plots with 200 yard shot opportunities. Y'all have some recommendations be a good starter setup for me? I can hunt with a scope here.

What size groups can I expect? What is model? Make? Etc.

I know it's vague but you don't know what you don't know, so I'm throwing it out there.

Thanks

 

[HSmithTX]

Do you want to kill more deer or do you want to muzzleloader hunt for the challenge of it? You can buy muzzleloading rifles that will shoot into a minute at 600+ yards if that's what you want to do, range the deer, dial the scope, and let fly. From my personal knowledge it's not much if any harder than the same shot with a 308 and a mediocre bullet, but to be clear I don't have a ton of experience with them. Lot's of the common 209 primer inline types are good for 200 yards pretty easily.

Lots of experience here with truly LONG range smokeless muzzleloaders as well as inline types and traditional types whether cap guns or flint. What you want to do will help others relate their experiences.

For me, I want the challenge of hunting with a primitive weapon so I hunt with a traditional style flintlock. Real black powder, patched round ball, iron sights, state of the art 300+ years ago LOL. It will shoot sub 3" at 100 with a capable operator. Kills at 100 also, and that's getting solidly into 'long range' for the equipment in my book. My flintlock is very comparable to bowhunting, just adds 50 yards or so to my range. I primarily bowhunt and muzzleloader hunt these days as it is way more satisfying to me personally, but I also love long range shooting and that's why I hang around here.

 

[Rosebud]

Look at inline ML using 209 shotgun primers. They are like rifles in the aspect of you get what you pay for. Don't go cheap, but you can get a good one in the $500 to $600 range. Try the new hornady sabot bullets. Easy to load and very accurate. Pyrodex and triple seven powder pellets, get the Fifty grain pellets. Mount the best scope you can afford. Accuracy is very good. 200 yard shots are doable. That being said, the sky is the limit on them as HSmithTx said.

 

[Bominiscious]

I'm definitely wanting to go with something modern and as accurate as possible. I'd like to be able to shoot deer to 200+ yards If that is truly feasible, which it seems like it is after reading here. I don't understand the smoke was option but seems that is different than a simple production in-line muzzleloader.

 

[asd9055]

I'm definitely wanting to go with something modern and as accurate as possible. I'd like to be able to shoot deer to 200+ yards If that is truly feasible, which it seems like it is after reading here. I don't understand the smoke was option but seems that is different than a simple production in-line muzzleloader.

CHeck your rules/regulations. Not all ML rifles are legal in ML/Primitive season on all states. Every State differs.

 

[Rosebud]

The long range ML use smokeless powder. And different ignition systems than the 209 shot shell primer. Those are the 600 plus yard ML's. And they cost as much as a custom center fire rifle. Pay a visit to your local gun store and ask them about inline ML. Look at several. Thompson Center made a great inline. The TC triumph. I own one ant it shoots great. But Smith and Wesson owned them and has stopped production. There are several others. Most are good to very good. Take a look. PS, I would not hesitate to buy a TC Triumph.

 

[Bominiscious]

I'm thinking maybe I need to just look at production manufactured inlines. No need to make the jump to something that shoots 600 yards when my max range is 300 yards at any place that I would hunt. Additionally, I don't want to spend the money That a smokeless ML custom build would take.

But when I do a deep dive into production muzzleloaders it gets overwhelming pretty quickly. Seems like CVA is the flagship right now in the production line

 

[338 dude]

CVA accura

 

[Rosebud]

I'm thinking maybe I need to just look at production manufactured inlines. No need to make the jump to something that shoots 600 yards when my max range is 300 yards at any place that I would hunt. Additionally, I don't want to spend the money That a smokeless ML custom build would take.

But when I do a deep dive into production muzzleloaders it gets overwhelming pretty quickly. Seems like CVA is the flagship right now in the production line

CVA also makes some really cheap ML,s. Look at their upper end guns. Knight makes a good gun. My best advice is don't go cheap if you're really interested in this. You'll only be trading it in in a couple of years. Look for easy breach access. Cleaning these things can be a pain. You have to clean about every other firing when sighting in, otherwise it will shoot to a different poi when clean when hunting. I'm not and expert on anything, but I've been shooting one of these for about fifty years. I've had five different cap locks and two flint locks. I now hunt with a inline. I'm To old to fool with a traditional muzzle loader. But they are fun to shoot and hunt with. Eyesight precludes my use on iron sights. My kids have the traditional guns.

 

[Mark37082]

I've had a muzzle loader for decades. Our muzzle loader deer season happens to fall during the rut usually. I just bought a new inline to replace my old Knight. The old Knight was just too difficult to clean and load for my liking. I bought a CVA Accura MR in 50 cal. Nothing fancy, but should get the job done and is very easy to clean and load. I went with the MR vs the LR due to areas I will be hunting, and the fact that bucks are generally on the move chasing does.

 

[338 dude]

As mentioned above another thing to look for is about the cleaning, is one that no tools are necessary to remove the breech plug. That's very helpful when cleaning or even unloading.

 

[Browninglover1]

You really need to check legality of what is considered a muzzleloader in the states you're hunting. If it's allowed, the CVA Paramount is the easy button when paired with BH209 but it's SUPER expensive to feed now that BH209 powder is approaching $200 a pound.

 

[crazymonkey]

Cva or traditions make good muzzleloaders that will fill your needs . The 50 cal are the most common but the 45cal is a flatter shooter and skip the pellets as they are corrosive and require special cleaning . Run blackhorn 209 powder and you can clean with your regular gun cleaning products. It burns cleaner so less barrel fouling between shots .

 

[2buffalo]

I have a TC Encore Pro Hunter SS with cami stock with a leupold BDC reticle I would sell. In-line 20x50. PM me if interested.