Anyone hunt with a Muzzle loader

I am going to Kansas next year to hunt the muzzle loader season for the first time. I have never even shot a ML but I still agreed to go.

I am in the market to buy a new ML and so I have been educating myself to features, brands, calibers, accessories , and kinds of MLs to make the best choice.

I think I am going to buy a CVA Accura V2 in .45 for this hunt.

Any opinions, suggestions, or ideas welcomed about this model and others?

 

I've done a little in Missouri with a muzzle-loader.

To me, it's the truest form of rifle-hunting you can get. You have to get in close to make sure you hit in the kill zone because the opportunity for follow-ups is, well, nonexistent.

I really enjoyed the few times I went. I don't know anything about specs, I just borrowed some friends'.

 

get a inline 50


bolt action or break open

cva
thompson
remington
knight
they are all pretty good I just wouldn't buy the most exspensive one unless you are going to be using it all the time I have a knight with a 3x9x40 nikon scope and mine is set dead on 100yds

 

I hunt with a smoke stick, we have to use traditional muzzeloaders, so I have a marksbury and love it

 

I hunt mule dear and ellk with my muzzleloader every year. Ive got a T/C Encore .50. It is an excellent gun.

I shot my elk with it this year at 211 yards, he dropped like a sack of taters. I would highly recommended it.

 

SWEET!! That's my next ML!

My Buckwacka, by MDM, rotted the barrel after the 6th year. Can't explain it...I'm anal about cleaning and buttering it during the season and it gets heavily oiled and stored in a silicone bag for long term storage. It took the reps 2 e-mails and a phone call to reply. No explaination, but a fee to re-tool a new barrel...plus shipping!

I have a buddy with a "cheapie" CVA. Dead-nuts at 150yrds. out of the box. It's a .50cal.

If allowed, definitely go with an in-line. Easy cleaning and loading etc. 209 primers are the easy way to go too!

Good luck, you'll love it.

 

yea did not think different states different laws on what u can hunt with

better ck the law on where ever go

 

I know that the .50 cal is the most popular but with the new aero tips and power belt bullets research/testing has shown that the .45 is more accurate at longer ranges and has just as much knockdown power. I still want to have teh ability to make 200 yard shots if necessary and be able to trust the gun can do it consistently.

Definitely inline and with a quick release breech plug. Ease of cleaning is a concern.

Like the smokeless powder versions but don't like the cost of those models.

I also dont need a model to change barrels to different calibers.

 

Dad bought the T/C Pro hunter for us to hunt with during the muzzleoader season and I have to say I love it. I dropped at doe at 225 yards with this. If you have the scope that has the yardage markers you can shoot to almost 300 yards with it. But it gets a little expensive for it though I think dad said he paid around 1k. Gun plus scope

 

I've got a TC pro-hunter in 50 cal that is a great gun. This deer season I got an encore barrel in 50 cal that I'm running smoke-less powder in, it was the first time I got to see the deer go down with out the smoke. My gunsmith is making barrels for the TC that sends a 325grn bullet at 3300fps and will hold 1.5" at 300 yards. With the right scope a 500 yard shot could be no problem. TC makes the best muzzle-loaders out there, they cost a little more but you get what you pay for. Do not buy one in 45 because you will be dissapointed, they are not any more accurate at long range and have less energy. I also use Parker bullets, every deer I have shot with them never took another step.

 

Heck ya -

TC Firehawk .50 Cal on the top
TC Thunderhawk .50 Cal carbine on the bottom

My Dad has a .50 Cal Hawkins that I am itching to use next season as well...nothing like going old school

 

Muzzleloader is probably my favorite season here in Va, mostly because its during the rut and after watching deer feed along at 100yds during bow season Im ready to drop one. I use a Thompson Center Omega and love it, I would definetly recommend a t/c they are well made and easy to clean. When buying a new muzzleloader the first thing to look for is how easy it is to clean because cleaning is very important when using black powder. Also I use the t/c shockwave bullets and 777 powder, I have used the powerbelts before and could not get them to group even close to what they should have.

 

How much you want to spend?

I bought a T/C Impact last year and I have been happy with it. If you aren't able to spend as much as the Encore, take a look at the Impact.

 

get a .50 cal. you can shoot .45 bullets in a .50 sabot. Check the ks laws. last time I looked (a long time ago) you weren't allowed telescopic sights. anyway, i'd read up on what you can and can't shoot before you make the investment. I've got a T/C Black Diamond. The gun is deadly accurate at 100 yards, probably further but that's as far as I've shot it. I'd go with one of the newer actions if I were to get a gun now, (omega, pro hunter, etc.)

 

I agree, you need to get a .50. Even though the ballistics are better on the .45 some places wont let you use anything other than a .50 or larger. plus it is easier to find bullets for a 50. I got a new CVA Optima this year and it is awesome. killed a doe on the last day of late muzz at about 80 yards with the open sights they give you. IMO you are better off with the powerbelts vs the sabots because the sabot cases will leave plastic residue inside the barrel which makes it harder to clean and load successive shots. Some guns wont shoot the powerbelts very well though and will hold great patterns with sabots and vice versa as well

 

I hunt with what is basically a remington 700 muzzle loader, and we have it set to dead on, it shoots as good as a rifle.

 

Been using an Omega since it came out. Love it. I've had good result with Powerbelts, though. 777 powder or pellets, cleans real easy.