Muzzle Loader-What Should I Buy

[bfhcards]

So I want to extend my hunting season and get into the BP/ML game. I have looked around a bit and I really like the Thompson models. I am an extreme novice and have never fired a Muzzle Loader.

I am leaning towards an encore as I like the idea of switching out barrels. I like the Flex Tech stock, Swing hammer and the speed breech .

Does this sound like a good option? Should I be looking at other Muzzle loaders?

Any comments would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Pancho]

Thompson Center is an excellent company and I own several and enjoy each. It is wise to buy well to make sure you are getting a good taste of what muzzleloading is about, it's not for everyone. If it is, your first gun won't be your last. Maybe your next will be more traditional. Who knows you might really get bit and go all the way to flint.
As important is that you are stepping into the world of one shot hunting. A whole lot more will run through your mind when you see game and only have one shot to bring it down.

 

[4v50 Gary]

Parker Hale Enfield musketoon (24" bbl). Good for 350 yards with 535 grain minie ball.

 

[Loyalist Dave]

You might try an H&R Handi-Rifle in the BP configuration. It too can be fitted with additional modern rifle caliber barrels as well as shotgun barrels as does the Encore, BUT it is much cheaper. For the price of the Encore you could get the BP rifle plus a couple of extra calibers.

LD

 

[arcticap]

There's no need to buy an expensive entry level rifle, although it is a matter of choice and personal preference.
There's so much to learn about shooting and cleaning a muzzle loader, not to mention all of the accessories needed, that new BP shooters can sometimes get disappointed about sinking all of that money into a gun before they know whether or not they will even like the sport.
There's modern and traditional muzzle loading. Traditional is much more fun for plinking, informal target shooting and ease of loading, while the modern guns are more for long range precision hunting and target shooting. Not that traditional can't be for long range shooting too, because in international competition it is. In the end it's more often about the length of the barrel, barrel twist rate and form of projectile.
But the point is that it's nice to be able to enjoy both (if you find that like it), and if you sink most of your money into just one end of the sport, then you might not consider buying 2 guns to enjoy both forms of the sport, so why not just buy one less expensive gun so that you don't lose out on a good portion of your investment if you find out that you don't like it?
Plus, the inexpensive inlines can often function & shoot just as accurately and provide just as much enjoyment (and heartache) as an expensive gun.
So the measurement of muzzle loading enjoyment isn't always in direct proportion to the amount of money invested.
Sometimes it's quite the opposite. The less money spent the better, because some guns and their performance and maintenance issues are totally unrelated to their initial cost.
Some cheap guns are just more ergonomic & enjoyable, and sometimes some forms of muzzle loading just isn't enjoyable for some people, no matter how much is spent.
So, I'd suggest to start small and work your way up so that you don't become disappointed soon after you emerge from the starting gate.
Sincerely, good luck with whatever purchase you decide to make and I hope that you have lots of fun making gun barrels belch lots of smoke!

 

[Kimber1911_06238]

I have a thompson center black diamond...discontinued model, you can get a leftover for around $250. It shoots 1" to 1.5" groups at 100 yards. I think that's pretty good. Thompson center rifles have a reputation for being very accurate and IMO you can't go wrong.

 

[Pancho]

My first inline after many years of traditional muzzleloaders was a Rozzi. It is a breakdown with changeable barrels and 209 ignition and fiberoptic sights predrilled for a scope. It cost less than $150 and is still one of my most favored guns. It only has one problem and that is the collapsable ramrod not too bad at the range but it is a pain when you need a fast second shot on game. BTW does anyone know who makes these guns? Is it Rozzi? Nef? H&R. I get the feeling that one of these builders makes them for all three. When I bought the gun 3 or 4 years ago I had to go through a gun check before buying because it was sold as a gun that could be converted to other barrels and modern centerfire rounds. The reality is that Rozzi put us off for two years and that the end result was that I have to send the receiver back to Rozzi to have the barrel matched to it.

 

[arcticap]

You must mean Rossi from Brazil. They look the same as the U.S. made H&R/NEF guns, but they're from a different manufacturer.

http://www.rossiusa.com/main/index.cfm

 

[RockRifle]

Check local regulations!

In Oregon and Idaho, traditional ML is the only choice. (by regulation) Check your local hunting regs before you buy anything.

The ML game is almost exclusively traditional. If you look to try your hand at the rendezvous games, don't even think about an inline. I would recommend contacting a local club and going to one of their shoots before you buy. They will show you the ropes and let you try their rifles and you will be able to see what you need to get started.

I started with a Percussion Lyman Great Plains Rifle in 54cal and got my flintlock (also Lyman Great Plains) after a year of learning the drill. It is a fun game. good luck!

 

[Kimber1911_06238]

Maybe rendezvous games are all traditional, but more and more hunters are using inlines because of their superior performance. I also have a custom traditional, but it's not as effective during a 1 week muzzleloader season that might only offer 1 100 yard shot.

 

[Pancho]

As you can tell that there are as many opinions as shooters. Buy what trips your trigger ask us if you have any problems. Then buy your second,third, fourth etc. But first you have to learn to love the sport. AWWWW the smell of sulfer will be like chanel #5 to your senses. We muzzleloaders are like bench loaders but we can make all of our changes at the range while we're shooting. Instant results.

 

[bfhcards]

Thanks for the replies. Man this gun is expensive. To tell the truth I have never really been interested in BP or M/L guns untill I started hunting. Now I want to extend my sesason. With a M/L in MD I can get out almost another month of hunting the GF thinks this is a terrible idea (LOL). Maybe i will be bitten by the bug once I get this rifle. I should say I am mostly interested in it because of the ability to purchase other barrels for other applications. Its not alittle investment so I hope it works out. Then I have to learn how to shoot it. I understand the basics but thats about it. If there is anyone in the Balto/Washington area or Philly area who likes to teach let me know.

 

[Pancho]

Bfh, I know that lonesome feeling. In 1964 when I got started there was no one around but Dixie Gunworks for information, as far as I knew. I would have given anything to have an oldhand around to show me the basics. The good thing is that it is a muzzleloader not a computer. As long as you don't use smokeless powder in it you really can't hurt it or you.

 

[DixieTexian]

I hear the cheap CVA's shoot just as good as those fancy Thompson Centers once you get a load worked up for them.

 

[Pancho]

It is my belief that any ML will shoot well if the shooter has the patience to work through all of the variables. It is a well known fact that every gun is different and the shooter must find what the gun likes.

 

[eastwood44mag]

Buy a CVA. Half the cost of a Thompson, 80+% of the quality. Mine shoots 3 shot touching groups at 100 yards, and I paid less than $200 for it.

 

[Wildfire]

Mine is an Encore

Hey there mine is an Encore and I love it. Just the plain one. All the fancy stuff will not make it shoot better. I have had many different MLs. Some of the less expensive guns will work just fine. But the fact of being able to use one gun by switching barrels is real nice, and they shoot extremely well.
Mine is a hole ragger. Can't really say much more then that. You got a lot of input on this one so far.

And Pancho is very right !!!!!

 

[bfhcards]

Part of me likes the gun because I think I will have it for a very long time. Part of me likes all the technology behind it. The biggest reason I like the encore is the interchangable barrels. I want another caliber rifle and I only have a 30.06 right now. It is expensive I priced the one I like at about 720-800. Not cheap and apart from my 700 30.06 and the scope attached it will be my most expensive firearm. I guess the money isnt the issue. I just dont see anything else with the capabilities of this one.