Try muzzleloader?

[wgp]

Always hunted deer with centerfire rifle. Never took to bowhunting. But, our state permits a couple of weeks of muzzleloader hunting at the beginning of archery season, and getting to hunt in September during the rut is appealing. I'd appreciate the thoughts/comments of anyone who has taken to muzzleloaders after years of centerfire hunting.

 

[Gerd33]

Back somewhere around 2008-2010, after having no luck for a couple of our regular firearms seasons in a row, I suggested to my father maybe we should look into hunting what was then our muzzleloader season.
I didn't exactly expect him to go out the next day and buy two T/C omega inline muzzleloaders for us to use.

I admit to doing it the "easy" way, as I just use two pellets of 777, with a 250gr Hornady SST sabot and 209 primer, scoped with an old Bushnell Scope Chief VI
About the only difference between it and and a single shot centerfire is limited range, longer reloading time, and the cleaning required after I'm done.

This is assuming in-lines are allowed in your location.

I wish our season was prior to the main firearms season. Instead it was first at the beginning of Dec, and then moved to the week from ~Christmas - New Years.
Since they decided to add crossbows as allowed to our archery season, I acquired a crossbow to be able to hunt Sept/Oct.

A 4pt from New Years day 2023, and a doe from Dec 30 this year. The doe was taken Traditions Buckstalker I had gotten for my daughter. As she didn't make it out for the season, so I brought the rifle instead of mine.
Both ran about 25-30yrds and dropped in almost the same spot

 

[brewer12345]

I'd say ML is similar to centerfire except you will need to get within 100 yards of your quarry and you realistically only get one shot. Other than that, the shooting skills carry over from centerfire and much of it is the same.

Some places I hunt, it doesn't matter because you aren't getting shots longer than 50 or 75 yards anyway. Other places I don' even try to use a ML because there is no way I am getting that close.

 

[CoalCrackerAl]

Here in Pa we have a week of muzzle loader season during archery. You can use an inline or side lock. Doe only though. I hunt with the bow while hunting with the M/L. Then in the late season we can hunt with a bow or flintlock. I use my flintlock then. Buck or doe can be taken.

 

[Frulk]

Getting into BP made me a better hunter.

I started BP Hunting during North Dakota’s first primitive firearms season they had back in the 80’s. That was the last time I used a modern rifle for deer season. Only used a percussion side lock CVA or Thompson (both Hawken styles) since. Open sights/no scopes.

Traditional muzzleloaders require you to put more emphasis on HUNTING vs shooting. That’s not to say you don’t need to be a decent shot.

 

[brewer12345]

Traditional muzzleloaders require you to put more emphasis on HUNTING vs shooting. That’s not to say you don’t need to be a decent shot.

Sure, but get within 100 yards and its pretty similar. The wide open spaces make getting within range really challenging, but huge swaths of the country involve 50 or so yard shots as a matter of course. As long as you can make your one shot count, its not that different.

 

[.38 Special]

I'm a crabby old man when it comes to muzzleloaders, so I won't irritate everyone with complaints about plastic inlines, pelletized powder, etc. and just emphasize the point that these really are 100 yard rifles, regardless of what advertisers and braggarts claim about 200 and even 300 yard capabilities.

 

[Gerd33]

but huge swaths of the country involve 50 or so yard shots as a matter of course

This is my situation. I believe the longest shot I've ever taken was roughly 120yards and that was many years ago.

The doe in my post above was taken from my box blind at what I paced off as 23yards (closer arrow). She walked out from the brush on the right.
The 4pt was from the same location last year but I hadn't put in the blind so I was sitting on the ground farther back which made it about 60 - 65 yards. He came down the road off the hill.




What it looked like before the blind sitting behind some piled up brush. The longest possible shot was about 75 yards.

 

[red rick]

It is my favorite season . We have a 2 week season right after archery season ends . It runs the first 2 weeks of November , the rut is usually in or coming in . I kill my best bucks during muzzleloader season . I use to be in a deer hunting club and I felt kind of sorry for the older guys that didn’t hunt muzzleloader season because most of the nice bucks were killed then before the firearms season comes in .

 

[Hugger-4641]

I got into muzzleloader hunting for the same reason, extra 2 weeks of early deer season. I'm not a true BP enthusiast, not yet anyway. My priority is putting meat in the freezer.
I started with a cap lock Hawken. And with that, what's been said is true,, keep shots under 100yds. When inlines came out, accuracy and consistency did improve, I was dinner plate accurate and competent out to about 150yds with my first inline.
Now I hunt with a CVA Optima Lr and I'm consistently 2 to 3moa with it depending on the bullet I'm using. I have shot some sub moa groups with it but I'm talking about consistently, every time I pull the trigger, I know that 340 Bore Drivers and 330gr ELR Powerbelts with 120 to 150 gr of RS are coke can accurate at 100yds and pie plate at 300yds.
Call me a braggart if you like, facts are facts and I can demonstrate any time.
Even so, I generally only hunt places with my ML that offer 200yd or less opportunities. I have other places and other rifles to use if I want to shoot 300yds or more.

 

[brewer12345]

Hugger, I assume you are using a scope at longer range. I am not allowed scopes in ML season here and with my vision about 100 yards is what I can do. I am exclusively a percussion and round ball hunter, so 100 yards is fine with all of that.

 

[bearcreek]

Always hunted deer with centerfire rifle. Never took to bowhunting. But, our state permits a couple of weeks of muzzleloader hunting at the beginning of archery season, and getting to hunt in September during the rut is appealing. I'd appreciate the thoughts/comments of anyone who has taken to muzzleloaders after years of centerfire hunting.

I don't exactly fit your specifications, almost the opposite, in fact, but I most of the deer I've killed have been with a muzzleloader. I started out with a shotgun then switched to a muzzleloader due to better accuracy, range and an extra week of hunting time. I moved west a few years ago and switched to centerfire rifle. Had I failed to get an elk last season with my rifle though, I would have been using a muzzleloader here. Haven't had to do that yet. What would you like to know, specifically?

 

[Hugger-4641]

Hugger, I assume you are using a scope at longer range. I am not allowed scopes in ML season here and with my vision about 100 yards is what I can do. I am exclusively a percussion and round ball hunter, so 100 yards is fine with all of that.

Yes you are correct, we are allowed scopes here and I have a 3x9x40 Burris on it. My eyes are also not as good as they once were. I did shoot a doe a couple weeks ago with iron sights on my Henry 45colt at about 80yds, but it is getting harder in dim light for me to use irons.
With the modern bullets from CVA and Hornady, that CVA Optima is more accurate than most, but the high end offerings from Knight and CVA like the Paramount are even better. I just can't see spending that much money for not that much better than my $500 Optima.

 

[wgp]

All interesting. I believe I'd adapt to single shot because I frequently used a Ruger No. 1 anyway, and I've become much more comfortable hunting woods with shots 50 to 75 yards. Probably good for me to learn something new and it would be a new shooting experience.

 

[Armored farmer]

Go traditional!

BP rifles are great for people that like to fiddle with guns and loads, and make your own accoutrement, and not spend a fortune doing it. You can shoot all afternoon on 30 balls.
Every shot is a reload.
Extended seasons are a great reason to get into BP rifles.

 

[jmorris]

I built a kit my Uncle had bought before he passed away. I fired it quite a bit, for a little while and would be confident in hunting with it but to be honest, they are just too much hassle. I can, quietly, load and unload anything else painlessly and I guess most of my hunting is at night, after multiple targets anyway.

I am pretty sure I would shoot it a lot more if I had an easier way to clean it. Maybe I just need a "beater" one to just use like a tool.

 

[22250Rem]

Recently completed my first muzzleloader season; unfortunately I didn't get a shot with it but I enjoy it and had full confidence in it if a deer did appear in my sights. Glad I picked it up early last year, so that I had all summer to get familiar with inline muzzleloaders. Was able to get proficient with the operation and cleaning aspects of it and get it sighted in with a 1-4x Leupold that I had on a shelf here. Cleaning is a bit of a chore but I've seen what happens to muzzleloaders that don't get cleaned, and I'm a bit of a fanatic on gun cleaning. I enjoy being able to expand my hunting opportunities with the extra time I get with a muzzle loader. Not worried about anything beyond 100 yards because most of my hunting areas won't even let you see a deer that far away. Some of the areas that are more open are those I hit during rifle season. Come spring I plan to experiment with some different bullets, and to put on a muzzle brake I picked up for it. Not that it kicks real bad, I just want to direct all that smoke off to my left & right so I don't have to wait 3-5 seconds for the smoke to clear. It's a CVA Accura 50 cal. inline that I'm really enjoying. I'd say that you should read up on the topic and do some homework before you jump into it. Been using shotguns, rifles, and crossbows for big game and it was an enjoyable transition to also get into the muzzle loader scene.

 

[Arkansas Paul]

You need to see what the rules are in your state. That will determine what you need to buy.
Some states allow scopes and some don't.

I started off muzzleloading just to extend my deer season and give me 9 more days to put a deer in the freezer. So, I chose to go the inline route. I shoot a CVA Optima Elite with a 3-9x40 scope on it. It's darn near like shooting a modern rifle. When someone says you need to get within 100 yards, they're talking about traditional side lock muzzleloaders.
I shot this deer at around 175 yards across a clear cut.

However, I don't have any particular love for inline muzzleloaders. They're simply a tool to do a job.
I have very recently become intrigued with the traditional variety. I have been researching like crazy and am hopefully hitting the range this weekend.
I hope to be hunting with a real one this coming season.

 

[Sav .250]

For me it was like stepping back in time. Plus, way more challenging. In a good way.

 

[H&Hhunter]

I'm a crabby old man when it comes to muzzleloaders, so I won't irritate everyone with complaints about plastic inlines, pelletized powder, etc. and just emphasize the point that these really are 100 yard rifles, regardless of what advertisers and braggarts claim about 200 and even 300 yard capabilities.

While I honor and understand your crabbiness, some muzzle loaders have come a long way since this was true. Something like a scooped CVA Paramount is capable of making clean kills at 400 yards.

There are some high dollar rigs like the Gunwerks ML that have been reliably making kills at 500+ yards.

These rifles do not in any way resemble a traditional ML. But muzzle loaders they are.

 

[H&Hhunter]

Here is one if the new long range rigs I’m talking about.

Cold Bore Shot with The Gunwerks Muzzleloader

Mike Davidson tests the accuracy of a cold bore shot with the Gunwerks LRM-500 Muzzleloader at 425 yards.

youtu.be

 

[buck460XVR]

Always been on the cusp about a muzzle-loader, but have yet to bite the bullet. Here in Wisconsin, by the time muzzle-loader season rolls around, I have already spent 3 months in a stand, and with our extended archery season, have another two months to go if I want. Between archery and handguns being my primary weapon during the regular gun season, I already have the challenge of "gettin' 'em close!" covered. The use of a modern muzzle-loader would almost be like using a regular long-gun. Don't need to shoot a deer that bad, regardless of the horn. I have gotten to the point when those "monsters" are standing outside my viable range, but still within viable long gun range, that they could have been mine. Ain't criticizing anyone that uses long guns, I did it myself for 40 years, just that it doesn't hold much of an appeal to me anymore. Yes, I know I could use a primitive and conventional muzzle-loader, but again, at the same time, I can use my archery equipment, since the seasons overlap.

 

[drobs]

Muzzle Loading Season is part of Missouri's Alternative Methods Season - that allows the use any center fire pistol. I hunt that season with an AR15 pistol.
As much as I like traditional muzzle loaders, a modern bolt action muzzle loader with scope, modern safety, and waterproof ignition just makes the most sense if you are looking to put meat in the freezer.

 

[Arkansas Paul]

I'm a crabby old man when it comes to muzzleloaders, so I won't irritate everyone with complaints about plastic inlines, pelletized powder, etc. and just emphasize the point that these really are 100 yard rifles, regardless of what advertisers and braggarts claim about 200 and even 300 yard capabilities.

I get the sentiment, seriously. There are a lot of areas in my life where I do not like change.
However, I can't help but wonder if "crabby old men" complained about the newfangled cap locks, when flint locks were the standard. Darn little copper cups with their priming compound. LOL

 

[sage5907]

The muzzleloading season here in Oklahoma is my favorite deer hunting season. It comes early in the year when the large mature bucks are predictable as to where they bed, where they eat and their travel patterns. This all ends when the rut starts because the big mature bucks quickly lock down with a doe and are hard to find and predict. Early in the year the best hunting times are early in the morning and late in the evening but when the rut starts the activity can be all day long. I have hunted with both a Thompson Center 50 caliber Hawken and since 1995 I have been using a White Super 91 50 caliber inline. Attached is a picture of my 2023 buck with my Super 91 rifle.