3 Muzzleloading Components for Your Big Game Load

While hating to start off with the same line of options, options, options…I can’t help it, it’s even more true with load components than anything!

1. Bullets, 2. Powder, 3. Primers…within the categories, the choices are endless. In this post, I want to give you a few things to think about that will help you find loads that will provide you with consistency, accuracy and big game performance. Let’s start with bullets and what to look for.

BULLETS - First, lets talk about bullets that will hold up while shooting big game. The main thing here is to look for a bullet that will maintain most of it’s weight after impact and while penetrating the game. A bullet that comes apart on impact will not have much of a chance of penetrating in one side and exiting the other; not giving us the chance of having two holes for leaving a blood-trail out both sides.

Second would be a bullet with a good ballistic coefficient or BC. As most of you know, this factor is a number based on a few things: weight, length, shape, etc. Most muzzleloader bullets have a BC factor of between .180 to .240. Some muzzleloader bullets go over .300, but not many.

The BC factor gives us an idea as to how well a bullet will overcome the urge to decelerate due to air drag while in flight. The higher the BC factor, the better the flight we can expect from a bullet. What this comes down to is this: the higher the BC Factor, the flatter the flight path.

Flat flight path = less bullet drop = what you want.

There are a couple of things that really affect muzzleloader bullets and keep their ballistic coefficient low:

          1. bullet weight
          2. diameter
          3. length

In other words, they’re heavy, fat and short.

These things are a fact, it’s science. There is nothing we can do about it, so we just have to deal with it and compensate for it.  It’s not a problem but these factors, along with slower velocities, is what restricts and limits the range of even modern muzzleloaders.

In our testing, I’ve always opted to pick the higher BC Factor bullets and that will provide less drop and deliver more controllable and predictable flight paths at a range of 250 yards, and in some cases, 300 yards.

The bullets that will provide these results on a consistent basis are 250 to 270 grains, usually have a ballistic tip and have a BC Factor of .210 to .240 (with the right velocities).

This is a big subject, and I want to get into it much deeper, but it will have to wait for a future post. In the meantime, just keep a couple of brands in mind: Barnes, Hornady, Parker, PowerBelt, Precision, and Thompson Center.

POWDER - The next big factor in a load is Powder. Again, a lot of options. But in the case of powders they have been the easiest to figure out which ones are worth spending money on. What we look for in a powder is one that will have:

          1. reliability to ignite
          2. produce good consistent velocities
          3. resistance to moisture

After testing all the powders on the market (and I do mean ALL), the only two we trust for our hunts at this time are Blackhorn 209 and Hodgden Triple 7.

We recommend no one, ever, use pellet-type powders (another complete topic for another day).

Whenever I do this sort of thing, I always go in alphabetical order, so let’s start with Blackhorn 209. Blackhorn has been on the market for 3 years now and it is my powder of choice. It provides very consistent velocities, packs in the barrel very tightly, burns extremely cleanly, holds up very well against moisture, ignites very well, has an almost indefinite shelf-life and best of all, numerous shots can be fired without cleaning between shots without any loss of accuracy. It is best cleaned up with normal solvent-type barrel cleaners, which are much better on your rifle than water-based cleaners. And it cleans the other parts of your rifle much faster than any other brands, to include the breech plug and frame. About the only problem you can have with this powder is having to wait between shots because you can re-load and fire so quickly your barrel will heat up and affect accuracy.

Hodgdens Triple 7 is another good power. It provides great, consistent velocities and ignites well. It is lower in price than Blackhorn 209, but can clump up in the can during the off-season, so it does not provide as good of results the next year, so the lower price is a trade-off. We always replace Triple 7 while testing if the powder sits around for several months between our testing sessions. This tells me that is does not resist moisture well. Triple 7 is a mess to shoot, it leaves a lot of residue behind, however, it does clean up well with water-based cleaners. The barrel must be cleaned between shots to get consistent velocities and it is also very hard to load a second shot on top of a dirty barrel without swabbing because of the crust ring left behind in the breech after firing. This is not a problem on the range, but could be a real problem in a hunting situation.

PRIMERS - Primers are often over looked as being a solution when accuracy problems occur, but are most likely the culprit. We have a standard primer test we conduct on all primers before we ever use it to work up a load.

Our testing has shown this: for Triple 7 Powder, use a low impact primer such as the Winchester Triple 7 Primer or, my favorite for Triple 7 powder, the 209 by Fiocchi. Both of these primers will provide good results. The problem with the Fiocchi primers is they are super hard to find.

For Blackhorn 209, a higher impact primer is needed, or per Blackhorns manufacturer recommendations, a full-strength 209 shotgun primer, such as the “Blue Box” 209 by Winchester or the one Blackhorn themselves recommend (and per my findings, I have to agree), the CCI 209M.

So, there are the components that have proven, in our testing, to provide the requirements we demand: consistency, accuracy and big game performance.

As mentioned before, I’ll be posting on the some of the individual bullets and how they performed for us. But my next post will be on my recent trip to Miles City, Montana to visit the Blackhorn 209 facility there. You are going to be surprised at what I found! (hint-hint: powder vs pellets)

Muzzleloader Scopes - How to Choose?

This post has not been an easy one to write for a few reasons:

1. The number of options available
2. Price range
3. Not wanting my readers to feel they may have made a bad selection

The reason for the last one is only because some of the rifle optic manufactures have made some options look a little more appealing than they actually are (imagine that).

Rifle scopes can make or break a hunt quickly! This is not the place to cut corners! But it’s also not an item we all need to go broke over either. As far as price range goes, only you know how much you can afford. I have always been the kind of person that tried to make it hurt when buying rifle scopes; I believe in quality optics.

The market has a lot of options for under $200.00 but I truly don’t believe you’re getting more than a tube that magnifies a target and has crosshairs; that’s about it. Most of the companies that offer a scope in this price range will give you a lifetime warranty on their products. But how satisfying is that guarantee when you’ve been sitting in the same stand hunting a particular buck all season and on the last day he walks out and you can’t find him in the scope? Truthfully, I’m not the one to review this type of scope - I’ve just never trusted them to one of my hunts. So moving on…

Now today’s market does offer a lot of good options in the $250 to $300 range. Some of the brands I really like for both quality and trustability are (in alphabetical order): Burris, Hawke, Konus, Leatherwood, and Nikon. If you can go above $350 to around $600, then add Leupold to the list. Leupold does have some lower priced options, but the one I really like is around $500 - $550. However, the others I listed are very serviceable scopes and should be considered – I would trust them to any hunt in North America.

Before going any further, you have to know a little something about the scopes I’ve chosen to write about. First, all are of one piece tube construction. All are also known as second focal plane scopes vs scopes on the first focal plane. Second focal scopes seem to be what the American market has accepted. The difference between the two is easy to recognize: the retical in the second focal plane scopes stays the same size when the power is changed and only the target changes. Scopes in the first focal plane design show the reticule growing in size with the target as the power is changed. Almost all scopes offered to American hunters are 2nd focal plane scopes.

The second focal plane design has a lot to do with the type of reticule we choose, but usually only when choosing BDC-type reticles. As far as what the reticule actually looks like is up to you, and what is available in the model of scope you’re looking at buying.

I’ve always just opted for the good ol’ duplex, thick to thin. For hunting and getting on game, sometimes quickly, I just don’t prefer a lot going on or too much to look at in my scopes. I really don’t care for the circle-type reticles in scopes such as the Nikon Omega. They do not provide a precise aiming point for zeroing and practicing with the rifle and cover up a lot of the vital area on big game. As far as Mil Dot reticles, I don’t find much use for them in hunting scopes, especially with the affordability of modern-day rangefinders.

All of this brings me to what I had asked you to research in my last post about what it was that all the manufacturers I had picked had in common. Well, the answer is: They all have True Point-of-Aim, Point-of-Impact capability. That’s right, as fast as you can read a range finder, you can adjust your scope as to where your bullet will impact the target at the same place your crosshairs have come to rest. The problem that most hunters have with the scopes needed to make this happen is that the turrets are too tall. In most cases I would agree that they are tall, but they come with true point-of-aim, point-of-impact results and to me are worth the extra height. The most compact version I’ve found in this type of scope is Leupold’s VX-3 CDS scope. Once you have the turrets on this scope engraved to your ballistics, it’s as simple as this:

1. Range the target
2. Turn the turret to the appropriate range
(example: if the target is 250 yards, turn the turrent from 0 to 2.5)
3. Aim & Fire

That is it.


The other scopes, Burris, Hawke, Konus & Leatherwood, also have this simple of a solution to the bullet drop problem inherent to muzzleloaders, just in a little taller package. I tested all of the above scopes to date, with the exception of Hawke, and that is on the way. I will have a future post as to how to get each of the others to do the same as Leupolds and just as easy at a later time. My instructions will be easy to understand.

Another option we have, and I’ve used for years, is simply good ol’ Kentucky windage or hold-over. Nothing special, just know what your bullet drop is out to any given range, know the range, lift the crosshairs up “bout” that much and fire. This is my second most favorite pick or option.

My last pick, if you haven’t noticed by now, is the second focal plane BDC reticule-type scopes. Here’s the reason (and I’ll give you the links to check behind me): First of all, keep in mind that the main crosshair will maintain the same impact no matter what the power of the scope is set on. i.e.; if your rifle is zeroed at 100 yards it will be good at any power setting within the scopes’ magnification range. Other than that main crosshair, the yardage hashmarks for the different ranges are only valid if the scopes are set on a specific power. Most are set-up to only work with your ballistics with the scope set on maximum power. Some of Leupolds’ scopes, such as the Ultimate Slam, do have different power ranges that fall within different ballistics ranges, but again, the bullet drop compensation (BDC) values are only valid at that power. If you read the links on Burris and Leopold web sites, they will tell you this. To get an idea as to how much lowering the power changes the bullet impact, go to Nikon Hunting Spot On. Spot On is an easy ballistic program to use and it allows you to see how much changing the power effects your impact (and it’s FREE!). Here’s an example according to Spot On:

1. Scope 3x9x40 Omega BDC 250
2. 250 gr. Shockwave at 1850 fps
3. Zero at 100 yards
4. First circle under main crosshair on 9x is 135 yards
5. Change the power to 3x, first circle zero is now 193 yards


Another point about these scopes is that they are designed to use 150 grains of pellets. The best accuracy from any manufacturers’ rifle is NEVER at it’s best with pellets, much less 150 grains!

The BDC reticle and concept sounds good and has been around a long time, but the truth be known: it wasn’t excepted back then and if you do your homework, you should make sure it’s what you really want now. Not to beat a dead horse, but there are just too many lines in those scopes. With the right deer walking out, you could get confused about which hash-mark to use real quick on maximum power unless you practice a lot.

Tube diameter is another option we need to look at. I prefer a 30 mm tube scope for three reasons:
1. It is more durable because it’s a bigger diameter,
2. They have a few more clicks of elevation or windage in them if needed,
3. I just believe the bigger tube lets more light get from the lens to eye.

But still, most of my scopes are 1 inch tubes.

Here is my normal speech about objective diameter since 50mm objective lens started getting popular: In most cases, you have to use higher mounts. The higher the mounts, the higher you have to lift your cheek off the stock. This destroys what is known in marksmanship skill terms as “stock weld”. The better the stockweld, the better control you have over the rifle. Also, with a 50 mm scope, people say that because it is larger it gathers more light. Well, the truth is a lens only transmits light, it does not gather it. In my opinion, it’s just not worth the trade-off. You will also hear that you get a better field-of-view from a 50mm. Again, not true. You actually get a few feet less. Here’s an example:

1. Burris FullField II 3x9x40mm – 1 inch tube, 33 ft on 3x and 13 ft on 9x at 100 yards
2. Burris FullField II 3x9x50mm – 30 ft on 3x and 11 ft on 9x at 100 yards

One option we’ve had for a long time that has always been a great one is the variable power scope. By far the most popular is the good ol’ 3x9 and on a muzzleloader, I believe it’s all we need. Or if you’re only hunting close cover, a good 2x7 power scope will serve you well and I own a few of these myself.

Remember a few things when picking a muzzleloader scope:

1. the range of a modern front-loader
2. the higher the power, the less field of view you have
3. we use a scope to shoot game, it’s not made to replace a pair of binoculars or a spotting scope

I hope this information can help you use your scope bucks wisely. We’ve done a lot of research on scopes, I’ve bought and used more scopes than I can count. I would urge all of you to take a look at all your options that will allow you to shoot Point-of-Aim, Point-of-Impact. I truly believe it’s the most simple and effective option of all.

I will have future posts on each of the scopes we’ve tested that will help you accomplish Point-of-Aim, Point-of-Impact as I get a chance to write them and
I will continue this Saving Your Buck$ series with future posts covering loads, bullets, powders and primers to help you achieve MAXimum accuracy from your modern, in-line muzzleloader.

Keep What You Need - Share What You Don't

I felt the need to write a quick post about the duty I believe we, as hunters,  have to give something back.  And I don't  mean to only the sport and resource we need to be able to hunt, but even to those that don’t.

My family has had a company involved in the hunting industry for over 14 years now.  First with our game call company, Bud & Betty Hunting Calls, and now with MAX.  We have always done as much as we could possibly do to support the various organizations and foundations that comprise everything from our gun rights, habitat and hunting resources to the various organizations that help make it possible for special groups such as children, veterans or handicapped people have opportunities to hunt, etc.  I’ll be the first to admit that these organizations generally need a “time” commitment about the same time of year that we are at our most busy work-period, so our support is usually in the form of products to be used by the groups or to help with raise funding.

But one of our favorite organizations is our local chapter of Hunters & Landowners for the Hungry (maybe they call it something similar in your area).  Not only does this organization help our local area with herd control and conservation, it reaches out to help people outside our sport. 

There are many people in our community that are not as fortunate as we are to have food on the table every day.  This is not news to any of us.  1 in 8 families in my state are impacted by hunger, and ½ of those are children!  That’s enough to send a shiver down my spine.  To date, our local chapter has been able to donate close to 400,000 pound of deer meat over a 5 county area to homeless shelters, soup kitchens and food pantries to help individual families in need.  Now that is news - good news worth sharing!

How does it work?  Hunters for the Hungry and other organizations like it across the country raise money to pay  local processors to process deer donated by local hunters to feed local people.  After picking up the processed deer, Hunters for the Hungry then physically take the meat to distribute to organizations which help people in need.  They are a non-profit organization, run by very dedicated, hard-working volunteers which are supported financially by fundraisers, grants and individual donations of money to pay for the processing fees. 

You can help in one of three ways:  Donate a deer, donate funds to process a deer, donate time to deliver the meat to a local shelter or soup kitchen – or do all three!   

This year our chapters' banquet had more than 450 attendees and was held at a local church.  The guest speaker was Hank Parker, who now resides in our area.  (If you ever have a chance to hear him speak, go do it!  He has a great message for us as hunters, and a great deal of valuable insight on being an American and a Christian.  Not to mention he’s a great story-teller!).  Several of our local hunting businesses were in attendance.  Wildlife photographer, Michael Bibb, had a booth set up displaying pieces of his work.  (I’ve known Michael for several years and he’s a very talented and up-and-coming wildlife artist.  You can check him out at www.wildlifeimp.com).  Gary (Chip) Sayre, CEO of theHuntConnection was also there with a beautiful display of big game mounts from his adventures from all over North America.  (He is still building his website, but it looks like it will be a great resource for hunters.)  It appeared our chapter volunteers, vendors and speakers raised a lot of money for such a worthy cause.

As we go into this fall’s hunting season, find out about your local version of Hunters for the Hungry and remember, we should all give something back.  Not only within our sport, but to others outside the hunting community that could use our help.  It’s a great opportunity to witness to the non-hunters out there. 

Keep what you need, but share what you don’t.  It does make a difference.

8 Considerations Before Purchasing a Muzzleloading Rifle Scope

Per my last post, if you think there are multiple options for buying a muzzleloading rifle, then hold on to your hat cause we are about to start talking about optics!

The good news is, there are a lot of GREAT options that won’t empty your pockets of your hard-earned Buck$. These days, there are many companies in the rifle scope business, so it truly does make it hard to decide what to choose. To start with, let’s stay reasonable in what is truly necessary for the effective range of a modern in-line muzzleloader.

All of the data I’ve chosen to publish to date take the shooter out to 250 yards. Now that is a long way. But, 300 yards IS possible with the right set-up, to include the biggest variable: the marksman him -or her- self. If you can’t shoot, no amount of premium equipment will get your bullet on target. But in either case of range, a scope with a max of 9 power is more than enough. Most of my rifles are equipped with 3 x 9 x 40 or 42 mm variable scopes, but a few have less. Like 1.5 x 6 x 44 mm. Some have 30 mm tubes, but most are 1 inch.

A lot of what I’m looking for in a scope is not just what the power range may be, but more in the line of what my field of view is at any given power.

As we all know, the lower the power, the more ground we can see and visa versa. A larger field of view is always more important when the animal we’re trying to get on is not cooperating than when it is. I have always been more prone to want the options that a variable power scope offers, I’m just mindful of not wanting excessive, un-needed magnification due to the field of view restrictions that high magnification comes with.

Something to think about is objective lens diameter. Remember, no scope gathers light, it just transmits the available light that reaches it to your eye. If it’s dark, then that’s what it transmits.

Another consideration: a scope with a 40 mm to 44 mm lens can still be mounted low to the rifle, which promotes better marksmanship skills. More on that later.

In the past, there were not many options in getting quality optics at an affordable price, but that is not the case today. A muzzle loader can get into a nice, more than serviceable piece of glass for around $300. In order to get premium scopes for this money however, we have to get think “outside the box” when it comes to brands. Some of the brands I grew up with were Redfield and Weaver. In the past 20 years, I moved up to Nikon, Leupold and Burris. All of those have always been and will continue to be first-rate brands, but there are some great newcomers to the market.

One is Leatherwood/Hi-Lux. Leatherwood/Hi-Lux Optics are not new to the scope market, but they may have been overlooked by the general public. Here at MAX, we have been testing two of their scopes since returning from the 2010 Shot Show: the PR 1.5 x 6 x 42 x 30 mm tube and their Multi-Dial 3 x 9 x 40, also with 30 mm tube. I have found both of these to be of very high-quality and very reasonably priced.

Another scope MAX is working with is made by a lesser-known company named Konus. The scope I’ve chosen in this brand is their M30 1.5 x 6 x 44 mm with 30 mm tube, and I have found it to be a first-class scope at a very fair price.

This fall we begin testing scopes from Hawke Sport Optics. We met some of the folks from Hawke at the POMA Conference this year, but have been familiar with them since we started doing business with E. Arthur Brown Co. about two years ago. What I like about Hawke is that they are very knowledgeable about how to get their scope to work with your muzzleloading ballistics. I am really looking forward to putting some of their scopes to the MAX test and I’m sure they are going to perform very well.

I’ve just ordered a scope from Leupold that I hope to have in hand by weeks-end (U.P.S. willing). It’s their 3 x 9 x 40 CDS. I really believe this is going to be the way to go for point of aim - point of impact shooting. How easy does that sound? We will know soon! Reminds me of my Scout Sniper days!

If you go look at some of the scopes I’ve mentioned above, you’ll find they all have something in common. Do you know what it is? I’ll let you do some research on the web for a few days to see if you can discover the mutual correlation. Although I’m sure you’ll figure it out, if you don’t watch for my post in a few days…

Until then, think about the following 8 things while shopping for a new scope:

1. Price Range

2. Power Range

3. Reticule Type

4. Tube Diameter

5. Field of View

6. Point of Aim – Point of Impact Capable

7. BDC Capable

8. Objective Diameter

Getting answers to those 8 questions will be your first steps to saving your hunting & shooting Buck$ while getting the needed results.

Muzzleloading Rifles - Which One Should I Choose?

Options, options and more options.  This is the predicament that the muzzleloading industry has put us in.  A good place to be, but it’s a lot to take in, it can make your head spin!   It’s also very expensive to try all the options we are faced with and not really practical to attempt to do so. 

So if you’ve answered the three questions from my last post:  What will I be hunting, Where will I be hunting, and What’s legal where I’ll be hunting, then you are ready for another question:  Which rifle will be best for me?  (And right behind that, add: How much can I/should I spend?)

Let me get one thing out to the way that deals with the legal end of things.  If you are going to be hunting in the states of Oregon, Colorado, Idaho or Washington (an maybe others), you have a lot more to think about than I will be covering in this discussion.  These states all but prohibit most of the equipment you see advertised in today’s market.  In my opinion, after reading all the restrictions these states have on muzzleloaders, I don’t see how they could possibly have the games best interest in mind.   I love you folks out there in those states, but that’s all a discussion for a different day in a different post.

So, with that out of the way, let’s talk about today’s new rifles and what they have to offer.  Muzzleloader Accuracy Xperts, or MAX, does research on today’s latest & greatest modern in-line muzzleloaders and all other equipment related to them.  As always, the manufacturers do not let us down in offering us multiple high-quality options on 209 in-line rifles. 

A first decision to make is about one popular option in today’s muzzleloading world: the ability to change out to a centerfire barrel or not.  Is If this is something you want, then there are two different companies you can go with:  CVA (the Apex) or Thompson Center Arms (the Endeavor, ProHunter or Encore).  If you want a muzzleloader-only rifle, then there are many more options on the market.

Although the first in-line that I ever owned was a Knight which was a great rifle, things have moved along quite a bit since then.  My first experience with a truly accurate in-line was when I purchased my Thompson Center Encore.  Encore’s are a very well-built and very popular brand of rifles, but they are pretty expensive as well.  With all the bells and whistles, they can now run as much as $800 or more, but they do offer a lot of options in stocks, finishes, calibers, etc. which is nice.   An Encore can be very accurate, but you have to understand them a bit to get them to perform.  Accuracy and dependability is what I’m looking for in a rifle, and the words fancy or easy don’t mean much when it comes to getting just that.

The T/C Encore line of rifles needs a little work to get to the top of their game, but they can be tack drivers with the right tweaking.  The triggers lack a little to be desired overall, and they can be a bit on the heavy side.  But with some use or a trigger job, they can have a very nice, crisp trigger.  Encore trigger jobs are very easy to do yourself, with proper instruction and can be done fairly cheaply if you don’t want to tackle it yourself. 

Another area the T/C’s need some time invested in is the barrel.  I usually tell my customers to fire 30-40 Maxi-Balls through the rifle before trying to shoot groups.  This is to help get the rifle barrel broken in and evened out a little.  There are tool marks inside the new barrels which must be smoothed to get them to “settle down”.  (This has been a common problem with most over-the-counter, out-of-the-box rifles.)  Hand-lapping is another way to move the barrel smoothing process along.  With the above fine-tuning, an Encore can be a spectacularly accurate rifle shooting sub-one inch groups time and time again.  I happily own a lot of Encores and they all serve me well. 

The T/C Omega is also a very good rifle, if what you are looking for is a muzzleloader only rifle.  After the initial settling-down period, my experience has been great, sub-one inch groups using multiple load options.  The Omega was the first experience I ever had with a thumb-hole stock, and I loved it.  (Now I don’t want to use anything else and try to get that option on every other rifle I buy.)  It seems as if there has been a rebirth of the Omega lately,  with T/C now offering a Drury Outdoors version of the Omega on the market this year called the Dream Season. 

The newest rifle’s that we have tested, and I have to admit have been extremely impressed with, are the Accura and Apex by CVA.  You can’t go wrong with either of these rifles, you just have to decide whether or not you care more about the centerfire interchangeably alternative or not. 

The Apex, which does have the interchangeable barrel has a more traditional feel and look to it.  The Accura is more along the lines of most muzzleloaders in today’s market and it is a muzzleloader only option.  Both the Accura and the Apex come standard with a premium Bergara barrel.  Ed Shilen (yes, THE Ed Shilen) was the consultant that helped Bergara with the technology needed for CVA to be able to offer these quality barrels on their over-the-counter rifles.  Sub-one inch groups have been shot in all of our out-of-the-box test rifles.  (just as an aside: while I was shooting competitively in with the Marine Corps Shooting Team, we shot Douglas barrels.  Whenever we got beat, it was against the Shilen barrels.  Ever since, I have had a great respect for Ed Shilen and his ability to produce superb barrels.) 

The triggers on both the Accura and the Apex are the best we’ve ever felt, on any muzzleloader, straight out-of-the-box.  They are light and crisp on both rifles, and both shoot sub-one inch groups using a variety of bullets, powders and primers.  Also, the new quick release breach plug is truly finger removable, no tool needed even after firing multiple shots.  The only thing I’ve found that I believe CVA could improve on would be the supplied ram rods.  They are a little too light-weight, but will get the job done.  But all in all, both rifles are top-notch and I would recommend either one depending on what you are looking for.  The top end Apex is around $600 and the Accura is less. 

I’m not going to mention any other rifles or rifle manufacturers, because for this year, any of the above rifles by Thompson Center or CVA would be my top picks over any other rifles in the muzzleloading industry.  And if you are looking for a muzzleloader only, I would have to say that the CVA Accura is my number one preference. 

Once you’ve made your rifle selection, the next big choice (and big expense, sometimes even more than the rifle price!) is in optics.  How much you want to spend and what you expect from your scope are questions you need to ask, and I can help you with that answer in my next post.

3 Things You Gotta Know Before Buying a Bunch of Muzzleloading Gear

The sport of muzzleloading has been experiencing unbelievable growth over the past few years.  Technology has allowed the manufacturers in this industry to offer the consumer the most reliable and accurate muzzleloaders ever produced to date.  Our ancestors would, without a doubt, be awed.

However, with growth comes options.  In the case of modern, in-line muzzleloaders, the choices are so great, it’s sometimes hard to decide what to buy and try.  So what do you need to know to narrow down your needs?  Here’s three questions to help you narrow it down before you start to blow your dough (doe?).

1.  Wha’chu hunt’n?     You first have to decide what it is you are going to hunt with your muzzleloader.  Most muzzleloaders are purchased to hunt the most popular big game animal in North America:  the whitetail deer.  But there are other options if that is not your preference.  Whether your prey is larger or smaller, you need to know what you need to take that animal.  The neat part about this great United States is, we got critters everywhere, so….

2.  Where ya going’?     So you want a buck?  An elk?  A muley?  Before going too far, you need to check the state or area that you will be hunting in.  This will make a big difference in the gear you use.  Almost all muzzleloading rifles and bullets that the industry advertise are legal in most states at this time, but not all.  There are some states that require an open-breech (where the cap would be exposed to the whether) so that is something to be aware of.  In some areas of the country, only bore-sized bullets are legal.  In others, only patched round-balls are allowed.  Optics are also a no-no in some states, or rules may differ on special limited draw hunts or during specific seasons.  Fact of the matter is, you better know the rules where you are going before you start purchasing your gear to save .  So, now you know where you are headed...

3.  What’s it like there?    Depending on the terrain, your rifle, scope and load selection can be as difficult to pin down as, let’s say the whitetail itself.  In “whitetail world”, you can expect a shot at anywhere from 10 yards (or closer) to 200 yards +.  Habitat can be from so thick you can’t see more than 50 yards (where I live) to areas where you can see ‘em way farther than you can shoot ‘em (where I like to go).  The biggest factors here are picking the correct scope or in some cases, iron-sights may be the proper selection, and choosing proper  loads.  Still, narrowing down the choices can be a challenge. 

As you see in this short article, there are some very basic questions to answer before heading out this muzzleloader season.  Think about these things: what will I be hunting, what is legal where I’m going and how far will I be shooting.  Once you’ve answered these important questions, you can start purchasing your equipment – and now the real work of sorting through the choices begins!

Watch for my next post on how to select the high-dollar items: “The Latest & Greatest in Muzzleloading Rifles”.