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Author Topic: New to Muzzleloader hunting  (Read 5305 times)

Offline Tagsoupchef

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New to Muzzleloader hunting
« on: November 15, 2024, 09:17:03 AM »
Looking to get into muzzleloader hunting and was looking for some advice on a first muzzleloader thats budget friendly. Any advice?

Offline jrebel

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Re: New to Muzzleloader hunting
« Reply #1 on: November 15, 2024, 10:07:37 AM »
Looking to get into muzzleloader hunting and was looking for some advice on a first muzzleloader thats budget friendly. Any advice?

All modern muzzleloaders are very capable and very accurate.  Like anything....folks can spend as much or as little as they want and most who have muzzy hunted for years indulge in more expensive muzzleloaders.  Point being, buy a budget friendly muzzy and see how you like it.  If you end up liking it, you can always upgrade to a more expensive muzzleloader that at best offers more creature comforts.

Things to think of: 
1.  What state / states are you planning on hunting.  Rules very widely state to state. 
2.  What caliber you want?  45 and 50 being the most common.  I have found 50 cal components are available everywhere.  45 you may have to order items online. 
3.  What ignition system do you want or can you shoot (depending on the state).  209 primer systems are the best in my opinion if you only plan on hunting WA (and some other states). 
4.  What sights do you want?  Open vs Optic (1x only in WA).  Check to see if aftermarket sites are available for the muzzy you are looking at.  Williams sites makes great aftermarket sites for most muzzleloaders. 

Budget friendly: 

CVA wolf
CVA optima V2 (I have one and it shoots great)
Traditions buckstalker
Thompson Center Impact

Orrrrr...find a used one and save a ton.  I thought there was one for sale on here for a very reasonable price a week or two ago. 

Good luck....Muzzleloaders are hoot. 


Offline wapiti22

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Re: New to Muzzleloader hunting
« Reply #2 on: November 15, 2024, 03:02:57 PM »
Look for a used Thompson Center Hawken in 50 or 54 cal. Will do just fine for a beginning hunter.

Offline Tagsoupchef

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Re: New to Muzzleloader hunting
« Reply #3 on: November 15, 2024, 03:50:37 PM »
right on thank yall very much for the info!

Offline bkaech

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Re: New to Muzzleloader hunting
« Reply #4 on: November 15, 2024, 07:51:36 PM »
I love my CVA optima, shoots great, easy to handle and clean, and was reasonably priced. My only regret is that I didn't get a traditional muzzleloader. I recently picked up a used TC Hawken so now I can hunt with a "real" muzzleloader! If you choose to get an inline muzzy I would seriously consider the CVAs. I would never fault a guy for using the most modern version of what is legal, But if you are thinking about getting a real traditional muzzy I would encourage you to look for a used one, they are way cooler to hunt with than a modern inline.

Offline Rigby416

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Re: New to Muzzleloader hunting
« Reply #5 on: November 15, 2024, 09:58:43 PM »
I agree w/jrebel, a CVA Optima V2 is an excellent starter rifle that will serve you well.  The CVA's are much easier to care for and have a fast enough twist in the barrel to make use of wide variety of bullets on the market today.  Hope this helps.  Enjoy your hunts!

Offline dub870

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Re: New to Muzzleloader hunting
« Reply #6 on: November 16, 2024, 07:03:20 AM »
I like my Optima. It shoots very well for how cheap it is. If you want a more traditional rifle look for used T/C Hawken or variants. Truthfully buy both. Modern inlines can be very expensive to shoot where a traditional with a patched round ball and a low load of BP can be tons of fun and cheap to shoot.

Offline addicted1

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Re: New to Muzzleloader hunting
« Reply #7 on: November 16, 2024, 09:43:19 AM »
Buy once cry once. I am partial to Knight, they have drastically increased in price over the last few years. But, I believe you can still search out good deals and sales. Didn’t read all the post, but just know if you plan to ML out of state that the refs are different for some of them. Washington has relaxed a bunch of the regs recently.

Offline nwwanderer

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Re: New to Muzzleloader hunting
« Reply #8 on: November 16, 2024, 02:22:34 PM »
You cry when you buy guns, I cry when I sell them.  Have had several, would go with the patch and ball 50.  Bunch around and you will probably need to borrow stuff.  Get after it!!!

Offline big wood

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Re: New to Muzzleloader hunting
« Reply #9 on: November 17, 2024, 08:40:24 PM »
I am partial to the accura

Offline 85yota

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Re: New to Muzzleloader hunting
« Reply #10 on: November 22, 2024, 01:23:49 PM »
Knight, disc extreme. Worth the money over the bighorn in my opinion.  Little trickier to clean and take apart. But nothing beats them imop for wa. Havnt tri3d them with conical but I'm sure there just fine

Offline SkookumHntr

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Re: New to Muzzleloader hunting
« Reply #11 on: November 22, 2024, 03:03:54 PM »
-If you see a Knight Bighorn at a gun show I would definitely buy it!
IBEW89 RMEF MDF CCA

Offline CP

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Re: New to Muzzleloader hunting
« Reply #12 on: November 22, 2024, 03:19:15 PM »
+1 on the Bighorn.

Twist was mentioned earlier but to expound on it.  I’d recommend something around 1:28 for sabots.  Some Hawken type rifles are 1:48 which will work but some are 1:66 or so which should only be used with patched balls.   :twocents:

Offline JakeLand

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Re: New to Muzzleloader hunting
« Reply #13 on: November 26, 2024, 08:10:22 PM »
Buy once cry once and by a knight disc extreme or better yet a ultra lite

Offline lazydrifter

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Re: New to Muzzleloader hunting
« Reply #14 on: December 02, 2024, 09:23:55 AM »
Good day to buy a knight.  50% 0ff Mountaineer and Ultra-Lite.

https://www.muzzleloaders.com/

 


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