Hunting Washington Forum

Big Game Hunting => Muzzleloader Hunting => Topic started by: Tagsoupchef on November 15, 2024, 09:17:03 AM

Title: New to Muzzleloader hunting
Post by: Tagsoupchef 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?
Title: Re: New to Muzzleloader hunting
Post by: jrebel on November 15, 2024, 10:07:37 AM: Quote from: Tagsoupchef 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?

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.
Title: Re: New to Muzzleloader hunting
Post by: wapiti22 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.
Title: Re: New to Muzzleloader hunting
Post by: Tagsoupchef on November 15, 2024, 03:50:37 PM: right on thank yall very much for the info!
Title: Re: New to Muzzleloader hunting
Post by: bkaech 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.
Title: Re: New to Muzzleloader hunting
Post by: Rigby416 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!
Title: Re: New to Muzzleloader hunting
Post by: dub870 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.
Title: Re: New to Muzzleloader hunting
Post by: addicted1 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.
Title: Re: New to Muzzleloader hunting
Post by: nwwanderer 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!!!
Title: Re: New to Muzzleloader hunting
Post by: big wood on November 17, 2024, 08:40:24 PM: I am partial to the accura
Title: Re: New to Muzzleloader hunting
Post by: 85yota 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
Title: Re: New to Muzzleloader hunting
Post by: SkookumHntr on November 22, 2024, 03:03:54 PM: -If you see a Knight Bighorn at a gun show I would definitely buy it!
Title: Re: New to Muzzleloader hunting
Post by: CP 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:
Title: Re: New to Muzzleloader hunting
Post by: JakeLand on November 26, 2024, 08:10:22 PM: Buy once cry once and by a knight disc extreme or better yet a ultra lite
Title: Re: New to Muzzleloader hunting
Post by: lazydrifter on December 02, 2024, 09:23:55 AM: Good day to buy a knight. 50% 0ff Mountaineer and Ultra-Lite.

https://www.muzzleloaders.com/
Title: Re: New to Muzzleloader hunting
Post by: dsotm on December 04, 2024, 09:04:45 AM: Quote from: lazydrifter on December 02, 2024, 09:23:55 AM
Good day to buy a knight. 50% 0ff Mountaineer and Ultra-Lite.

Even with the sale they are way too proud of their guns for the price :o
Title: Re: New to Muzzleloader hunting
Post by: huntnphool on December 04, 2024, 10:50:02 AM: Quote from: CP on November 22, 2024, 03:19:15 PM
+1 on the Bighorn.

+1, my son got his first elk this year with a Bighorn purchased new a few years ago and was finally taken out of the box this year. 1 shot at 170 yards right through the heart.

Knight poly tip 300gr. bullet. :twocents: