Need pointers on muzzleloaders please

[fmnjr]

As the thread title implies, I need some muzzleloader help. Next year in Nevada I will put the boy in for a junior hunt which will allow him to hunt archery, muzzle or rifle on one tag. I think, with a lot of work and help from a shop we're acquainted with, we've got the archery covered. But the muzzleloader, not so much. I'm not familiar at all and need to get spun up and figure out what to do about choosing a gun mfr, figuring out how to shoot it and so on. If you're familiar and can give me some pointers, it would be greatly appreciated.

About all I"ve got so far is a copy of Nevada's muzzleloader regs here:

 

[lifesupport4u]

I like my CVA Accura V2. Colorado so I only shoot open sights. I am not a muzzleloader guru by any means...

I had a T/C and it didn’t shoot Powerbelts well.

I recently heard a podcast about muzzleloader bullets and how they don’t expand like rifle bullets.

 

[p_ham]

I have been very happy with my accura V2. I got the stainless base model and was out the door for $375 in Reno. I would definitely recommend setting whatever you get up with a peep sight. I had to get a shorter front post for mine, no big deal. Fiber optics are legal in NV.

For ease of loading a lot of people use pellets. For all around badassery go with blackhorn 209. It's a little spendy, but worth it. If you do get a CVA you'll need the blackhorn breech plug. Much less fouling, very consistent.

Hornady xtp and barnes tmz bullets are both favorites of mine. I stay around the 300gr mark but 250gr are very popular.

Biggest thing will be making sure the rifle fits your kid.

 

[dan.kirkpatrick]

I hunt several states with my lyman great plains hunter barrel in.54 cal,,1-32 twist barrel,,i shoot 425 gr great plains conicals w 80 gr of 777 powder,,{somewhat old scool but legal in all states}I throw a scope on it in Utah though,,peepsights in Oregon.

 

[dan.kirkpatrick]

it shoots +6@50,,00@100yrds,-6@150,-12@200,-30@250,,gotta know your yardage.

 

[fmnjr]

Ok thanks guys, now I at least know some things to consider and have a place to start. I'll post up on my progress as I get further along.

 

[jmveverka]

I got my son a Thompson Center Impact. It is affordable, shoots well and has a removable spacer that allowed it to be fitted down to a compact size for his shorter length of pull.

 

[utah400elk]

I shoot a Knight Disc Extreme 50 cal. I use 460 grr no-excuse full bore bullets with a felt wad over 75 gr (by volume) BH 209. This has been a great load/combo for me. This load, in my knight, will shoot 3 inch groups at 100. I did switch the a Williams FP sight with a firefight front. My son used this rifle for his first buck.

Hope that help.

 

[AvidIndoorsman]

I use a Knight muzzy and really like it.

My 2 cents: you might want to hunt muzzy in multiple states and unlike rifles you probably aren't going to buy a couple of muzzys so I would but one that is going to be legal in every western state. Nevada seems very close in their regs to CO (which is one of the most restrictive states) with the exception you can use sabots, personally I wouldn't use a sabot and work up a load you can use anywhere.

 

[Nick87]

I got my son a Thompson Center Impact. It is affordable, shoots well and has a removable spacer that allowed it to be fitted down to a compact size for his shorter length of pull.

Did the same, gun was very inexpensive on gunbroker. It shoots just as well or better than any of the other muzzleloaders I have used.

 

[LuketheDog]

I got my son a Thompson Center Impact. It is affordable, shoots well and has a removable spacer that allowed it to be fitted down to a compact size for his shorter length of pull.

This^ I picked up one of these this summer, my daughters will be able to shoot it comfortably with the spacer removed. It shoots the Federal BOR Lock bullets very well, but I'll be upgrading the sights...

 

[fmnjr]

So the mfr names that keep coming up are Thompson, CVA. Knight is something I've not heard before but will check out, too....thanks everyone!

 

[Nick87]

Those are all solid choices as far as brands go.

 

[utah400elk]

I built one load that can be used in every state I might hunt (AZ, NM, UT, CO, NV etc.). I can add a scope if I choose for the states that allow them but have a great set up for the others as well.

 

[LopeHunter]

I have two T/C Omega inline .50 and keep scope on one. The one without a scope is used in CO and NV.

I use the same powder type and load and same bullet and primer in each and each of the Omegas shoots the same. I can shoot the unscoped version with a peep sight out to about 125 yards. I will shoot the scoped version beyond 200 yards though have concerns about how bullet will penetrate at 300 yards.

I used to be able to hit a pie plate at 60 yards with a bow so the unscoped muzzleloader (NV does not allow a scope) only adds another 60 yards of range for me compared to a bow in NV. I know hunters that are comfortable shooting at 200 yards with iron sights at a live animal. They typically file on the front sight and use a shimmed peep on the rear sight to get comfortable with the 200 yard range.

I like Blackhorn 209 with a CCI Magnum primer. Start at 100 grains (by volume) and work up in 10 grain implements seeing what that does for accuracy but never exceed what the firearm manufacturer suggests as max load. I used to shoot Powerbelts but had one fragment into birdshot and not penetrate well when hitting a deer rib at under 50 yards with a hot load. The buck did tip over after a few yards but all damage was mostly outside the rib cage and the fragments actually traveled under the skin to the opposite side of the rib cage. Blackhorn 209 fouls the barrel a lot slower than some other propellant choices and only produces a minimal cloud of smoke so you can actually see what happens on a calm day when touch off a round. Some of the propellants can create a cloud that hangs around for over a minute on a calm day.

Get a cushioned hand grip for the rod as a day at the range can create sore spots as repeat the loading process multiple times, especially as seat the bullet beyond the first part of the muzzle. Carry the wrench to remove the portion of the breech that holds the primer as this allows you to empty out the powder if experience a misfire or want to unload the muzzleloader without firing the gun to do so. I use a dab of Bore Butter to help the bullet slide down the barrel easier.

I enjoy a muzzleloader hunt when a lot of critters and not many hunters. I hunted NV this month and head to NM next week. If a lot of tags are issued though can get frustrating as critters get bumped so are not behaving naturally and a pervasive "brown and it is down" develops in hunters.

 

[AvidIndoorsman]

At a 30k ft view there are two kinds of muzzleloader seasons, primitive seasons and restricted weapons. The point of primitive muzzleloader seasons is to make it harder to kill an animal thereby reduce harvest success rates and allow more people to participate. The point of restricted weapon seasons is to have people use weapons whose projectile doesn't travel as far for safety. Essentially eastern muzzy versus western muzzy. Some western states don't have primitive seasons so you can use things like a scope, since you can only use a muzzy in rifle season, eg. MT.

CVA is a "eastern" muzzy company, while Knight is more a "western" muzzy company. Both make products that are legal, but knight goes into way more detail on their website about which guns are legal where as that's what they are focused on.

 

[cahunter805]

TC omega/BH209/Barnes 290gr TMZ. Every TC I’ve been around shoots this combo well. I have taken a few deer and and an elk at 275 yards with this combo. Elk was DRT.

 

[Tikka06]

I shoot a knight Mountaineer and love it. I have had a T/C omega and it was an ok rifle too. I believe knight makes youth model called a little horn or something. My knight is heavy but with a scope it’s a 300 yard weapon. The scope is coming off next year and I’m taking it to Colorado.

 

[fmnjr]

Did the same, gun was very inexpensive on gunbroker. It shoots just as well or better than any of the other muzzleloaders I have used.

This is interesting, it lists for $263 - 364 on their site. If it shoots that well it may be the ticket.

 

[fmnjr]

I shoot a knight Mountaineer and love it. I have had a T/C omega and it was an ok rifle too. I believe knight makes youth model called a little horn or something. My knight is heavy but with a scope it’s a 300 yard weapon. The scope is coming off next year and I’m taking it to Colorado.

Yep, it's the Littlehorn and is just under $400: Littlehorn