looking for a good muzzleloader

[thorman]

This year I'm looking to go deer hunting with a muzzle-loader. I've used my fathers 20 year old gun before, but I would like to buy a gun of my own. I'm looking for some opinions on what to buy. I've managed to make shotgun season in Iowa every year for the past 15 years, but this year I'll be qualling at the boat for the first time during our shotgun season. I'll be archery hunting while I'm home on leave, but it's also muzzleloader season so I'd like to try that too.

 

[Tiltedsky]

I used to go muzzleloading hunting in Colorado for elk and deer back in the day. One year I had a tag for a doe and a bull elk and I only got to shoot Bambi's little sister. Kinda pathetic.

Anyway muzzleloading is really diverse in terms of firearms. The inline stuff are pretty much single shot rifles that take a little longer to reload. Traditional rifles and muskets are completely different beasts. I use a 54 cal musket with a 1 in 69 twist. Most rifles today have a 1 in 48 twist which is good for shooting balls and conical bullets. My 1 in 69 is only good for balls. My musket also uses musket caps which throw out 7 times the fire of the #11 caps used on most rifles. Sure helps reliability. Unfortunately muskets are usually heavy, expensive, and kind of dorky. A hawken type rifle would be a good start for a traditional rifle and I have no idea were to start for an inline rifle.

 

[scoober78]

69 is only good for balls

Anyway...the trouble as the other response suggested, is that there is a ton of variety in the sport of muzzleloading. You need to resolve how you want to approach it before you buy anything.

Are you more interested in the tradition and craft aspects (trust me, knapping flints, truing pans and generally becoming competent with a flintlock takes time and is a craft) or are you just looking to try something that gives you another season to hunt? Does your state allow inlines for the muzzleloader only season? Many do not. (PA etc...) Got to answer these types of questions first...

 

[WheelsUpHeelsUp]

I have two of them, both .50 cal bottom of the line weapons. The CVA Bobcat with it's exposed side hammer and a Traditions Thunderbolt inline. Inlines can be had for 100 bucks nowadays, go that route. MUCH hotter spark, bigger powder charge and not nearly as rain or water sensitive.

 

[Jay]

Like a good Tennessee Muzzleloader?

 

[Pugs]

As others have mentioned it's a wide wide world of options. By this year do you mean a late muzzleloader season in 06? If so I'd go with a Thompson Center Omega. The one I have is quite happy launching 250 grain sabots over two pellets of 777 into a 1 1/2" circle at 1200 yards. The trigger rivals that on my Kimber 84M

Iowa does allow in-lines and does allow scopes on them. Pa does allow inlines but only during certain ML seasons and at others it's flintlock, open sites only.

Flintlocks can be a ton of fun and I plan on building another in the Southern "poor boy" style when I get done playing "this old house"

 

[WheelsUpHeelsUp]

As others have mentioned it's a wide wide world of options. By this year do you mean a late muzzleloader season in 06? If so I'd go with a Thompson Center Omega. The one I have is quite happy launching 250 grain sabots over two pellets of 777 into a 1 1/2" circle at 1200 yards. The trigger rivals that on my Kimber 84M

Flintlocks can be a ton of fun and I plan on building another in the Southern "poor boy" style when I get done playing "this old house"

1200 YARDS???? Might you have meant to say 120 yards?
Do you prefer the sticks over the powder? I've used both, sticks are easier but I like the powder for heavy loads.