New to muzzleoaders

[JamisJockey]

I'm going hunting for Mule Deer next year with a buddy on the Muzzleloader hunt. And since I'm moving back east in a few years, I thought it wouldn't be a bad way to hunt little deer, I mean Whitetail.
However, I'm a complete virgin when it comes to muzzleloaders. I imagine I want an inline. .45 or 50 cal? What other items or features should I look for?
What accessories do I need?
My intention is to put one on layaway this month. Might as well since its the off season for my other hobbies.

 

[oneshooter]

Why an inline? There are a lot of traditional style rifles out there. Hawken, Longrifle, Southern, Underhammer. A large part of the game is the History.


Oneshooter
Livin in Texas


PS I believe that inlines are an abomination.

 

[4v50 Gary]

Inlines.

Oh well. Here's what's useful whether you go inline or traditional. You should have a ramrod. Happily they come with one already. You should have:

jag - fits on the end of your ramrod and is used to ram the ball down the barrel. It may also be fitted with a patch so you can scrub your barrel down.

Stuck ball remover - looks like a wood screw. It's used to screw into the ball and remove its stuck in the barrel. In most cases, it's stuck because there's no powder behind the ball.

Worm - used to remove any patches stuck down the ball. Say the patch falls off your jag. You attach this bent wire thingy to your ramrod and use it to catch the patch and pull it out.

powder flask or horn - carry your powder

Power measure - you pour the powder from your flask or horn into this. The powder measure is used not only to measure powder but also to pour the powder down the barrel. Pouring from the horn or flask could result in a handgrenade.

If you want to get fancy, you can also get those plastic cartridges. It's a waterproof container that will carry a premasured powder charge on one end (flip top) and the ball/patch combo on the other.

Nipple wrench - to remove the nipple from the barrel to clean it. They generally come with the gun.

Possibles bag - to carry all your gun junk in. It can also be a belt pack if you're not carry much.

 

[JamisJockey]

PS I believe that inlines are an abomination.

Just like running water and electricity?

 

[JamisJockey]

Gary,
Thanks! I'll print that list off before I go to the shop.

 

[271mac]

Hey! I’m new to muzzle loading myself. There is a neat tool for cleaning and loading. It’s a rotating jag. I like for its ability to load different bullets. When I went to the range I was able to try different bullets with out having to buy different ramrod loading tips. They have a website where you can get one. www.spinjag.com

Be safe! Have fun.
Craig

 

[oneshooter]

JamisJockey,

No. They are being used to make a modern rifle from a muzzle loader. There is little skill involved in using a stainless steel, plastic stocked, scoped, plastic saboted jacked bullet powered by artificial powder rifle. The only thing that IT has in commen with my Flint Longrifle is that it loads from the muzzle.
( /end of rant/)

I have been a "traditional" muzzle loader from day one. The modern stuff is suposed to benifit the traditionalists by drawing more people into the sport. All it has done is bring in people who only shoot them for the extended hunting season and put them away the rest of the year.
(/end of second rant/)

Oneshooter
Livin in Texas

 

[Smokey Joe]

Tradition, ..... Tradition!

Shades of Topol singing in Fiddler on the roof!

However, Oneshooter, I for one agree with you. If you're going to shoot a muzzleloader, shoot a muzzleloader. Like Lewis and Clark's.

/rant mode ON/ Gee, the next step for the "modern muzzleloader" crowd will be to lobby for the inclusion of ANY single-shot rifle, and then it'll be off to the races for NEF's and Contenders, in .338Wby. For little whitetails.

Real muzzleloader hunters get no respect. Here where I live, the "muzzleloader season" is the week after the regular gun deer season. Having survived the regular gun deer season, no deer in its right mind is going to come out of its foxhole that following week, nohow.

PA has the right idea--they allow only traditional muzzleloaders, and have a separate deer hunting season for them, when the deer aren't all spooked from having bullets whizzing all over the woods./rant mode OFF/

 

[Starter52]

JamisJockey, old timers (like me) have been shooting traditional BP rifles for years, so forgive us our partisan comments.

My advice: Go ahead and buy an in-line if you want. Just because some of us prefer a traditional gun (I shoot a flintlock T/C Renegade) should not stop you.

I teach a hunter safety class each fall. I show the kids an "exposed hammer" gun, but also bring an in-line to class. I know that most new hunters will select an in-line. Easier to clean, often cheaper, and more modern looking.

This is one area where you can't fight progress.

 

[Zeke/PA]

I'm sorry but, I have to agree with the tradicional people on this thread.
The true black powder hunt in my opinion is a for real front stuffer with flint or precussion priming, iron sights of course.
I shoot a built from kit.50 cal Thompson Hawkin that is 25 years old.
I have killed 12 deer shooting a home cast 370 grain Maxi- Ball
Eleven of these deer dropped in their tracks, #twelve dropped within 50 yards.
To each his own.
Respectfully, Zeke

 

[Starter52]

Well said, Zeke. Very well said. But I still cannot fault a beginner for buying an in-line. Like you said, to each his own.

 

[JamisJockey]

I'm sorry but, I have to agree with the tradicional people on this thread.
The true black powder hunt in my opinion is a for real front stuffer with flint or precussion priming, iron sights of course.
I shoot a built from kit.50 cal Thompson Hawkin that is 25 years old.
I have killed 12 deer shooting a home cast 370 grain Maxi- Ball
Eleven of these deer dropped in their tracks, #twelve dropped within 50 yards.
To each his own.
Respectfully, Zeke

No, the true purpose of the black powder hunt is one shot, short range, that can't be reloaded immediately.
I'm in a bad mood today, but that hasn't stopped me before. I despise elitists who think that thier way is the only way.
Disrespectfully,
me.

 

[JamisJockey]

Oh, yeah, and:
MY ORIGINAL QUESTION WAS ABOUT INLINES AND WHICH CALIBER. I AM NOT INTERESTED IN A TRADITIONAL RIFLE AT THIS POINT. NO FREAKING KIT RIFLES, BLAH BLAH BLAH.

 

[Stickjockey]

Can't make a recommendation RE: inline frontstuffers, being a Hawken/capnball/Pennsylvania guy myself. Get what feels right for you.

However...

With regards to hunting, check the regs in your state first. Some, like Oregon, require that only traditional muzzleloaders be used during BP season. The definition of "traditional" will change also, as will minimum calibers. IIRC, minimum in OR is .40. Either .50 or .54 would be fine. I went with .54 just to be in the ballpark for either deer or elk.

 

[oneshooter]

No, the true purpose of the black powder hunt is one shot, short range, that can't be reloaded immediately.
I'm in a bad mood today, but that hasn't stopped me before. I despise elitists who think that thier way is the only way.

The builders of the inlines are boasting that they will kill deer sized game at 200-300 yds. Is this "short range"? If you want this type of power in a black powder rifle then you may consider a BPCR. OH Thats right, if you do then you can't hunt the muzzle loader only season! The typical range for a front stuffer is 100yds or less, 75yds with a patched round ball. I am not an elitist who believe that my way is the only way, I only asked a question and made known my feelings about inlines. If that riles you then you need a thicker skin and/or a sense of humor.

Oneshooter
Livin in Texas

 

[MLKeith]

JamisJockey: I am going to try to answer the original question without getting into the debate about types of muzzleloaders. I personally have a T/C Omega .50, a T/C .54 Hawken and a .50 barrel for the same rifle, a Traditions Pursuit LT .50, and a Lyman .50 flintlock so that should stop the complaints about traditional vs. modern. I hunt with the Omega most of the time as I am a meat hunter and since my state allows it I also have a 1.5 to 5 power scope on the Omega. I have on the shelf Goex black powder, Goex Pinnacle (synthetic), American Pioneer (synthetic), KIK black powder, Black Mag'3 (synthetic), Pyrodex loose and pellets and Tripple Seven both loose and pellets. If you are going to get into the sport I recommend that you stay with the .50 cal as more is available in this caliber and it is legal in most states for elk whereas the .45 is not. If you are going to lean towards the inline (modern) rifles I recommend that you stay with either the USA manufactured or the Italian manufactured. I would not recommend the spanish rifles (CVA,Traditions(yes I have one of those), Winchester and several other manufacturers (actually they are distributors not manufacturers as the spanish rifles are usually made in Spain and just imported). In the lower priced range you can look at the NEF rifle that is a break action and it is competitively priced with the spanish ones but American made and tested. The Omega has just come out with a lower priced one that is the same as the more expensive one with slightly cheaper iron sights and a lower quality bluing on the metal. It should shoot as good as the expensive one. I personally do not believe that the inline rifles have that much advantage over the sidelocks and I limit my shots to 110 yards or less. The claim of 200 plus yard shots are somewhat difficult for me to believe and only then if the one doing those kind of shots does a lot of shooting at those ranges under hunting conditions. If you narrow the list down I will try to give you my thoughts on whatever you decide to consider and specifically what you wish to accomplish. You may contact me direct at [email protected] if you want to ask specific questions.