Introduction to Muzzleloading
- Thread starter Irrelevant
- Start date
cgasner1
Well-known member
- Joined
- Apr 24, 2016
- Messages
- 2,990
Before you go hunting foul your barrel out. I dump about 50 grains down the barrel and pack a dry patch in it and shoot it.
Irrelevant
Well-known member
Why, what's the logic or the thing you're trying to create or prevent or? Shouldn't clean always be best?
cgasner1
Well-known member
- Joined
- Apr 24, 2016
- Messages
- 2,990
We have had some crazy flyers go shoot some groups when you get it the first round will be off from the next 3 idk why. Also it will guarantee you won’t have any hang fires since you shot the gun
cgasner1
Well-known member
- Joined
- Apr 24, 2016
- Messages
- 2,990
If you want just single gun you can legally hunt anything with in any state with elk I’d get that new traditions side hammer and load the 420 grain no excuse into it. If your happy just hunting animals in the nw i would do a google search for nw legal muzzle loader and pick one. Then I would load it with a 300 grain Thor. That’s just me I’d also look at using a musket cap ignition rather than a 209 for the simple fact muskets are legal in all states. It comes down to what you wanna spend and how much time you wanna put into this. I have had 5 different muzzy and almost had a custom 45 built at one time for the Montana heritage season. To me it comes down to this is a tool you use to fill a tag so i didn’t spend the money on the custom it had no real benefit.
MThuntr
Well-known member
No only the real stuff...it was something I did many years ago. I hunted a muzzleloader season in college and didn't scrub like I should have. The rifle still shoots well enough for hunting within 100 yards but not like it did before
Addicting
Well-known member
Nope, waste of time and money. A 209 to make sure the breech is clear is all you need to do.
There is something with your cleaning or storage process if you are getting flyers on a cold bore.
Irrelevant
Well-known member
I think I'll get one that just works for WA, and if I like it I'll get another. But cross that bridge when I get there
Addicting
Well-known member
Also don’t buy muzzleloader specific 209 primers. They are weaker than standard 209 shotgun primers. There is no advantage to that and are much more expensive. It’s mainly advertising and packaging. Just use plain old shotgun primers. If your breech is a sloppy fit for the 209 then use European 209 primers. They tend to be slightly larger and seal better when you close the breach.
LuketheDog
Well-known member
In Colorado it's minimum .40 conicals or .50 roundball for deer, bear, antelope, and minimum .50 conicals or .54 roundball for elk, moose. There are also minimum projectile grains for each but I can't remember those. No sabots also.
Bluffgruff
Well-known member
Models have changed since I last bought one. I'd get a 28" barreled optima if buying new, basically the old accura.
Hit the nail on the head with the entire post, but I feel this one.
Went to the range this morning and shot 15 rounds of Blackhorn and Barnes 250 grain T-EZ and I had a ton of fun, but felt like my shoulder needs some R & R.
Got the muzzy shooting about 1-1/2” groups at 100 with minimal effort.
Bonasababy
Well-known member
- Joined
- May 16, 2024
- Messages
- 420
How much blackthorn? I find my muzzy easier on the shoulder than most of my rifles, but I just run 100 grains of triple 7.
YouTube can be your friend. Traditions has some nice vids for their guns not sure about others.
The traditional shooters are declining around us.
I would not start there though,unless you really want to. A modern inline with easily spun off breech plug, triple 7 pellets and primers for the bang is easy to get started with and care for.
120 grain by volume Blackhorn
Ringbill27
Member
Go buy a cva(I really like the wolf), some white hots, some Barnes 250s bullets, some primers and a kit with patches bore butter and cleaner.
I clean my barrel every three shots during sight in. Store clean with a little bore butter. Wipe barrel out then pop a couple primers to season the bore before loading.
2 white hot pellets and a Barnes stuffed on top. Mark your ramrod for consistent loading. @#)(# the hammer and send it.
Finger condom over muzzle to keep moisture out. Once loaded for hunting, l leave the gun in my truck or unheated garage. Condensation matters with muzzleloaders.
They are more work but it’s become my favorite season.
I clean my barrel every three shots during sight in. Store clean with a little bore butter. Wipe barrel out then pop a couple primers to season the bore before loading.
2 white hot pellets and a Barnes stuffed on top. Mark your ramrod for consistent loading. @#)(# the hammer and send it.
Finger condom over muzzle to keep moisture out. Once loaded for hunting, l leave the gun in my truck or unheated garage. Condensation matters with muzzleloaders.
They are more work but it’s become my favorite season.
Last edited:
Ringbill27
Member
I don’t load powder or anything. But I pop a couple primers to fowl the barrel. I’ve noticed I get better first shot accuracy if the barrels dirty.
Ringbill27
Member
I agree. My CVA really like mag shotgun primers.
Yes, absolutely. That advice to keep a muzzleloader's bore dirty is in the same category as the jokes you see about using red loctite on the threads when installing an oil filter. Blackpowder is like a 8 out of 10 corrosive. Substitutes are more like a 5 out of 10, which will still ruin a gun quickly. Even Blackhorn 209, the miracle propellant guys have been using the last decade or so, is still many times more corrosive than any kind of centerfire propellant that has been used in recent memory. You should store your rifle and hunt with a clean bore.
Also, please do not use powerbelts. They are convenient in terms of how they comply with regs and some rifles shoot them accurately, but terminal performance is frequently astonishingly bad. Barnes T-EZs (Thors are the same bullet but with a minie ball-esque gas check) are the way to go really. This is the kind of blood they produce.
