Long-range Muzzleloaders

[NVDesertHunter]

Most of the states I hunt in prohibit scopes on muzzleloaders. Curious what ranges people are shooting big-game with "long-range" open sight muzzleloaders. I have a T/C and my farthest shot on game is 130yds but curious how far a semi custom set-up can reach out to. thanks

 

[Dan O]

My longest shot was a 130 yards per my range finder. 50 caliber maxi ball pushed by 85 grains of 2f Goex. Used factory TC adjustable sights on my Hawken. I was much younger with better eye sight than now. Complete pass through the lungs on a 4x4 Whitetail. About a 30 yard dash and he piled up. Less than a 5 mph wind that evening. Gusting wind will eat your lunch if you are not paying attention.

 

[ccc23454]

Target matters, I can tell you from recent experience that the front blade of a hawken covers a significant amount of a mature pronghorn at 75 yards.

 

[perma]

Waiting for that one guy to vote 300+ yards…

 

[Hem]

Target matters, I can tell you from recent experience that the front blade of a hawken covers a significant amount of a mature pronghorn at 75 yards.

This^^

Apparantly we have a bunch of hawk-eye millionaires on Hunttalk.

 

[WildWill]

I voted 150-200 yards. I've never fired it over 125 yards in the field but can ring my 9 inch gong everytime out to 200 yards. I feel under the right circumstances I'd be able to make any shot inside 200 yards. Although @ccc23454 is right big difference in aiming at a elk and a deer/pronghorn at 200 yards. Here's my longest muzzleloader kill from last year in NM 125 yard heart shot.

 

[cgasner1]

I w killed a couple elk between 150-190 with a Lyman peep and my knight bighorn

 

[ismith]

Every long range muzzleloader Hunter ever……..

 

[dan.kirkpatrick]

id say ethically 100-150 yrds is what i picked,,,though in 2020 i was able to get a 5x5 in idaho at 240 yrds w open sights after my missed warning shot,,put it about 18" over the top of its back and it laid it right in there,,plus ill take a little luck on it too.

 

[BAKPAKR]

I have a Williams peep sight on my T/C Black Diamond. I do pretty well out to about 150 yards with it.

This bull was taken shortly after Idaho changed to its current muzzleloader requirements. A short time before I spotted the bull (about an hour), I shot right under a wolf at the same range. So, I knew where to hold on the elk.

BTW - I usually hunt at the snowline, hence the different camo.

 

[cgasner1]

I’d say it really depends on a lot size of target and backdrop has a huge effect on being able to see it.
Once I switched to the peep it made the shots much easier

 

[ismith]

I have a Williams peep sight on my T/C Black Diamond. I do pretty well out to about 150 yards with it.

This bull was taken shortly after Idaho changed to its current muzzleloader requirements. A short time before I spotted the bull (about an hour), I shot right under a wolf at the same range. So, I knew where to hold on the elk.

BTW - I usually hunt at the snowline, hence the different camo.

View attachment 338078

Your camo set up is beyond reasonable.

 

[Nick87]

I have a Williams peep sight on my T/C Black Diamond. I do pretty well out to about 150 yards with it.

This bull was taken shortly after Idaho changed to its current muzzleloader requirements. A short time before I spotted the bull (about an hour), I shot right under a wolf at the same range. So, I knew where to hold on the elk.

BTW - I usually hunt at the snowline, hence the different camo.

View attachment 338078

Like that picture.

 

[BAKPAKR]

I don’t know about “beyond reasonable”, but “Beyond Fleece” are the pants I was wearing in this photo.

BTW — I know of a bighorn killed within the area covered by this photo, just not by me.

 

[338win]

Aperture/peeps and a 6 o’clock hold help. I’d be confident on a moose/elk at 150 with my encore w/ skinner rear sight and 100 on a deer with same setup. A v notch hawken id subtract 10-20 yards.

 

[ismith]

I don’t know about “beyond reasonable”, but “Beyond Fleece” are the pants I was wearing in this photo.

BTW — I know of a bighorn killed within the area covered by this photo, just not by me.

View attachment 338079

I’m of the school of thought that camo should break your outline, not your bank.

 

[BAKPAKR]

I’m of the school of thought that camo should break your outline, not your bank.

I was feeling pretty special in those trousers. . .

 

[ismith]

I was feeling pretty special in those trousers. . .

To be honest that was my first thought too.

 

[duckhunt]

In Iowa I can use a scope and I personally think 150 yards is far enough. With open sights for my colorado elk hunt a couple years ago I put 100 yard limit for myself. Any further than that with or without a scope I feel that's when animals get wounded instead of a kill shot.

 

[OwyheeHuntr]

Williams peep on my Knight Bighorn- deer max for me is about 125 yards, Elk 150.