Whats cheaper to shoot

[FairWeather]

I’m also muzzy curious. Mostly because it opens up more tags and different season dates. That and they look cool. The load building and cleaning have thus far kept me from taking the plunge, however.

 

[TrapperJ]

Thread about what's cheapest to shoot - prefers $50 ammo to $18 ammo because it doesn't take a few days to arrive. Answer - It's 2.5x cheaper to know that at some point 3+ days in the future you will want ammunition for your rifle so you buy it slightly before you actually need it for a fraction of the price.

Generally speaking, muzzleloader bullets are not cheap.

I will fully admit i didn't have the patience to wait 5 days for ammo

 

[TrapperJ]

In the early '70s I still lived in Colorado, and a friend of mine there got me started shooting muzzleloaders. They were something new to me and were fun to shoot. My first muzleloader was a percussion .45 caliber Kentucky rifle that I built from a CVA kit.

Since I was already casting wheel weight lead bullets for my .357 and .45 acp pistols, I also started casting round balls for my muzzleloader. Wheel weight lead contains Antimony and make great centerfire pistol bullets, but they are too hard to expand well at the slower muzzleloader velocities.

Also in the early '70s, Colorado started their first modern muzzleloader deer and elk seasons. I used my .45 Kentucky with a patched round ball back then to shoot my best mule deer.

Colorado then changed their rules and required a minimum of .50 caliber for muzzleloader elk. I then bought a .54 caliber Hawken rifle from a Green River kit, but I left Colorado before I could use it there, but I did use it here in Montana shooting a 435 gr lead TC Maxi Hunter bullet to shoot a Buffalo.

While I was on my muzzzleloader kick I also bought two single action army BP revolvers, one in .36 caliber and the other a .44 caliber, and I built a single shot .45 cal percussion pistol from another kit.

And, because Montana does have some BP or shotgun hunting areas, I bought a Traditions in-line .50 cal BP rifle with a scope. I've only used it once, on a friend's farm in Illinois, but it has yet to draw blood.

I have also expanded my bullet casting to include round ball or conical bullet molds for all of my BP guns.

Back to the OP's original question, I've always gone (I think) the cheap route and have handloaded for all of my firearms to the point that I even make my own shotshell shot. The initial cost of the tools can be a little high, but I make it up with a lower cost per shell and I get to shoot much more.

Amazing story and I try to be cheap but I do believe in getting good stuff even if it's expensive so would casting my own muzzleloader bullets be cheaper?

 

[TrapperJ]

A lot is a debatable measure but a lot more than the avg hunter. I sure wouldn't be shooting a lot or having as much fun doing it if I had to dump powder and stuff a projectile down the barrel for every shot!

True that could get tiring but still be fun

 

[TrapperJ]

It's like buying a $50k car to replace a good running car to get 5 MPG better gas mileage.

For the cost of the muzzle loader itself you can buy 10 boxes of cheap ammo offline, or several spendy boxes and have plenty left over.

Buying a new gun is not a way to shoot cheaper. It's a way to spend more money.

Still yet 200 for a muzzleloader which I can shoot 3 more deer with then at the same time just have another gun in my collection is worth every bit and as far as the car thing. If you buy a 50k car these days then I gotta say your crazy with the prices of everything

 

[TrapperJ]

Patched round balls are certainly cheap. And if you are a real scrooge you can miserly cast your own. Cheaper yet.

And if you're ultra cheapskate, you can crawl around on your knees in the parking lot. Popping wheel weights off of people's cars and use that to cast with.

I think people overs think muzzle loaders more than any other firearm. Maybe because they're so on familiar with them.

Scope? You don't need a scope on a muzzleloader. Pinch those pennies and use them to buy more (real) black powder.

You never know. You might find this is a lot more fun than you thought and your 7-08 can go down the road to someone else who has yet to see the light.

My gramps has a few buckets full of wheel weights along with I'm pretty sure a lifetime supply of fishing weights so I think I can get some lead lol if not then shotgun slugs better watch out.


I would not dare give my 7mm away

 

[Benfromalbuquerque]

Muzzleloader and here’s why: you’ll become a better hunter and there will be at least two deer seasons to hunt every year. From there we have two options, inline or other. Going traditional will offer more options such as PA’s flintlock deer or other states that require muzzleloaders to be more restricted than a scoped inline. Sidelocks also open the option of swapping out nipples for different size percussion caps.

On the other hand, a fixed power scope atop an inline is easy to load, clean, shoot accurately. With that you’ll also get into a synthetic stock, probably coated barrel and not pay the up charge for a wood-stocked blued gun that you’ll need to carefully protect from corrosion, rust.

Scope or no scope, you’ll need to plan on 100yd shots or closer. Because it’s a basic muzzleloader. So that’s why you’ll become a better hunter.

 

[TrapperJ]

Muzzleloader and here’s why: you’ll become a better hunter and there will be at least two deer seasons to hunt every year. From there we have two options, inline or other. Going traditional will offer more options such as PA’s flintlock deer or other states that require muzzleloaders to be more restricted than a scoped inline. Sidelocks also open the option of swapping out nipples for different size percussion caps.

On the other hand, a fixed power scope atop an inline is easy to load, clean, shoot accurately. With that you’ll also get into a synthetic stock, probably coated barrel and not pay the up charge for a wood-stocked blued gun that you’ll need to carefully protect from corrosion, rust.

Scope or no scope, you’ll need to plan on 100yd shots or closer. Because it’s a basic muzzleloader. So that’s why you’ll become a better hunter.

I think missouri only has 1 muzzleloader season and any muzzleloader can be used I do wish later on we got a short straight walled season then we could have a special use for those kinda calibers. And with scopes I personally like them for 2 reasons 1 there my binoculars and 2 well I just like to collect older scopes so I definitely probably will put one on this one. As far as range I took my doe at 20 feet maybe 40 so I'll probably zero my 7mm at 100 yards and then zero my muzzleloader at 50 feet like I did before since my shots barely my 40 yards

 

[mevertsen]

You need to review your hunter safety course if you use a scope for binoculars.

"Never point a weapon at anything you don't intend to destroy" sound familiar at all?

Scopes are for aiming to destroy something you already spotted and identified with your eyes or binoculars, not for scanning or identifying your target.

 

[Benfromalbuquerque]

Right, so with the muzzleloader you can hunt regular gun, muzzleloader and probably straight wall seasons in MO. Just like you can use archery in bow season and then any gun season, correct? Yeah, don’t use your scope like binoculars. You should use a peep sight with limited distance anyway. Check out Skinner sights. Good stuff at reasonable prices.

 

[TrapperJ]

You need to review your hunter safety course if you use a scope for binoculars.

"Never point a weapon at anything you don't intend to destroy" sound familiar at all?

Scopes are for aiming to destroy something you already spotted and identified with your eyes or binoculars, not for scanning or identifying your target.

Ha I knew someone was gonna correct me on that but here let me explain. So say there's a wide open field with a hill on the other in. In that case since I know there's nothing there I would look threw the scope and just look for a second since I know what's pass my target if I find one now example 2 would be say your up on a hill looking over a valley in that case I probably would be binoculars since there's a valley duh. Now I know it sounds stupid and all and I didn't give an exact and good example but normally I'm in a real thick holler or thick woody area but if I'm in a wide open spot then I just unload my rifle throw it on safety and have a little peak but yes I was taught the don't shoot unless you intend to destroy which I very much intend to destroy whatever I'm looking at but I do also believe if you can make the shot then make it I've seen to many things passed up on a good shot

 

[TrapperJ]

Right, so with the muzzleloader you can hunt regular gun, muzzleloader and probably straight wall seasons in MO. Just like you can use archery in bow season and then any gun season, correct? Yeah, don’t use your scope like binoculars. You should use a peep sight with limited distance anyway. Check out Skinner sights. Good stuff at reasonable prices.

Gotta tweak the rules a bit you know but at the same time I believe I'm more responsible then 99 percent of hunter my age

 

[TrapperJ]

Right, so with the muzzleloader you can hunt regular gun, muzzleloader and probably straight wall seasons in MO. Just like you can use archery in bow season and then any gun season, correct? Yeah, don’t use your scope like binoculars. You should use a peep sight with limited distance anyway. Check out Skinner sights. Good stuff at reasonable prices.

After checking skinner sights I do like there scopes be nice to have one on a lever action 44

 

[mevertsen]

Ha I knew someone was gonna correct me on that but here let me explain. So say there's a wide open field with a hill on the other in. In that case since I know there's nothing there I would look threw the scope and just look for a second since I know what's pass my target if I find one now example 2 would be say your up on a hill looking over a valley in that case I probably would be binoculars since there's a valley duh. Now I know it sounds stupid and all and I didn't give an exact and good example but normally I'm in a real thick holler or thick woody area but if I'm in a wide open spot then I just unload my rifle throw it on safety and have a little peak but yes I was taught the don't shoot unless you intend to destroy which I very much intend to destroy whatever I'm looking at but I do also believe if you can make the shot then make it I've seen to many things passed up on a good shot

It is stupid.

And it is dangerous.

Never point a gun at something you dont intend to destroy. Regardless of the backdrop, not even for a second. You only point or aim the gun AFTER you have identified your target. PERIOD

The rule is not "shoot unless you intend to destroy" it's "point"
Regardless of the safety. Regardless of anything.
Identity and confirm your target first, then bring your firearm up.

Passing up a good shot is ok.

I'm a Hunter safety instructor.

Your comments or actions in classes I have been involved in are immediate remediation amd possible dismissal.

In class you get second chances.

In life you don't.

Take another hunter safety class and pay attention this time.

End of rant.

I pray you never have to worry about a second chance.

 

[buffybr]

Amazing story and I try to be cheap but I do believe in getting good stuff even if it's expensive so would casting my own muzzleloader bullets be cheaper?

It all depends on how much shooting you will do. If you will only shoot maby less than 50 bullets a year, it probably wouldn't it to cast your own BP bullets. If you will shoot hundreds of BP bullets a year it would be cheaper to cast your own.

Like the old saying goes, "you get what you pay for" and that is very true for many DIY projects.

On the cheap, you can buy an old cast iron pot at a second hand store, buy or make a ladle, and buy a single cavity bullet mold and cast your bullets on you kitchen stove, probably all for under $50. Or you can go all out and buy a bottom pour electric casting pot, double or 6 cavity bullet molds, and you would still need cast iron pot, ladle, and heat source, along with an ingot mold to prepare your raw lead before you put it into your electric casting pot. New, all of these items would probably cost in the $200 range.

 

[Treeshark]

So say there's a wide open field with a hill on the other in. In that case since I know there's nothing there I would look threw the scope and just look for a second

If there is nothing there, why would you need to look through your scope to verify?

I know you’re young and just starting out- trying to help, and I’m rooting for you. Scopes are not binoculars, please don’t do that.

 

[TrapperJ]

If there is nothing there, why would you need to look through your scope to verify?

I know you’re young and just starting out- trying to help, and I’m rooting for you. Scopes are not binoculars, please don’t do that.

I do have a pair of binoculars but there rather shitty and I was trying awhile back to identify what I thought was a black cow at 400 yards I believe laying down so I looked through the binoculars and it was really fuzzy but there the scope it turned out to be a bear but yes I probably ought to stop the scope thing

 

[mevertsen]

Get yourself a better pair of binoculars instead of a muzzle loader.

 

[TrapperJ]

Get yourself a better pair of binoculars instead of a muzzle loader.

Rarely use binoculars so muzzleloader would see way more use

 

[TrapperJ]

Also anyone know what a 50 cap muzzleloader would do to a coyote? Science of course lol