Which Muzzleloader?

[Winchester]

Given all of the in-line muzzleloaders on the market today, which would you buy for a deer/elk hunt in Colorado?

 

[tdub24]

Thompson Center makes quality products. My Encore Pro Hunter has killed 2 bulls and 1 buck. With open sights and a lead sled, I have been able to shoot a 1" group with it at the range. Took some time to figure out what load the gun liked, but since I have, I have only shot a 3 shot group, 2 years in a row at the range.

 

[Winchester]

Thanks!! What load does yours like?

 

[tdub24]

I tried multiple powder loads, all in pellets. Went from 90 grains up to 150 grains. Tried a few different bullets as well. At the end of the summer, it ended liking 150gr of Pyrodex pellets and 300 grains of either Thompson Center Shockwave Sabots or 300 grain Hornady SST Sabots. Both bullets shoot well with the Hornady's a little faster, better trajectory, and more down range energy. Surprising I do not have to adjust my sights for the 2 different bullets.

 

[Winchester]

Unfortunately I'm in Colorado and can't use pellets or sabots but still good info. Thanks!

 

[tdub24]

Colorado Cowboy should be coming along soon, he has a wealth of knowledge with these muzzys too. I think he has the encore fx which is strictly muzzleloader. He turned me on to a full bore bullet but I never ordered some after getting the test bullets. Best of luck!

 

[hoshour]

I've read a lot of good things about the CVA Optima V2 but haven't shot it. Supposed to be a very accurate break-action ML.

 

[CoHiCntry]

Given all of the in-line muzzleloaders on the market today, which would you buy for a deer/elk hunt in Colorado?

Quite a few good options to choose from. I had a T/C Omega for a long time and really like T/C's. That being said the QLA creates some issues when shooting conicals. Enough so that I would hesitate to buy one as a Colorado specific gun. CVA has the Accura and the Optima which are both nice guns and a solid choice too. I recently purchased a Knight Ultra Light and am eager to get it out! It's a little more expensive than the others but is a quality gun. I'm not sure you can go wrong with any inline? They all have there pluses and minuses, it really comes down to personal likes and dislikes. Go fondle a few and see what trips your trigger.

 

[tdub24]

I think that Optima is what the girl I was helping chase bulls with had this year. She didn't put in the time to find the right load, so shots were real inconsistent. I tried to get it back on with the materials she gave me and it was still sketchy. She ended up with 5 shots at e different bulls to no avail. I think a lot of that was bull re we. But ya, I thought the gun was nice....light and good action.

 

[CoHiCntry]

I've read a lot of good things about the CVA Optima V2 but haven't shot it. Supposed to be a very accurate break-action ML.

Yeah the Optima gets really good reviews. Winchester... If you wanna see an Optima V2, I've got a brand new one you can check out. You can also look at the Knight Ultra light I just got too.

 

[hoshour]

You know, I actually meant the CVA Acura, though both the Acura and Optima get good reviews.

Not having yet picked up black powder, my assumption is that the most important things are accuracy, reliability and ease of cleaning, maybe also weight, in that order. Which ML do you think scores highest on those metrics?

 

[CoHiCntry]

You know, I actually meant the CVA Acura, though both the Acura and Optima get good reviews.

Not having yet picked up black powder, my assumption is that the most important things are accuracy, reliability and ease of cleaning, maybe also weight, in that order. Which ML do you think scores highest on those metrics?

Tough one to answer knowing opinions can be all over the place... I think reliability would be the same or nearly the same with any of the big three (CVA, T/C, Knight), of course like everything your gonna hear the occasional horror story. Accuracy is another that is hard to nail down. In my opinion muzzleloaders can and will be cantankerous, you have to really spend the time and money to try different powder, bullet and primer combinations. Some will be easier to get dialed in than others but most can be dialed in with some effort. Some are just inherently bad shooters though. Ease of cleaning probably goes to the break action like the CVA, then the drop down action like the T/C, and lastly the bolt action of the Knight. Of course once you get the hang of it, and a system down on cleaning, one could argue they are all the same. Ease of cleaning is one thing that's kept me from being soley a Knight guy. After owning a few though, I really think they are the best thing going for muzzleloaders but are a little more expensive then the others. They are all good rifles though. I've owned them all, and several different models of each.

 

[Finsandtines]

After a ton of research I finally bought the optima v2 a year ago and I love it despite not yet having an opportunity to shoot anything other than a target. I will say that after a few minor adjustments at the range I knew I bought the right gun. It was more accurate than I anticipated. It is also pretty easy to break down and clean. I personally do not pay too much attention to weight but do not feel that it is a heavy gun....

 

[Musket Man]

I know you can put a Knight disc extreme under water for 45 minutes and it will still fire like it had never been wet!!!! Yes I did this testing myself

 

[luckynv]

I have a TC Encore, it is hard to go wrong with the flexibility of this platform and all of the interchangeable barrels that are available. The THOR bullets appear to be the ticket for a Colorado gun. They are a Barnes Copper bullet that you try 4 different sizes and see which one fits your barrel best. There are also some new bullets out from Federal Premium Trophy that may fit Colorado's regs and are supposed to be accurate to 200 yards. My TC has the capability of shooting better groups than the loose nut behind the trigger. For Elk it also allows a rut hunt in many western states. Lots of practice especially for followup shots is very important. Lots of range time making that first shot count is crucial and as others have said figuring out a load that your gun likes. Good luck and God bless

 

[Colorado Cowboy]

Took me awhile to get to this post, but I'll weigh in with my experience.

I have a T/C Pro Hunter that shoots well for me. Took awhile to get it to this point. I get 1 1/2" groups at 100yds if I do my part.

Bullets....I can't say enough for THOR bullets, they are the real deal. I started out using bullets with the plastic seal at their base, which is a mistake IMHO. I shoot competition Cowboy Action using pre 1900 guns with black powder. I shoot my own reloads in everything ...single action revolver, lever action rifle and double barrel shotgun. BP (& substitute BP powders) shoots extremely hot as compared to smokeless powders. I started out using one piece plastic wads in my shotgun....mistake! They are melted by the heat and leave a residue that coats the inside of the barrel. It is hard to clean. What's my point you say, well the plastic seal at the base of the BP bullets melt and leave a residue in the rifling. You can see it when you clean your gun. Once I started using Thors (that also match my bore diameter), no more plastic buildup and increased accuracy.

Powder....as earlier stated can't use pelletized powder in Colorado. In my neck of the woods, real BP is hard to get and I use a lot of it for my Cowboy shooting, so I use a BP sub, APP. At our National Championships, lots of vendors set up tents to sell their wares. I buy APP by the case, delivered to my place for around $14.00/pound with free shipping and no hzmt fee. The load data is exactly the same as real BP and it actually cleans up better.

Accuracy.....I am getting up in years and my eyes aren't what they used to be. Normal open sights are fine in Cowboy shooting as I am shooting at steel targets at ranges of 10 feet to 20 yards depending on the gun. All they need to do is go "ping". I installed a SEEALL sight (legal here in Co.) and MY groups started to shrink. I also experimented with lubing the barrel before 1st shot vs dry, cleaning after every shot, etc. You will just have to do the work finding the right method and sequence that works for you and you gun, also mentioned earlier.

As others have said....It takes range time and work to get these smokepoles to shoot really well. I used to shoot BP single shot Buffalo Rifle 1000 yard competition that took me a year or so to get everything dialed in. The new modern BP stuff is no different, takes a little time, but shooting is fun .....right!

 

[ColoradoV]

I have a white super 91 in 50 cal and find it has superb accuracy with good old #11 caps, 91gr of pyrodex p, and 460 gr no excuses.. Doc was not a big manufacturer of so they are limited in supply but out there if you look around and they are not subject to a ffl so if you find one they can ship it to you direct.

Mine is topped w a lyman peep (clicks up or down for elevation) and a custom made filed down triangle point front site (12 o'clock hold) and also tried the fine cross hair in the front peep this year as well. Below is one of my best open site 200 yd targets from the late summer shot off a pack. I practice regularly out to 400yds on metal as that is as far as I can dial up the lyman as I have it set up and it is amazing what these rifles are capable of. Everything I use is set up for a Colorado legal gun.

Below is one of my best groups from the late summer - open sites off my pack at 200 yds.

Lots of good choices for you to look over. Good luck.

 

[xtreme]

Currently running a Z5 on my Knight. I think a good scope with BDC for most states, not Colorado.

 

[Slugz]

Pa beer noted there. I grew up in western PA.

 

[Winchester]

Thanks CoHiCntry!! I sent you a PM.