ready to buy 1st muzzleloader...HELP

I sure don't know anything about black powder guns. I got drawn for a TPWD hunt that is black powder, so I'm going to buy a gun for it. I want to stay under about $700 total, and looking at muzzle-loaders.com, I can buy a heckuva gun/scope package for that. Anybody have any good advice about what NOT to do?

Just bought my CVA Optima from them. I like it a lot and paid about $250 without scope. The Acura is a great choice for a little more money and that comes with an adjustable trigger. I have family and friends with both guns and they are all big fans. check out the videos on youtube.

Good luck!

Z

For the last 15 years I've done all of my big game hunting in Texas and elsewhere with a muzzleloader. I use 3 different 50 cal Knight Disc Extremes with Lehigh Bare Primer breech plugs, 105 to 110 grs of Blackhorn 209 powder, 300 gr.Harvester PT Gold Bullets and Harvesters Black Crush Rib sabots. Right now I'm using Winchester's regular 209 primer. Less blowback than the CCI 209M or Federal 209A. You don't need that heavy a bullet for WT, but our lease has some really big hogs, as well as aoudad, axis and fallow. It's proven to be really accurate load and a very effective on game. The TC Strike and TC Pro Hunter FX are effective as is Cooper's new muzzleloader if you can handle the years wait and $1200 + price tag.The new Knight Ultralight and Mountaineer are not bad. If you are really serious about the sport don't scrimp on the glass. All 3 of my scopes are 30mm, 1 x 6s I picked up at SWFAA. One Nikon Gold, a Kahles and Swarovski. All 3 produce 1" groups at 100 yds. There is a world of info on the BH209 web site and several other user blogs.Lots of good guys with years of experience. I've spent more time on the range and fired more rounds in the last 10 years than the 70 yrs I've spent in the woods since my Dad gave me a Red Ryder BB gun. ENJOY

The Optima is a good choice, seems that the longer the barrel the more accurate. Black powder supplies are limited around here. I have 45 cal and 50 cal rifles, like the 50 cal. best. b

I had an optima with the Konus 3x9x40 scope as my first black powder rifle. I took several deer with it and sold it to a friend and bought the Accura V2 both in 50 cal. The quick release breach plug is very nice and make cleaning easy. If you have a little extra I would upgrade the scope to a Nikon or Leupold. I have used white hots and 777 pellets in both rifles out to 100 yrds with good results. I shoot 250 Barnes spitfires but have tried the powerbelts but don't like them as well as the Barnes sabots. You will need to purchase bullet start, patches, cleaner, .... CVA has some good videos on there website that are worth viewing to learn about getting started.

100 percent on starter. also cleaning supplies and a torch tip leaner for the breach plug. After 6=7 rounds the breach plug was toast at the range. clean every few rounds when sighting in... good idea to bore site before you zero.

Look for a TC Omega (there was one on 24hrcampfire a couple days ago) and some Blackhorn 209.

So, I'll take another approach. I know very little about black powder guns. Nevertheless, about 18 months ago I stumbled into a deal on a TC Triumph that was too good to turn down. I didn't want to mess with nasty cleaning so I bought some 777 pellets, and some .50 cal sabot bullets. I also picked up an inexpensive muzzle loader scope out of the Cabelas bargain cave for about $40.

My first results at the range weren't promising: 5" groups. I did this a second time, then bought new bullets. Interestingly enough, the sabots on the first package of bullets had a loading stem onto which you could slide the pellets for faster loading. The second package of bullets didn't have these stemmed sabots. Guess what? My groups were now down to about 1". I later tried another bullet and it also shot about as well. My lesson was this: no stems on the sabots, at least in my rifle.

Anyway, my point is this: the better quality guns are so good now that just about anyone who can shoot can get very good results. The 777 pellet / .50 caliber sabot combination is amazing. The simple cleaning is also a huge plus. At the range, I run a wet patch down the bore between shots, but you can go without patching for maybe three shots or so in a field situation. For tools, a breech plug wrench, a little grease, pipe cleaners, plenty of patches, a bottle of water and a decent cleaning rod are about all that you need.

one big plus with CVA is that the breech plug comes out by hand...no tool needed makes cleaning a snap. Another is they have a great trigger. My Optima is not adjustable but extremely crisp and around 3lb or less.

Watch these videos, you will get a wealth of info.
Muzzleloader info

The welding torch tip cleaner is needed to clean the flash hole in the breech plug, but you also need a drill bit to clean the flash channel. I use a 5/32 Ryobi bit for my Knight because it has a plug on the drill side to give you a better grip. I put a amall wooden dowel on mine to improve my grip

The stem on that sabot plugs the burn port so you may not be getting a full burn on the powder.

Thanks for the tip, it's a good thought. I figured the rifle was temperamental until I stumbled into the solution.

Silenco has a fully suppressed 50 caliber that will come to your door for 999. No stamp required, reduced sound, smoke, and recoil. Plenty of videos.

Just buy a good one the first time, I messed around with cheap ones and they were just a waste of time.

I got a T/C triumph stainless, Nikon 3-9x40, IMR white hots for powder, Remington Kleenbore #209 primers and barnes 250gr sabots(the blue tip ones).

This rig really works for me and as long as you swab the bore between shots and clean it after use, it will last forever...