Pros & Cons Of Hunting With Muzzleloaders?

wish it was that easy

Hmm.....interesting thread. But I have to disagree with some of the comments. Not as accurate? I've seen some 100 yard groups shot with patched round ball that made the guys shooting modern rifles on the range that day drool with envy! Not good much past 60 yards? Better there were a lot of British grenadiers that were 300 yards away from the main line whose souls would disagree with that statement (although I will agree that in order to be ethical, one should get closer with a muzzleloader, and 100 yards or so is a good rule of thumb).
Dirty?......yes, but clean up is as easy as hot water and ivory soap.
Slow? .....yes, but that just impresses upon the hunter to make sure that his first shot counts.
Fun?......yes, but it can also be addicting, so just remember that.

In addition, once you start hunting with BP firearms, esp. traditional ones, you'll find that your hunting skills (and possibly your shooting skills) will improve, and translate over to your use of modern day, "new fangled" firearms.........

Agree with 16 gauge, both fun and addicting! I have taken quite a few whitetails with my iron sighted .50 cal flintlock and patched round balls at reasonable distances. Used that exclusively for many years when I was on active duty and only got home to Pennsylvania around the Christmas holiday when the primitive season opened. Some fond memories.

SAFalconer said:

What are the pros and cons of muzzleloaders and hunting with them? Thanks in advance.

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Red Leg said:

There are muzzel loaders and there are muzzel loaders. A modern, in-line weapon of at least .50 .cal, particularly with one of the conicals, would be very effective on most plains game. If eyes and open sights are an issue, in-lines can be easily scoped. So set up, such a black powder rig would give you lethal accuracy to at least 150 meters. A traditional black powder weapon, firing a round ball over open sights is, I think, a 100 meter weapon with a bit less margin of error and significantly less penetration than a solid conical. I would stay away from most of the sabot projectiles - many are little more than glorified pistol bullets with lousy penetration characteristics.

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SAFalconer, Redleg has explained the difference in the so-called MUZZLELOADERS, and there is a big difference between the two. One is a real muzzleloader that requires the hunter to hunt with the conditions that were offered to the hunters who used those rifles that were the top of the line for the times when that was the modern firearm. There are states where this is the only kind that is allowed during a MUZZLELOADER SEASON for hunting game animals.


Then you have the in-line, break top, bolt action, scoped, shotgun primered, plastic stocked things that are only muzzleloaders because the powder { pellets, and in one rifle even smokeless powder} can be poured down the muzzle, and a bullet pushed down to the powder. These have little resemblance to traditional muzzleloaders. With these, most were original bought simply to get an extra season to hunt deer and in woods or tree stand hunting this type is at no real disadvantage to a modern rifle.



I personally have no problem with others using these modern rifles but my choice is to use the traditional muzzleloaders.

Pros: They are ridiculously awesome! It is the only hunting season when I get to don my traditional apparel, a possibles bag, some Goex black, and some hand cast, pure lead .50 minie balls for my sidelock T/C New Englander. Then I get to trek through the woods hoping to find my quarry and sneak to within 50-75 yards and then get one, rotten-egg smell, smoke obscured shot, to take the animal. It's pretty exhilarating.

(If you're lazy) Cons:
No follow up shot
Dirty
Limited Range
Limited bullet choice
difficulty in finding real black powder
Loading time

Real Cons: There are none. Muzzleloaders are AWESOME!

Nothing like an old flint and steel smokepole! I have a T/C Renegade I bought in the mid 1980's that has taken quite a few whitetails with a patched round ball. I never took the next step to the modern version. Still has the original iron sights

Once you accept that MUZZLE LOADERS are traditional weapons (not the silly In Line/209/smokeless powder guns), then you realize that hunting is part you, part the animal, and part equipment. Just like dangerous game isnt DANGEROUS at 500 yards, Muzzle Loaders turn all hunts into up close affairs. ENJOY the excitement! When your buddy talks about the ______ he shot across the valley and you show him the _______ you shot at a distance measured in feet; ask your buddy why he didnt just stay at home and call in a drone strike?

I've been killing probably 2/3rd's of my deer with a 50 caliber sidelock for going on 25 years. A 50 caliber is a deer dropping machine, though I would go with a 54 for larger game.

An inline in 2016 (and many years now) might as well be a single shot centerfire. I don't see a whole lot of pride / doing it the old fashioned way as much as it is a way to extend a hunting season here in the States. If it's important to you to hunt Africa with an inline, then talk to some outfitters. I'd just assume use a centerfire on these expensive hunts.

ML guns are just as accurate as anything else (within reasonable hunting ranges, <300yd +-), they just make you work for it. My cheap .50 Tradition's FLintlock shoots 1.7 MOA average with bad sights and a hot hunting load (100gr charges and a .490 ball) from a Caldwell Fieldpod; If I were to put a Malcolm-style scope on it, I would guarentee that rifle could shoot 1-1.25 MOA lol. I mostly play with Small bore (.50 and smaller) bullet rifles these days, and they are very capable. If you are concerned with a second shot (like with DG), you can buy or make doubles; the process is the same as with cartridge guns, just you don't have to mess with an action/reciever, just fit/regulate the barrels (and breech plugs), and inlet the locks, and you're good to go.

I wouldn't hesitate on using a .36 bullet rifle on any non-DG up to Eland, provided I used paper patched (it's easy to do) 280+gr lead bullets (alloy hardened just enough to prevent nose-slump) and 80gr of fine powder (gun obviously needs to be made for it lol, don't go putting that in some squirrel rifle haha). About the same performance as 9.3x72mmR (bp loads). Heavy, long, lead bullets at lower velocities are just simply destructive

For DG, it's hard to beat a .50 capable of using 140gr of 2F (might need to use 3F if you use Wano, i've heard it's less potent than some powders; but Sannadex is good, so I've heard) and a 700gr lead bullet lol(50-140-700 performance). I like NOE 502-694FN-BY1, the nice thing is it also comes with a cup-point pin, and the HP is 583gr, so you can use something lighter for impala lol. With the lead-solid and 140gr, it'll attempt to take off on yah, and you'll want that rifle to be around 12 lbs lol.