Muzzleloader Newbie

[DooWap]

So I've been bow hunting the past few years with some buddies of mine that hunt the muzzleloader season. I decided to finally throw down on one myself and just ordered the CVA Accura V2 after quite a bit of research.

Just looking on some advise on what accessories I need to pick up. Bullets and powder suggestions? I know it's best to shoot a bunch of stuff and see what the gun likes, but I wouldn't mind hearing about anybody's specific experience.

Thanks in advance.

[Crow Hunter]

You may get a lot of different suggestions. I use two 50 grain triple seven pellets for powder, and a Hornady 44 caliber .430" HP-XTP pistol bullet inside a green crush rib sabot made by Harvester muzzleloading. I used to use MMP sabots but these load more easily. This setup has been real accurate for me. Lots of guys like to use loose powder and experiment with different powder amounts to maximize accuracy. Buying bulk bullets and packages of sabots is less costly than buying prepackaged bullets/sabots marked for muzzleloading. Some feel that a 45 caliber bullet with corresponding sabot is better than a 44 cal, but I have not experimented with that option. Good luck with the muzzleloader, they are a lot of fun to shoot and hunt with. CH

[TruthWalleyes]

CLEAN YOUR GUN!!

Muzzleloaders will rust in a heartbeat if not properly taken care of. Buy the thread cleaner brush for your breach plug. Use breach plug grease every time after cleaning. Make sure that barrel is spotless!

With gun loaded (Powder and bullet, no primer) do not bring into cold weather, then hot weather as condensation will occur and moisten your powder, leaving it basically useless as far as accuracy goes. Best bet is at the end of the day to unload your gun, clean it quick, and reload the next morning. Very few times will i leave it loaded, but when i do, it stays in the vehicle-outside- to prevent condesation from happening.

Pick your bullet and powder. If you want to shoot 150 grains i suggest that you test your gun to see if it is even burning all 150 grains. Easy way to check is to shoot over snow. If there is black dust on the snow, then the powder is not burning and your likely losing accuracy because of it. Bullet grain and barrel length will also affect how much your gun will burn.

I really enjoy muzzle loading because it is a ONE SHOT HUNT. Pick and choose your shots carefully. Be certain that it is a 90% or better shot. You can get really fast at reloading, but you rarely have time for a second shot within 30s of the first shot. The one shot hunt changes the aspect of the hunt, i've let many many deer walk on by because i wasn't 99% sure i had a kill shot. It's no fun wounding animals, and the deer that are shot and run for miles, can have a very poor taste.

Clean the gun, practice, take good shots!

Good Luck!

[DooWap]

I've been bow hunting for quite a few years now so I'm definitely used to making the one shot count. I think that's what interested me most in getting into this. Well, that and the fact that it get's tough to the pull the bow back when you're cold and stiff in the late season weather.

And let's be honest, it's just another thing I can spend countless hours toying around with

[SandPoint]

+ 1 On cleaning, they are a very dirty gun by nature. I also have a CVA and I shoot power belt bullets and love them, easy to load and you get the full caliber bullet for your gun.

[96trigger]

Muzzle loading is a lot like bow hunting in the one shot category, only you are using a gun. Buy one, play with the loads, get it to where you are comfortable, and hunt away. The new inlines are very easy to get used to. I second the cleaning part. You will probably only be able to get 5 when siting it in before it gets really gummed up. I made the mistake of shooting too many while siting in and I had a heck of a time getting the breech plug out without a vice. My second shot when ML is usually the most accurate so when I site it in, I fire it once and then I'm good to go. I leave mine outside if I am hunting consecutive days. I unload it when it is going to go back in the house.

[DooWap]

Good advice, thanks everyone. Sounds like I get to go put in some range time, oh darn