Muzzleloader ??????? Please Help
 

I am trying to get into muzzleloading next year and need a few pointers. First I want to ask a question about a muzzleloader. I am going to see a guy who wants to sell me a remington 700 muzzleloader with a 3X9X40 scope and a 24" barrel. If this thing is in good shape, would it be a wise choice? Also is there any tips or pointers you can offer, ie Bullets, powder, guns around 150 - 225 dollars. My other choice was going to be a CVA Wolf, my le man has one and it is a nice lil gun. I have a remington 700 rifel and love it to peices and that is why i am so interested in the 700 MZ. Please help....

RE: Muzzleloader ??????? Please Help
 

Cabela's Bargain Cave has a number of Rem. muzzleloaders on sale now.

RE: Muzzleloader ??????? Please Help
 

I have a very nice Knight in-line that I love and would recommend to anyone. I wanted to get my dad into ML hunting but did not want to spend that kinda money on him since I did not know if it was something he would like to keep doing. I bought him a CVA wolf and it is a real nice shooter. Puts them in the center out to 100 yards no problem. The thing I dislike about my knight that I love about his is that you need no tools to load the 209 primer. Mine is a pull back bolt style and with the scope on it you can not get your fingers in there to load the primer, if I was to looses the primer loaderin the field, I could not load it to save my life. His is the break open style and you do not have to use a tool. A loading aid is nice, but I hate have to have mine and being screwed if I loose it. Some people think CVA is to cheap and no good, but I was happy with dads and would recommend it to anyone as a great starter ML.

RE: Muzzleloader ??????? Please Help
 

DON'T BUY USED UNLESS YOU SEE IT SHOOT, I BOUGHT ONE FORM A GUY USED, HAD BAD RIFLEING HAD TO GET RID OF. bUY THE TOMPSON OMEGA EXCELLENT GUN 45 OR 50 [EASY TO CLEAN] SHOOTS GREAT EASY TO LOAD. You use their bullet it shoots out to 150 yards.

RE: Muzzleloader ??????? Please Help
 

I've had my CVA for 5 years now. I paid a little over $100.00 for it with the starter kit. I also purchased a $30.00 Tasco 3x9x40 scope from wal-mart thinking that if I didn't like ML hunting, I hadn't lost much money. Love the CVA and the scope has supprised me also. My 12 will take the hunter safety course this year, and I will be purchasing him a CVA and another Tasco. You could spend more, but you don't have to.

Just my .02

RE: Muzzleloader ??????? Please Help
 

Check your state regulations before you buy. Some states varyoninline 209 ignition, scopes, sabots . It will depend witch season you hunt too. muzzle loader, rifle, or shotgun.
Go to the Black powder forum you can get alot of tips & help there.

RE: Muzzleloader ??????? Please Help
 

I have a friend who use to use a 700 MZ a few years back, he had a 700 BDL also, so your in the same boat as he was. He shot it a couple of years and then bought an encore. I think because the encore handled 3 pellets and 700 didn't, he was shooting TC shockwaves As for you buying this rifle, will the person let you shoot it? Is so shoot it and see how you like it, if he won't let you shoot it, ask why? Also is barrel shiny or pitted? I think you can buy new for about what your thinking of buying this for. As for powder, loads, bullets, general ML infoetc, see the following:

http://www.chuckhawks.com/index2h.muzzleloader.htm

http://www.randywakeman.com/inline.htm

http://www.hpmuzzleloading.com/Contents.html

Don't read the above a "gospel" or the Bible, but general guidelines and information.
Chap Gleason Va

RE: Muzzleloader ??????? Please Help
 

Killadoe,
I personally not a fan of break open rifles and like the falling breech hipower and BP rifles best. I just like the function and look. Since the scope is mounted on the barrel in both cases accuracy should never be an issue. I do think w/ the advent of the Omega it pretty much made all rifles that have a primer under the scope obsolete. Why would you want a rifle that is hard to get a primer in place, one that blows crud on your scope, or loose the longer barrel length for the same overall length?
If you buy used the bore has to be ABSOLUTELY PERFECT. Use a drop in bore light like the traditions one for 8 bucks. Well worth every penny. Make sure you bring a cleaning rod like a aluminum shotgun version w/ a 50 cal brush and clean it good and swab out. Any spots, forget it. Just toooo many great used rifles out there. Don't care how nice a BP rifle is unless it is a custom rifle from great builder you will never get your money back for them. They loose value fast...
Buy used get the best deal and spend you saved bucks on NICE scope, bullets and powder. The Nikon prostaff has the best bang for the buck w/ a true lifetime warranty. I'm a Leupold fan but you will pay 80.00 more min. I sell tons of Busnell and never have returns but for the working man Nikon is hard to beat.
What ever you pick, Shoot the heck out of it, understand it and you will literally have a blast!
JMHO.
LOL, SHills

RE: Muzzleloader ??????? Please Help
 

I also would not buy the gun without shooting it - I wouldnt buy a used gun period unless I knew the guy well.

If you are new to blackpowder, it may be easier to overlook signs of poor care, unless you really know what you are doing. If it wasnt cared for well you might be in for a lot of work that may not be worth your trouble.

RE: Muzzleloader ??????? Please Help
 

I think I would rather buy a new gun for my first. Like already noted, you need to know your states restrictions before you go off and buy something.

RE: Muzzleloader ??????? Please Help
 

The few people I know that own Remington rifles claim they are very good shooters. What the rifle and scope is worth is up to how bad you want it, how bad the rifle is worn, and the scope. There are scopes that are 3-9x40 but they only cost $65.00 new. As for the Remington not being able to take magnum powder charges, I would not let that scare me off.

I have no problem with used rifles as long as there is a grace period where I can inspect them and if not satisfied, get my money back. What one person calls "in good shape," I might call in only good condition.

Check some of the auction sites as well. There are some nice Knight MK-85's, Wolverines, and other rifles that are reasonable.

As for what kind of projectile, it will depend on the rifle you decide on. There are tons of little tips that can be offered to help make your muzzleloading experience exceptional.

RE: Muzzleloader ??????? Please Help
 

There are a lot of good rifles out there, some of the best like the Z5 Omega are a long way from the most expensive.
BUT be sure you know and understand the laws every where you want to hunt they vary widely if you have trouble with the terminology post the law and the state and one of the regulars here will explane it for you. Lee

RE: Muzzleloader ??????? Please Help
 

Well fellas, I didnt go look at that used Muzzleloader. I thought about what you guys said, I am new to this and decided for the price I could get a new CVA. I called the local sporting goods store and ended up making a trip and picked up and Optima today. I also checked out my state game laws, My only restriction is I cant have electronic sights, which is fine with me. Thanks for all your help fellas....

RE: Muzzleloader ??????? Please Help
 

Congratulations on your selection. I am sure the rifle will serve you well for many years to come.

RE: Muzzleloader ??????? Please Help
 

a friend of mine has the CVA Optima he loves it.

RE: Muzzleloader ??????? Please Help
 

Good choiceand you can now put together the perfect rifle for your hunting needs.
Chap Gleason Va

RE: Muzzleloader ??????? Please Help
 

Well got to shoot my new gun today, I loaded it with 100 grains triple 7 pellets and 295 power belt hollowpoint. I started out at 50 yards and worked my way to 100 where I ended up with about a 4 inch group outta four shots..Maybe a lil closer to hunting season i can really fine tune it, but It was a blast and it is a great rifle..

RE: Muzzleloader ??????? Please Help
 

4" isnt bad at all for the first outing. After using a few diff types of primers i gotta ask, what primers did you use? 295 grain powerbelts should be nice but dont fear the 348 grain powerbelts with your 100 grain load, its as smooth as butter and the recoil isnt bad at all. You should give those a great or the tc maxi hunters in 350 grain.

RE: Muzzleloader ??????? Please Help
 

If you're talking a 4" group first time out with open sights at 100 yards??? That would be an excellent first trip out. You need to understand you still have to get used to the trigger, the feel of the stock, the settle into the rifle, and a lot of other things.

Did you swab the bore of the rifle between shots? Keep us the good work. I'm glad to see the rifle is behaving so well for you..

RE: Muzzleloader ??????? Please Help
 

I was shooting the CCI 209 primers. I kinda set a budget for myself so I didnt get a very expensive scope, so I ended up with a tasco 3x9x40. It worked well for me. But that optima sure is a sweet shooting gun, course I had it in a vise and really didnt get all the recoil, but it didnt feel like it had a alot. Yea I was swabbing in between shots, also after every third shot I would remove my breech plug and run a lil soft bristle brush in the beech area. Also I would clean the breech plug, a couple a times the bullet would be hard to seat, It would be smooth until about and inch above the powder, but I would eventually get it seated..

RE: Muzzleloader ??????? Please Help
 

That tight section above the powder after a couple of shots is the typical Tripple Seven "crud ring". Some rifles get it bad and some not so bad. You could try the new Tripple Seven primers from Winchester as they are supposed to be able to reduce or eliminate the ring. Sounds like you pretty much have all the minor problems under control. Good luck with the new rifle. I can't shoot Tripple Seven in my Omega but sounds like your crud ring is not as bad as the one I get.

RE: Muzzleloader ??????? Please Help
 

I shot my gun a total of 11 times, but with the powerbelts loading wasnt to bad. I would run a patch down the barrel between shots. But yeah it felt like a ring of crud like you say..