killadoe

I just purchased my first Muzzleloader, now its time for a scope. My main question is, will a regular rifle scope work on my Optima? Also is a shotgun scope and a muzzleloader scope the same? I like the short shotgun scopes and muzzleloader scopes are harder to come by. Thanks in advance.. Also I was thinking of shooting 295 hollowpoint powerbelts with 100 grains of Triple 7, atleast that will be the first combination I try...

cayugad

Rifle scopes will work fine. Shotgun and muzzleloader scopes will work fine. All I usually concern myself on is eye relief. I like at least 3.8-4 inches of eye relief. Muzzleloaders can kick, and there is nothing I hate more then having a scope kiss my eye brow.

Some of my favortite scopes are the Nikon Pro Staff in 2-7x32. I do not think a better scope is made for what I want out of it. I also use a Millet Buck, Sightron S1, and a Bushnell Banner Dusk to Dawn. The Bushnell might only be $69.00 but it is a great scope so far. It is holding up just fine.

pipecrew

I have a couple for sale. PM sent.

Mike

lemoyne

As Cayquad said eye reliefis important since I use mag loads [to me they seem to be the most accurate] I prefer at least 4 and go for 5 inches when I can get it.
The main differance in shot gun and muzzle loader scopes is where the parrelax is set for an inline that is capable of 1 to 2 inch groups at 100yds I would get a regular rifle scope with the parrelax set at 100yds. A 1.5 x4 power or a 2 x 7 poweris excellant for hunting and will do well enough for target shooting.Lee

SHills

Killadoe,
Congrats on the purchase. Did you get the Pro model?

My BP rifes are topped w/ a 2.5-8x32 VXIII and older 3-9x40 VXIILeupolds. All depend on the ranges you hunt and or like to shoot. I hunted for yrs w/ a straight 6x so having a 3X is fine for me close up....
There is an awesome deal coming out any day now and that is the 100th aniversary Leupold 3-9 in the tin box w/a custon knife. I like the nikons too and for 2007 they extended their eye relief on the pro staff asI recall. The also have the BDC for the 250 gr SST w/ 3 pellets. If you spend retail 200.00 you will have a great scope.
You certainly can spend less and you will get less in the long haul fooling around...
SHills

gleason.chapman

In picking out a scope for a ML:
http://www.chuckhawks.com/muzzleloading_scopes_price.htm

I like the Bushnell 3x9x40 Firefly with Rainguard with Leoupold QD mounts. Great for rain and low light conditions (heavy woods, pines, early am, pm).
Yes a regular scope will work for a ML, 2x7 and 3x9 and 2.5 to 7 are the preferred scope. Stong mounts, no over under, you won't ever use it and if you buy a Rainguard, you won't need it.

As for the 295 hollowpoint PB, there are better bullets out there for 1/2 the cost, you say your new to ML in another post,so you may not know the "PB issues", but I see your a Racked buck, so you have been around, maybe in the Rifle forum. That PB weight tends to fragment especially with bone hits, use a 348g AeroTip, is what I hear people saying >>AND<< don't drive them too hard. I don't know if 100g of777 is too hard or not, Sproulman I believe uses 80g and has good luck with that.If you google seach for "powerbelt breaks apart" or "powerbelt fragments" you will see some interesting stuff.

There are a couple of threads on this forum where we >>debated<< that bullet, I do not want to open that debate again, sinceit was covered very well, the pros and the cons of the bullet, when to use it in a given hunting situation were all covered. Here is the URL: http://www.huntingnet.com/forum/tm.aspx?m=1886707&mpage=1&key=&#188670 7

Oh there are profession ML editors andshooters like Toby Bridges, who say the exact same thing about PB fragmentation, here:
http://www.hpmuzzleloading.com/feedback.html

and Randy Wakeman (some don't like his opinions, but he didn't get to be an Editor of a ML magazine but chance, it was by hard work and knowledge):
http://www.chuckhawks.com/powerbelt_bullets.htm

If you want an easy loading PB like bullet that doesn't break apart then try the Harvester SabreTooth:
http://www.harvesterbullets.com/loadSaber.htm

Toby writes about them in his article. I hope these tips help you make your scope, load and bullet decision.

Chap Gleason Va

andrewjoseph

Can i put any scope on my muzzelloader? I never knew much about scopes and the guy at bass pro told me a blackpowder gun required a BP scope or shotgun scope to withstand the large jolts from the big caliber.

I would like to buy this truglow 50mm scope and put it on my next mz next month, but it is a standard rifle scope, can I do this?

Thanks

MLKeith

Apparently your guy at Basspro has never shot a 7MM Mag or 300Mag rifle. I won't shoot either of them as the recoil is much more severe than my Omega with a maximum load. Don't mistake me the muzzleloaders kick especially with heavy bullets but not any worse than the big centerfire rifles. The kick is actually not as sharp which is really easier on the scope.

cayugad

Be very careful what the people behind the counter tell you. I once watched a sales person sell a woman a CVA Bobcat rifle and then told her drop two pellets down it and this kind of sabot and you should be right on. I then decided this fellow needed to be informed a little and explained the rifle really was not meant for pellets, she'd save money with loose Pyrodex RS, start with 70 grains of powder, and try some roundball or some of the T/C maxiball the store sold. I also mentioned it would be a good idea to read the manual cover to cover.

Anyway, a rifle scope works fine on the muzzleloader like Keith said, look at some of the recoil the modern rifles have. I have a Sightron S1 (rifle scope) and a Millet Buck (rifle scope) on two of my inline rifles and they work just fine. The reason a lot of shotgun scopes are suggested is because of the eye relief.

The Bushnell Banner Dusk to Dawn 1.5-4.5x32mm works great for 100 yards and under hunting. The Nikon Pro Sport 2-7x32mm is highly recommended. There are a lot of great scopes out there with good eye relief. It just depends on what you want to spend.

liquidorange

if you like the shorter shotgun muzzleloader type scopes than just get one of those bad boys. there are quite a few out there. if you your gonna use a rifle scope its probaby gonna be parellaxed or set up for 150 yards point of impact. companies like leupold will change it for you if you send it in . im a big fan of the circle dot reticle in the bushnel banner and trophy series for under 100$. if im gonna spend anymore its gonna be a leupold because of the life time warranty . the good thing is that there are many great choices. i wold head to the sports shop and check a few out. i dont believe the bunk about recoil and certain scopes need to be on certain guns unless you plan on shooting a 500 nitro express.