kilotanker19

hey everyone i am new to muzzle loading. i have never even shot one before but today i bought a traditions evolution bolt action with
26'' fluted barrel in a .50. just looking for opinions on loads powder and wether or not this is a good rifle, despite the good price. thanks in advance.

outdoorslover

I would like to welcome you to the world of mling.I know very little about this gun so I can be of little help with loads. I know that some people say they can get very good accuracy and reliability with their Traditions.I can not say for sure but know that they have gotten some bad ratings. I for one started out with a low end TC for 110 bucks. This seemed like the best way to go for me and now I upgraded to an Omega.

Your gun should be very suitable for a firstML but you will more than likely want to upgrade AFTER you get lots of experience. This is a low end gun and is used by very few experienced people as far as I am aware. That is of little importance though.

Best of luck to you. You will get some recommendations for loads but I cannot help you there. A very good load for any gun in my opinion is 250 grain Shockwaves and 100 grains of Pyrodex powder. I like CCI or Winchester Triple Seven primers.

Most importantly, have fun!!!!

cayugad

Kilotanker19 get some Pyrodex RS and some 240 gr T/C Mag Express XTP's, some T/C 250 gr Shockwaves, and perhaps some 300 gr XTP and a volume powder measure. Measure out 100 gr of RS and then try the different projectiles. One of them three should shoot real well out of that rifle. Also some Winchester W209 primers would be my choice, but I do get good luck with the Remington Kleenbore 209 primers as well.

Be sure to swab the barrel before loading and then dry patch it a couple times. Also after you shoot, take a patch and dampen it with a solution of 50/50 isopropyl alcohol and car windshield washer fluid (I get mine at Wal Mart.. nice and cheap). Don't soak the patch just damp. Then work that is slow strokes from the muzzle down to the breech and back up. Then flip the patch and do it again. Now work two dry patches the same way down the barrel. After that just load it again and shoot.

Let us know if you have any questions, problems, and range results. There are a lot of people more then ready to help you if they can..

kilotanker19

here is a pic.

cayugad

That looks real nice. I am sure it will be a real good shooter and give you lots of years of enjoynent. Be sure to real the manual fully, until you understand all aspects of the rifle.

gleason.chapman

Cayugad gave youexcellent advice on powders and bullets, the XTPs are cheaper than the Shockwaves, but the Shockwaves travel further due to a better balistic coefficient.This article talks about how underrated they are:
http://www.chuckhawks.com/underrated_hornady_XTP.htm

you will find them cheap to shoot and excellent penetration/expansion. I buy mine in bulk, 100 bullets for like $11 or something like that and I use Crush rib sabots also in packages of 50 for $5 from MidSouth Shooters Supply.

Info on working up a load:
http://www.chuckhawks.com/working-up_loads_50muzzleloaders.htm

For information on how to clean the rifle see this:

http://www.chuckhawks.com/clean_muzzleloader.htm

I didn't scope mine the first year I used it and I did fine with it, a couple of deer one nice buck. If you scope it, consider reading these articles:

http://www.chuckhawks.com/should_muzzleloaders_be_scoped.htm

http://www.chuckhawks.com/scopes_muzzleloaders.htm

http://www.chuckhawks.com/sights_scopes.htm

As for "is this gun is a good gun", well any gun that gets you started into ML is a good first gun. If you like MLing, then you can upgrade to a better make and model, without it costing you a lot of money. Some folks don't like the cleaning and constant maintenance of MLers, so they sink $600 into a ML (with scope and all) and end up selling it after the season for $300 for everything. I like cleaning/measureing/preparing to ML hunt, because it is "part of the experience" of MLing.

You may want to try777 pellets first, just to get started in ML, it makes it easier. They are more expensive than loose Pyrodex, which is what Cayugad recommend.Your in for a learing experience, best to go with a buddy who has done this before. Pay attentionto all he says about loading and the witness mark, etc. Best wishes to you.
Chap Gleason VA

HuntAway

That looks just like a Traditions Lightening E - Bolt that I have, minus the muzzle brake. Mine shot the 250 XTP's nicely with100 gr Pyrodex RS, Win 209 primer

andrewjoseph

I started with a CVA Buckhorn - comparable to what you purchased I believe, not quite as nice even, and have shot with it for three years. Obviously there are fancier looking guns and guns that are much faster to clean, but you could shoot this for as long as you want. Ive taken a lot of deer with mine.

Congradulations on your purchase.

I would scope the gun.

whitetaildreamer

Welcome to the new old world. I've hunted with Tradition ML products for over 20 years and Am still hunting with them. Both my son and I own the Pursuit LT. Not near the hype as the Omegas, Knights, etc. but we both have filled our tags the last 3 years owning these guns. I also have a 1 in 28 twist and am able to use the minni balls that I cast which truly adds to the over all enjoyment of the sport. Our ML season is late Oct to early Nov so the weather isn't as harsh as the reg. rifle season which follows the ML season. It definitely has become my favorite time to get in the bush. Best of luck with your new adventure.

Gotbuck

I shoot the Traditions Lightning and the gun you have is the same thing newer model. These are one heck of a shooter. Mine likes 2-(50grain Pyro Pellets) with a 250 grain Shockwave and I'm getting close to 1800fps at the range shooting 1" groups at 100yds using a Redhead 3X9X50 scope. You got a great gun.Read your instructions and everything comes natural withpractice. I remember my first range time and I was scared to death, but after shooting a while it's nothing. Good luck and let us know what she likes.