Is there any basic beginners books or anything to learn about the different types of muzzleloaders and basic knowledge/handling of them? We dont have a rifle season in my area, but we have a 1 week muzzleloader season. Im looking to learn about them and possibly get one for next year. I have very little knowledge on them though [&:]

Willin' to bet you'd get all you needed to know right here.

Seems like a pretty knowledgeable lot.......

Can't say I agree with all his statements, but it's a decent book to gain a general knowlege of muzzleloading arms. http://www.amazon.com/Complete-Blackpowder-Handbook-Sam-Fadala/dp/0896893901/ref=pd_bbs_2/104-5109669-9753529?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1193545395&amp ;sr=8-2

BTW - do you hunt with an Excalibur? Just guessing from your handle that you probably do.

That should be an off-season project for the members of this forum. We could combine efforts andproduce THE authoritive resource for beginners. I'll write the table of contents when you guys are through.

Bluelk wrote a pretty good guide before his death... lots of good info although some is now quite dated - http://www.realtree.com/bluelk/ . He did change his mind/opinion of Goex Clear Shot before his death - but it is no longer manufactured anyway.

CVA has some stuff here http://www.cva.com/media/bp101.html

More traditional stuff here http://www.muscogeelongrifles.com/muzzleloading101.htm

http://www.biggamehunt.net/sections/Muzzleloader/Muzzleloader_Hunting_A_Beginners_Guide_03150303.ht ml

I could probably add a chapter on what NOT to do.
eg. - short start bullet & ram it downbore, then remember powder.......

wabi, today I was shooting my Ultra Mag. I had carefully patched the bore following a prior shot, carefully measured my charge in the U-View, used a brass funnel to pour to the bore, then did my usual number of taps to settle the powder. It was then I noticed the piece of cap hung under the plunger. In trying to free that bit of copper, I pointed the bore toward the ground...

So I just fired off what was left of the powder charge and started over.

Any thoughts on the "modern" muzzleloader (Savage 10 MLSS-II) for a beginners gun?

Exocet - Dummies are always welcome here to ask questions. Heck look how many of us are in here already. Don't forget - the only dumb question is the one you don't ask.
Truthfully, there are alot of people in here that have been around ML a long time and are more than willing to answer any questions or provide guidance or help.
Soooo - fire away.

If you shoot the "book loads" in the manual I think it can be a beginner's gun. However I have found most folks have started with other guns. If you tweek for accuracy, and shoot very different bullets and powders than the book load you can get into trouble. Best Wishes on your selection. Chap Gleason

Read the "General MLing Information" here: http://www.chuckhawks.com/index2h.muzzleloader.htm


GENERAL MUZZLELOADING INFORMATION:[*]The 2006 "Limber Ramrod Award": Won by the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife for the Nation's Worst Muzzleloading Regulations (Press release from Toby Bridges)[*]Black Powder Musings (Article by Schuyler Barnum)[*]Common Muzzleloading Questions (Q&A by Randy D. Smith) Revised 10/2007[*]How Long Can I Leave My Muzzleloader Loaded? (Article by Randy Wakeman)[*]Flintlocks: How to Shoot Them (Article by Paul H. Vallandigham)[*]How to Clean an Inline Muzzleloader (Article by Randy Wakeman)[*]Is a Modern Muzzleloader Like a Center-fire? (Article by Randy Wakeman)[*]Lies, No Sex, but Muzzleloading (Article by Randy Wakeman)[*]Locktime (Article by Randy Wakeman)[*]The Magnum Muzzleloading Myth (Article by Randy Wakeman)[*]The Most Accurate Inline Muzzleloaders (Article by Randy Wakeman)[*]Muzzleloader Shotguns (Article by Randy D. Smith)[*]Muzzleloaders and Recoil (Article by Randy Wakeman)[*]Muzzleloading Basics (Article by Randy D. Smith)[*]Muzzleloading Murphy's Guide to Why Your Inline May Not Shoot as Good this Year (Article by Randy Wakeman)[*]What Everyone Needs to Know About Smokeless Muzzleloading (Article by Randy Wakeman)
buy the following book from Amazon:

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0873419510/qid=1114882877/sr=8-1/ref=sr_8_xs_ap_i1_xgl14/002-8867395-7390420?v=glance&s=books&n=507846

you can buy a used copy for only $1.95. When your ready tobuy a gun,read all the articles of the guns your interested in at Chuck Hawks site then go handlesome for feel. Then ask this forum what they think of the gun. Oh, don't think everything you read on Chuck Hawks is gospel. That should get you started. Best Wishes.
Chap Gleason