Muzzleloader. Is it worth it?
 

Hey everyone, I’m a duck and goose hunter from South Idaho. I’m also a deer and bear hunter. I am posting here because I’m debating on whether I should buy a muzzleloader or not. However, I’m not sure if it’s worth it or not.

I have no experience whatsoever with muzzleloaders, so this is completely new to me.

My goal is to get experience with many different types of firearms, and then figure out what works best for me when I’m in the field hunting. I know how to use shotgun and rifle, but not muzzleloader and archery. These are the two I want to learn

Muzzleloaders are allowed in my state, but they have specific regulations. I’ll have to look into that. Can someone give me advice? Is it worth it to get a muzzleloader? Any help will be appreciated, Jared

well like anything thing is life,. if something is worth the money /time and what not's, will always be a personal thing

there are more steps to shooting a muzzleloader than some want to have, and more safety issue's one should be very careful about, to be safe!
Cost can be a LOT higher IMO< for a muzzleloader than for say archery gear,(although both can be cheaper or more costly pending what and how far you wish to take things) as with archery gear you can re shoot the same arrows over and over, most states have much longer archery season, for more game animals as well!, really good archery hunters can hunt small game and waterfowl even ,(requires different fetching and heads, but can be done with same bow)
and YES blackpowder folks can do the same, but most times, they require a whole different gun(say a blackpowder shotgun over just the rifle)

if your not into reloading, learning how to safely use and store blackpowder and or its substitutes , and being a LOT more diligent on precise loading and powder charges, and making sure you clean gun and items OFTEN , as black powder is highly corrosive, and it has IMO< higher issue's with HOW Its stored and carried(absorbs moisture faster than other powders IMO)
then I wouldn;t suggest getting into Muzzleloaders

Archery gear is also something that takes due diligence in shooting FORM< you have to master form to be proficient when shooting a bow, and to be good at shooting a bow(not crossbows) but them too to a point)
to be good with a vertical bow, form is super important as is a LOT of practice.
so, if your NOT the type of person that wants to spend a LOT of time practicing and learning to be repetitious in your form , to be consistently able to shoot well, then honestly archery isn't the sport to get into, you won;t be doing any wildlife any good , by not making the effort needed to have clean kills!

NOW< other side of BOTH archery and black powder/muzzleloaders is, there like most other sports, they can be very addicting and as such, you can really spend MONEY FAST if you want to, or at times without realizing how deep your getting into any hobby

I have owned many many different muzzle loaders/black powder guns, as well as all sorts of archery gear
I have highly enjoyed all at times, but for me, I liked archery better,
I enjoyed the more quiet of things!
SO< the question you need to maybe ask is, what type of person are you, are you willing to spend the time and do the training needed to be safe and proficient,?
can your budget allow for things?
as being broke to do something can make that SOMETHING< be a lot less fun and enjoyable, than it might be if your budget allowed more freely to enjoy it!

BOTH can be found in used forms,like anything, knowing what to look for before buying helps a ton and will save you $$
due to black powder being highly corrosive, bores and chambers and trigger area's need special looking at
archery gear, limbs and strings cam's all need special attention/ looking over
and archery gear AGE"S. where even well kept items, will age and can become issue's!
Muzzleloaders, well, age alone doesn't have same effects,
but how cared for can!

A muzzleloader is definitely worth it. More time for hunting.

They can be had fairly cheaply. Inlines, if legal, can be had at discount stores without breaking the bank. Used muzzleloaders often do not hold they're value well.

Ain't no reason not to buy a muzzleloader. But bear in mind once you start you may get addicted to shooting them. Like Forkhorn said an inline if legal is a good start. Most states require a .44 cal or larger and .50 cal if you plan to hunt elk or other game bigger than deer. You can buy an inline like a CVA Wolf that won't break your wallet and they are plenty accurate. But as far as price, when it comes to muzzleloaders, the sky's the limit. You can spend over $1000 on one that will knock the gnats off a fly's butt at 100 yards.
You can also get good deals on used ones too but be careful. Check the bores and any areas visually for any rust or pitting. Muzzleloaders need some TLC to keep in good shape.

It's a tough question to answer. I think it will depend on how you want to hunt. When i first started hunting 55 years ago, it was all about the shooting and getting the game. As I got older, I realized I treasured the time in the field more than the amount of game I brought home. I slowed down alot and really got into historical type of hunting. I now hunt almost exclusively with a flint lock for both small game and deer. The nostalgia of hunting like my forefathers and using guns similar to what they used is very rewarding to me. I don't come home with limits of game, but i take my share. Being limited to one shot, and with open sights, really brings out the hunter in you. So, if all you want is more opportunities to take more game, then get yourself a bow and an in-line muzzle loader. But if you are looking for a whole new hunting experience, then go primitive, that is a stick bow or a flint lock muzzleloader.

Thank you all for the advice. I really appreciate it. I’ll post the regulations for muzzleloaders in my state in a little bit. I was able to locate them.

thank you also for the warning that it can be addictive. I don’t want to have an addiction where I have to keep spending money for my muzzleloader.

So if I do get a muzzleloader, I will care for it well, and I will use it sparingly. I will also learn safety with a muzzleloader and how to properly use and clean them.

Maybe there’s a muzzleloader class I can take in my state, I’ll look into it.

Jared

Here are my regulations.

https://idfg.idaho.gov/hunt/weapons/muzzleloader

if going inline, I HIGHLY recommend 209 blackhorn powder, way less corrosive (very little) and NO huge cloud of smoke at ignition to block sight of game, and not as funky of an odor, costs a tad more, but money well spent IMO!

OK looking at your rules quickly, a in line will be out of the question, as there illegal
now me, and I know many won't agree,
I HATE hunting with a flintlock, version
too many steps and things that can go wrong IMO
I'd WAY rather bow/archery hunt than use one!
but we all have different likes and steps were willing to take to enjoy a hobby or sport!

I was reading your first post, and I was just about to say that 209 primers are illegal where I am at, then you corrected yourself.

A guy at Cabela’s pointed out a gun to me that was legal for muzzleloader and short range weapon seasons. This was a few days ago. I’ll see if I can figure out what model that gun was. All I remember was that it was about $329.00 or something like that.

he said it met all the regulations for muzzle loader and short range weapon seasons. Just to be on the safe side, I’ll double check that.

Jared