I have never hunted with a muzzleloader but now im about tired of sitting out a week between bow and gun season. Please give any recomendations or advice on buying or using a muzzleloader because i know hardly nothing. I hope to be able to find a quality muzzeloader for around 150.00 and i am currently looking at a New Frontier Beartooth magnum and a CVA Hunter Bolt 209 Magnum. Anyone used these? Right now im just kinda confused with all the different barrel lengths and whether to choose a break action or bolt action. Any advice would be appreciated.

Is $150 all you want to spend, or all you can spend? The reason I say this is that there are decent muzzleloaders out there that can be had for about $150-200, but you have to remember that there are a lot of necessary accessories that you have to buy with it to shoot the ML. Things like powder flasks, powder measures, a capper (if necessary), loading tips for your ramrod that won' t deform the type of bullet you choose, cleaning gear like a good cleaning rod (the ramrod will work, but it' s not the easiest way to swab between shots at the range), a jag, brushes, patch puller (if you shoot patched roundballs from a sidelock) or bullet puller for conicals (sidelock).

Thompson Center makes a model called the Black Diamond, which can be bought in a starter package that includes the basic necessities with the ML, as well as a few bullets to start with. Thompson/Center rifles are always of excellent quality and are known for their accuracy as well. I would say that if I were going to start muzzleloading again on a tight budget the T/C package would be the way I' d go.

One other thing to consider before you take the plunge into muzzleloading. Muzzleloaders are each unique animals that like certain loads and bullets better than others, and you may have to spend quite a bit of time (and money) trying out different bullets and charges before you find one your gun really likes. Some guns can be downright picky eaters. So part of the fun (or pain, depending on how you look at it) of muzzleloading is finding your guns " pet load" , but it can also be frustrating.

One last word of warning...muzzleloading tends to be highly addictive and may be harmful to your bank account.

Otherwise...get yourself a rifle and shooting gear, try to find experienced help, and enjoy.

Mike