Just purchased my first ML. I was wondering if I should put a scope on it. Any suggestions on a good scope ? I do have a bushnell on my H&R slug gun but dont care for it , just a grade above junk, but it works. I have a CVA 209 50 cal magnum. What kind of range can I expect with this gun and is it worth getting a scope ? To me ML' s are throw back to the old days and I dont think they used scopes back then.

Scopes were not common in the old days , but did see some use . If your terrain allows shots longer than 100 yards a scope couldn' t hurt . Your magnum should be able to reach out to 150 yards , but the bullet will lose a lot of energy by then . Heavier bullets would be reccomended .

I have a BSA Catseye 1.5 to 4.5X with a 5 eye relief on a Traditions Evolution and love it. It' s not a Leupold or Swarovski but for $99 it does a great job. At 53 years the eyes don' t focus on bolth sights so good anymore so scopes are manditory for me.

To me, the answer to your question depends on why you are muzzleloading in the first place. Some hunters, me included, have taken up muzzleloading because the muzzleloading season extends their hunting opportunities. These hunters tend to buy the new inlines and use scopes, etc. In other words, the only reason they use a muzzy at all is because that is what they have to use in order to hunt legally for part of their season. Other hunters like to muzzleload for the challenge of using a primitive weapon. These guys like the " throwback" aspect of muzzleloading and they tend to use the older sidelocks with no scopes. In fact, I know some of these guys that insist on using flintlocks. And the true purists go out there wearing buckskins they make themselves and shoot balls they mold themselves, etc. It just depends on what you are into and how far you want to take it.

I like a scope for those last few minutes of shooting light. The sights fade when you can still use a scope, for me at least. I have two guns with fixed 4 power scopes. That is all I want or need. The higher power gets darker and I' m not taking varment range shots anyway.