Newbe Question
 

I plan to do some BP this year. I have a couple of questions. What is the best caliber and can you put a scope on any of them?
Thanks Chuck

RE: Newbe Question
 

Almost any of the modern inline rifles come pre tapped for a scope. Yes they can be scoped and accurate to some hard to believe distances. The traditional sidelock rifles can also be scoped. I would suggest a gunsmith doing this as sometimes additional modifications are needed to make the scope work.

The best caliber out there would have to be the .50 caliber for general purpose. There is a wide selection of projectiles. And they can do anything that any of the other calibers can do.

Good luck into your entry to the black powder field....

RE: Newbe Question
 

Thanks for replying. That was very helpful.
Chuck

RE: Newbe Question
 

I just checked and Florida allows smokeless powder in muzzleloaders. I think if I were considering muzzleloading hunting in Florida I would look very long and strong at the Savage as it can be used with smokeless powder, easy to scope and would make hunting a lot less hassle due to lack of black powder fouling. It is also a little easier to get magnum performance from the Savage. I decided against it in Arizona as smokeless powder is not allowed. I have the Omega instead which has been a good decision also. The Savage now comes with the super adjustable trigger that they are putting on their cartridge guns.

RE: Newbe Question
 

Being a newbe I don't quite understand. Are you saying that black powder and smokeless are2 different kinds of powder. Does it matter what model savage I should get? When I go to the gun shop do I just ask for smokeless?

I appreciate your help in this matter. I have 2 WMA in my sights and both are Bow or BP only. Thought I'd better buy a BP.
Chuck

RE: Newbe Question
 

The WMA probabally states "muzzleloader" not black powder.

The question I have for you is how deep do you want to get into muzzleloading your first year out? If I was questioning whether or not this is going to be something I want to do as both a hobby and a hunting weapon I would start with an affordable inline muzzleloader and if I like it move into the high end rifles. This sport is not for everybody and I have seen more than one person spend to much money on a gun they never or hardly ever will shoot.

A bottom of the line Thomson Center or Knight rifle will give you about the best performance you can get for the dollar but many out there will do the same. My son bought a MDM Quickshooter last fall and it is ending up to be one hell of a shooter. $189.

I think someone new to the sport should learn as much as they can about it before going hog wild. I see by your profile you are a teacher and all I can say about the Savage is it is like taking calculus before alg1. It dosn't work.

Go out shooting with a friend who has one or see if any of the clubs around you have a range you can join and check out what's out there. Most muzzleloaders I know are so proud of how well they shoot they will even let you take a shot or two so the mistry is gone.

I hope this helps. I love this sport and I learn something new every time I go to the range. I can tell you will love it too by your questions. I look forward to you telling us what you bought for a rifle.

RE: Newbe Question
 

Chuck actually there are a lot of different powders available to you on the market. Smokeless powder is the same stuff you find in some of the modern centerfire cartridges. The Savage muzzleloader (other then some custom rifles out there) is the only rifle that you should use smokeless powder in. Using smokeless powder in any other brand of muzzleloader is dangerous and should not be done.

True black powders include Goex, Swiss, Grafs, Weno, Elephant, and other brands. Goex is the most common black powder used and it will serve you well. There are substitue black powders also such as American Pioneer Power, Pyrodex, Black Mag3 and of course Triple Se7en. Many of the substitue powders burn cleaner and clean up easier with less fowling in the barrel. Fowling is not all that big of a deal. It is part of the sport you learn to deal with.

What you need to decide is how involved you want to get into black powder muzzleloader shooting. If you buy a Savage Muzzleloader many will claim it is nothing more then a single shot modern rifle. I can not comment because I have never shot one. You get the same claims from some people when you shoot modern inline rifles such as the Omega or Knight Disc Elite and modern substitute powders. There are of course the more traditional style rifles such as the percussion cap lock sidelock rifle and even the flintlock rifle like the early settlers used.

If all you want is a couple extra days hunting during a season, then get some cheap inline. It will shoot out to 100 yards, kill what you want, and then you clean it and put it away for another year. If you really want to get in the black powder sport you might want to consider a more traditional style rifle that shoots roundball with moderate powder charges. As a bow hunter, you know about getting close the the animals before taking a shot. That to me is always part of the fun. Perhaps a traditional rifle might be just what you want. They are a lot of fun to hunt with and shoot in the off season.

Perhaps you should start looking at some of the different gun manufacturers out there and the products they sell and see what appeals to you....

Good luck in your selection.

RE: Newbe Question
 

Chuck - I would advise against the smokeless powder route. I really don't think they have all the bugs worked out of that system yet. I would expect that, if it was so great, all the major rifle manufacturers would be going down that path. They aren't.

The regular black powder guns really aren't that difficult to clean - and some of the new "black" powders, like BM3, T7 or American Pioneer, are amazingly clean burning. I would also advise against using "magnum" loads right out of the box - like the 150 grain charges represented as maximum by many rifle companies. These push the envelope of the system to redline, and have significant recoil.

These are some the things, in retrospect, I wish I would have done when I first started . . . .

Good luck. Roskoe.

RE: Newbe Question
 

WOW!! You hit it pretty darn good. You must have gotten good grades in school. Actually I like counting all of the cost before I dive into anything. I studied reviews for 3 months before I bought my Summit stand.LOL Paid off though.
So what is the difference between a muzzle loader and blackpowder. I thought the muzzle loader used black powder. I shoot frequently with another teacher at a local range. He does not have one but knows how to shoot them. After purchasing one he was going to show me how. We shoot his 14 Mausers and pistols and such. Yes you are right, all of the WMA say muzzle loaders.
Thanks for trying to save me a buck,
Chuck

RE: Newbe Question
 

Chuck,
Heres an excellent article on the basics of muzzleloading.

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