Here lately a couple buddies and I have been throwing the idea around about buying muzzle stuffers and trying our hand at it this fall (although at this point in time it' ll probably be next fall before we shoot them well enough to hunt them). I' ve shot bp arms a time or two, and I think hunting them would be fun, I' d probably be sinful and buy an inline, one of the cheap knight ones from wally world ($150 for the gun and starter kit, everything cept the powder they say, I' m sure there are a few things that would be necessary besides though). I' m also looking at the wally world side locks, since they' re only like $68, and I wouldn' t have to repent for months for buying it like I would with an inline. I don' t want to buy a ' fine' ml' er, I just want one to play with that would get me by, knight has a great rep, so I' m sure even the cheap one won' t let me down, I just can' t make myself buy a muzzle loader, wondering if any of you have advice or a pitch that would push me over the edge either way, I' d like getting to hunt earlier, and I don' t have a ml yet, so it would add to my battery of arms, but like I said, I just can' t make myself do it. Can anyone convince me either way?

Why convince you ? you know you want to have one and join the fun.

I started with a T/C renegade that i still have. back then i couldnt have imagined a inline.
Now i would look a inline. the T/C omega seems to be getting alot of attention but it is a more expensive gun. i know a cousin who shot traditions and took many deer with them.
they are a little cheaper.

But anyway i don' t think you need convincing!

I sot the muzzle loader from ultimate firearms! it cant be beat! there is no greater or more accurate, more powerfull muzzle loader out there or simpler to clean! no removing a plug no nothing but a patch or 2 but at 1200 bucks it is costly! but i bet you it shoots groups at 300yds just as good as your 06 or 270 hunting rifle!

http://ultimatefirearms.com/product1.html

If you want a hunting rifle get an inline or a caplock, if you want a hobby, get a Lyman Great plains kit I probably spent 100 hours on building mine- it was a winter project, and I turned out a really nice looking flintlock ML that I' m proud to own and show to others.

Whatever route you take, don' t hesitate to get one, you' ll only kick yourself later for not getting it sooner.[:-]

I bought a cheap Tradidtions about 5 years ago..and it serves me well. It shoots good groups out to 100yds, and hasn' t misfired yet.

That said, if you find the proper load, any muzzleloader will shoot well.

I have 2 Traditions Buckhunters in .54 , and a Traditions Lightning Mag in .50 cal . I love ' em , and the prices are good . They are very reliable and group well . When you buy yours , whatever brand it is , get with someone who has ml experience to show you the ropes first , you can' t be too safe . Give the inlines a shot , you' ll love ' em . They will also allow you to hunt with it this year since they handle like centerfire rifles . [8D] Enjoy your new addiction !

You mean you don' t have one yet Run, don' t walk to wally world and rectify this.

I got flinters, caplocks, and inlines. For beginners, definately get the inline unless your into the tradtion thing.

You' re right. You definitely don' t want to even think about getting into muzzleloading or getting another gun. I mean come on....who really needs another gun, especially one that would probably mean you would need to go and get some accesories for. And of course....having this new gun and accesories would mean more time spent tinkering and shooting. And then of course, you would have to end up spending time in the field hunting....so you could justify the purchase of all this new stuff. Oh, and don' t even think about the possibility of killing a whopper in a season designated only for m/l hunting. Then that would just add to your taxidermy bill.

Yep...Don' t get the m/l.

One great reason for anyone to take up muzzle-loading is that you gain more days afield pursuing game. Here in Michigan, the blackpowder deer season extends my hunting for an additional 10 days (actually 15 if you count both peninsulas!) and it gives me these extra days AFTER the regular firearm season. Fewer hunters are in the woods....and the does that were not bred on the first go around are starting into the late estrous...bucks that werent' run off or too tired are cruising for the late estrous does.
That should be a good enough reason for anybody. Here in Michigan you' d better like the colder weather hunting though. It takes place from the 1st to 3rd weekends in December...and in the northern counties that can be a bit brisk at times.

I definately think you and your buddies should try muzzleloading. If you' re like me you' ll find it highly addictive. One thing I really like about hunting with a muzzleloader is that it gives me two extra seasons to hunt outside of the two shotgun seasons. Muzzleloaders are also allowed in Iowa during any gun season as well. I' ve always hunted the early ML season, and I really enjoy it a lot. It' s not so cold, the leaves on the trees are just starting to turn, there is still a lot of active non-deer wildlife (last year I had a raccoon walk up so close I could have reached out and touched it), and the woods are peaceful and quiet. The only shots you hear are the occasional distant waterfoul hunters or a distant ML report. During the ML seasons the concentration of hunters is low so you don' t have to worry so much about someone else moving into your line of fire, and the pressure on the deer is low as during Early season the only hunters that have had a crack at them are the bow hunters, and the bowhunters don' t rile the deer up too much.

I also find I greatly enjoy spending time at the range experimenting and working on the " perfect" load. It' s also fun when you are dialed in well enough that you' re outshooting many of the centerfire guys. Nothing like the sound of a ML going off to break up the monotonous tone at the range, too. Crack, crack...BOOOOOM!

Get a ML if only to try it out for one season. If you don' t like it I' m sure you won' t have any trouble selling it.

Mike