You guys that hunt deer with muzzleloaders, school me on your loads, guns, optics & tactics for whitetail. I'm thinking of getting into the muzzleloader game to take advantage of an earlier deer season but I'm a total noob when I comes to black powder rifles.

What state?

No optics here, irons only... Also exposed breach rules vary.

I'm sort of a new with black powder as well, but I want to try this year the same.

I bought most of my stuff from muzzle-loaders.com since they're sort of local, but no tax (Oregon) and had what I wanted.

They sure are slower to shoot than I expected sighting it in seemed to take forever.

ETA: I bought the Traditions NW Pursuit™ G4 Ultralight - Nitride, I like it

Traditions and CVA seem to be the more popular brands at the moment

You rifle is state dependent here also no glass optics, no pelletized powder, no shotgun primers only percussion caps and flintlocks, no sabots, only ball and cast conical bullets.



I use a Lyman Great Plains rifle with Goex, round ball with peep sights, it's been minute of deer and elk to 75 yards.



With the advancement of inline muzzle load rifles, it's blurring the distinction between inline and center fire rifles.  I can use my ML anywhere, an inline not so much, and keep in mind it's easy for the state to put in restrictions.



In Idaho it's known as primitive hunting season.

I use a T/C Pro Hunter with a Leupold 4.5-14 x 40 scope.

100 grains of triple 7 preformed pellet powder
250 grain T/C Shockwave super slide sabot slugs
Winchester triple 7 209 primers

I have killed plenty of deer with this setup, and a few coyotes.

I use it during muzzleloader and shotgun season in Michigan , also muzzleloader and rifle season in Kentucky.

I have the T/C Triumph - excellent gun with a great trigger, but i wish they made it with a thumbhole stock..

Im shooting 90 grs of Blackhorn 209, with Barnes MZ 250 gr. solid copper, using MMP sabots..

Brian

I've done it for years.  Used a side lock traditional decades ago.  Went to inline modern about ten years ago.

Cleaning and lube is critical.  After cleaning most people oil the bore.  This oil can accumulate and make for spotty ignition, especially with the traditional side lock and #11 caps.  Its not so big a deal with inline and 209 ignition, but it doesn't hurt to be careful.  If you want 100% no issues, then clean, lube and store the rifle muzzle DOWN.  Lubes will slowly migrate to the muzzle, instead of collecting in the breech.  No more ignition issues.

Test fire with a cap or two before loading.

I use Hodgdon Triple 7 Pellets and pure lead bullets inside sabots (Dead Center).    It helps, dramatically, to spit patch between shots.  My guns shoots more accurately with a simple spit patch between shots. I've been using a Tompson Center Contender Carbine in .45x209.  While the rifle will take 150grains of powder, two 50 grain pellets are plenty.  Think about it:  The 45-70 was considered an absolute hammer on deer and buffalo.  Most modern inlines shoot 45 caliber bullets inside 50 cal sabots, all over 100 grains to 150 grains of powder.  In other words, the modern inline .50 is shooting a 45-100 or 45-150 load......  A 45-100 works great, a 45-150 isn't necessary.

I tend to hunt in all weather.  Some inlines had an exposed cap.  I didnt much like that.  I bought the Contender because the cap was totally sealed within the breech, away from rain wind and snow.  Now there are more inlines with similar enclosed breech systems, either opening like a single shot shotgun, or using a falling block action of some sort.  I strongly recommend something with an enclosed breech.

My 235 grain soft lead bullets will typically completely pass through broad side deer.  I did collect my first bullet on a transverse shot this past fall.  It stopped under the hide on the off side.  All have been one shot kills,

I use a Weaver grand slam 1.5-5x scope.  Plenty for the typical 50-100 yards I usually use this rifle at. Accuracy wise I cnz get about 2-3" groups without trouble, which is minute of deer without an issue at these ranges.

Seriously ignore the max charges.  Load for accuracy.  75-100 grains of powder will kill deer cleanly if you use good bullets.  Pistol bullets seated in sabots don't fly all that great, and terminal performance is merely okay.  I recommend something more streamlined, and using  a soft lead bullet in a sabot.

Tactics are same as hunting deer with a modern rifle.  Deer steps out into field, you decide to take it, hammer back, sight and squeeze.  Get out your gutting knife.  In the woods hunting a trail, the only difference is the hammer on the Contender.  If the Deer is close, I don't just hammer back.  It will "click".  Instead, I pull the trigger, ease hammer all the way back, then ease the trigger out so I can cock it without an audible click.  Then again, I've done that with nearly all hammer guns including win 94 30-30's...  tactics are identical to any other deer season

the only other thing specific to BP is ammo management.  I carry three ammo "tubes" each with two 50 gr pellets, and one bullet/sabot.  Also carry a gummy plastic cap holder thingie that holds a half dozen caps.  Caps are easily lost.  You will lose one or two.  I attach a small flannel patch to each tube with a rubber band.  To reload after a shot, I moisten the patch with saliva, run the patch down and back to remove some crud, then drop in the pellets and load the bullet.  Done.

My muzzleloader is a Glock 20(its called alternative methods season here)but I used to be into them. Get an In line 45 or 50 cal, 209 primer ignition. Check your local laws as some states have some strict regs for muzzleloaders.

Yeah 209 primers aren't legal here :(

I like the musket caps I've been using though, no failures on the bench yet. I also found its legal to only expose the side of the breach it doesn't need to be up like it shows in the manual.

TC Encore with Leupold VX2 2-7X. Load it using Goex with a Barnes sabot. As far as tactics I hunt the same way as firearms season. Like the others stated it's hard to be of too much help because you don't show what state you are in.

The state(s) you plan to hunt is absolutely critical, as that will define what is legal to use.

In my state of Virginia, regs are wide open.  It is legal for me to use an inline rifle with a protected breech and any scope I want.

Last year was my first muzzleloader season, and I decided to go with a more traditional percussion rifle, a Thompson White Mountain Carbine.  It's not completely traditional, as the twist rate is suited for sabots not round ball.  I used T/C Cheap Shots, which are a soft HP slug inside a plastic sabot, over 80 grains of Triple Seven.  Iron sights only on the rifle, and I took a small doe at 50 yards.  

I plan to invest in a modern inline with all the bells and whistles for next year's muzzleloader season.

I would say the first step is to determine what is legal for your hunting area, and then decide on what you want to shoot.  I know guys who only hunt with traditional flintlocks even though they could use an inline, because that's what they enjoy.  If you are only looking to extend your season, then I'd recommend going as modern as possible.  

It doesn't cost much money to put together a very functional hunting rifle.  An entry level inline from T/C, CVA or Traditions plus a budget level scope from Vortex/Nikon/Redfield will be plenty accurate and reliable for killing deer.

I'm in Washington, I checked the state regs regarding muzzle loaders and they're pretty restrictive; no inline guns, exposed breech only, no optics. Percussion cap and flintlock are the only acceptable source of ignition, no shotgun primers.
That narrows it down quite a bit.

I shoot a savage ML2 smokeless where legal its badass

Check out the website I listed and filter by Northwest legal, that should give you a better idea. No ffl requirements so ship to your door is nice. Or check locally, you'll probably need to get powder locally anyway.

I shoot a Thompson Omega 50 cal.  Load it up with 3 50Gr. Pellets of 777, a Winchester 209 primer and Shockwave bullets.  Shoots hard, fast and relatively flat.  I run  low power variable glass (1.5 - 7 IIRC).  It's a GREAT way to extend the season (Both early and LAte).  NY allows early ML in the Northern Zone and a late season after "regular" gun in the Southern Zone.

Most bullets are heavy and drop like a stone past 200 yds, and honestly I dont shoot it enough to "dope the wind" or fugure out Kentucky windage for my set up.  I know where to hold out to 150 and shots longer than that are rare for me.  Usually they're in the 50 yd range.  Good God these guns/set ups absolutely HAMMER the snot out of Whitetails.  I've shot 2 deer with the ML and both times they were postholed and when hit dropped like a sack of hammers right on the spot where hit.

Similar to the Bow, the "you only get 1 shot so make it count" mentality forces you to wait for the best shot/placement.  This fact alone allowed me to shoot a nice 8 as the doe (in range) started looking over her back and Mr. Bucky was not 5 minutes behind her.

I am lucky that my state has basically no regulations on muzzleloading season. I have tried a few setups, but have settled on the following

Knight disc extreme 45 cal

inexpensive 3-9x40 scope

209 primer (with the knight disc system)

90 grains equivalent loose Pyrodex "P" (fffg equivalent) I measure out my charges on a scale and have them pre-packaged for better accuracy, I dont remember the actual weight for 90 grains equivalent off the top of my head though

Harvester crush rib sabot with 180 grain Hornady XTP .401" bullet

I haven't gotten the chrono out to measure it yet but I get 1"-1.5" groups at 100 yards with this setup and by using a pistol bullet i get great expansion and very good stopping power. As far as tactics, i hunt them the same way i would during gun season, either slow stalking or sitting.

got this little one last year with the above setup, shot was from the front, bullet traveled down the deer about halfway lengthwise. the bullet showed amazing expansion (it was almost totally flat) and weighed just under 130 grains

I hunt with a custom made .54 flintlock that is a bench copy of an original Pennsylvania rifle circa 1760. 50 grains FFF Goex pushing a 0.530 lead ball wrapped in pillow tick patch.

If you want a traditional muzzleloader Lyman makes a very good gun. Get with a local muzzleloading club and they can help you with choosing powder (FF or FFF), powder manufacturer (Goex, Swiss, Elephant, etc). Most of those guys will have different powders you can use instead of buying several pounds of powder just to figure out what works for your setup.

I have 10 BP rifles now. I shoot the hell out of them and BP hunting is my favorite season.

1- you cannot go wrong with a T/C Renegade .50 or .54 ( I built mine from a kit in 1983)
2- you cannot go wrong with a Knight Disc Extreme.

those are my go to guns that I love to hunt with after hunting with BP rifles for 35 years.

I think the Disc Extreme is as close to perfection in a inline as possible. I have 2 now.

I’m a traditionalist.  Been using a T/C Hawken from a kit for over 20 years.  It is .54. I use patched round balls over 90 grains of real black powder. I have never had to track a deer.  Everyone had been DRT and dropped like they were poll axed.

isn't it amazing how well a PRB and 60+ gr of BP drill a deer down.
I never get tired of shooting a deer with my Renegade. the laws of physics and the little round ball don't add up. but it works every time.

Same setup with my Triumph except I put a Nikon slughunter on it.

What's your longest kill?

I'm guessing it was ~125 feet.  GA & MO have heavy brush.  I like to get in close.  Not putting down long range shooters, that is just not for me.

TC Triumph with a Nikon 2-7x32. I use 2-50gr. pellets of 777, 250gr. TC Shockwave sabots and 777 primers. Great shooter!

Since no inlines I would get a good old fashioned Hawken replica, get a ni.58 cal.pple for it so it can use musket caps. .50 cal or