Posted: 10/14/2013 8:24:18 AM EDT
| I am thinking about getting into muzzle loader and was wondering if anyone here could give me some pointers in a direction to start. Are there any places to avoid getting a rifle from? Are there any places that sell used ones here in WI? I just want to get an older one that still fires safely. |
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Stay away from used you don't know how it was taken care of, most I have seen for sale used have pitted barrels from not being cleaned after being fired.
if you decide to go the used route get one of these to save yourself some heart ache black powder bore light New you can get one from Wal mart for around 100.00 to start with and go from there if you like it. Personally I would get one that you can use 2009 primers not percussion caps. the 209 primers give you more consistent firing. |
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Stay away from used you don't know how it was taken care of, most I have seen for sale used have pitted barrels from not being cleaned after being fired. if you decide to go the used route get one of these to save yourself some heart ache black powder bore light New you can get one from Wal mart for around 100.00 to start with and go from there if you like it. Personally I would get one that you can use 2009 primers not percussion caps. the 209 primers give you more consistent firing. Should I go .50? If so what barrel lengths should I look for? |
| I would stay away from used also as black powder is so corrosive the barrels can go bad fast. I assume you want a traditional style side hammer and if that's the case then go with 50 or 54 caliber, it doesn't really matter because your bullet selection is pretty much round ball or maxi balls so availability doesn't matter. If you're looking for a modern inline go with a 50 caliber as that is where all the good bullets are made for. |
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I would stay away from used also as black powder is so corrosive the barrels can go bad fast. I assume you want a traditional style side hammer and if that's the case then go with 50 or 54 caliber, it doesn't really matter because your bullet selection is pretty much round ball or maxi balls so availability doesn't matter. If you're looking for a modern inline go with a 50 caliber as that is where all the good bullets are made for. Ok so no used. Check. Yes traditional side hammer. Was planning on doing round ball. |
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Should I go .50? If so what barrel lengths should I look for? Quoted:
Quoted:
Stay away from used you don't know how it was taken care of, most I have seen for sale used have pitted barrels from not being cleaned after being fired. if you decide to go the used route get one of these to save yourself some heart ache black powder bore light New you can get one from Wal mart for around 100.00 to start with and go from there if you like it. Personally I would get one that you can use 2009 primers not percussion caps. the 209 primers give you more consistent firing. Should I go .50? If so what barrel lengths should I look for? 24" is enough and you want .50. |
| If you're using a round ball and want to use it for hunting either a 50 or 54 would be good. Black powder only burns so fast so both will be going about the same velocity but the 54 will have more energy due to it's heavier weight but enough deer have been killed with 50 cal round balls that no one can doubt their efficiency. Read up on cleaning a BP muzzle loader before you "pull the trigger" as it's a PITA! |
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If you're using a round ball and want to use it for hunting either a 50 or 54 would be good. Black powder only burns so fast so both will be going about the same velocity but the 54 will have more energy due to it's heavier weight but enough deer have been killed with 50 cal round balls that no one can doubt their efficiency. Read up on cleaning a BP muzzle loader before you "pull the trigger" as it's a PITA! Gotcha. Are there multiple methods to cleaning them? Or is there kind of a standard this is hows it s done type of way? |
there are as many ways of cleaning a BP gun as there are ...............(insert your favorite joke)....
you will have to do some research on this to figure out which you are willing to do. some people use just soap and water others buy into purchasing all the latest and greatest wonder thing to use. |
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there are as many ways of cleaning a BP gun as there are ...............(insert your favorite joke)....
you will have to do some research on this to figure out which you are willing to do. some people use just soap and water others buy into purchasing all the latest and greatest wonder thing to use. Hot water has always worked for me. |
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While modern inline is more reliable, easier to clean, and more plentiful to supply, I just can't bring myself to them. It just feels wrong.
Reminds me, one of these days I'm going to have to dust off the A. Martin rock crusher. I was told it was made to be shot, and should be done so. 
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Hot water has always worked for me. Quoted:
Quoted:
there are as many ways of cleaning a BP gun as there are ...............(insert your favorite joke)....
you will have to do some research on this to figure out which you are willing to do. some people use just soap and water others buy into purchasing all the latest and greatest wonder thing to use. Hot water has always worked for me. Ballistol is a biggy. Don't use regular bore solvent/CLP. Ballistol is a water soluable oil. Google "moose milk". I use a iodine teat sprayer, with the nozzle inverted 180 degress. Works great for flushing the bore. |
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FWIW, I bought my current Hawken from Cabela's, it was only $20 more than their kit at the time. Don't know current prices.
Yes, black powder is a PITA to clean. What I've been doing is taking the barrel off, and using a cleaning rod with a patch, put the breech end in hot water and use the rod and patch as a pump to make water go in and out through the percussion nipple hole. Have to change water several times. Then I run patches through it with a bore cleaner specifically for muzzleloaders until they are clean, then oil the bore then the outside. If you get a gun where the breech plug is easily removable, that's even better. My first muzzleloader was a CVA Kentucky long rifle in .45. I don't shoot it anymore, even though I took care of it, I'm not really sure of the condition of the bore at the breech end. I used to be able to unscrew the breech plug on that rifle easily enough, but it's gotten impossible, so I'm kind of worried I didn't do a good enough job of cleaning it last time I used it many, many years ago. I built that one from a kit, and rushed it. It shows. 
Oh, and I would recommend adjustable sights. They may not be authentic, but they sure help. |
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While modern inline is more reliable, easier to clean, and more plentiful to supply, I just can't bring myself to them. It just feels wrong. Reminds me, one of these days I'm going to have to dust off the A. Martin rock crusher. I was told it was made to be shot, and should be done so. Yeah I have not been a fan of inline ML's. If you are really that close to a cartridge fed rifle just get a regular rifle. |
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FWIW, I bought my current Hawken from Cabela's, it was only $20 more than their kit at the time. Don't know current prices. Yes, black powder is a PITA to clean. What I've been doing is taking the barrel off, and using a cleaning rod with a patch, put the breech end in hot water and use the rod and patch as a pump to make water go in and out through the percussion nipple hole. Have to change water several times. Then I run patches through it with a bore cleaner specifically for muzzleloaders until they are clean, then oil the bore then the outside. If you get a gun where the breech plug is easily removable, that's even better. That's exactly how I clean my Hawken also, in the kitchen sink. Dawn dish soap works good. Mine is a left-handed Traditions percussion, that I got for about $100 in a "close-out sale" back when Gander Mountain closed down their mail-order catalog division in the mid-90's. It's got double-set triggers and an adjustable rear sight (that was dead-on at 50yds, right from the box  ). I've shot round balls, "mini" balls (got a bullet mold for those), and Hornady sabots with 240gr / .429" XTPs with loose Pyrodex. VERY accurate with the sabots out to a 100yds..... not so much, that far out, with the others, but good out to 50.
Also got two N.E.F. "Huntsman" break-open inlines that use 209s. Both have fiber-optic front, Williams peep rear. I use the same Hornady sabots and 150grs of Pyrodex Triple-7 pellets. I bought one in stainless / synthetic, 6 weeks later, I won another (camo / blued) at a Whitetails banquet. I decided to keep both, and when I hunt muzzie season, I'm usually tracking deer in snow, so I carry one, the other's slung on my back ready to go. They have removable breech plugs, which are nice in two areas... easier cleaning when you shoot it, and easier unloading without firing. You'll learn about how convenient that is, if you decide to deer hunt with it.  Pulling the ball from a side-lock without a removable plug can be a pain. I tried those CO2 load-remover gizmos without much luck. Best way to unload it is to just fire it.... but now it needs cleaning.  Inlines with removable breech plugs don't need firing / cleaning to unload.
eta: when unloading an inline by pulling the breech plug, there is a remote possibility that the charge can be ignited. To be safe, I remove the barrel, stand it with muzzle up, breech in a small bucket / container (I use empty coffee can)and pour about a cup of water in the muzzle. When the water comes out the ignition hole, I know the charge has been pretty much neutralized. Those pellets get thrown out, bullet & sabot get saved, and barrel gets wiped dry, oiled, and put away. I use a dab of choke-tube lube on the threads of the plugs. |
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I use the CO2 dischargers, no problem. The downside is they are good for maybe 5 "shots", IIRC, So I always carry a spare tube in my possibles bag. I need to check the zero on mine, before the hordes descend on the ranges. I should've clarified.... CO2 works on mine for round balls only... and it'd take 2 or 3 blasts to do so, and the CO2 cartridge has to be warm (useless outside in December in WI, unless it's been in your inside layer pocket all day). No-go with mini-balls or sabots. 5 or 6 blasts would move the projectile only 5 or 6 inches down the barrel. Wasn't worth the effort nor the expense IMO.
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