I Know Nothing - Need Help

[Dipperman]

My nephew has expressed an interest in getting started in muzzle loading (rifle for deer hunting). My experience with the holy black and muzzle loaders is zero. In looking at posts in this section of the board I found a recommendation for the Lyman Black Powder Handbook by Sam Fadela.

Are there any other good, basic books on muzzle loading that you folks with experience with muzzle loaders could suggest?

Any suggestions as to what type, caliber, and brand of rifle he could start with, without a super major investment, would also be most appreciated.

Many thanks in advance for your input.

Dipperman

[docone31]

You might try it this way.
http://www.trackofthewolf.com/Categories/partDetail.aspx?catId=4&subId=38&styleId=137&partNum=DVD-BML
The black powder handbook is kinds uninformative.
He might just plain old like what he sees.

[451 Pete]

Dipperman,
A couple of thoughts. In my opinion the Gun Digest Loading Manual by Fadala is one place to start and you should be able to find one at Amazon. A better option in my mind would be to contact the National Muzzle Loading Rifle Association ( nmlra.org for the web site and contact info.) and see if there is a field rep. or charter club near you. Most of the clubs hold a monthly fun shoot and you might be suprised how friendly they are if you just tell them that you and your nephew are wanting to learn about what they do and how they do it.

These rifles are not that hard to learn how to load and shoot but you want to make sure that what you learn, you learn the right way, in order to shoot them safely.

A lot of good used sidehammer rifles are on the market for reasonable prices. The biggest problem with buying used is the fellow that owned it before you. If he didn't take care of it properly the barrel will be rusted and it will not shoot accurately. Also check to make sure the hammer stays on half cock ( the safety on a muzzle loading side hammer ). A couple of good rifles you can probably find used are Lyman Great Plains and the Thompson Center Hawken and Renegade.

Hope this helps ..... Pete

[Crawdaddy]

There are two basics types of muzzleloaders, traditional and modern. You can break those down into a couple of different sub categories.

Traditionals could be broken down in flintlocks and percussions. They include your old fashion hawken style rifles, muskets etc.

Moderns are basically inlines with either percussion caps or 209 ( shotgun primer) ignition systems.

Before a rifle can be reccomended you need to decide which of the two ways you want to go. You can get into a decent rifle for $200 and up.

My personal preference is a modern inline with a 209 ignition system. For a newcomer it might be the best. You can use a wide variety of bullets and a powder you cannot use with percussion caps.

Some good brands and models include:

Traditions Vortek (my favorite)
Thompson Center models
CVA

50 caliber models are probably the most common with 54 and 45 following.
Sabot bullets are an excellent choice for hunting and shooting. Although many people use conicals, power belts and round balls. You really would have to shoot them to see which you like best.

Hope this helps.

[725]

Chances are the rifle will come with a manual from the manufacturer. They are basic and cover all the liability concerns they have. That means their procedures will be pretty safe. I've read Fadala and really like his stuff. I can't really think of a bad manual out there, but acknowledge that some are better than others. If you have a friend that is safe and competent, put the touch on him for advice. Questions submitted here will be answered eagerly by fellas with combined experiences of hundreds of years. Good luck & have fun.

[tacklebury]

I like the Traditions Buckstalker for my inline, because it's shorter, better pointer and still very accurate. I've upgraded the sights to TruGlo Ghostring and Hooded front sight. ;) Cleaning is a bit easier on the inlines and they are great for conicals or sabot rounds as stated above.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-vtCnFWQ5uPY/TsRBPe3Zf0I/AAAAAAAAAIk/40qsP3fo5g8/s800/Scott_guns%252520012.JPG


My traditions Buckskinner Pistol and Woodsman Hawken are my Round ball favorites. ;) These shoot Round balls beautifully and I carry the pistol with my modern for a back-up or finishing shot also. ;)

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-AqAStwCpB0w/TsRBYJgbvnI/AAAAAAAAAJg/FIGo2Ey8d3Y/s800/Scott_guns%252520019.JPG

I have 600 total in all three and have been shooting them for 3 years. ;) Check out the specials page at Traditions. If you are in a state they say they won't ship to, just get a local FFL to send them their information by fax and then they will ship to your FFL.

[quilbilly]

The first two things I would consider on helping a newcomer get started ML hunting is - (1) Check the hunting regs to look for what muzzleloaders and sights are legal. Some states are quite restrictive. and (2) Find out if your aspiring ML hunter is a history buff to determine the type of weapon he would prefer.

[wgr]

what state are you in

[NickSS]

One more thing to consider is that real black powder is hard to find in small lots these days. Most places only carry the fake black powder. That stuff works ok with a cap lock but not with a flint lock rifle. I prefer traditional rifles and have several of them and I also shoot BPCR with metalic cartridges loaded with black powder so I buy my powder by the case full but most hunters use the fake stuff. If you want to use the fake pelatized powder the only real optin is an inline modern ML with a 209 primer anything else has more missfires with those.

[750k2]

Buy a used TC hawken 50/54.
Can be found cheap - 250 range - may be rough.
Sam's book is great for a start.
Clean it up and get some balls and powder and start.
Even if the bbl is a rust bucket it can be scrubbed back
to OK shape. (Steel wool)
This will tell you if your going to like it or your out nothing if not.
After that if you are black bit - GM makes drop in bbls and LR makes a quality
drop in lock and bingo it'll shoot as good as anything.
You can stop there or???
Shoot this while you wait for your real rifle gun to be built.
Just my 2 cent.

[Geraldo]

Used muzzleloaders are usually cheap, but check the barrels for rust. A lot of people don't clean them properly. Expect to spend some more money on accessories: powder measure, etc.

I think you can use a side hammer muzzleloader just about anywhere, but inlines may have some restrictions. Check your state's hunting regs.

How old/big is your nephew? Does he need something youth sized or can he handle a longer/heavier rifle?

Even if you get a used rifle, you can download manuals from company websites. Read it and have him read it and follow it.

The best way to test them out is to find a club or even an individual at the range who will let you/him test fire them.

[Reload3006]

The best advise for your nephew would be what state laws are you under. You can buy point him toward the most exotic inline with good optics only to find out its illegal to use it in your state. Start there. After that it is like Ford or Chevy what do you like better. my .02