Muzzleloader Help

[krawiech]

another good one is the cva wolf it is inexpensive to purchase but its accuracy is excellent ive got mine for about 5 years now no problem it is a break open type action i also own a t/c white mountain carbine the cva is 50 caliber while the t/c is 54 caliber the t/c doesnt seem to be anymore accurate than the cva and the pricewas about one half for the cva hank k

[JScherer15]

I purchased a TC Bonecollector, use the DOA 250. Make sure you get the correct scope. I love the gun to this point. The choices are endless. I have aprox $700.00 total. I use the 250 grain TC shockwave, with 100 triple 7.

[extrmhntr]

JS i don't think he can use the scope due to the state restrictions... but yes the scope does make a huge difference on the gun. I used to hear all the guys say that your gun is only as good as your optics and with a 500 dollar gun and a 5 dollar scope expect it to shoot worth the 5 dollars, not the 500.

[Bryan78]

I have a CVA Optima and even though I haven't shot it in five years (in Florida during ML season) it is a great gun for the money.

nromn, if this gun is strictly going to be used for ML season, then I wouldn't spend $500 on one when a $200 one will do the exact same thing.  It is a single shot gun, spending a higher amount of money isn't going to make it any better then a cheaper one.

When I bought my CVA I actually called CVA to tell them my reason for buying their product and it was because they way they marketed it.  They compared it with a TC and it was basically the same gun just half the price.  That was the reason I have never bought a TC, because I felt the price for a single shot gun was way too high.

Give CVA a hard look.  They make excellent muzzleloaders and I think you will be happy with one.

[dewey]

Hey nromn,

Welcome to the forum! You mentioned you are from the great state of Minnesota, so am I-I live in Crystal (Suburb of Twin Cities) and I hunt in NW MN by Detroit Lakes and a couple of other areas. Where are you from and where do you hunt at? You are correct about open sights only for muzzleloader hunting.

I have a Traditions Pursuit II XLT muzzleloaderwith a rifled barrel, break open action and a unscrewable breech plug. The muzzleloader I got was picked as the best of the best awards from Field and Stream for 2008.

Here is the article

http://www.fieldandstream.com/articles/ ... les-2008-0

Here is a picture of the gun and some of the details about it.

http://www.sportsmansguide.com/net/cb/t ... x?a=457367

Hope this helps and be sure to check out the Minnesota state forum as there are a lot of very nice and helpful folks on there.

Dewey

[nromn]

Again, everyone, thanks for the help. I think I am going to start off by reading the book at the beginning of the thread.
 
Bryan, thanks for the advice. It's not that I want to spend 4-5 hundo. Its just thats what I was expecting. I went to gander mountain the other day and that is what I also came away with for prices (I didn't see any behind the counter since no one seemed willing to help and didn't have a ton of time), so I only saw a couple that weren't back there. But I would prefer to start cheap, see if its something I pick up on and if needed upgrade later if I really want to. Although I am pretty simple when it comes to guns so probably wouldn't see the need on something that I only shoot maybe a time or two during the season.
 
So where do you all recommend shopping for or buying guns from?
 
Dewey,
 
I love this forum and wish I had come across it sooner. I live in Burnsville so we are not that far apart. I hunt in SW MN on a few public land pieces by my parents place. Its good public land because it is not pressured by deer hunters since we are in heavy agricultural country, but at the same time, it is constantly pressured by pheasant and duck hunters. So that kind of throws a kink in things when you are up in a stand and 4 hunters with 2 dogs come walking through.
 
A question I have about the MN ML season since you are from MN. The mn handbook online only talks about a lottery tag, but also lists the price of a tag. I am just wondering if it is by lottery only, or if the either sex tag is by lottery only, but anyone can get a buck tag? I assume anyone can get a buck tag, but just wanted to make sure.

[dewey]

ORIGINAL: nromn
So where do you all recommend shopping for or buying guns from?

Personall I would check out Cabelas and Gander Mountain. Keep track of the prices and they will usuall match the others prices, works well if you need to get more stuff and one place has it on sale or if you have a Cabelas credit card.

ORIGINAL: nromn
Dewey,

I love this forum and wish I had come across it sooner. I live in Burnsville so we are not that far apart. I hunt in SW MN on a few public land pieces by my parents place. Its good public land because it is not pressured by deer hunters since we are in heavy agricultural country, but at the same time, it is constantly pressured by pheasant and duck hunters. So that kind of throws a kink in things when you are up in a stand and 4 hunters with 2 dogs come walking through.

A question I have about the MN ML season since you are from MN. The mn handbook online only talks about a lottery tag, but also lists the price of a tag. I am just wondering if it is by lottery only, or if the either sex tag is by lottery only, but anyone can get a buck tag? I assume anyone can get a buck tag, but just wanted to make sure.

If you buy a firearm or muzzleloader license and intend to hunt in a lottery zone you are allowed to shoot a buck in that zone with your firearms or muzzleloader license but you are not allowed to shoot an antlerless deer (antlers 3" or less) in that zone unless you have applied for and drawn an antlerless tag for that specific zone (Make sense?). I am fairly certain that a antlerless tag is good for that zone only and cannot be used anywhere else in the state.

Hope this helps and if you have any other questions about the MN deer hunting regulations you could post your questions under the MN forum as there are a lot of other folks that very knowledgeable.

Dewey

[tbonecpa]

Take a look at the Remington Genesis. Very affordable gun$150-200, well built, good trigger, and accurate. I know scopes aren't allowed in MN but I would get a 3-9x (Cabelas Pine Ridge is decent and inexpensive) and use quick detach mounts. Keeps you legal for ML season but gives you another gun option for regular gun season. For past 100yds I would take a ML over a slug gun all day long. Try pellets (2 is plenty) instead of powder for convenience and either 250 or 300 gr SST bullets with the easy load sabots. This combo makes super tight groups for me and dropped a huge buck at about 100yds. Broke a rib on the way in and lodged in the hide on the opposite shoulder. Thats pretty solid penetration, expecially with only two pellets. Recoil with ML is pretty tame but a slip on recoil pad over the stock one makes it a complete non-issue.

Gun - $200
Mounts - $50
Scope - $50
Pellets - $25
50 SST bullets -$25
Primers - $10
Sling - $15

Thats a cheap setup

Good luck

[fr0sty]

I bought my muzzle loader last year.  For my price point (cost me $350), I found good reviews for the Omega Z5 in blue black.  I bought it last year, target shot in the summer and hunted last winter with it. 

I have found it easy to clean and accurate to shoot.  The only thing I changed was to buy a tc powerod.  It has a pivoting T handle.  One note, the barrel is kind of tight.  Some sabots load easier in it than others.

I am heading out again this weekend with it and hope to take another deer.

ORIGINAL: singleshot

If you are going to get an in-line the traditions Yukon is a good starter gun. I paid about $200 for mine. All I had to add was powder and primer. Last year my son took a deer at 115yds. with it. It shoots just as good as muzzle loaders costing 2 to 3 times as much. What ever you choose get a veriety of powder,primer, and bullets to get the most from your rifle. Verying the powder charge by 10 grains will make a differance in accuracy. Happy hunting.

[Bryan78]

ORIGINAL: fr0sty

One note, the barrel is kind of tight.  Some sabots load easier in it than others.

One way to help eliminate that is before you load your round in cover the sides of the bullet with bore butter and it will help it slide down the barrel.  I have had to do this before with my CVA Apollo when using powerbelt bullets and it worked like a charm.