# what muzzleloader should I buy??



## goosefreak (Aug 20, 2009)

Well, the wait for all the hunts to start is eating me from the inside out, so i'v been talking to a buddy that hunts with a muzzleloader every once and a while and he loves it, however I don't hunt with one, I'm an Archery guy. with the cost of being a Bowhunter, and a Waterfowler, and everything else, I could never justify myself spending the money to get set up for muzzleloading i'v got too many hobbies already and muzzleloading never made it to my list......well...I give in! need advice from all, without going ALL OUT I just want a good "not cheap but not expensive" muzzleloader. what/where should I start looking? I will only hunt Deer with it since I'm a die hard Archery Elk hunter. I'v heard the .45 cal bore is a smokin lil muzzleloader, or the .50 cal like everyone else shoots. what are yall's thoughts, give me the good, and the bad between the 2 calibers, also what brand of gun ect, ect. thanks for your time reading this


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## sagebrush (Sep 8, 2007)

I'll sell you an optima. Its pretty much like new. I have only shot about ten rounds out of it. Never has been out hunting yet. It does want to go one day.


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## Huge29 (Sep 17, 2007)

The one for which I vote is found somewhere in this thread http://utahwildlife.net/forum/14-muzzleloaders/46322-t-c-omega.html


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## waspocrew (Nov 26, 2011)

+1 on the CVA Optima- I just got into the muzzy game and it's been a shooter right from the start. There are some excellent rifles from the $200-300 range. Some to consider as well would be the TC Omega and Traditions Buckstalker. 

Since I'm fairly new, I don't know the pros or cons to a .45 vs a .50 cal. All I can say is it seems quite a bit more common to find .50 cal powder pellets and Pre packaged sabot/bullet combos in stores. Either way, have fun with it! Smokepoles are way too fun!


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## Elkoholic8 (Jan 15, 2008)

If you only plan to hunt deer, the .45 will be just fine. The biggest hang up is component selection. There are way more options for bullets in .50 cal vs .45 or even .58. Just get a .50 and shoot lighter bullets. Who knows one day you will be old and you may not be able to hunt elk the way you want and you will need to switch sports. The muzzleload hunts are very contagious......... I too was a die hard archer.... just sayin.


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## El Matador (Dec 21, 2007)

I had a .45 for a while. They have less recoil for sure, and the idea that it's plenty for deer is true. I got tired of the very limited availability of components though. Now I shoot a .50 and I'm very happy with it. I would only consider a .45 if recoil is a major issue.

I vote Omega. Everyone that has one seems to love it and they're very accurate. Check gunbroker...I found mine used for around $300.


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## utahgolf (Sep 8, 2007)

another vote for optima, great bang for your buck


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## archerycrazy (Feb 28, 2013)

I purchased the new CVA Optima V2 earlier this year. It is an amazing muzzleloader and reasonably priced.
http://www.cva.com/Optima-Rifle-from-CVA.php


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## goosefreak (Aug 20, 2009)

THANKS for the comments guys!! keep them coming!! oh, and also what kind of speeds are these guns doing? i'm just wondering it doesn't matter to me because if I got hit with a 250gr slug even at 10mph i'd fall over dead, and also, what kind of powder preforms the pest?? like a pellet? or loose powder?


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## Elkoholic8 (Jan 15, 2008)

I'm not real sure how fast mine shoots, never shot over a chronograph before, but I use 90gr of 777ffg loose powder. Pellets are nice and conveinient, but you can experement alot more with loose powder. I shoot a 250gr SST and they have gone end to end on 2 deer and passed right through on the other broadside shots. They are fast enough! If you load more than 110-120gr of powder you will start blowing out unburned powder so that is kind of a waste. 
I would start out with 90grains of powder and then make changes in 5 grain increments to see what your gun likes. They are all different even from the same manufacturer.


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## El Matador (Dec 21, 2007)

I'm shooting just north of 2000 fps with 250 gr Barnes TMZ and 2 of the Triple 7 magnum pellets. That's about a 130 grain equivalent I believe. Shooting more than 120 grains isn't a total waste, but you do get diminishing returns. 150 grains usually puts me around 2200, although I have yet to find a load that's accurate enough for me at that velocity.


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## Springville Shooter (Oct 15, 2010)

If you are still looking for a muzzy, I noticed that Cabelas is clearancing their TC Omega online only for 299 and they give you about 80 bucks in Cabelas points to boot. I have an Omega and it shoots MOA at 100 yards. What more do you need?---SS


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## 2litl2l8 (Jan 16, 2008)

Another vote for the Optima, My wife got me a clearance one from Wally World in 2008 for $125 bucks. My father-in-law has an Omega. I like mine better, plus I think the new ones come with a thumbhole stock. Mine is in .50 I use two 50gr pellets behind a 250gr XTP. I used to use Shockwaves, but I found in skinning and cleaning the dear that they would completely fragment 2-3 inches after impact. Made for a quick kill but a messy cleanup.


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## Skullanchor (Jul 29, 2008)

I had a CVA Kodiak pro mag .45 and liked it. Now I have an older knight rolling block .50. I'd say buy the cheapest gun you can find if your want to stay on the cheap. If you like muzzleloader shooting, hawk your 120 dollar gun for 100 bucks and upgrade. All of todays inlines are pretty reputable to 100 yards at least. CVAs are imported but like most people are saying they are a good buy and I kind of regret selling mine. 

I also have a Lyman great plains .54 flintlock that I never got the hang of and a Dixie gun works pietta ruger new army revolver I put together. Whatever you get, black powder is fun and there is never a mad rush of horders buying up sabots and tripple 7 powder


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## waspocrew (Nov 26, 2011)

Skullanchor said:


> Whatever you get, black powder is fun and there is never a mad rush of horders buying up sabots and tripple 7 powder


That's what I like about black powder! Although I did see a guy on Utahguns.com trying to sell 2 packs of the 50 ct. green hornady sabots for $50!! Needless to say - I'm sure he still has them haha


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