# Modern Day Muzzleloader?



## Bear10 (Oct 12, 2020)

I'm considering leaving my centerfire rifle in the safe and buying a new muzzleloader to hunt the entire deer season. I know there's a lot of different modern muzzleloaders on the market and there's also a lot of opinions about them, but I was wondering if I could get some advice/recommendation on buying a new muzzleloader & which sabots are most accurate. I would like to keep the price under $600.00 if possible. Thanks in advance for the recommendations.


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## shdw633 (Oct 12, 2020)

Are you just hunting deer in Georgia or are you considering hunting out west as well with it, i.e. long range hunting.


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## Bear10 (Oct 12, 2020)

I may eventually go to Illinois one day with it but 99% hunting in GA.


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## fatback (Oct 12, 2020)

I’m interested in this as well. Looking forward to seeing some responses.


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## GregoryB. (Oct 13, 2020)

You are going to get lots of opinions. My personal over the last 15 years has been with Traditions In-line muzzle leaders. I have used several of the Pursuit models. Used them in a lot of places that didn't allow modern rifles. Never had a issue with them. About all the different Sabot bullet combos I have tried shot well.


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## shdw633 (Oct 13, 2020)

As GregoryB. stated there are going to be lots of opinions.  I, myself, have four different inline ML's from Remington (2 700's), a Knight and a Thomson Center.  Of the three I would recommend that you go with a 45 cal.  I have an Omega that I absolutely love for hunting Georgia and took a fine 9 point with it this weekend and I use my Remington Ultimate 700 in Illinois because it can handle an heavier load and reach out farther than a conventional ML, but it would be pushing your $600 budget in that you would have to find a used one to get in that price range more than likely.  If I was to start over my first pick would be a Prohunter and though I don't have one I have always wanted one just because of all the good reviews I have heard about them. Perhaps had I gone with the Prohunter from the get go I wouldn't have 4 inlines right now.  Don't skimp is all I am saying and get a stainless steel barrel, and that goes for the scope as well as it will cost you a lot more in the long run if you do.


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## flintlock hunter (Oct 14, 2020)

We have just one inline ML in the safe, actually it belongs to my wife, great woman, who hunts and fishes along side me for 30 years now.
It's a TC Thunderhawke, that shoots a 250gr saboted Traditions bullet over 100 grs of Pyrodex Select ignited by a CCI #11 magnum cap. With the 3X9X40mm Leupold iit prints 1 1/2" groups @ 100yds all day long.

There are a lot of manufactures selling inlines, but to the best of my knowlege the best, accurate ones are made by CVA, Traditions, and Knight. I own a couple of traditions flintlocks, reasonably priced, accurate and dependable, and maybe just as important is Traditions stands behind their guns. If you can put together a decent flinter you're doing something right.

If I were in the market for a reasonably priced inline as you are, Traditions would get some attention. Good luck on your choice.


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## Bear10 (Oct 14, 2020)

Thanks for the info everyone!

I have an encore that will not pattern well for some reason. I've tried varying my powder measurements, several sabots, etc.. but it just doesn't shoot well. My Dad has an older Knight that will out shoot mine all day long. My daughter is getting older , so I will probably end up buying two if I want to hunt as she will take mine from me .


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## frankwright (Oct 14, 2020)

I have a CVA Optima that I bought to hunt in Ohio. It was reasonably inexpensive and seems to be well built and accurate.
I have killed deer in Ohio and Georgia with it and would consider it a good choice!


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## Goatman70 (Oct 14, 2020)

Got a CVA Accura MR last year and love it. First kill was a doe about 110yds. It's easy to clean, light weight, and simple enough for the moderate muzzleloader enthusiast.


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## 280 Man (Oct 14, 2020)

Ive got a CVA Optima V2 LR with 26 inch stainless fluted barrel. Shoots just about anything you can "stuff" down the barrel.


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## formula1 (Oct 14, 2020)

I have a T/C Encore .50 Cal and had it for a long time. The only custom thing I did was modify the trigger to 2.5 lbs. I don't have one of those twist off breech plugs but that could be a nice to have. Here is what I load:

.458 Barnes TSX 300 grain all copper
Blackhorn 209 powder - 110 grains
Winchester 209 shotshell primer
MMP Orange Sabot for .458 bullets.
Simple Bushnell 2-7x scope

I would hunt this anytime and often do.

Here how it shoots at 100 yds and I'm old and blind:


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## gemihur (Oct 14, 2020)

formula,
I agree 100%
Encore 209x50 is fabulous.
Thanks for sharing
Jimmy


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## formula1 (Oct 14, 2020)

gemihur said:


> formula,
> I agree 100%
> Encore 209x50 is fabulous.
> Thanks for sharing
> Jimmy



Thanks. Didn't tell this before but I once shot a doe with it at 182 yds. Now I had a good rest and a rangefinder plus I had practiced to 225 so that helps to know exactly how it shoots.


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## BarnesAddict (Oct 15, 2020)

A Traditions muzzleloader wouldn't even be my last pick.  Way to many issues that others have had and CS is about worthless.
I know one person that got so p at his rifle and CS at Traditions, he cut his barrel up in little pieces and sent it to Traditions.  IIRC he bought a CVA after that mess.


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## flintlock hunter (Oct 16, 2020)

BarnesAddict said:


> A Traditions muzzleloader wouldn't even be my last pick.  Way to many issues that others have had and CS is about worthless.
> I know one person that got so p at his rifle and CS at Traditions, he cut his barrel up in little pieces and sent it to Traditions.  IIRC he bought a CVA after that mess.





I really understand your strong feelings with Traditions. I had a similar experience with Lyman. I bought a GPR that was a disaster, lock gritty, bore rough, but it broke in and was a decent shooter. Then I found out about a recall because of barrels bursting, a  result of a defect, and mine was in the middle of the recalled guns. Lyman CS was fantastastic! Within a week I had a replacent barrel and hooked breech.....which was a horror!

Accuracy was terrible, barely a 25 yd gun, and the more rounds that went through it, the rougher the barrel became. I tried calling and emailing Lyman CS, and after nearly 2 years I am still waiting for a response. Eventually I gave up and had a rice barrel fitted, along with an L&R lock.

I have no love for Lyman, yet many claim they love their Lymans, without problems.

My entry flintlock is a Traditions, which had a minor problem with the frizzen and Traditions CS sent me a new one no questions asked, ending the problem. The PA Pellet is accurate, and dependable, so the companion pistol, another Traditions, is a 50 cal Trapper flintlock, and no problems at all. Quite the contrast to the experiences you described.

I only post this to express that in various stages of growth you can, and sometimes do, see both an improvement of quality and service, or, a radical decline. Unfortunatly it's a result of our modern day era, and the stigmas against firearms.

I'm sorry your experiences have been negative.


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## steveus (Oct 16, 2020)

Thompson Center Encore 50 cal. barrel.  Extremely accurate. Advantage of 50 cal. barrel is that you can shoot 36, 40, 45, up to 50 cal. bullets. I shoot 40 cal. 200 gr. in sabot, very flat shooting, almost like a centerfire.  Winchester 209 primers since I reload shotgun shells with them anyway, and Blackhorn 209 powder. Once you use Blackhorn 209, you'll never want to try anything else!


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## rosewood (Oct 16, 2020)

I have an Encore, but went to a CVA Wolf.  I think I paid $130 for it at Academy on clearance, seems like they go for less than $200.  It is short and light, much easier to carry than the Encore and plenty for GA woods.  It also shoots just as accurate if not better than the Encore.  I like the Encore for pistol length barrels better than rifle length myself.

Can't remember if it is a 20" or 22" barrel, but using 110 grains of BH209 and a 250 SST sabot, it is right at 2000 FPS which is about a 11" drop at 200 yards with a 100 yard zero.  If you have a BDC type scope, you can figure where to aim, or aim at top of back at 200 and be right in the money zone.

Rosewood


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## menhadenman (Jun 27, 2021)

I’ve got a CVA Wolf like Rosewood, got it cheap maybe 5 years ago. A couple animals on it. Thinking of going to Accura 45 for upcoming hunt in Nebraska. Would love to stretch out to 250 if I can. Have peep sight on the Wolf, plenty good to 100.


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## whitetailfreak (Jun 27, 2021)

I've shot Traditions for a while and have been very happy with my Pursuit. The few times I've dealt with their customer service they've been great.


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## dusty200001 (Jun 27, 2021)

I got a new cab optima this year and love it, can’t ask for much better.


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## HarryO45 (Jun 28, 2021)

I am perhaps gonna throw a monkey wrench into your thought.  If you ever have thought about a single shot center fire pistol? Or carbine / rifle,  then now might be a good time to consider a TC encore?  I wish I had thought about this a few years ago… because now I own a TC pistol, when prior to that I had bought a TC dedicated muzzleloader (optima).  If you buy *the Encore* as a *pistol* you *can turn* it *into* a *rifle (switching barrels to a muzzleloader)* and then back *to* a *pistol because* it was serialized as a *pistol*.  And also later get carbine or rifle barrels.

I wish I had bought the Encore years ago and just switched barrels.

In the long run, you are gonna spend a lot more to get started, but I will argue that the Encore, in the end, will give you higher quality and perhaps some cost savings (unless you decide to only buy a muzzleloader).

Does this make sense for you?  $$$ It all depends on your wallet and future plans.


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## HarryO45 (Jun 28, 2021)

Btw, I really like my TC Optima over my old wore out Traditions.


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## HarryO45 (Jun 28, 2021)

Last thought… your $600 dollar budget is pretty good, but does that include a scope?  If you need a scope does that mean $600 bucks all in?  If so, then I would get a $300 dollar stainless steel muzzleloader (Ford vs.Chevy) and just keep it clean - at that price point.  Spend the remaining $300 on the best optic you can afford.


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## rosewood (Jun 28, 2021)

HarryO45 said:


> I am perhaps gonna throw a monkey wrench into your thought.  If you ever have thought about a single shot center fire pistol? Or carbine / rifle,  then now might be a good time to consider a TC encore?  I wish I had thought about this a few years ago… because now I own a TC pistol, when prior to that I had bought a TC dedicated muzzleloader (optima).  If you buy *the Encore* as a *pistol* you *can turn* it *into* a *rifle (switching barrels to a muzzleloader)* and then back *to* a *pistol because* it was serialized as a *pistol*.  And also later get carbine or rifle barrels.
> 
> I wish I had bought the Encore years ago and just switched barrels.
> 
> ...



Well, I would have agreed with you.  I started with an Encore pistol then proceeded to buy other barrels for it.  I even have the 50 caliber BP barrel.  The barrels cost more than a CVA Wolf and the gun weighs a lot more with the longer barrel and steel frame.  I think the Wolf has an aluminum frame.  My CVA shoots better than the Encore barrel.  The Encore has shot the best with the pistol length barrels also, so I have dedicated mine to that.

I own 2 CVA Hunter rifles also and both all cost less than an Encore barrel.  They are getting harder to find now.  The CVA hunters were around $200 at Academy but in select calibers and they seem to have discontinued carrying them now.  The Scouts they are pushing now cost more like an Encore barrel.

Rosewood


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## LTFDretired (Jun 29, 2021)

I like my CVA Optima V2


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## Qazaq15 (Jun 29, 2021)

LTFDretired said:


> I like my CVA Optima V2



That’s what I have.  Great gun, great trigger.


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## menhadenman (Jul 16, 2021)

I pulled the trigger on a CVA Accura... put the SWFA ultralight scope from another rifle on there. Will be doing some shooting in the next week or two and will let folks know how it goes. BH209 hard to find these days but I do have one container... plus some 777 pellets for goofing off.


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## LTFDretired (Jul 16, 2021)

I have Pryodex pellets as well as IMR White Hots. I see them often in Bass Pro.


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