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Muzzleloader recommendations?

F

firedog

Guest
Just wondering what you guys recommend for a beginner muzzleloader. Looking to keep the price down. I bowhunt 95% of the time but would like to know what a good smokepole that is easy to use and clean and also not too pricey. I have a .50 cal made by Muzzleloading Technologies that I don't use that much because it uses #11 caps and is a little bit of a pain to clean.
 
For the little bit I've used my Knight Disc Elite I am VERY happy. Their Wolverine is fairly inexpensive and might be up your alley. CVA also makes cheaper models. If cost is going to be an issue, I'd rule out the Thomopson Center, EXPENSIVE...
 
My friends recently talked me into Muzz hunting with them, on their recommedation I bought a T/C Omega Z-5. Picked it up at Wally World for $179.00 clearance. Seems like a pretty decent gun for the price.
 
I have a knight bighorn and a winchester apex both are reasonable in price and shoot great. Here is a link to the apex web page

Oh yeah, I'd avoid the CVA, the two guys I know that have bought them have had nothing but problems.
 
I went backwards from a TC Encore to a Knight Wolverine. Planned to get something different the next year but Wolverine shoots nice and is pretty accurate so I haven't changed.
 
As mentioned before stay away from CVA's JUNK. I'm fond of the Knights myself, my dad got a disc elite and is a terrific shooter and easy to clean. The revolution I own and can say that it is a great accurate gun also, cleaning is really good to except for the small crevaces of the action. Hope this helps with your decision.
 
I currently own a variety of in-lines from a Remington 700ML, Knight Disc Elite, T/C Encore, and a T/C Omega.

IMHO, while the Encore is definetly the most versatile, the Omega wins hands down for overall performance and ease of cleaning.
 
Great stuff guys...thanks for the advice so far. I see there are plenty of options out there!
 
I agree that CVA is junk, stay away at all costs. I don't think you can go too wrong with Knight or a T/C Omega.
That being said, I think if you look at the Savage ML10II, you might see that it would be a good investment. Granted, it is not the cheapest muzzleloader out there, but I think it can be said it is the most versatile. It can shoot blackpowder, "blackpowder substitutes" like 777 and pyrodex, and even smokeless powder. If you are hit with sticker shock, just think how long you will most likely own the gun. Clean up is easy, especially when you shoot smokeless powder. Over the long run, IMO it is better to buy something you will be happy with for many years than to go cheap.

I could go on and on, but I already sound like a Savage ad. If you would like more info, PM me.
Randy
 
Not to start a war or burst peoples buble but I deal with peoples problems with muzzleloaders on a daily basis. It's my job.
There are good and bad of all the brands but by far the most complaints I receive is on the Revolution. After that the other brands are about even. Most problems on the other brands can be attributed to user error though. I have never talked to anyone having trouble with an Omega.
As for the Savages....if you've ever seen the photos of the one Toby Bridges had blow up and read the story about it....well, I sure would have a bad case of the flinches.
As for ease of cleaning...It doesn't matter how easy the breech plug is to remove. Fouling is fouling and it still takes the same number of patches to clean the barrel. People have been cleaning muzzleloaders for hundreds of years without removeable breeches and it has worked just fine.
Bottom line is....buy a muzzleloader you like and take the time to find the proper load, and keep it clean.
 
Gotta agree with ya Shovel...but it IS alot easier to clean a muzzleloader when you don't have to completely break it down, or remove an extractor, or disassemble a bolt, etc. THAT is why the Omega got my vote as being the easiest to clean...same amount of actual "fouling removal" involved, just a little simpler to access.

Wasn't aware of Toby's blow-up though, he was pretty high on his Savage...that must have caused a real laundry problem!
bigshock.gif
Where can I read up on that one?
 
A friend had sent it to me about a year ago. It is on Toby's web site.
I'm in no way attempting to cut down Savage, it just looks like it shouldn't be using smokeless powder.
There used to be the story about where all the major peices ended up but I can't find it. The scope ended up quite a ways behind him and other parts were down range.web page
 
[ QUOTE ]
As for the Savages....if you've ever seen the photos of the one Toby Bridges had blow up and read the story about it....well, I sure would have a bad case of the flinches.


[/ QUOTE ]

There are always at least two sides to a story. Any firearm has the potential for user error and there are rumors that Mr. Bridges intentionally blew up that Savage in an extortion attempt. There is current litigation in regards to this incident. Mr. Bridges wanted to be a paid mouth piece for Savage. Now, the author of the link below (Randy Wakeman) is their spokesman, so think of that as you read it. Can you tell me of another Savage that has blown up? I have heard about many CVAs.

MZ safety

Maybe a more impartial article would be:
Article
 
There allways are 2 sides to the story.But since Mr. Bridges has been helping all of us with muzzleloaders for a very very long time...I tend to side with him. He was heavily promoting that gun until it failed. So he obviously felt there was potential for it.
As for a CVA or any other brand of muzzleloader blowing up.....It could happen but 99.999999% of the time it is user failure and not the gun.
I've proof fired barrels with 4 times the highest recommended loads with 4 times the bullets....they simply won't blow up using black powder or it's equivalents. Dixie gun works did a test years ago with a barrel that had breech plugs in each end. They had a fuse hole in the center. The barrel was totally filled with powder then the fuse ignited the load. What happened? Nothing. All the gas/pressure escaped from the small hole.
Beleive whoever you want but I'm putting my faith in Toby's version.
 
Spend as much as you can afford.I started out with junk stuff and if I had all the money I spent on junk back I could have bought my ecore twice.By quality,Knight,Thompson center are two of the best out there.You get what you pay for saying hold's true in anything to do with hunting or fishing.
 
"IMO it is better to buy something you will be happy with for many years than to go cheap."


Ahhhh....so true, with anything in life, especially hunting gear!
 
I have to say that I have been shooting a CVA for 2 years now and I love it. I have the Optima and haven't had a single problem. My dad and brother both shoot the same gun with no problems also. I am accurate at 200 yards, shooting 4-6in groups so I am really happy with the gun. As far as deer, well I have had three shots with the gun so far 1 in IA at 10 yards, 1 in IL at 80 yards, and 1 in IL at 140 yards. All three deer hang on my wall now.

If you want a quality gun with a lower price tag I support the CVA, but then again you could probably ask 100 different guys and get 70 different answers. The gun is also easy to clean, the breach plug screws out and one screw in the stock and the entire gun comes apart.

Kratz
 
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