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Youth Muzzleloader loads

mole

mole

Active Member
My 8 and 10 year old want to hunt next fall. What kind of load should I use that won't scare them half to death?

They have both shot the 20 gauge and it definitely left an impression
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I thought I would try the 50 cal Knight with a lighter load. Right now I am shooting 100gr of Triple 7 with a 245gr bullet.

If I lower the load too much what will the affective range be? Lots of questions. Might as well start here with all the experts.

mole
 
Excellent question. I have been wondering the same thing. My son is 12 but a tad on the small side. I shoot a 50 cal Knight with 100 grains of powder and a 215 grain slug. That combo is deadly for me. Since this fall will be his first time I was wondering what everyone else would suggest for him that wont scare the crap out of him?
 
From what I've been told, 100g of Triple 7 is equivalent to about 115g of black powder.

I would stay with a light bullet and try 50-60g of Triple 7. A heavier bullet will cause the gun to kick more.

15 years ago, 70-90g of black powder was the norm. Until the magnum inlines came along.

Tim
 
Matt
Here is what I did with my wife when I took her muzzleloading for the first time: I never changed the load or bullet combo at all and I am shooting 100gr 777 and a 240gr Hornady. I never had her shoot the gun at a target....the first time she shot it, she killed a big doe at 60 yards (beautiful shot!) I DID have her shoot other guns of lesser recoil to get her used to mounting a gun, finding the right sight picture and pulling the trigger (took her on rabbit and squirrel hunts). She NEVER noticed the recoil at all when that deer walked out. She had practiced raising the Knight up, finding a distant target in the field, and squeezing the trigger to see how light the pull was (I had the secondary safety screwed in so it wouldn't hit the nipple) I did the exact same thing with her this year when she shot her first shotgun slug deer. She never practiced with slugs, but shot plenty of bird loads and .22's in preparation for deer sesason. I have seen this method work time and again. In each instance, she was very familiar with the gun, but she just hadn't fired the full punch load until D-day. This probably isn't what you wanted to hear, but thought I would add. Good luck on those turkeys!
 
I have watched many kids shoot muzzleloaders with a 100 grain powder and it kicks alot less than shooting a slug out of a 20 or 12 guage. I wouldn't mess around with the loads at all. We usually just had kids practice out of a gun vise to where the gun doesn't kick at all and when it is time to go hunting, they don't even think about it. All they know is they can shoot good with it. I wouldn't be worried about scaring a kid off a muzzleloader. I remember when I was 6,7,8 and 9, I wanted to shoot them all
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I use a T/C Encore with 100gr. triple 7 and 240 grain bullet. The gun is heavier so the recoil is nonexistent. I almost ruined him a few years ago by shooting heavier loads out of a 20ga. He absolutely loves shooting the muzzleloader now! I got him some shooting sticks which worked great out of the blind this fall. Good luck!
 
my youngest son has killed several deer with a .50 cal using not less than 60 gr. of T7. he has his own gun so It's sighted in for 60 to 70 grains.We use a 240 gr. hollowpoint sabot in it. I usually add 10 gr. when I load for the hunt. He doesnt notice and he kills deer so it works well for us.
 
Both of my boys started with muzzleloaders. The original load was 80 grains of Pyrodex and a 180 grain Hornady bullet. We have moved up to 90 grains now, but still use the 180 grain bullet. They have killed around 25 deer with this combination, including a couple monsters this past year. With a proper shot angle, this is plenty of power and the kids love shooting it.

Link to the story of the big bucks from last year.
Brother's big bucks
 
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