First Muzzleloader

Modern Muzzleloading Forum

Help Support Modern Muzzleloading Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

Chancegrayl

Member
Joined
Jun 14, 2014
Messages
6
Reaction score
0
Well my amazing wife figured for a birthday/fathers day present she would get me a muzzleloader. Ive hunted since i was knee high to a duck and love being in the woods, i bow and rifle hunt and my wife figured she would be amazing and get me a muzzle loader. She purchased me a Traditions Pursuit Ultra Light, the only problem with this is ive never shot a muzzle loader. So thats why i am here to learn for people with experience. After doing some research i have gotten a small grasp on what im doing. So heres where i need help. Im looking at using White hots 100g, and 295g Powerbelt bullet as of right now. this sound like a proper set up? im looking for knock down power and im not planning any long shots.
 
There are many that are not fans of powerbelts. I never harvest a deer with one so I will not comment on their knock down ability. I do think there are better bullets out there. If you see some XTP's in a local store, pick them up and try them.

I never shot White Hots. Others have and I have heard good and bad. But again, I am not here to judge. All I can say it go to the range and try out your rifle. There are in the new to muzzleloading forum some threads that might help you reference loading, cleaning , powders, etc.. they are in the top part of the forum where they are locked.
 
Thanks Cayuga, thats why i came here, ill look at hornady and do some more research, What powder do you use?
 
I agree with cayuga, try a different bullet and the XTP has taken a lot of game.

I helped a guy set up the same rifle, I believe two years ago. After he bought it, he called asking the same questions and I suggested that he start right off with Blackhorn 209 propellant, and because I'm a Barnes fan and shooter, I suggested the 290gr Barnes T-EZ. He mounted his own scope and finally made it over. A couple shots at 25yds then we moved back to the 100yd bench. It didn't take but a couple shots for it to come right in, then go all to heck. Unfortunately, the scope he mounted was an older very low quality scope. Shooting was done for the day. He returned with a new Nikon Pro Hunter the next day. Same process to start, then back to the bench. I was impressed with the rifle's capability and his shooting. He started punching 3/4" to 1" groups very quickly off the rest. Then he switched over to shooting off his bi-pod and still maintained 1 to 1.5" groups at 100yds.

His specific load: 100grs volume BH209 - Barnes 290gr T-EZ bullet - Federal 209A primers

This is just an example. Other propellants and decent bullets will also work just fine. IMO stay away from powerbelts.

Learn about Blackhorn 209 (BH209) here: www.blackhorn209.com

Good luck, be safe most of all and welcome to our world :yeah:
 
Chancegrayl said:
Thanks Cayuga, thats why i came here, ill look at hornady and do some more research, What powder do you use?

Your rifle can shoot any of the powders on the market I believe. We have a section in new to muzzleloading that discusses the good and bad points of all powders. I personally shoot 95% of the time real black powder. But I shoot a lot of flintlocks. I also shoot Pyrodex RS, Triple Seven 2f with conical bullets, even BlackHorn 209 in my Optima.

If your starting out, you might want to try BlackHorn 209. There is less swabbing, and it does have excellent power. But use a hot primer. If you can't find BlackHorn 209 then look at Pyrodex RS. Its an excellent starter powder. It is very consistent, and you swab between shots, but it works real well.
 
I keep hearing the bad reports on powerbelts too, so Ive stopped hunting with them, BUT I shot 5-6 deer with the regular 295 grn and never a problem. For me, they are very accurate in several rifles. Everything I shoot at home is under 50 yards though. Ive never recovered a bullet from any deer, always clean through. If you hit in the boiler room, a small hole through and the shockwave damage is plenty. Its been quite a while since I had to track anything (that I hit) more than 50 yards too. I have had some where the fat pretty much clogs the hole and they bleed almost entirely internal, hardly leaving a trail. But I could hear them thrash their last from the stand, and after a wait, walked right to them.
 
Thanks Squeeze, im looking at going to 300g Hornady with a 100 grains powder my shots will be shorter then a 100 yards,
 
Welcome. What State will you be hunting in? M-L isn't that hard, just takes a little more to get setup properly. I'd just use loose powder over those white hots, Blackhorn 209 1st choice, then 777 or Pyrodex. It can take a bit of searching to collect the right supplies, mail order and local shopping.

If hunting is your goal you can set a M-L up so it's almost as effective as a single shot 308. I hunt a lot in IL and I take every advantage I can. I never cared for many IL laws, but the deer hunting is quite good.
 
Muskrat ill be hunting in North Carolina mostly on the military bases of Lejeune and Cherry point, i think i might go to the range and try the lose powder. Im here to learn and if every one says go lose then there probably is a reason to that. Thanks guys keep the tips coming
 
300grain XTP and 100grains of powder is a great deer load in most rifles. My nephew uses 2 777 pellets with that same 300 .452 diameter XTP and has taken deer from 75 yards to 178yards with his little CVA Wolf. I have used the 300gn XTP and now the Speer Deep Curl 300s with 100 to 110 grains of loose Pyrodex for a while now but now use 100 grains of BH209. If the rifle likes it your Deer Will not! :wink: :D

The biggest advantage using loose is being able to make small changes in the powder charge. Pellets limit that to one, 2, or 3 pellets. Also pellets usually come in an unsealed box and can draw moisture whereas loose powder comes in a seal bottle and does not draw moisture as long as the cap is on tight.
 
With either Pyrodex or 777 you will still need to swab between shots when shooting Sabots. I have used both and still use Pyrodex and I really do not see any real difference between the Pellets and Loose as for one being cleaner than the other. I might give the loose a little edge on the crud ring. BH 209 is really the only one you can get away with shooting and not swabbing. I have shot 777 2F and was not crazy over the crud ring I got in my KRB7, but part of that may have been the rifle. I have since got that rifle working with BH 209. Pyrodex is just the easiest powder for me to get around here.

None of the Powders are "Clean" like a Smokeless powder, so you will not get away with not cleaning/lubing after shooting. BH209 is the only one that will give you a little wiggle room there but it is also still corrosive, just less than the Pyrodex or 777. No getting away with not cleaning, it is just part of shooting a muzzleloader. :wink:
 
I tried both Power belts and Hornady Xtp,SST. The power belts were accurate enough to drop deer but the Hornady were more accurate in my rifle. I'm using White Hots and like them a lot. They are a very clean and consistent pellet. Im also using the Remington muzzleloader primers. I have no problem with 2nd or 3rd shot loading. At the range I do swab between shots as I will always hunt with a clean barrel. I hear a lot of great things about Blackhorn209 but I don't want to spend the money to cross over just yet.

From a muzzleloading deer hunters perspective. White Hots and Hornady products are more available locally. What you should do is try different bullets in different diameters to find what best fits your barrel and gives you the most accuracy.

Someone with a small online store would do well making a bullet "Sampler". Something like 5 bullets from each company.
 

Latest posts

Back
Top