New to Muzzle Loading. Meat and Potatoes Hunter. Seeking Advice.

[AR Woodsman]

Hey everyone. I am new to muzzleloading. I plan on buying a wolf CVA with open sites so I can deer hunt in national forest during ML season. I expect shots on game to be ~50-75 yds tops. I know folks like love to discuss absolute best set ups for delivering the most lethal bullet in the most accurate manner at long range but that's not what I need right now. By the way, I get that way too, love researching ballistics and etc and ML seems like a perfect hobby for such tinkers with loose powder and all. I would like ease, reliable effective lethality (knock down and expansion), value, and ~3" groups at 100 yds.

I plan on using something like (2) 50 grain 7-7-7 pellets, 209 primers, and a decent value slug. The bullet is my biggest question mark. Money is not a real concern but value is, I do not need a bullet capable of dropping an elk at 150 yds when I am hunting AR whitetails at ranges under 100. If I have to spend 1 $/slug so be it but that seems high.

Buds gunshop has free shipping and a great price on the wolf. They also have: https://www.budsgunshop.com/product...ts+50+cal+jacketed+hollow+point+jhp+240+gr+20

Traditions A1497 XTP Hunter Muzzleloader Bullets 50 Cal Jacketed Hollow Point (JHP) 240 gr 2​

for ~$14 for 20 rounds. Seems decent but I don't want to buy two boxes to discover they cannot produce a 3" group at 75 yds or are a poor performing hunting round. Any thoughts?

Also, what sort of cleaning practices should I expect? When I go sight in, should I clean each shot? Like run solvent and swabs down the barrel? As I will be taking my first shot on game with a clean barrel. Anything else I need to get as I have never been a ML shooter?

Thanks!

 

[bronko220002]

First off your Wolf is a decent muzzleloader for what you plan on using it for. But for powder you'd be better off getting loose powder and a powder measurer. For bullets I'd recommend a 240 or, my favorite, a 300 gr Hornady XTP and Harvester CR sabots. Green for .44 bullets or black for .45. You should find an accurate load between 80 and 100 gr by volume.

 

[ElDiablo]

I’d be surprised if just about any load you wanted to try wouldn’t shoot 3” at 70 yards (within reason). That’s not asking for much with modern inlines. Any bullet in the 240-300 gr range with 80-150 gr of powder would probably work for you.

 

[HC]

Welcome to the group

 

[AR Woodsman]

First off your Wolf is a decent muzzleloader for what you plan on using it for. But for powder you'd be better off getting loose powder and a powder measurer. For bullets I'd recommend a 240 or, my favorite, a 300 gr Hornady XTP and Harvester CR sabots. Green for .44 bullets or black for .45. You should find an accurate load between 80 and 100 gr by volume.

Thanks for your input. I like the idea of a heavier bullet but from a quick internet search it appeared that the xtp hunters I mentioned were a value buy.
I agree loose powder would be better, however to get started with limited time that means purchasing more gear and variables. I do not have a lot of time to spend tinkering at the range this year.

 

[AR Woodsman]

I’d be surprised if just about any load you wanted to try wouldn’t shoot 3” at 70 yards (within reason). That’s not asking for much with modern inlines. Any bullet in the 240-300 gr range with 80-150 gr of powder would probably work for you.

I know I am not asking for much from the bullet that's why I am trying to decide what to start off with. It's easier to look around online and find the highest performing combinations but to find out what is good enough but not too cheap to be regretted takes a bit more. It sounds like no one has anything bad to say about the 240 grain XTP hunters.

 

[Okie Hog]

Welcome from southwest Oklahoma.

Here's a vote for the .430 240 grain XTP bullet. i've killed dozens of deer and hogs using that bullet.

 

[AR Woodsman]

Welcome to the group

Thanks. I'm from Arkansas.

 

[retrieverman]

Hey everyone. I am new to muzzleloading. I plan on buying a wolf CVA with open sites so I can deer hunt in national forest during ML season. I expect shots on game to be ~50-75 yds tops. I know folks like love to discuss absolute best set ups for delivering the most lethal bullet in the most accurate manner at long range but that's not what I need right now. By the way, I get that way too, love researching ballistics and etc and ML seems like a perfect hobby for such tinkers with loose powder and all. I would like ease, reliable effective lethality (knock down and expansion), value, and ~3" groups at 100 yds.

I plan on using something like (2) 50 grain 7-7-7 pellets, 209 primers, and a decent value slug. The bullet is my biggest question mark. Money is not a real concern but value is, I do not need a bullet capable of dropping an elk at 150 yds when I am hunting AR whitetails at ranges under 100. If I have to spend 1 $/slug so be it but that seems high.

Buds gunshop has free shipping and a great price on the wolf. They also have: https://www.budsgunshop.com/product...ts+50+cal+jacketed+hollow+point+jhp+240+gr+20

Traditions A1497 XTP Hunter Muzzleloader Bullets 50 Cal Jacketed Hollow Point (JHP) 240 gr 2​

for ~$14 for 20 rounds. Seems decent but I don't want to buy two boxes to discover they cannot produce a 3" group at 75 yds or are a poor performing hunting round. Any thoughts?

Also, what sort of cleaning practices should I expect? When I go sight in, should I clean each shot? Like run solvent and swabs down the barrel? As I will be taking my first shot on game with a clean barrel. Anything else I need to get as I have never been a ML shooter?

Thanks!

I asked the same question about these bullets last year and was recommended against them. A few years ago, I bought a “lot” of cast bullets on the cheap. I muzzleloader hunt similar to what you’re describing, and I started using a 300 grain cast bullet in a Harvester crush rib sabot with great results.

 

[deermanok]

Welcome from southeast Oklahoma.
Fellow Wolf owner here. I shoot the Hornady xtp 240 grainers out of mine. Very accurate bullet.
You might pick up a short starter. Walmart usually has the black polymer ones in stock for cheap.
I use good old Windex for swabbing the barrel. The cheap dollar store brand works fine.

 

[AR Woodsman]

I asked the same question about these bullets last year and was recommended against them. A few years ago, I bought a “lot” of cast bullets on the cheap. I muzzleloader hunt similar to what you’re describing, and I started using a 300 grain cast bullet in a Harvester crush rib sabot with great results.

Interesting. I wonder why were recommended against them. Hunting performance? Honestly I like the idea of a heavier bullet as I will not be shooting long ranges but I wanted to keep it simple. I guess you search online for cast bullets and sabots. Is as simple as "crimping" the sabot around a bullet and you're good to go? Any recommended sites for buying cast?

 

[BlackPowderGuy (AJHS)]

Welcome! First off, you will do fine with pellets for what you are talking about, Triple 7, White Hots...all will work. In terms of bullets, I am a bigger fan of the 300 grain hornady .452 xtps than the 240...you can buy a box of 50 for 25ish bucks, so 50 cents a roun, and a pack of Harvester black sabots for about 7 bucks.... And you are in business! I have a Wolf too, good gun.

 

[BigBoresmokepole]

Welcome! First off, you will do fine with pellets for what you are talking about, Triple 7, White Hots...all will work. In terms of bullets, I am a bigger fan of the 300 grain hornady .452 xtps than the 240...you can buy a box of 50 for 25ish bucks, so 50 cents a roun, and a pack of Harvester black sabots for about 7 bucks.... And you are in business! I have a Wolf too, good gun.

240 xtp sabot and 2 pellets of any kind will get you target in minutes up to 100yrds.

 

[CatamountRob]

At that range and at that velocity almost any jacketed pistol bullet will work. Deer aren’t that hard to kill. People hunt with the T/C cheap shot bullets too, that’s just a relatively light lead hollow point.

 

[AR Woodsman]

Welcome! First off, you will do fine with pellets for what you are talking about, Triple 7, White Hots...all will work. In terms of bullets, I am a bigger fan of the 300 grain hornady .452 xtps than the 240...you can buy a box of 50 for 25ish bucks, so 50 cents a roun, and a pack of Harvester black sabots for about 7 bucks.... And you are in business! I have a Wolf too, good gun.

Interesting. Thanks for the links... One questions, is there much to seating the bullet in the Sabot? Is there a different sabot for using a .45 cal sabot for a 300 grain .45 bullet vs a 240 grain bullet? What's the difference between crush and non crush sabots?
I like the 300 grains vs the 240 but want to keep things simple for starting out.

 

[BlackPowderGuy (AJHS)]

The bullet just slips into the sabot, no "seating" involved. The sabots are by the diameter of the bullet and the weight. Crush rib allegedly makes it easier to load...it is what I use in my Wolf. Again, if you were looking to be a super precision shooter at 100 plus yars, folks here...including me...would suggest loose powder, playing with different sabot brands and styles till you found the perfect load...but you are talking about 3 inch groups at 50-75 yards...by that measure, this will suit you just fine.

Plenty of folks have done well with the 240 grain...and I myself have killed two with them, but one ran more than I like even with great shot placement, and niether exited, so no good blood. That is why I switched to a heavier bullet.

 

[gman57]

Welcome from s/e NC, enjoy the forum and all the good info you will get here.

 

[AR Woodsman]

The bullet just slips into the sabot, no "seating" involved. The sabots are by the diameter of the bullet and the weight. Crush rib allegedly makes it easier to load...it is what I use in my Wolf. Again, if you were looking to be a super precision shooter at 100 plus yars, folks here...including me...would suggest loose powder, playing with different sabot brands and styles till you found the perfect load...but you are talking about 3 inch groups at 50-75 yards...by that measure, this will suit you just fine.

Plenty of folks have done well with the 240 grain...and I myself have killed two with them, but one ran more than I like even with great shot placement, and niether exited, so no good blood. That is why I switched to a heavier bullet.

Thanks for sharing. I definitely want an exit wound and lower velocities (not as flat) due to the heavier weight are not much of a con as I do not plan on taking 100 yd + shots with open sights. I may just go with 295 grain cva power belts. They are not much higher than using a separate website and shipping charge to order bullets and sabots.

 

[BlackPowderGuy (AJHS)]

Thanks for sharing. I definitely want an exit wound and lower velocities (not as flat) due to the heavier weight are not much of a con as I do not plan on taking 100 yd + shots with open sights. I may just go with 295 grain cva power belts. They are not much higher than using a separate website and shipping charge to order bullets and sabots.

BE CAUTIOUS with powerbelts! Almost nobody on here uses them for hunting because they fragment terribly and often do not achieve full penetration. This a case of what may be pennywise and pound foolish.

 

[AR Woodsman]

BE CAUTIOUS with powerbelts! Almost nobody on here uses them for hunting because they fragment terribly and often do not achieve full penetration. This a case of what may be pennywise and pound foolish.

Interesting! I assumed having more than 20% more mass than the 240 xtps they would no doubt be a more lethal shot. Are they actually less likely to exit than the 240 grain xtps? Like always I am sure with ideal shot placement either would work, but I don't want to spend more for a worse bullet!