Best long range (200+yards) muzzleloader for the price?

[Grizz12]

A recorded sniper shot during the civil war was 1390 yards, just saying...

 

[bronko220002]

The jaunt to Friendship is about 600 miles. That's about 9 hours of driving.. Doable but it depends on when it is. Maybe my buddy would go along to share the driving.

 

[bronko220002]

A recorded sniper shot during the civil war was 1390 yards, just saying...

Well now if I were to understand the ballistics of a minie ball, at that range, I would guess it entered the shoulder and came out the butt!! LOL

 

[ENCORE50A]

The jaunt to Friendship is about 600 miles. That's about 9 hours of driving.. Doable but it depends on when it is. Maybe my buddy would go along to share the driving.

There ya go!

I travel first to Camp Atterbury, IN for the 2 day long range match. The first is in June, the second in Sept. We shoot 3 relays at 800, 900 and 1,000yds on Saturday, then two relays of 1,000yds on Sunday in June. The Sept. relays are all 5 at 1,000yds.
I'll tell ya, if you want to see the very top shooters, not only in the U.S., but in the world, Camp Atterbury is the place. Lee Shaver and others from the USA BP team are there. Want to talk about guys that can shoot??? !!!!

I'm not positive on the June dates. Normally the match is shot the weekend that the Championships start at Friendship, but it may not work out that way next June. We should know more after the first of the year. The September match next year will be the weekend that the National shoot starts.

Its an 8hr drive to Camp Atterbury. I think its around 550mi. I spend Friday and Saturday night there and head across the state to where I'll stay at Batesville after the closing on Sunday. Its about 60mi from Camp Atterbury. Batesville is the closest to Friendship with motels. Its about 25mi from Batesville to the range at Friendship. I have to say that the roads from the Camp to Batesville and from Batesville to Friendship, are beautiful. Part of the road to Friendship is a little narrow, up and down, along with many curves. There are places where you don't want to get your tires off the pavement, because its likely 200' or more down.
When I leave Friendship/Batesville, its another 8hr drive home.

I've gotten to the age now where if you want to do something and can......... DO IT.

 

[Grizz12]

Well now if I were to understand the ballistics of a minie ball, at that range, I would guess it entered the shoulder and came out the butt!! LOL
View attachment 39776

LOL maybe, I wasn't there to confirm

Also not too sure it was a minie ball

 

[Steelheader323]

A trip to friendship has always been on my list..I’m not much for long range..I have never had the opportunity to shoot past 300 yards. That’s the longest range we have within an hour of where I live but I have done it successfully..even with my old reliable omega I have hit the 8” plate consistency....but that’s a chip shot for the guys at friendship. Sounds like a good time

 

[ENCORE50A]

A trip to friendship has always been on my list..I’m not much for long range..I have never had the opportunity to shoot past 300 yards. That’s the longest range we have within an hour of where I live but I have done it successfully..even with my old reliable omega I have hit the 8” plate consistency....but that’s a chip shot for the guys at friendship. Sounds like a good time

It is a ton of fun. To shoot the Inline Hunter match, the steel are the easiest, even at 500yds. They are a large target and you're just trying to knock them off the rail. The rams are shot at 500yds and any ballistics program, along with unlimited sighters will get you on. Wind though can be the enemy. Trick is, shoot early in the morning, longest range first
The turkeys are at 400m and you still get unlimited sighters, same with the pigs at 300m and chickens at 200m. This is where a good spotter is extremely valuable.

Put your data into a ballistics program and we can get you dead on. Example...... Not a single one of us modern inline shooters were able to practice at 1,000yds, but we all used and shared our data, and everyone was on target starting at 800, 900 and to 1,000yds.

Then the hard part. The paper targets at 200yds, 100yds and 50yds. It might seem simple, but to my knowledge, no one has ever had a perfect score. 45-70 would know for sure.

Here's the new 200yd target. 45min to shoot 5 shots for score with unlimited sighters (practice). 1/2moa X



The 100 and 50yd targets......

 

[Philgumbo]

If you haven't shot a bolt action muzzleloader with full bore/sized bullets, you are missing out for sure. There is nothing like it IMO. I definitely would not want to carry 13 lbs around doing woods hunting. It's all about the right tool for the job. We were shooting a 45 bolt yesterday. It weighs 13 lbs, has a ported brake and shoots as good of a group as the shooter can shoot with hardly any recoil. Sometimes you are second guessing your shot because they go in the same hole.

 

[Philgumbo]

If you haven't shot a bolt action muzzleloader with full bore/sized bullets, you are missing out for sure. There is nothing like it IMO. I definitely would not want to carry 13 lbs around doing woods hunting. It's all about the right tool for the job. We were shooting a 45 bolt yesterday. It weighs 13 lbs, has a ported brake and shoots as good of a group as the shooter can shoot with hardly any recoil. Sometimes you are second guessing your shot because they go in the same hole.

Though I know there are muzzle loaders capable of such distances, part of me thinks taking such shots is often a bad idea. I understand that such shots might be needed out west, in areas where there there may be little to no cover, but I also think that good hunters do everything possible to get closer to their game than that. A deer shot at 35 yards with a .50 cal weapon is gonna be far more impacted by a well placed shot than one shot at over 200 yards. I have heard good things about those .45 cal Patriot rifles, but I'd still try to get a lot closer to the quarry. Deer are majestic animals, and deserve to be put down quickly.

 

[michiganmuzzy]

i have a cva scout 45/70 factory two pound trigger.converted by a great gunsmith. shooting smokeless fury 265 gr bullets shoots 3/4 in groups at 100 sub moa at 200.good to 400 if you are up to it.complete about 2000 with 4x16 ill scope pm if more info needed

What load are you using? Ive got some of the 265s but haven't shot them in my Scout conversion yet.

 

[ENCORE50A]

Though I know there are muzzle loaders capable of such distances, part of me thinks taking such shots is often a bad idea. I understand that such shots might be needed out west, in areas where there there may be little to no cover, but I also think that good hunters do everything possible to get closer to their game than that. A deer shot at 35 yards with a .50 cal weapon is gonna be far more impacted by a well placed shot than one shot at over 200 yards. I have heard good things about those .45 cal Patriot rifles, but I'd still try to get a lot closer to the quarry. Deer are majestic animals, and deserve to be put down quickly.

That's why this is a long range hunting and target shooting forum.

Example of just 120grs VOLUME of BH209 and a 300gr bullet........... more than enough energy to dispatch a deer out to 700yds.



Go with a 350gr shot SML and there's not an animal in the America's you can't harvest at long range............




In excess of 200yds.............. exit.

 

[Steelheader323]

That's why this is a long range hunting and target shooting forum.

Example of just 120grs VOLUME of BH209 and a 300gr bullet........... more than enough energy to dispatch a deer out to 700yds.

View attachment 39796

Go with a 350gr shot SML and there's not an animal in the America's you can't harvest at long range............

View attachment 39797


In excess of 200yds.............. exit.

View attachment 39798

I bet you feel that 350 grain smokeless load on both ends lol

 

[ENCORE50A]

I bet you feel that 350 grain smokeless load on both ends lol

You can bet that I don't shoot it without the LR Customs T-Rex CSTM brake too. The brake makes shooting them like that, more or less like a .410 shotgun.
Shooting that heavy bullet at that velocity without a break, would likely cause the shooter a concussion.

 

[eekjellander]

Though I know there are muzzle loaders capable of such distances, part of me thinks taking such shots is often a bad idea. I understand that such shots might be needed out west, in areas where there there may be little to no cover, but I also think that good hunters do everything possible to get closer to their game than that. A deer shot at 35 yards with a .50 cal weapon is gonna be far more impacted by a well placed shot than one shot at over 200 yards. I have heard good things about those .45 cal Patriot rifles, but I'd still try to get a lot closer to the quarry. Deer are majestic animals, and deserve to be put down quickly.

I hit a deer with a 50@200 yd ,same result as 35 yds ! You have to practice shooting long so when you touch off the shot it is a given as long as you use a range finder you KNOW the shot was good ! Folks that don't wait for the proper position (standing) and use common sense along with lotsa of trigger time are the ones crippling game . Spend lots of time practicing if @ 50 yds (ok) but don't tell me 250 yds is to far for the guy that practices @ that range and again KNOWS the shot is good when taken . Everyone screws up but not often if (AGAIN) it's an every day shot , only you know if you've put in the time and your equipment is up to the task . But hit them in the right spot with a big chunk of lead and Ray Charles can do the tracking (dead and blind) /Ed

 

[muzzyhans]

I bet you feel that 350 grain smokeless load on both ends lol

I shot a 6lb Marlin 45-70 for years. 405gr HC on top of 49gr of varget.
That sumbeast thumped now! But, never felt so comfortable poopin in the woods with that beside me!

 

[jml1990]

I’ve looked at an accura lrx, but have read mixed reviews, I’ve looked at a Paramount, and read mixed reviews. And I’ve looked at a knight peregrine, and a knight 500, and heard mixed reviews. Four different guns, priced from $600-$2500. Depending on who you ask, they are the best, or worst guns out there. I’m looking for a gun, to shoot, and hunt with. I would like to be able to comfortably shoot to ranges out to 400 yards, and know if I miss, it’s me and not the gun.

I picked up the lrx this past spring for a NM elk hunt. I can't recommend it yet. I've found only one load it really likes, but its a bummer I have to lighten the charge to 70 gr BH when I should be able to shoot up to 84 gr with the LRX, probably a 200 fps loss in velocity. Also made getting the longer barrel pointless. Then I talk to people who have Encores, 700s, Savages... they are shooting faster and farther with those. I almost borrowed a 700 for my trip. I dont think it was worth the cost to have a separate ramrod and additional barrel length/weight vs a cheaper CVA. I'll get back to the range this spring with a pile of other projectiles to tryout and plan to do a comprehensive report on here after.

 

[user 31751]

I want to buy a new gun, and there are a lot of claims being made by different companies. I want options on what gun provides the best long range accuracy for the price. I don’t want to get talked in to a $6500 custom gun, when there are guns out there that shoot just as good at a fraction of the cost. Any suggestions?

Woodman Arms

 

[DMT]

Though I know there are muzzle loaders capable of such distances, part of me thinks taking such shots is often a bad idea. I understand that such shots might be needed out west, in areas where there there may be little to no cover, but I also think that good hunters do everything possible to get closer to their game than that. A deer shot at 35 yards with a .50 cal weapon is gonna be far more impacted by a well placed shot than one shot at over 200 yards. I have heard good things about those .45 cal Patriot rifles, but I'd still try to get a lot closer to the quarry. Deer are majestic animals, and deserve to be put down quickly.

My Whitworth Rifle repro can and does print about 2.5 inches at 200,( my oldest boy does better) and if I know the distance stays sub 2 moa until about 500. It isn't a low cost rifle, is slow to reload, and pouring your own is a slow process. None the less, I wouldn't be afraid of taking any shot I could see as long as I knew the distance.

 

[Rmark]

TC Renegade stock with a custom fast twist barrel.