Howdy Folks!

[Barn]

Howdy Folks, I'm Barn and I reside in Fort Worth, TEXAS. I'm nearing retirement and am looking forward to receiving my first muzzleloader to use deer & elk hunting. I have zero experience with a smoke pole and all the stuff that goes along with it, as I've been an archery only hunter for years. I'll be asking lots of questions from yall, and feel the only stupid question is the question I don't know the answer to and refuse to ask. Thanks in advance and I do appreciate you.

 

[michiganmuzzy]

Welcome to the club, Barn.

 

[Barn]

Thank you Sir.
By the way, I have ordered a Traditions StrikerFire Back Country in 50 caliber to go after those Colorado elk with, if I don't poke a hole in them with my bow and arrow flinging.

 

[HC]

From central Indiana.

 

[deerlessbob]

Welcome.

 

[deermanok]

Welcome from Oklahoma. My son and daughter in law just bought a house in Fort Worth. Small world.

 

[Barn]

Cowtown's a great place to move to. I did it over 40 years ago. Does your boy shoot too? I could prolly could use some instructions or at-a-boys as I learn how to safely and effectively shoot my new smokepole.

 

[DESPERATE LEE]

Welcome from the Republic of Texas. We are all brothers here. Enjoy the sport and Cowtown is nice. I live in the country. Too many people in the big cities. If you ever get a chance to come to the Ennis National Polka Festival (cancelled this year) in late May maybe we'll run in to each other.
DL

 

[03mossy]

Welcome Barn! Fire away with questions. Lots of people her always willing to help a new shooter.

 

[Matthew323]

Welcome from Maryland. This is the place to come for info freely given from people with big hearts.

 

[Sideshow]

Michigan checking in to say "hi and welcome" !!! Things are a little slower now but theres quite a library of posts to read to help out . MANY TOPICS covered too !!! You'll see whats what in short order . I personally like a power slammin load for everything with pin point accuracy included . Most dont like my level of recoil but magnum force is my creed . Hit them once and hit them Hard !!! I always tune for just that on the heavier bullet side if i can . Dead is dead but sooner beats later every time !!! Welcome aboard and good luck with the most tunable hunting tool there is !!!

 

[Barn]

I hope the gun shop is not like I used to be when I said, "the check is in the mail." I purchased my 1st muzzleloader online last night. and it will be sent to me here in Texas I'll have lots of questions for yall in the future. I'm an archer mainly, so this is all new and exciting for this ole goat.

If the primary purpose is hunting deer & maybe elk in Colorado, can I just buy something like Hornady Great Plains 240 grain conicals and T7 pellets, or do I have to try multiple types of powder and pellets and primers and an assortment of bullets? I didn't know this new adventure was going to be so stressful.

 

[4stringdude]

Welcome aboard! You are in a great place to find answers for all things ML. The accumulated knowledge on this forum is mind boggling.

It's also very friendly.

 

[4stringdude]

You will most likely try out multiple combinations of powder and bullet before you find what works. As an archer, you probably tried several different shafts, fletchings and broadheads until you found what you liked best. It's the same with ML rifles.

I'm a fan of heavy conicals for deer hunting. I find a slower moving chunk of lead knocks 'em down better. But, that's just my opinion.

 

[snapbang]

Welcome Barn,
Your in the right place. These people are intelligent and someone has an answer to your questions.

I started out 35 years ago with a Hawken and .50 round balls, a patch, and whatever powder was available. Id still be doing it but my old eyes need a scope to shoot in dimmer light. I killed a pile of deer with it.

Nowadays I have an inexpensive CVA Wolf with a scope. I like to shoot a lot so I like to shoot cheaper. I use T7 loose powder because it is comparatively inexpensive and I like being able to decide how much powder I use. Using loose powder you can tweek your load instead of having to choose between pellet weights.

For bullets its the same for me. I like inexpensive and so far have used lead cast bullets from G.T. Bullets. there are 3 I have reasonable luck with. Model: 44-255-hp-430 , Model: 44-305-HP-430 , and the Model: 45-70-385-HP-459 with the appropriate sabot from MMP . See Rons bullet test if you want more info. Figure I shoot a bullet and sabot for 30-40 cents a shot. They kill deer fast and hard. No experience with a ML on elk.

But there are a lot of fine choices. Don't be coned into thinking once you find the perfect bullet/powder combination you will be satisfied. Michiganmuzzy told me that perfection can be boring. Hes right.

Enjoy

 

[Cent540]

Howdy Folks, I'm Barn and I reside in Fort Worth, TEXAS. I'm nearing retirement and am looking forward to receiving my first muzzleloader to use deer & elk hunting. I have zero experience with a smoke pole and all the stuff that goes along with it, as I've been an archery only hunter for years. I'll be asking lots of questions from yall, and feel the only stupid question is the question I don't know the answer to and refuse to ask. Thanks in advance and I do appreciate you.

Jump on in Barn, the water is fine. Everyone here was a "new guy" once.
Spend some time reading the posts, there's a wealth of experience and knowledge there for the taking. If you can't find what you're looking for, start a thread! Somebody (mostly everybody,lol) will have an answer or opinion. Here's wishing you a great retirement and happy hunting/shooting.
My first BP gun was/is an 1861 Bridesberg .58 caliber rifled musket that I saved and restored from the police crusher. Alit of the things I did to restore the gun started with a question on this forum.

 

[Barn]

It seemed like it took a month of Sundays to arrive, but I'm going to pick up my new Traditions Vortec Back Country 50cal today after work. I guess I will then be forced to go to Cabella's to get a few necessaries. Any StrikerFire shooters on here?

Give me a shout out if you're local to Cowtown.

 

[Cent540]

It seemed like it took a month of Sundays to arrive, but I'm going to pick up my new Traditions Vortec Back Country 50cal today after work. I guess I will then be forced to go to Cabella's to get a few necessaries. Any StrikerFire shooters on here?

Give me a shout out if you're local to Cowtown.

Buy a good range rod! Preferably brass with a muzzle saver. A real good ball starter to. My Knight inline is a bear to load. Best money I spent.
Neil

 

[Cent540]

I hope the gun shop is not like I used to be when I said, "the check is in the mail." I purchased my 1st muzzleloader online last night. and it will be sent to me here in Texas I'll have lots of questions for yall in the future. I'm an archer mainly, so this is all new and exciting for this ole goat.

If the primary purpose is hunting deer & maybe elk in Colorado, can I just buy something like Hornady Great Plains 240 grain conicals and T7 pellets, or do I have to try multiple types of powder and pellets and primers and an assortment of bullets? I didn't know this new adventure was going to be so stressful.

Everyone expects something different from their guns. Everyone has an opinion, good opinions are based on experience. Take the pellets and bullets you chose and zero in the gun with them. It's a great place to start. Then do some distance shooting at or greater than distances you expect to hunt at. Keep a little book and record each shot. "100 yards, two pellets, saboted bullet, weight of bullet, drop, drift, etc" Then try it at varying distances. The next time you go to the range, bring something different, bigger/smaller bullet, different propellant, different primer and recird all that data. After you clean your gun for the day and you're having a cold one back at the ranch, look over the data. You'll find some little nugget of knowledge in there. You really want to make sure your shot counts on these guns while hunting. It takes a considerable amount of time to reload and you probably won't get off s second shot if you miss or worse, wound the animal. You'll find what works for you and have fun doing it. Good luck!
Designated Shooter
A Co, 2/58th infantry
75-79
Ft Hood, Tex

 

[Barn]

Thanks Cent, I hadn't added a data book to the list of stuff to get, but I will. I guess I can use some tape on the ramrod and mark witness marks in pen before making a permanent mark on it to start with, as things will change considerably as I experiment. That make sense, or is that too much?