Muzzleloader Information/Recommendations

I say go decent but cheaper. I like the Traditions line, spend some money on a scope. I would not worry about something that shoots smokeless powder, but something that shoots Triple 7 or pyrodex (pellets are simpler) with 209 shotgun primers.

50 Cal that shoots 45 caliber bullets with plastic sabots - again, simple, many options.
Just my opinion.
Stainless steel barrel a plus, keep it clean, shoot and clean after season every year.
Others will have more modern suggestions most likely.

I advise that whatever you do in terms of rifle, go with something modern that can use Triple 7 or Buckhorn 209 as your powders. Pyrodex has a reputation for being badly corrosive, so I avoid it. True black powder is great, but less powerful and best for purists, reenactors, or people in jurisdictions (like PA) where using a traditional flitlock, you pretty much have to use real black. Triple 7 is less corrosive and more powerful than either black powder or Pyrodex. Buckhorn 209 is most accurate, cleanest, and most powerful of the muzzleloader propellants.

Loose powder allows you to be more consistent than pellets. I measured a couple charges by volume, weighed and averaged them, then pre-load powder charges into cigarette paper packets measured by weight. I then untwist one end of my powder "joints" and pour the powder into the bore. I have gotten excellent accuracy doing that. Both Triple 7 and Buckhorn 209 are available loose.

That said, pellets are super convenient and plenty accurate enough for hunting at woods distances. Buckhorn doesn't come in pellets as far as I know. Triple 7 does. The other two big pellets brands I know of are Pyrodex and White Hots. Dunno much about White Hots.

.50 cal to shoot .45 cal sabot rounds are definitely the way to go. If you don't care to practice much and/or price, just buy pre-saboted dedicated muzzleloader bullets. If you want to experiment or practice a lot and want less extortionately expensive bullets, you can buy sabots on their own and handloading bullets on their own, then slip them into the sabots for usually under the quarter of the price per bullet than buying them pre-assembled.

Personally I would avoid Traditions.

Expensive but what's your face worth to you ?

What are these things people speak of as 'muzzleloaders?
Robin

Catskillkid said:

I'm considering getting a muzzleloader (never had one before). Any recommendations? What should I be looking for? This would be used for muzzleloading season for what it's worth.

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Looks like everybody is assuming that you want a modern in line vs a more traditional flint or cap style. That's going to be the first decision. I have both and have been using the inline for ease and it's scoped and my old eyes have problems with iron sites. I also like to use pellets so simple and easy (may Robin forgive me) I use 2 White Hot pellets and that seems PLENTY, somewhere there is a warning that 2 is max!
About the only real advice I can give you is to take a deep breath before firing and hold it! Especially if the wind is in your face.

I have a Traditions Pursuit G4. I still have my face too! Been using it for years never had a problem. Super light, well balanced, swings intuitively, accuracy is good. I like it. Just don't be stupid and load 3 pellets for a "Magnum" charge. I'm sure if their rifles were blowing up all over the place they would have been sued out of existence long ago.

After doing a lot of reading and watching all the You Tube videos, I recently got a stainless CVA Optima V2. I was looking for simplicity, ease of cleaning and accuracy, and got all three.

Still waiting on Thompson Center full return. Lost because of Remington Arms.

@Catskillkid, Before you purchase anything I suggest you read up on cleaning a muzzle loader. Scrubbing the bore on a ML is nothing like cleaning a modern high powered rifle. A pail of hot, hot, hot water and dish washing liquid swabbing and brushing the bore was how I learned many years ago. It was a lot of work. Black powder is very corrosive and will ruin your barrel in short order if you don't clean it.

The rewarding and memorable part for me was shooting my first buck with a T/C Hawken .50 Cal. percussion in 1976. I used a round ball and 90 grains of black powder. It worked well.

Good luck on your search...

I've got easily a dozen assorted in-line's in various states of neglect, when we had the Shop I discouraged ever buying used muzzle-loaders because "it was cleaned after every use" is in the top ten biggest lies, and if it was, it wasn't done right. (and YES you DO have to clean them with Hot Soapy Water irrespective of what propellant/powder you use) I give them away to young people with nothing else, or sell them to "gun Buy-backs" New ones aren't all that expensive (until you get into the high-end stuff) so few people want them unless it's the latest-greatest, or stupid expensive ones.
Easiest is something like a two~three hundred dollar CVA or Traditions, a Box of Triple-Seven Pellets, tray of 209 shotshell primers and pack of Power Belts*
* for saboted bullets, do a little research on the particular rifle, Twist Rates vary considerably between makers and models and the wrong weight Bullet for the twist will rob you of the any accuracy...IF you get to where you like shooting the Rifle or Muzzle-loaders in General, "loose" (granular) Powder it the only way to tweak the charge for better results....Pound of Powder goes a LONG way!