Muzzle loader/flint lock season

[Hodgie]

Okay I have been but by the hunting bug. Yesterday was my 1st day in the field for deer and I had a great time even with no deer in my freezer. I had other dates planned for this season but my illness didn’t cooperate as usual. I have been physically paying the price since 6pm last night for my time in the woods yesterday.

Through the last half day of heavy pain I still can’t get the want to go back out again this season out of my head partly because it could be my last time period. So I am thinking of getting a muzzle loader if that’s even possible now with the run on everything firearms. I don’t have a lot of money at all for it. Any advise on a entry level rifle that shoots strait enough at 50-100 yards, and what else is needed at the bare minimum.

I can add the tag to my license for $11.00 but if I can’t get my hands on anything affordable or available it’s pretty worthless, at least to me.

Thanks

[firebird.77]

Okay I have been but by the hunting bug. Yesterday was my 1st day in the field for deer and I had a great time even with no deer in my freezer. I had other dates planned for this season but my illness didn*t cooperate as usual. I have been physically paying the price since 6pm last night for my time in the woods yesterday.

Through the last half day of heavy pain I still can*t get the want to go back out again this season out of my head partly because it could be my last time period. So I am thinking of getting a muzzle loader if that*s even possible now with the run on everything firearms. I don*t have a lot of money at all for it. Any advise on a entry level rifle that shoots strait enough at 50-100 yards, and what else is needed at the bare minimum.

I can add the tag to my license for $11.00 but if I can*t get my hands on anything affordable or available it*s pretty worthless, at least to me.

Thanks

The late season is flintlock, so an inline muzzle loader will not fit the bill.

You want a flintlock with open sights. Different rifles have different twist rates, some better suited to modern slugs with sabot cups and some better suited to patched roundballs.

I shoot a Thomson/Center .50 cal and it shoots very accurately to 75 yd with a patched roundball (.490 ball and .15 patch) over 70 grains of FFF. I bought some maxiballs to test out with some hotter loads if I get time between now and Christmas

I would recommend getting a Thomson/Center or Traditions kentucky rifle and shooting it, a lot! Start with 50 grains of powder and work up to 100, see what shoots most accurately for you. Scopes are not legal in the flintlock season so look for something with open sights (hi-viz fiber optic sights are OK). Use FFF black powder for the main charge, some use FFFF for the pan but I don't carry two types of powder.

To get started with a similar setup as mine you will need:

.50 cal flintlock
(100) .490 round balls
(100) .15 patches
1 lb FFF black powder
Ball starter (ram rod with ball extractor should come with rifle)
brass powder measure
brass powder horn (the plastic ones will work but they kinda suck)
brass pan charger (optional)
extra flints
screwdriver to disassemble rifle for cleaning
Bore Butter (season bore after cleaning with HOT water)
a shotgun cleaning kit with cotton brushes
a torch style handheld lighter is handy in case the flint ever fails and you need to discharge the rifle

Make sure you clean the rifle with hot water after every outing. Always fire the rifle after loading, don't let a charge sit in there and get damp.

[ar15jules]

As you see above, jumping in headfirst to blackpowder takes a big commitment and has quite a learning curve. If you are wanting to hunt deer in the late season, I would look for a used crossbow setup and a practice target. I would say you could be hunting and practicing for $300 plus an archery stamp.

[Hodgie]

The late season is flintlock, so an inline muzzle loader will not fit the bill.

You want a flintlock with open sights. Different rifles have different twist rates, some better suited to modern slugs with sabot cups and some better suited to patched roundballs.

I shoot a Thomson/Center .50 cal and it shoots very accurately to 75 yd with a patched roundball (.490 ball and .15 patch) over 70 grains of FFF. I bought some maxiballs to test out with some hotter loads if I get time between now and Christmas

I would recommend getting a Thomson/Center or Traditions kentucky rifle and shooting it, a lot! Start with 50 grains of powder and work up to 100, see what shoots most accurately for you. Scopes are not legal in the flintlock season so look for something with open sights (hi-viz fiber optic sights are OK). Use FFF black powder for the main charge, some use FFFF for the pan but I don't carry two types of powder.

To get started with a similar setup as mine you will need:

.50 cal flintlock
(100) .490 round balls
(100) .15 patches
1 lb FFF black powder
Ball starter (ram rod with ball extractor should come with rifle)
brass powder measure
brass powder horn (the plastic ones will work but they kinda suck)
brass pan charger (optional)
extra flints
screwdriver to disassemble rifle for cleaning
Bore Butter (season bore after cleaning with HOT water)
a shotgun cleaning kit with cotton brushes
a torch style handheld lighter is handy in case the flint ever fails and you need to discharge the rifle

Make sure you clean the rifle with hot water after every outing. Always fire the rifle after loading, don't let a charge sit in there and get damp.

Thank you for all the info. It’s a lot and probably something I need to spend more time focusing on rather then rushing.

As you see above, jumping in headfirst to blackpowder takes a big commitment and has quite a learning curve. If you are wanting to hunt deer in the late season, I would look for a used crossbow setup and a practice target. I would say you could be hunting and practicing for $300 plus an archery stamp.

My cousin was telling me the same thing. Probably start looking through the local Facebook market place for something.

Thanks guys.

[TooBigToFit]

Yeah I tried learning to shoot a flintlock in between the gun season and flintlock season. Did not work out at all. I'm much better at shooting a bow than shooting a flintlock. I'd like to get to a point where I can use the flintlock eventually though.

[firebird.77]

Correct me if I am wrong, but I believe that while a "lesser" weapon (such as a bow) can always be used during a given season, if using a bow in the late season you cannot take advantage of the special rule to use your Antlered/Flintlock tag on an antlerless deer.

For someone without any Anterless tags right now, that wants to fill the freezer this season, this is a critical point. If you have antlerless tags and your antlered deer tag, I agree it may be easier to get started with a crossbow. I enjoy using the flintlock more, FWIW. I have a target buck in 5D, on a property I can only archery hunt, but should I fail on that goal I will be happy to take a doe with the flintlock near the end of the season.

[Gunplummer]

A Traditions Deer Hunter is one of the cheapest deals out there. I have two and both are very accurate. I have to agree, a flintlock is not like picking up a high power rifle and going hunting. It takes a while to learn the quirks just to get them to fire reliably. Do you live near a special regulation area? About 30 days of shotgun there for doe.

[BOG-Irish]

You might want to check this out; http://www.dixonmuzzleloading.com/ .They are a dedicated muzzle loading shop. Close to Cabela's.
I also like Thompson/Center. Good Luck, hope you are well for the Holiday's.

[Hodgie]

Correct me if I am wrong, but I believe that while a "lesser" weapon (such as a bow) can always be used during a given season, if using a bow in the late season you cannot take advantage of the special rule to use your Antlered/Flintlock tag on an antlerless deer.

For someone without any Anterless tags right now, that wants to fill the freezer this season, this is a critical point. If you have antlerless tags and your antlered deer tag, I agree it may be easier to get started with a crossbow. I enjoy using the flintlock more, FWIW. I have a target buck in 5D, on a property I can only archery hunt, but should I fail on that goal I will be happy to take a doe with the flintlock near the end of the season.

I have all my tags, antlered and two antlerless.

[Hodgie]

You might want to check this out; http://www.dixonmuzzleloading.com/ .They are a dedicated muzzle loading shop. Close to Cabela's.
I also like Thompson/Center. Good Luck, hope you are well for the Holiday's.

That’s not to bed of a drive for me, I will be checking it out for sure.