Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Muzzleloaders Favorite Scope for In-line

Do you guys have a favorite scope and reticule for an in-line? Need some help setting up a muzzleloader for my wife as I have not hunted with a muzzleloader since the CVA Hawken was "it", things have definitely changed! The new rifle is a CVA Accura, shooting 100 gr of Powerdex and 250 gr Powerbelt Aerolite bullets at the moment. Only spare scope we have is a Weaver Grandslam 4.5 -14 which just is not right for it. Also, the trajectory is so steep I can't help but think that one of the modern wonder reticules would help her make a better shot. Something relatively simple but gives a good maker for different distances maybe? I was thinking the Bushnell DOA 200 looked promising, but what do you think? Thanks!

Oh, I forgot the budget is not that large this year. Say 200-300 dollars? Thanks again!

I've got a Nikon XR with BDC reticle on my CVA Optima. I shoot 295 gr power belts with 100gr of 209. The BDC lines up perfectly at 50, 100 and 150 yds. I haven't shot at 200 in the field or on the range. Cabelas has them on sale for $179.99 for the matte finish. Good luck.

I use the discontinued Pentax Pioneer with the Ballistic Plex that I got cheap from Doug at Cameraland. I had to calculate the distances where the hash marks were dead on, but you would have to do that anyway with a dedicated muzzleloader scope. There are so many powders and bullet combinations that it is unrealistic to expect the hash marks to line up with all of them. There is no need to pay higher prices for a muzzleloader scope. Good glass and a lot of eye relief are what I want.

that is good to know, thank you. Ideally we could have markers for 50, 100, and then slightly over. I doubt we ever use a muzzleloader for more than 150. Thanks!

I agree, and if I could have anything it would be a Leupold FX 6x heavy duplex, but I also think there maybe something to the trajectory compensating reticles. The trajectory with our load is such that if we could not make a spot on shot at close range if it is zeroed at 100, just too much vertical guesswork. I wish we could have something that would allow spot on use at 50, 75, 100, and 125. Probably won't ever shoot over that.

So do I understand that the 200 DOA reticle won't work with a muzzleloader because it was designed for a shotgun? That is somewhat disappointing.

Another alternative to a ballastic plex reticle is develop a load that shoots reasonably flat. At a 150 yards a good load won't drop like a rock. Here's the data I use for my ML.

yards/drop
50 .6"
75 .6"
100 0
125 -1.4"
150 -3.7"
175 -7.0"

TC Omega, 105 grains (by volume) BH209, WW 209 primer, 250 gr Hornady SST, red HSLD sabot, chronographed 10 shot average 1992 fps @ 10 feet. This is the most accurate load I've found ... in my ML.

I hunt in Utah where you can't use a magnified scope and no one makes a 1X with hash marks. All three mulies I've shot with my ML were at less than 75 yards so this is what I've settled on for zero distance and holdovers. With the 1X I'm not comfortable taking a shot past 130 yards unless it was the absolutely ideal shot. Good lighting, broadside, standing still ... etc.

Any reasonable scope can be used on a muzzleloader. Be aware that with a second focal plane scope the hash marks only work at one magnification, so the shooter has to figure out the drop at various powers. The way I do it is to shoot a group at a set distance and then move back to another distance and shoot. Continue that process until I have reached the gun's practical limit. Then I mark the center of each distance's group and hold the crosshair on the center of the target. Whichever hash mark lines up with the lower groups is noted for future reference on a card.

I agree with Fish Head that anybody with a range finder can set the scope and measure drop and make a reference card too.

The 10 and 20 is crosswind (mph) corrections.

Mine wears a new VX2 3-9x40 with heavy duplex. Nothing better for $300 IMO.....

I have a Zeiss Conquest 3-9x40 on mine.

That is a tremendous difference from my observations. I wonder what I am doing wrong? I have not finalized sight in with the Weaver yet, but my recollection from the last range visit was that there is roughly 4 inches difference beteen 50, 75, and 100 yd point of impact. The results very much mirror trajectory from a 44 mag lever action we have.

Interesting!

This might be just the ticket. Thanks!

You're not doing anything wrong per say it's just the load you're using doesn't shoot as flat. The first difference is 100 gr of Pyrodex will not produce near as much velocity as 105 gr of BH209. A full bore (.50 cal) 250 gr Powerbelt Aerolite has a slightly less efficient BC compared to 250 grain SST (.452 cal) in a sabot. Powerbelts don't seal as well as a sabot which also decreases velocity.

Here's some test results (take it with a grain of salt - it's a promotion for dead center bullets) but it does show the difference in drop of various projectiles.

https://www.prbullet.com/drop.htm

I put a Leupold 2-7 ML scope on my Knight, but a 1-4 would have served just as well. I have no need for long-range index points as I hunt in the woods and it's very unlikely I would get a chance at over 100 yards, which is where I'm zeroed. Folks that hunt over fields or food plots might make use of them I suppose.

For me, optics on a ML are to accomodate my old eyes, not for long range, as I still view MLs as relatively short-range weaponry, despite advances in bullets and such. No doubt they're capable at longer ranges if the shooter is up to it.

I wouldn't mind airing my rifle out a bit at the range just for fun though.

Thanks for the tip and explanation. Loading the in-line has proven to be more involved than I was approaching it,so I suppose I will need to try more loads next season. Pretty much stuck with this one this year though as the opener is a week away.

Thanks again!

I have looked hard at the 1.5-5 VXIII for this rifle for just those reasons, but you never see good deer on our place till last light so I was thinking the larger objective of the 6x would be more beneficial. However, all the sales seem to be 3-9x scopes so that is likely what we will end up with, whether we need it or not.

If you want low light performance I think 30 mm tube r better than 1 inchers.

2.8-10 Simmons Aetec on a 45 CVA Hunterbolt. Not my favorite scope for anything. It just ended up there years ago by default and hasn't fallen apart...yet, so there it stays until the inevitable.
If I were to replace it today, I would consider pretty much any of the mid priced scopes around 3-9 power. Having a cluttered reticle for deer hunting around here really wouldn't be a necessity since very few shots are over 100 yards.

I picked up a 50 Hunterbolt at a show for $40 this summer that I plan to fit with a Nikon Prostaff 2-7x32 just because it was on sale. I'm sure it will work just fine for a loaner.

I like the 6Xs, but need a little more low-end for the close stuff. Two of the last three deer I've taken were at 20-25 yards and a 6 is pretty full of brown at that range. Either a 3-9 or a 2-7 is plenty bright at the low end.

30mm scopes are too heavy for my taste and too pricey for an old retired fat man. Some of the optics are pretty amazing though.

I use a Cabelas LeverAction rifle scope designed for the 35 Remington and 200 grain FlexTip bullets in my NEF Sidekick. I shoot 40 cal 200 grain Dead Center saboted bullets and the load mirrors the 35 Remington in ballistics with FlexTips. I like the two holdpoints for 200 and 300 yard shots built into the scope. They are very close to where my muzzleloader hits at 200 and 250 yards.

This scope is now discontinued.

The other Sidekick wears a 1-4 Leupy 20mm shotgun scope.

I have the Leupold Ultimate Slam scope with SABR reticle on my Savage MLII. Great scope for the money and I really like the reticle design they used for distance holdovers. My gun matches perfectly out to 200 yards when I have it on 7 power, which is listed as the "2 pellet" load on the instructions. Zero for 100 and it has hold under/over marks for 50, 150, 200, 250 and 300. I haven't had a chance to try anything beyond 200yds yet and even that is usually a few shots at the range for the fun of it. I don't really have plans to take it beyond 100 in the field.

I have a Leupold 4x standard reticle on my TC, shooting 250 Hornady Speed Sabots over 150. I have not tried one of the newer muzzleloading reticles, but may next year.

IMO drop isnt the big bugaboo anyway. I wouldnt worry about chasing the very last few fps just to flatten trajectory.

My go-to ML load has 19inches of drop at 200 yards. That's only flat by archery standards. I'm 3 for 3 over 200 yards. IMO/E More important is good range estimation, a very good field rest, and an accurate load that wil lretain penetration and expansion at distance and up close.

Now if you can get that with a zippy load, great, but IMO i'd hold (pun!) trajectory as 3rd or 4th in line (did it again!).

.02

FH, with open sights on my TC Hawken, I prefer to be 3 in high at 100.

3-9x40 matte Redfield Revoluton with standard duplex reticle, bulldog tough, light-weight, and backed up with a lifetime no questions asked warranty from Leupold..........WIN WIN WIN.

A 6x will still have 3-4 ft FOV at 20 yds. As long as you weren't trying to get on a running deer you would have no problems. I have a number of 6X's and never had an issue. Its by far my favorite scope. In fact back in my younger days when I hunted with 3-9 I usually just left it on 9X and never had an occasion where I wished I had less magnification.

In fact except for some pretty specialized uses (shooting groups, or trying to decide if a deer had 4 points on a side (to be legal to shoot) have I ever wished for more or less magnification.

Once I realized this I tended towards fixed 6's (and some times 4s for shorter ranged things).

My inline wears a 6x42, mostly because in my opinion its about the most comfortable, brightest and toughest scope you can get for $400. I could do with a 4X with no problems, but I think the 6x42 is a better low light scope than the 4x32.

Did you order it from the Custom Shop with the heavy or send one in for retrofit. If retro what did it cost? thx

sightron s1h 3-9x40
plan on upgrading to a lupy vx2 3-9x40 after the season is over

Tc Omega Banner 3x9 of some sort bought gun used scope included works ok have 4x Banner shot gun scope will put on it eventually Have TC scout iron sights, flinter iron sights.

I shoot a Burris 2-7X35 Fullfield 2 on my T/C Impact. I bought the Impact with a 1.75-4X32 Bushnell extended eye relief scope, which is what I have on my Mossy 500 slug gun. Most of my shots are under 50 yards, so I don't need that much magnification. I usually shoot at three to four power, but go higher when sighting in. I have had the Burris on my rifle since 2010 and shot three deer with it (I had a couple of years of no deer). I take one check shot at the beginning of the season and have not made a correction since I sighted the scope in. I fired three times this year, my first shot punched the center of a target at 36 yards and my other two shots took two deer, one at around 15 yards and one at around 35 yards. Both shots were within a couple of inches of the point of aim. The area that I hunt has so much brush, that long range shots just simply aren't possible. I like this scope a lot and would not hesitate to get another one. The price is very reasonable.