Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Muzzleloaders Best scope under $400 for a smokeless ML

Getting my first SML put together, its a CVA Apex 45 cal. Heard the break action guns are scope killers so looking for suggestions on a good scope that'll stay together.

SWFA SS 6x42 or SS 3-9x42, with that much recoil and light a gun, unless you want to go up to LRHS type ($750+) or NF ($1200+), I'd stay w/ SWFA SS line. I ran the 3-9x42 on my SML last year w/ good results.

Vortex Diamondback in 3-9x40 does the trick swimmingly for all my smokeless muzzleloaders. Clear glass, quality construction and easy to use BDC reticle.

To late guys, i already picked up a Leupold VX 3i 3.5-10x40. Hoping it holds up, if not I'll have Leupold replace it and stick it on one of my other guns that has older VX lll's on them.

I have had a Nikon Omega 3x9, with a BDC scaled for ml, with a 5" fixed eye relief, sitting on my Savage smokeless for several years.
I am generally a Leupold guy, but the fixed eye relief caught my attention, and it has worked. reliably and repeatable, for several years and a lot of rounds fired.
The price was right.

I like that scope a lot and it has great eye relief as well

I checked out the Omega, but just can't deal with the circles. Dots I can live with but the circles I just dont like at all.

I purchased one several years ago and it went on a 12ga turkey hunter. Mine has Duplex type reticle. It was available back then with the circle or duplex. The 12ga is a thumper and the Omega has held up over 100 rounds. I like it. I tend to get bloody forehead experiences, magnum eye, with kicking shotguns and that long eye relief on the Omega has served me well.
Jim

I don't fiddle with inline front stuffers and alternate reality gunpowders, but on point of what might work for you, take a look at your local gunshop or online for the old El Paso Weaver K series scopes, or perhaps better yet, a Leupold M8-2.5 Compact. I doubt you'll have to spend $100 for either and they are perfectly functional for ranges out to a couple hundred yards, have decent eye relief and so far I've never had to have one repaired after the initial rebuild or clean up. With luck you won't need to do either. Both of the scopes below were purchased less than $100.

The Leupold scope on my Contender, and note that I have two other barrels for the frame that have K2.5's mounted. One is a .30-30 and it's going strong after near 20 years.





Weaver K2.5 on the 10/22:





I'll leave it to you to decide if they are capable of adequate precision. 3 shots with the 10/22

I've heard tell that the smokeless MLs kick pretty good, doubt it has much to do with the action though. At least on a muzzleloader.

smokeless be careful

What does that video have to do with a scope or smokeless? You can clearly see the powder on the table. Its an American Pioneer Powder product.. Are you that stupid?

i guess so...and alive

Shoot a smoker and a smokeless at the same speed and the smokeless kicks less. You have less total ejecta weight with smokeless. You need 95-100gr of Blackhorn by weight or more to get a 275gr/2300-2400fps. Using 4198 you can get there with around 56gr. Most guys shooting break action conversions are not shooting anything remotely close to the upper end loads. The conversion break guns however weigh less and recoil is increased.

I use Vortex Diamondback DBK-04-BDC scopes on all of my builds. They perform so well I can't believe it is even possible. When it's so dark I can't see, I put up my scope and see perfectly, it's unbelievable! Warranty, Lifetime VIP no BS, period!

All of mine shoot under 1" MOA at 100 yards, my Knight shoots one hole. Working on a few years now and hundreds of 120 BH209 magnum shots through all of them, no issues. Best part, only $200 bucks! They have some more expensive ones if your interested, but I'm just happy with the performance on these.

Next get a good solid base ring set. The one piece sets are great. I've had great luck with Durasite one piece base/rings. I wipe off any oil under the mounting surface, clean out the tap threads with alcohol and a q-tip then mount it. Make sure you press forward while you torque them down to specifications. I also use blue lock tight on the screws.

Just got a new set of binoculars, ranger finder for the hunt and a Diamondback Tactical scope this year for my 7mm-08 center fire build. Have yet to take the set out though so I won't review them.

Had a buddy loose his range finder off the back of his ATV. Ran it over and it snowed. Went back 2 weeks later and found them busted and in dispair. Sent it in, they replaced it no questions asked. They even have a set of binoculars in the Scheels with 1/4" of dried moss and mold on them, yep replaced them too and they are on display.

I have broken 2 Nikon scopes with these guns, customer service for Nikon sucks and the documentation was poor considering I registered them at time of sale. It was anything to get out of it and then they had to send me different models and I ate some $$$. Maybe they're better now, but I won't purchase them again.

Anyway, good luck! Remember, you have to do your part during the shot. If not, it doesn't matter how much you spend. You have to put your time in at the range, have the bore slugged, and get a good combo set up. It takes time! Good luck!

Too bad I didn't see this earlier. Last week I saw an online ad for a Burris Droptine 4.5-14 for $150, but I cannot remember which website.