Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Muzzleloaders Recommend a Muzzleloader

Washington has several seasons where a muzzleloader is advantageous for drawing a tag or access. Thinking about dipping my toe into the muzzleloader game for those reasons. I'm starting from scratch, I know next to nothing about muzzleloaders and looking for opinions on what suits my needs from you experienced folks.

First, a few applicable laws in Washington:
- must be 45 cal or larger for elk hunting
- Ignition is to be wheel lock, matchlock, flintlock, or percussion. Primers designed to be used in modern cartridges are legal
- Sights must be open, peep, or of other open sight design. Fiber optic sights are legal. Telescopic sights or sights containing glass are prohibited.

Several other laws at play but those are the big ones. Now what I'm looking for:
- simple to use and clean
- reliable and rugged

Not sure where I want to land on price yet. Mostly looking for the best value. What has worked well for you folks?

I just ordered a Woodman Arms with a Brux 45 caliber 1-18” barrel. It can be used with a receiver sight or a scope. It uses a 209 primer, it’s all SS construction and nitrided over the top.

I also have a Remington UML 50 that’s been very awesome as well but a bit heavy.

The Woodman seems like a good option if you’re simply wanting a tool that fires every time you pull the trigger and doesn’t weigh a ton.

How long did you wait for the Woodman? Website says 6-22 weeks, that's quite a range.

Used ML guns are a bit of a conundrum unless you have the means to examine the bore with a bore scope. Alternatively, a tight patch that rides full length without irregularities. Reason I mention this is that I once had a T/C Renegade in .50 caliber that was quite accurate and reliable. Point being there are good ones out there, just use your noggin when examining them.

If you're a sport give some thought to a flintlock. I have one that fires reliably and is stupid accurate. .45 caliber, 60" twist.

Shorter version, look around, you'll find something.

DD

The Woodman is a nice sounding and looking rifle. Wouldn’t mind field testing one. Son, wife, and I have used a couple of CVA Optima V2 for the last 6 years or so. We have a stainless and a Nitride finish with which we’ve taken a dozen or so bucks. Ours have been reliable, easy to use. I’ve never done tight group testing with them, just sight in and make sure two or three rounds go where I want them. But we’re hunting areas where shots are 150 yds and less. Mostly much less. I would buy this model again. Get nitride, Melonite, etc whatever. It makes a difference even with stainless.

I have several but my current favorite is a CVA Accura MRX .50 cal. Mine came from the factory with peep sights. I replaced the rear sight with an EABCO rail with receiver sight because it looked like the Game Dept. here in WA was going to allow use of 1x scopes. They did not! The rifle shoots extremely well with Federal B.O.R. Lock bullets and Blackhorn 209 powder. The rifle uses 209 shotgun primers, is of break open design with an easily removed breech plug. It is nitride coated, easy to clean, light and easy to hunt with. My favorite. (Sorry, I'm not a Buckskinner, just like to hunt the muzzleloader seasons.)

If you for some reason decide to traditional give Kibler a look.

It’s strange I don’t see more mention of this muzzleloader here. Unless you are a purist, and just taking it at face value, it’s seems to me to be the cat’s meow of muzzleloading, especially if you are the kind that hates juggling all the little necessities in a “possibles bag.” I don’t see any open sights in the views here but that could be remedied.

I’m not a purist and I’d start and stop here:

https://www.gunsandammo.com/editorial/traditions-nitrofire-50-muzzleloader-review/389292

I’m I missing something the OP stated in the first post the gun can’t use modern primers. I read the OP wrong I thought it said modern primers not legal.But it has to be match lock,wheel lock,flint or percussion other than mag spark on a percussion how does that work

Unless I'm missing something, none of the mentioned inline guns meet the legal criteria. The law states it CAN use modern primers, but the IGNITION method must be either a wheel lock, match lock, flint lock, or percussion fired muzzleloader.

I'd check out Jim Kibler Woodsrunner Flintlock kit.

Just a plain old TC Renegade or hawken is great and should be all legal. A peep sight makes it better yet for shooting but some say it is harder to hunt with. A 54 cal. roundball is 225GR. of lead @ 1,400 fps. You can make your own round balls with lead and a mould and your own patches . Black powder lasts forever too. Just find some #11 primers and go... Swab each shot with a damp patch and reload. I have not shot my inlines since I got my TC Hawken and Renegade.
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https://www.gunbroker.com/item/977506010

Not mine. But a great price. I have the same one and it shoots great. 209 primer is legal in washington

The only question here is whether this one is drilled for a front sight. I believe all of the Bighorns are. Be a question for the seller.

Wouldn't an in-line with a simple hammer meet the definition of percussion? Maybe by "percussion" they're not saying it has to be a traditional caplock, just ruling out things like electronic ignition?

The way its worded certainly isn't easy to understand. Wheel, match, and flint locks are all pretty easy to define and understand. But percussion can mean all sorts of things. To me when I think of a percussion gun, I think of the traditional Caplock style. But perhaps not, as I can see your reasoning as well. Further clarification is warranted.

50 yards, offhand.





.45 caliber

I'd sell it if you were interested, but it WON'T be cheap.

DD - great stick of wood, looks fantastic.

I've been doing a fair amount of research online and seem to gravitate towards the CVA Accura MR-X. Thinking about springing for the version with cerakote and nitride finish for added levels of protection. The Williams Western Precision Muzzleloader sight looks like it fits the bill as well.

Still waiting on it. Ordered it in Jan/Feb I think and they said it'd be 3-4 months..

Not bad, should be worth the wait.

Pick up a .50Cal TC Hawkin from the classifieds. They show up once in a while and are still a very good option.