New to hunting/muzzle loaders

Soon to enter the pellet vs loose powder debate.

Many sources say that 120 grains of powder is all that will burn before the bullet leaves the barrel.

I like two 50 grain pellets of 777. It's easy and accurate in my CVA Optima.
 
Two questions on powder;

1. Where are we on the pellets vs powder argument? My limited understanding is that powder is more cost effective while pellets are more convenient

2. Where can I buy it? I'm in Maryland so most of my shopping is at Walmart and dicks. Unfortunately no Cabela's or gander mountain less than 1 hour away. Haz mat charges online seem to be quite the burden.
 
I'm all for pellets but I have used loose. I like that I don't have to measure my powder besides the amount of pellets. Some Muzzleloaders require a different breech plug for using loose powder.

As for finding powder you will probably want to search for a sporting goods store or gun shop that sells muzzleloaders. My local walmart sells both but the closer I get to Milwaukee the less of that stuff I see. Probably similar if you're near other big cities.

You might just call around.
 
I would check Dicks and Wal Mart. Both should stock it or order it for you. The pellets work best with 209 primers. There is a lighter gray ring around the bottom of the pellets. The ring goes towards the primer.
 
Forget that expensive stuff for anti-seize. Just go to the auto parts store and get a little tube of spark plug anti-seize. Same stuff at a lower price. A $6 tube or can from the auto store contains probably 20x the volume of product that the guns store sells for a similar price. One purchase will last you for the rest of your life.
 
Any type of grease will work on the breech plug if you remove it when finished shooting. Put some on your nipple threads too.

You can also use the thick yellow Teflon tape made for gas lines.

Pellets can work, but you will normally get better accuracy with loose powder and you can vary the charges infinitely.
 
I've had very good luck with the Hornady Lock-n-load sabots with the 250 gr. ML bullet and 2-3 Triple seven pellets/209 primer in a Knight Disc rifle. I use 2 pellets for woods hunting and 3 out to 200 yds. The scope is a Nikon 2-7.

I also have a TC White Mountain Carbine with a 1:28 twist. It does really well with the 240 gr. .429 XTP Mag bullet in the Hornady green sabot. Due to the really short barrel on this rifle, I use 90 gr. of P Pyrodex.

Really slow twists (1:60) seem to work best with patched round ball. Moderate twists work well with conicals and fast twist barrels work best with sabots. That has been my experience but I'm sure one of the actual experts can back it up with numbers.

FWIW - muzzle loaders are great for introducing kids and newbies to shooting. You can safely download them for timid shooters. The smoke and fire is great entertainment and everyone feels an instant connection to the history of a traditional smoke-pole.
 
Got the new toy in the mail today :D

First impressions are great, seems well built.

Question - the recoil pad isn't too impressive. Should I expect a shoulder beating from a ~100 grain load?
 
I don't think a 100 grain recoil is that bad. No sure what to compare it to but it only matters when you're sighting it in. Hunting adrenaline will take over in the field.
 
Recoil from a ML is different from a regular rifle. It seems more "drawn out" resulting in more of a push than a slap.
 
With a 100 gr powder charge. The heavier the projectile is the more felt recoil your shoulder will feel. That's the price fellow's pay when shooting everything other than P-ball.
 
I have had a knight 50 cal for 18 yrs and I have found that it shoots best with 2 pyrodex pellets pushing a 44 cal 240 gr pistol bullet. I have tried shooting same bullet with 3 pellets and the groups went to hell as said in a previous post. As stated earlier, MAKE SURE your sabots are for the proper bullet caliber you choose. Be safe, experiment with different loads and enjoy your new rifle. Here in NH our ML season is before the regular rifle season and unless you get special tags we are only allowed 1 deer with a firearm and 90% of the time I am tagged out before the rifle season..
 
I've never found the need for more than 80 grains of 777 to kill anything within 150 yards.

I use a 300 gr, 44 cal Hornady XTP with a green MML sabot and it's rare to recover a bullet. They chrono at around 1600 fps with a 24" barrel, and recoil is manageable even for my wife.

I once shot a buck that was walking towards me at about 60 yards.

He was hit in front of the left shoulder and the bullet stopped under the hide at the rear of the right hind leg, which was close to 3 feet of penetration.

I've used that combination for several decades now in a few different rifles (mostly Knights) and most were capable of 1-2" groups at 100 yards.
 
Black horn209 is the best powder out there. I have literally used all the blacks and black substitutes. Black horn is as fast as any, as clean as any, as accurate as any, and the most important part NON corrosive.
 
NO, you do not use a sabot for those, those are maxi balls, pre lubed and are 50 cal. IMO not the most accurate thing to shoot. Drop in your powder and ram the slug down the barrel..
 
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