newbee basics

grumpyvette

Administrator
Staff member
" grumpy I just bought a 50 caliber muzzle loader at a gun show, its new and I want to hunt with it but Ive never even loaded or shot a front loader so any advice?"


http://nmlra.org/wp-content/uploads/201 ... Poster.pdf

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_0ApnRX_g5Q

http://www.cva.com/Blackpowder-Basics.php

http://www.chuckhawks.com/index2h.muzzleloader.htm

viewtopic.php?f=101&t=2144

http://www.basspro.com/webapp/wcs/store ... rodcutdemo



heres a link to the basics

most 50 cal muzzle loaders do fairly well with a well lubed patched round ball, of about .490 diam. or a 50 cal conical over 70-80 grains of FF black powder, you need to clean a muzzle loader very frequently and use a good bullet lube designed for black powder, theres dozens of variations so Id call the manufacturer for a operators manual.


youll need a short starter,
http://smg.photobucket.com/user/roundba ... r.jpg.html

http://media.midwayusa.com/productimage ... 565938.jpg
a ram rod, an adjustable powder measure, primer caps

http://images.cabelas.com/is/image/cabe ... 20&wid=380

ID suggest looking around for a local muzzle loading rifle club or at least talking to several experienced people at the local range


USA Black Powder Suppliers
(Swiss, Schuetzen, Goex, Olde Eynsford, KIK, Elephant, Wano, Diamondback)

Crater Fireworks & Blasting
22515 150 E. Street
Mineral IL, 61344
(815) 542-6287
http://addictedtoblackpowder.com/

Keene's Depot
8 Old Bloomsfield Pike
Bardstown KY, 40004
(877) 348-3594

Premium Powder & Pyrotechnics
Rt. 2 Box 322
Ona WV, 25545
(304) 208-5508
http://www.premiumpowderandpyro.com/

The Jag Shop
2103 101st Ave.
Otsego MI, 49078
(269) 694-4749

Powder, Inc
1861 North College Ave.
Clarksville, AR 72830
(877) 833-1799, (479)705-0005
Powderincpowderinc.com
http://www.powderinc.com/

The Maine Powder House
P.O. Box 519
482 Sokokis Avenue
Limington, ME 042049
(207)637-3775
chrismainepowderhouse.com
http://www.mainepowderhouse.com

Coonies Explosives & Black Powder
P.O. Box 2062
Hobbs, NM 88241
(800) 713-6321
cooniesblkpdraol.com

Back Creek Gun Shop, Inc
863 Chesnut Grove Road
Winchester, VA 22603
(540) 888-3349
Best time to call
7:00 AM, Noon, 7:00 PM – 9:00 PM
bcgsivisuallink.com
http://www.blackpowderva.com/

Clarksville Gun & Rod
803 1/2 Vine Street
Clarksville, Arkansas 72830
(479) 754-8358

Upper Missouri Trading
304 W. Harold
Crofton, NE 68730
Doc & De Carlson
(402) 388-4844

Bear River Powder
P.O. Box 2853
Evanston, WY 82931
(307) 679-0886
bearriverpowderallwest.net

Buffalo Arms Co.
660 Vermeer Court
Ponderay, ID 83852
(208) 263-6953
http://www.buffaloarms.com

Dodson and Company
Box 277
Rio Grande, OH 45674
(740) 245-9150
dodsonandcompanyyahoo.com

Graf & Sons, Inc.
4050 South Clark
Mexico, MO 65265
(800) 444-9360, (573)-581-2266
customerservicegrafs.com
http://www.Grafs.com

J & J Pyrotechnics Mfg., Inc.
165 Schittler Road
Spring Brook TWP, PA 18444-6434
(877)748-347, (570)842-3411
jjpyroverizon.net

Jacks Powder Keg
P.O. Box 429
Marksville, LA 71351
(318) 253-6423, (888) 245-9631
ajp3bellsouth.net
http://www.jackspowderkeg.com

New Legacy Sales
P.O. Box 246
Waldron, IN 46182
(765) 525-6181
newlegacyproductsatt.net

Kenockee Tradi'n Post
7530 Beard Road
Avoca, Michigan 48006
(810) 324-2577
ktpadvnet.net
http://www.kenockeetradinpost.com/
 
never assume you missed once you shoot
I was on a recent hunt with a younger guy , Allen (about 19-20) that had never yet hunted using a muzzle loading rifle ,
Im 71 so Ive spent a few decades in the field with my 62 caliber hawken replica ,
he had purchased a TC 54 caliber hawken replica, after playing with my rifle for several weeks at the range
he had spent most of the summer getting proficient in its usage and sighting it in, he had settled on use of a 230 grain speer lead round ball,
over 80 grains of 2f black powder with a cotton ball wad over a charge of powder separating the well lubed patch from the powder.
3" 3 shot groups were rather common off the bench rest at 100 yards.
https://myfwc.com/hunting/no-quota-permit-hunting/
we had located a dense stand of florida oak and were seated with our backs to a large oak each of us watching about a 130 degree angle of the surrounding brush,
visual limits were less than 80 yards max, in most directions,
but several game trails crossed near our location, I was far more interested in seeing him score than in getting anything personally.
we had reached our location and settled in to watch at about 6 am, in the dark, by about 7:00 am it was rather obvious,
that there were other hunters as we could hear people occasionally talking in several directions. I was not thrilled, with the human traffic increase as the sun came up,
but I assumed there was nothing I could do but sit and watch.
at about 8:12 am a couple does nervously trotted by seeming unconcerned with the distant conversations, at about 8:20 I nudged Allen as an average 4 point buck showed
the range was about 75 yards and there were several trees in between us and the deer making the shot rather difficult as only intermittent shots were available,
Allen slowly spotted the buck and adjusted his position to use his rifle, after what to me seemed several minutes , but was probably 40 seconds,he fired,
he stood and quickly reloaded, then asked me which way the buck he just missed ran?
I was a bit confused....the buck had dropped instantly....I told him he had dropped the deer.....
.he insisted he had seen, and watched its bouncing white tail exiting the area.
I got him up and we walked over to a reasonably nice deer, Allen was totally amazed as he was sure he had missed.
he swore he missed, he assured me he would never have considered he scored as he had seen the deer run, off as if unharmed.
I assured him the deer he had seen exiting the area must have been one of the does.
his patched round ball had passed high behind the shoulder and impacted the lower spine and was found looking like a 50 cent piece under the hide on the far side.
Allen had his first deer and I showed him how to field dress it before we carried it to the check out station at the wma.

if you can,t kill a deer with a 54-62 caliber round ball, in a properly loaded muzzle loader ,
at ranges under 120 yards or so you have no business hunting at all.
yes shot placement is critical, but thats true with all weapons.
knowledge of the games anatomy is critical ,
now I'm not suggesting that a mini or maxi ball won,t extent the rifles effective range,
if the rifling twist will stabilize the selected projectile type,
but if you think a round ball projectile is not lethal in skilled hands ,
you don,t understand history or ballistics
 
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Another sign of Buck Fever or his first kill with a muzzle loader as you said. If he hunts long enough, he'll learn quickly. Glad you're teaching young ones as mine are all grown and have had their first kills of the available animals here and how to dress and prep.
 
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