# Can you help me fill my muzzleloader checklist?



## bkr43050 (Apr 5, 2004)

I have my first ever muzzleloader on order and should be on its way within the next couple of weeks. Having never owned one I am sure that I will be lost on what all accessories I will need. Feel free to help me out by adding anything that you can think of that I may been to buy. I have an inline and plan on starting out trying the XTP bullets. I plan on trying the Pyrodex but right now I only have some of the Triple 7 packs. I know there are cleaning supplies that I will need as well. SO any recommendations will be greatly appreciated.


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## M.Magis (Apr 5, 2004)

Quick loads
Cleaning jags and brush
Cleaning patches 
Cleaning solution
Short start
Powder measurer
Palm saver is nice
An understanding wife or earplugs. Most don&#8217;t appreciate the smell as much as we do.


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## NascarJunky (May 27, 2007)

Well I know from having 3 T/C Omega Z5's I always used the 777 pellets 100 grain with the T/C shockwave 250 grain 50cal. I works all the time for me. You just have to go out to the range and line it up. This is me when you shoot I can clean it out on every shot so you can get the best read out of how your gun really shoots. Also more you shoot you'll break in the gun and really shoots nice.

I'm no expert on this and don't know what kind of smoke pole you bought LOL!!! You'll have fun just take your time. Want's you get the hang of things you'll say DUH!!! LOL!!!


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## M.Magis (Apr 5, 2004)

Cleaing your barrel between every shot is not always the greatest idea. Many guns will shoot different with a fouled barrel than with a clean barrel. I run a patch or two through, but I don't clean it. That may be what NascarJunky meant, but I thought it was worth mentioning.


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## bkr43050 (Apr 5, 2004)

This is a good start on supplies. I know I will forget some things right off the bat but this will certainly help.

The understanding wife may be the hardest thing on the list to find.


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## Darwin (Apr 12, 2004)

I think one of the biggest things that helped me was having an "experienced muzzeloader" with me when I first started shooting. Someone who I could watch load and fire theirs made a big difference with me.


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## truck (Apr 12, 2004)

Rusty Duck black off


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## Mushijobah (May 4, 2004)

Bore Butter to dress your barrell after cleaning. It will protect your barrel from rust/pitting. It will result in easier loading too. It can be used as a bullet lubricant. I'm not sure if it is good to use bore butter between shots though on a swab as it may clog the breach and prevent the spark from getting to the powder. Does anyone know anything about this?


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## Lundy (Apr 5, 2004)

T/C does not recommend using Bore Butter with sabots in the barrel or as a bullet lube.

I know a bunch of guys use it but.........

From T/C Website,

_Note about Sabots
T/C's All Natural Lube 1000 Plus Bore Butter was designed as a lube to be used with traditional patched roundballs (lube the patches) and all lead conical bullets like our Maxi-Ball and Maxi-Hunters.

If you are shooting sabots, DO NOT LUBE YOUR SABOTS. Sabots are designed to be shot right out of the package____DRY. In fact, you should remove any trace of Natural Lube, or any lube for that matter, from the barrel before shooting sabots. The less lube you have in the barrel when shooting sabots, the better, to achieve optimum accuracy._


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## Guest (Dec 16, 2008)

Hey Lundy I was talking to a t/c rep. They say it is okay for after cleaning but to run a clean patch in befor load with sabot and that is what I have been doing. 

The only problem I have is I sited my Encore for 50 yards and then at 100 yards the bullet is still climbing 8 inches high at 100 yards. Missed a doe this year because of it. 

If you know were your going to hunt site it in for that yardage. My 2 cents


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## wildman (Sep 3, 2008)

I don't like using triple7. It may have been a bad batch' but I bought a box a few year ago. I went to shot it the next year and it would not fire. I tried 3 sets of pellets. Then I tried some 3 year old pyrodex pellets. They fired just fine. I know that its harder on the barral but it keeps better. I kept it in the same container as the pyrodex.

Has anyone else had this happen to them


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## polarcraft178 (Aug 10, 2008)

tubuzz2 said:


> Hey Lundy I was talking to a t/c rep. They say it is okay for after cleaning but to run a clean patch in befor load with sabot and that is what I have been doing.
> 
> The only problem I have is I sited my Encore for 50 yards and then at 100 yards the bullet is still climbing 8 inches high at 100 yards. Missed a doe this year because of it.
> 
> If you know were your going to hunt site it in for that yardage. My 2 cents


how much powder are you using ? your load may be to heavy for your bullet


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## Bonemann (Jan 28, 2008)

Don't forget these things either:

Nipple prick
inline capper (buy 2)
cap remover
jag extension
ball starter

And a little bag to keep all your goodies in.(possible bag)

I started a box just for my ML stuff and keep it seperate from my normal
cleaning supplies.Always bring your breech tool and any extras you may 
have,just in case you run into a problem in the field.

Good luck and good hunting.


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## Guest (Dec 16, 2008)

150 grains of pyrodex (3 pellets 50 each)


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## GO FISH (Aug 13, 2004)

tubuzz2 said:


> 150 grains of pyrodex (3 pellets 50 each)


150 grains is a max load, I think you will throw much better patterns with 100 grains.More is not better in the muzzle loading world.


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## fergs back (Oct 29, 2008)

Since we are on the subject, I was thinking of getting into deer hunting and was seriously looking to purchase a muzzle loader. I choose the ML due to price and the ability to hunt that extra week. The ML that I was goin to purchase was the CVA Wolf 50 cal. Any of you use this gun and if so how is it for you. I know the basics as in it is light, short and said to be accurate but I want an OGF opinion


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## BigSteve (Apr 14, 2008)

Make sure whatever bullet you use you seat it firmly against your pellets or powder. Don't lean over the barrel when pushing the load down. And don't forget to take ramrod out. I've heard stories of guys somehow leaving them in there and blasting them out.


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## Dawitner (Apr 25, 2004)

I bought a couple of Thompson's "Ripcord" speed loaders and really like them. They hang from your zipper/coat etc and you just pull them off, tip them over and dump pellets or powder and the bullet into the gun. Then the closed end that you already have in your hand holds a 209 primer in a flexible rubber "finger" that makes capping really easy. They also hold a spare primer in case you get the jitters and drop the first one. 

I found them at the Wal-Mart but any place that sells supplies should have them.


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## k_marshall (Nov 1, 2007)

fergs back, i use the CVA .50 cal wolf. It shot perfect right out of the box. very accurate. only downside is it kicks pretty good because of its weight, and the ramrod is extendable and too short. Other that that a great gun. I shoot 150 grains of pyrodex pellets, and a 250 grain hornady SST sabot. shot a doe in the head at 50 yards with it last year. got a scope on it this year and am looking forward to hunting with it.
good luck


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## Ohio Hunter (Oct 31, 2008)

I just bought the CVA Optima Pro haven't tried it out just yet but I figure I am going to have to get moving. It will be open sights this year I will put a scope on it over the summer. Does anyone have any feedback on this ML?


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## M.Magis (Apr 5, 2004)

It's official Brain, your thread has been hijacked.


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## bkr43050 (Apr 5, 2004)

What were we talking about anyway?

No big deal. I did manage to get several good ideas before it changed topics.


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## sporty (Apr 6, 2004)

I don't have one but a T handle extention for the ramrod.


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## bkr43050 (Apr 5, 2004)

sporty said:


> I don't have one but a T handle extention for the ramrod.


I had seen that on the Cabelas site and thought added it to my list as a possible item.


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## I Fish (Sep 24, 2008)

You never did say what kind of gun you ordered.

You guys shooting 150 grns need to find someone with a chronograph and borrow it. All that fire out the end of your barrel is just making the powder companies rich. Almost any fire out the end is wasted powder, alot of smoke and noise, and not much else. Typicaly, unless you have an unusually long barrel, any charge over 100 grns is a waste. After chrono tests, I only use 82.5 grns by volume of Hogdens Select. It scales at 63.3 grns.

I don't know what they are called, but T/C makes a speed loader that has the powder in one end, and a ball starter/holder in the other. They are awesome. The red ones are .50 cal, and the orange are .54 cal.

Also, if using 209 ignition, be sure to use the ones for a M/L. The shotgun primers are to hot, and cause your bullet to jump and inch or so up the barrel before the powder fully ignites. That usually creates a ring in your breech of un-burned powder that makes it harder to load after your first shot, and diminishes accurracy.

When target shooting, I like to run a brush down the barrel between shots, not a patch. After brushing, turn the gun upside down and tap the muzzle a little bit to get the un-burned powder out.

After shooting a few different loads, and you decide on one, load the gun, and mark your ramrod, so you will know at a glance if your bullet is completely seated. And do shoot different loads. A little change in powder charge or bullets, or bullet weight can make a huge difference, especially at distance.

If you have access to powder scales, I reccomend scaling loose powder, over just using pellets. If you scale some pellets, you will see a difference in each ones weight, hence, diminished accuracy. Just remember, scaled weight is NOT the same as volume.


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## c. j. stone (Sep 24, 2006)

Oh yeah, and don't forget one of those corkscrew thingies that screws into your ramrod to remove your bullet without firing the gun-after removing the breechplug and the powder!(unless you really like to clean the ML!). It's the one on the right of the link below:
http://www.thegunsource.com/category/1201-Bullet_Pullers.aspx


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