What's your deer hunting set-up for this season?

Last Minute

Senior Member
Interesting. So you just load two balls on top of each other? Never saw that.

Sure do and it puts a hurtin on'em. The poly patch is a plastic concave patch so it seats on the the first ball and the second sits in it. The balls will hit side by side and pack a punch. Thats the only way I've ever loaded a hawken.
 

leoparddog

Senior Member
I've loaded two Patched Round Balls on top of each other. They'll hold to about 5" at 50 yards. I got it done yesterday with my Hawkins and a 265gr lead conical
 

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NCHillbilly

Administrator
Staff member
Savage ML-II
45grns. Accurate 5744
300grn. Barnes Original
MMP Sabot

Once you go smokeless, you'll never look back!

I already own a bunch of rifles that shoot smokeless powder. I would have no need or want for one as a muzzleloader. I like to smell Goex smoke. If I want to hunt with smokeless, I'll grab one of my modern rifles.

What's the point of a smokeless muzzleloader anyway? A muzzleloader for people who don't like muzzleloaders?
 

BIGGUS

GONetwork Member
I already own a bunch of rifles that shoot smokeless powder. I would have no need or want for one as a muzzleloader. I like to smell Goex smoke. If I want to hunt with smokeless, I'll grab one of my modern rifles.

What's the point of a smokeless muzzleloader anyway? A muzzleloader for people who don't like muzzleloaders?

Better velocity, cheaper powder, virtually no cleaning, being able to see what happens after the shot. Yea, what was I thinking? I pretty much just use it as a tool for hunting, not really looking to be Jeremiah Johnson or anything.
 

killitgrillit

Senior Member
I already own a bunch of rifles that shoot smokeless powder. I would have no need or want for one as a muzzleloader. I like to smell Goex smoke. If I want to hunt with smokeless, I'll grab one of my modern rifles.

What's the point of a smokeless muzzleloader anyway? A muzzleloader for people who don't like muzzleloaders?
Because I can!!!:D
 

NCHillbilly

Administrator
Staff member
Better velocity, cheaper powder, virtually no cleaning, being able to see what happens after the shot. Yea, what was I thinking? I pretty much just use it as a tool for hunting, not really looking to be Jeremiah Johnson or anything.

I guess the point I'm making, is why bother with a muzzleloader at all? You just described a modern rifle. I have those. They work great. I hunt with them, too. I just don't call them muzzleloaders or hunt ml season with them. All the stuff you describe as the downside are the things that make muzzleloader hunting muzzleloader hunting for me, and make it a challenge and different from rifle hunting. Not knocking you at all, just honestly curious and don't know why bother with ml season if you're shooting the same thing in ml that you do in rifle season?

Because I can!!!:D

There is a good answer. :cheers:
 

leftystar

Senior Member
.50 cal Traditions Tracker
105 gr 777 powder
240 TC cheap shots
Awesome 100 yard group.
1 doe died saturday
 

leftystar

Senior Member
.50 cal Traditions Tracker
105 gr 777 powder
240 TC cheap shots
Awesome 100 yard group.
1 doe died saturday
 

BIGGUS

GONetwork Member
I guess the point I'm making, is why bother with a muzzleloader at all? You just described a modern rifle. I have those. They work great. I hunt with them, too. I just don't call them muzzleloaders or hunt ml season with them. All the stuff you describe as the downside are the things that make muzzleloader hunting muzzleloader hunting for me, and make it a challenge and different from rifle hunting. Not knocking you at all, just honestly curious and don't know why bother with ml season if you're shooting the same thing in ml that you do in rifle season?



There is a good answer. :cheers:
Because a "modern firearm" would get you fined and/or arrested in most of the places I hunt with it.
 

Darkhorse

Senior Member
Isn't a rifle that uses smokeless powder a modern firearm? It's a lot more modern than my flintlocks and the percussion hawkens so many use. So I wonder what defines it as a primitive weapon, it doesn't have a hammer, it uses modern smokeless powder instead of real black powder or bp substitute, I guess it's simply because you load it from the muzzle?
The concept doesn't give me a warm and toasty like using flintlocks and real black powder.
But I guess each to his own.
Where do you hunt that this setup keeps you from getting fined or arrested?
I guess I understand a little about it being just a tool. I choose to hunt with my flintlocks during the regular gun season and the PW season. It's just one of the tools I choose to hunt with.
 

BIGGUS

GONetwork Member
Isn't a rifle that uses smokeless powder a modern firearm? It's a lot more modern than my flintlocks and the percussion hawkens so many use. So I wonder what defines it as a primitive weapon, it doesn't have a hammer, it uses modern smokeless powder instead of real black powder or bp substitute, I guess it's simply because you load it from the muzzle?
The concept doesn't give me a warm and toasty like using flintlocks and real black powder.
But I guess each to his own.
Where do you hunt that this setup keeps you from getting fined or arrested?
I guess I understand a little about it being just a tool. I choose to hunt with my flintlocks during the regular gun season and the PW season. It's just one of the tools I choose to hunt with.

Illinois, Ohio, Iowa & many others. No modern rifle season, but some of the world's best whitetail hunting.
 

snuffy

Senior Member
Lyman Great Plains Hunter
54Cal.
100 Grains 2F Goex
535 Grain No Excuses bullet.

If anybody can rotate the picture I would be most appreciative.
 

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Danny Leigh

GONetwork Member
Good looking rifle! Is that the same rifle you shot the big Piedmont buck with?
 

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snuffy

Senior Member
Good looking rifle! Is that the same rifle you shot the big Piedmont buck with?

Thank you
Yes it is the only thing I have deer hunted with in many years. ( did shoot one with my pistol a few years back after I had just shot one with the rifle)

Would you send me a pm on how to rotate pictures?

Thanks again,
James
 

Muldoon

Senior Member
Depending upon my feeling for the day.....I'll choose one of these:

FlPerc by Sharps Man, on Flickr

100 grs. KIK 2F powder shoots really well in either one. I use compressed .0170" pillow ticking and Canola oil patch. .50 cal. Flinter and .54 Caplock. I use Goex 4F in the Flinter pan...and very little of it!
 
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