Killer Kyle
Senior Member
Hey folks. I've got an inquiry. A couple years ago I bought a value priced ML (Traditions Buckstalker) and scope combo just to test the waters. I didn't know if I'd really "get into" smokepoles, so I decided not to invest too terribly much. Well, as it turns out, I love muzzleloading, so much so that I have carried mine as my primary rifle this entire season from primitive through modern firearms. I killed a buck with it on Lake Russell WMA Thanksgiving morning, and two days later, I pulled the trigger on a good bear in Union County only to have a misfire. Primer popped but didn't ignite the powder. Primers fault, not the rifle.
Back in turkey season I was hog hunting with my ML and with jBoggs from here on the forum, and took a chip shot on a nice boar hog. Took a broadside 40 yards head shot free handed and missed clean. Figured it was my aim, but checked the rifle the next day and the scope was off. When I shot the buck on Lake Russell WMA, my shot hit him pretty darned high, but dropped him in his tracks. I shot him, again +-40 yards free handed and figured the high shot was me. Then I had the primer pop on the bear. And THEN, I took another chip shot at a big hog on old Lake Burton WMA two weeks ago. Shot was maybe 40 yards, downhill, and quartering towards. I dropped the hog in it's tracks. Didn't even kick. Then about 10 seconds later, it started kicking, jumped up, ran straight at me, then veered and ran up through the gap. I followed it's tracks, and didn't find a drop of blood. Figured I dropped it by hitting it above the spine, and cut the fat on the back. I was aiming for the ear.
Took my rifle to the range at Wilson Shoals WMA, and confirmed my suspicion. Scope was off again. 1st shot was 4" high. Second was about 3.5" high. The difference was just me I guess. I'm shooting Harvester Crush Rib sabots and Scorpion Funnel Point bullets which give me consistently tight groups.
I'm having trouble with this scope falling out of zero. It is a scope with the "Traditions" brand logo on it, and came as a combo on a gun, so I'm assuming it's just some cheap Chinese made scope.
Have any of you had these troubles with a combo scope like that? I hunt the mtns, so my rifle gets worked hard, but I'm not out there banging it around.
Can you guys give me your opinions on your preferred scopes for modern inlines?! Thanks so much guys!
Back in turkey season I was hog hunting with my ML and with jBoggs from here on the forum, and took a chip shot on a nice boar hog. Took a broadside 40 yards head shot free handed and missed clean. Figured it was my aim, but checked the rifle the next day and the scope was off. When I shot the buck on Lake Russell WMA, my shot hit him pretty darned high, but dropped him in his tracks. I shot him, again +-40 yards free handed and figured the high shot was me. Then I had the primer pop on the bear. And THEN, I took another chip shot at a big hog on old Lake Burton WMA two weeks ago. Shot was maybe 40 yards, downhill, and quartering towards. I dropped the hog in it's tracks. Didn't even kick. Then about 10 seconds later, it started kicking, jumped up, ran straight at me, then veered and ran up through the gap. I followed it's tracks, and didn't find a drop of blood. Figured I dropped it by hitting it above the spine, and cut the fat on the back. I was aiming for the ear.
Took my rifle to the range at Wilson Shoals WMA, and confirmed my suspicion. Scope was off again. 1st shot was 4" high. Second was about 3.5" high. The difference was just me I guess. I'm shooting Harvester Crush Rib sabots and Scorpion Funnel Point bullets which give me consistently tight groups.
I'm having trouble with this scope falling out of zero. It is a scope with the "Traditions" brand logo on it, and came as a combo on a gun, so I'm assuming it's just some cheap Chinese made scope.
Have any of you had these troubles with a combo scope like that? I hunt the mtns, so my rifle gets worked hard, but I'm not out there banging it around.
Can you guys give me your opinions on your preferred scopes for modern inlines?! Thanks so much guys!