Good news for muzzleloader hunters. Whether you hunt in the east for whitetails or you are a western hunter who’s been lucky enough to draw a tag for speed goats, seasons range from relatively to very generous.
That is, you will have opportunities that other hunters will not. That being the case, here are 5 suggestions to help you make the most of your time afield.
Switch to an Inline
Sidelocks are awash in cool factor. That is the truth. But they also are less reliable, and more prone to misfires and hang fires, than their modern inline cousins. Worse, flintlocks are pretty much restricted to the use of real black powder, which can be difficult to find.
Inline muzzleloaders have a faster lock time and are more reliable than other muzzleloaders, since the action/lock is pretty much enclosed. If you have the option to hunt with one of these, consider taking it.
Shoot Bullets, Not Balls
Lots of muzzleloader hunters learned to load and shoot patched round balls. This is tradition, but spitzer muzzleloader bullets have a higher ballistic coefficient and are inherently more accurate than patched balls, especially beyond 100 yards.
Switching to bullets will extend your potential range and result in greater accuracy so when you drop the hammer, you can do so with greater confidence.
Keep Your Barrel Covered in Inclement Weather
There are very cheap rubber muzzle covers you can buy that are intended to be placed over your muzzleloader’s barrel to keep moisture out, whether it’s raining or you’re just wading through dewy brush. Either way, this small investment can help prevent a misfire by keeping the bore dry until the critical moment.
Get a Muzzleloader Speed Loader
Let’s just be honest. Loading a muzzleloader is slow and cumbersome by any stretch of the imagination. A muzzleloader speed loader will help cut that time down, so when you need to reload – quickly – time will be stacked a little less aggressively against you.
Get a Ball Discharger
There are ball dischargers you can get that use compressed air or gas to discharge a loaded muzzleloader, so you don’t need to do it by pulling the trigger – which will require you to thoroughly clean the gun afterward.
Get one of these ball dischargers and keep it in your pack. Even though it’s not a traditional muzzleloader accessory, it’ll pay for itself with just one use.
Explore Muzzleloader Accessories Online at Anarchy Outdoors
We started this article with good news. Here’s the catch. Most run of the mill gun shops don’t carry much if at all for muzzleloader hunters. To find any meaningful muzzleloader accessories, you will have to broaden your horizons and you will likely need to shop online.
That being said, start your search for muzzleloader accessories online at Anarchy Outdoors, whether you’re here for a muzzleloader speed loader, a barrel cover, an unbreakable muzzleloader ramrod, or something else that hasn’t even been covered.
They carry a wide range of valuable muzzleloader accessories along with other unique gun parts and hunting clothing and accessories. Visit their website for more information or get in touch with them directly if you have questions.
