Shotgun vs Muzzleloader....what would you do?

[Round Ball]

I have always used a muzz. to hunt deer,never had a problem loading it from a climmer. since you are comfortable with it I say stay with it I feel that I take a little better aim with my oncor by TC and it shoots better than a shot gun anyway,Good luck this season and above all BE SAFE.

 

[wildhare]

Why do you need more than 1 shot unless you want to kill more than one deer at a time. I have the T/C Triumph and a Nikon BDC on it. I can drill pop cans at 200 all day long. I have been pretty good at 250 as well but you better have a good rest. Stick with the muzzleloader.

 

[stationhollow]

stick with your mz. and stay in your tree. ((alot of hunters wont)) (good luck)

 

[redneckmedic]

I suppose it only depends how dense the area is your hunting. That would be the only factor to make me lean toward a shotgun. Otherwise get a nice ML, a nice piece of glass and dope it. Find the powder (or pellets) and bullets your rifle likes best, along with the its dirty tolerances. I took mine out to 225 with confidence a few weeks ago. Took 6 hrs to get it right and several load variations, but its now worth it.

 

[usermax2000]

I'm using a muzz this year and feel good about it. If you know you can hit with your muzz then us it and save your money. you only need i shot.

 

[Frankingun]

I hunted for years with a .54cal Renegade and have taken deer in the rain. I never had a misfire while hunting in the rain. There are a few things you can do to help this: Take a piece of cling wrap or any plastic and rubber band it around your barrel muzzle (this will keep the rain from going down your barrel)...it won't affect your accuracy when you shoot. I used a scope on my Renegade so seeing the front sight clearly was not a issue. If your using open sights you might be able to shorten the plastic to keep in the area between the muzzle and end of the sight, thus leaving the front of the sight open for a clear view.
Also you can take a sandwich bag and cut it to fit over the hammer and cap area...you can use rubber bands to secure it...it's real easy and quick to rip that off when you need to take a shot.

I picked up a package of muzzle covers for my Traditions Tracker 209. Yes, you just guessed what they look like.

I will definitely make sure to have some plastic to put over the action, thanks for the tip!

 

[Ed p.]

One shot one kill! Stick with your smoke pole since you are used to it. Take your climber out and target practice with your muzzle loader and practice reloading it while in the stand,and you will know what to expect when you go on your hunts.

 

[Uconas]

stick with your ML

 

[samot]

I use a Mossberg 12 every deer season since i moved to IN. Nothing smaller than an 8 point.
I personally dont like MLs
& everyone thats saying the one shot one kill stuff,,,,,
I shot a buck in the heart with that 12 ga & watched him run derectly at me then shot him again in the spine while he was directly under my stand & he still ran !!!
1 shot my ass
he finally fell down but not untill he ran a good 75yds
I guess i coulda just shot the first time & waited to see if he was gonna fall but i wasnt gonna take A chance on letting him get away!

 

[finity]

I use a Mossberg 12 every deer season since i moved to IN. Nothing smaller than an 8 point.
I personally dont like MLs
& everyone thats saying the one shot one kill stuff,,,,,
I shot a buck in the heart with that 12 ga & watched him run derectly at me then shot him again in the spine while he was directly under my stand & he still ran !!!
1 shot my ass
he finally fell down but not untill he ran a good 75yds
I guess i coulda just shot the first time & waited to see if he was gonna fall but i wasnt gonna take A chance on letting him get away!

Nobody said they don't run. Even with your 12ga it still ran. They won't usually run very far, though, with a good shot. At that point they are dead on their feet, they just don't know it yet. 75 yards isn't that uncommon. If you shot it in the heart or lungs it was going down already no matter how many times you shot it after that.

The main reason I don't like non-single shot guns for deer is that they tend to promote bad marksmanship in some people. I've seen several examples of idiots who just pull off a potshot at a deer then just unload all five (or more) rounds at it while it's running because they know they have more rounds in the gun to try to correct their mistake(s). I know with only 1 shot I've got to make it count.

A humane kill on the animal is ALWAYS more important than how many points YOU can hang on your wall.

 

[VanillaThunder]

Nobody said they don't run. Even with your 12ga it still ran. They won't usually run very far, though, with a good shot. At that point they are dead on their feet, they just don't know it yet. 75 yards isn't that uncommon. If you shot it in the heart or lungs it was going down already no matter how many times you shot it after that.

The main reason I don't like non-single shot guns for deer is that they tend to promote bad marksmanship in some people. I've seen several examples of idiots who just pull off a potshot at a deer then just unload all five (or more) rounds at it while it's running because they know they have more rounds in the gun to try to correct their mistake(s). I know with only 1 shot I've got to make it count.

A humane kill on the animal is ALWAYS more important than how many points YOU can hang on your wall.

Repped for the excellent point, all should be aware. I have decided to stick with the T/C all season!

 

[rjhans53]

If I was going to hunt IN this year and was givin the choices that you have thrown out there I would go with the ml every time and leave the 12 at the house. But that's me and I don't think a ml holds a back seat to a CF (My stands are all 100 yarders) so it really doesn't to a shotgun. But I would be carrying a rifle this year if I was going but that's just me

 

[DragonGunner]

My brother loves ML, one shot one kill....I had a ML but prefer shotgun. Years ago I pushed a thicket we were pretty sure might have a MONSTER buck in...if he was he would run the fence row, an thats where my brother was. Monster buck was there an out he came right at my brother...at 10 yards my brother shot...an missed...the buck almost ran him over...we watched this buck run across the field, cross a road an cross another field....he looked at me an said I should of had your Mossberg 500....

 

[finity]

My brother loves ML, one shot one kill....I had a ML but prefer shotgun. Years ago I pushed a thicket we were pretty sure might have a MONSTER buck in...if he was he would run the fence row, an thats where my brother was. Monster buck was there an out he came right at my brother...at 10 yards my brother shot...an missed...the buck almost ran him over...we watched this buck run across the field, cross a road an cross another field....he looked at me an said I should of had your Mossberg 500....

So the "monster buck" was at a full run & your brother tried to shoot it anyway? If you had your Mossberg you could have corrected his mistake of trying to shoot at a running animal? How many shots would you have had to try to take that "trophy" down?

See my above post.

 

[Prometheus]

4 pages of this insanity because the idiot kings in Indianapolis don't allow the peasants to hunt with modern centerfire rifles.

 

[finity]

4 pages of this insanity because the idiot kings in Indianapolis don't allow the peasants to hunt with modern centerfire rifles.

Umm...

Yeah they do...now. They just limit the cartridges you can use. Unless you think you should be able to use whatever cartridge you want. I personally don't think it should be legal for some idiot peasant to hunt deer with a .22LR. Come on you know it would happen.

I'm not saying we shouldn't have more choices but just because there are limitations doesn't mean they're idiots.

 

[Round Ball]

as you can tell by the name round ball I love the muzzleloader.Hunting out of a climber and loading is not any proublem. I have been doing it for about 20 yrs and have not ever had a proublem. Wear a body harness and be safe good luck and get a big one.

 

[Titanium Man]

Changed my mind this year

OK, so I've been set on using my T/C Omega 50 (Nikon Omega Scope), through the entire deer seasons, but I had an epiphany yesterday, and let me tell you about it.

I had to re-zero my T/C because of issues. I use Powerbelt 245's, 100gr 777's, because I can't get 150grs of 777's to hold a group. I FINALLY was satisfied with 3' grouping at 100, shot one at 50, a smidge higher, and I packed it away for opening day.

THEN, I pulled out my 1187 20g., I'd bought a couple of years ago dirt cheap, on sale at Dick's, set-up with a Nikon Slugger, and I decided to shoot the Winchester Rackmasters out of it. I had boresighted in the Spring, so I said a small prayer, and took aim at my dirty bird target a 100 yards away. Dead nuts in the middle of the red circle, and my 50 was nearly on top of that! Awesome shooting for a slug! My wife's 20 gauge is set up with these, and she drives tacks with her Youth model 870.

Please don't tell anyone how good these Rackmasters are, because I want access to them ALL.

So, that made my decision for me.

I finally found a slug that is befitting all the praise a mfg. gives it. Check it out.

http://www.winchester.com/Products/...me/rackmaster-rifled-slugs/Pages/default.aspx

Sorry this is last minute, but with epiphanys, you take what you get.

 

[finity]

I had to re-zero my T/C because of issues. I use Powerbelt 245's, 100gr 777's, because I can't get 150grs of 777's to hold a group. I FINALLY was satisfied with 3' grouping at 100, shot one at 50, a smidge higher, and I packed it away for opening day.

I couldn't group worth a crap with the Powerbelts out of my Omega, either.

I ended up using 250gr. Shockwaves & 110gr of 777 & my groups are within an inch at 100 yards. My brother & wife also use them in their Omega's with the same results.

I'm glad you could find a gun that you're more confident in & good luck with it. Just don't succumb to the "blast away & hope to hit something" mentality.

Remember though, you can't use that 1187 during ML season so if you're not happy with the PB's try the SW's with somewhere between 90 & 120 gr of 777 to get the best groups (I never tried anything higher). They might work better for you. And as a bonus they're way cheaper than the PB's, too.

 

[Titanium Man]

I'm glad you could find a gun that you're more confident in & good luck with it. Just don't succumb to the "blast away & hope to hit something" mentality.

Remember though, you can't use that 1187 during ML season so if you're not happy with the PB's try the SW's with somewhere between 90 & 120 gr of 777 to get the best groups (I never tried anything higher). They might work better for you. And as a bonus they're way cheaper than the PB's, too.

Thanks for the advise finity. I've never had the "blast away" mentality, just the accuracy one. My 12 g. 1187 never had the type of accuracy this 20 g. does, but I never shot Rackmasters out of it, hence, no confidence in it while in the field. I may try the SW's after season when I'm bored and wanting to get to the range. Thanks for the tip.

I may pull my Winchester Black Shadow out from inside the safe. That gun was the easiest, and most accurate slug gun I ever shot. Awesome, and I've got quite a few deer tags because of it. I traded a Nikon Slugger out of a friend, so I may just revise and renew my old friend. Take care!