Inline Muzzeloader effective lethal range?

[Jäger]

Read a few articles on the subject and since I've had literally no expierence with these or any Muzzeloader... I'm wondering what the brain trust has to say with real world expierence, taking into account we are assuming the shooter is competent and the equipment is cutting edge.....GO

[JustinJ]

shooting sabots and precisely measured powder and a good optic and complete knowledge of bullet drop and drift and shooting off a bench? 300yds for deer sized animals.


For the vast majority of folks using pellets and scopes and shooting in hunting situations. 200yds is stretching it.

They're way better than they used to be, but they still ain't rifles. That being said, most guys can't shoot a deer at 300 with a rifle either so....

[Limbwalker]

Lethal, or accurate. A guy could get lucky with just about any ML and kill one at 300.

Most rifles' practical range is 150 and some to 200.

[TacticalCowboy]

250-300

[Bowhuntamistad]

Easy 200, 300 with practice. We are an open sights only state, so the furthest I have shot is 200. If I could use a scope...

[Limbwalker]

I just don't see 300 yards for a ML. I'm sorry, but maybe the Savage smokeless. Anything else and that's a hail mary shot.

My 7mm08 holds 4" groups at 300 yards and that's with a trigger job, factory ammo and a Leupy 3-9x scope. I really don't see how you can expect to hit anything reliably and still have horsepower at 300 with a ML.

[Cajun Blake]

I just don't see 300 yards for a ML. I'm sorry, but maybe the Savage smokeless. Anything else and that's a hail mary shot.

My 7mm08 holds 4" groups at 300 yards and that's with a trigger job, factory ammo and a Leupy 3-9x scope. I really don't see how you can expect to hit anything reliably and still have horsepower at 300 with a ML.

traditional Hawken style ML's won't be able to shoot accurately at long ranges but there is a whole new world regarding this subject

gunsmiths have been incorporating benchrest technology into custom inline muzzle loaders. Basically a full blown custom rifle that uses modern powders and custom bullets. Price tags start around $1500 and some bring $3000+ . Rem 700 actions, super match grade barrels, custom stocks, etc ...

In States where centerfire rifle hunting is illegal, hunters have the choice of either shotgun or a ML. People who have the $$$ will gladly have a custom ML built

here is a pic from Ultimate Firearms





custom smokeless ML

[Limbwalker]

Okay, so for $2K you can get the same performance as a $400 Ruger American rifle.

But if we're being practical, 300 yards is simply not ML territory, and was never meant to be. There is a reason they have their own season.

I'd be in favor of going the way of some states where they don't allow scopes or closed breech systems because just like with crossbows, when the technology goes too far, they won't be able to argue that they need their own season.

[Patriot-2000]

Common/Off-The-Shelf In-Lines with good optics, effective load, and oh ! ... Ethics. I would say 200 yards Max and I shoot an In-Line Muzzleloader.

[Bowhuntamistad]

I just don't see 300 yards for a ML. I'm sorry, but maybe the Savage smokeless. Anything else and that's a hail mary shot.

My 7mm08 holds 4" groups at 300 yards and that's with a trigger job, factory ammo and a Leupy 3-9x scope. I really don't see how you can expect to hit anything reliably and still have horsepower at 300 with a ML.

Thanks for your input, muzzleloading expert

[Limbwalker]

Common/Off-The-Shelf In-Lines with good optics, effective load, and oh ! ... Ethics. I would say 200 yards Max and I shoot an In-Line Muzzleloader.

Agreed. And I shoot an inline too. Ruger 77/50. It uses caps, but it has a bolt and a scope. And I 'might' stretch it to 200 on a doe if I had a good rest, but that would be pushing it.

Practically speaking 150 is the limit of my comfort zone, and I can print touching holes with it at 100.

[Limbwalker]

Thanks for your input, muzzleloading expert

Man there is a lot of hate on this site these days.

He asked for an opinion and I offered mine, based on my experience with inline ML's. If you have experience to offer, go ahead. If you want to criticize people for their input, then start your own thread.

#threadjudge

[BTGuard]

I'll go to 250 with mine, but typically try to keep it under 150. Now that I have my savage shotgun I don't use my ml as much.

[Jäger]

Thanks for all the info guys ive enjoyed it!

"#threadjudge"......i just about fell over laughing

[retrieverman]

Read a few articles on the subject and since I've had literally no expierence with these or any Muzzeloader... I'm wondering what the brain trust has to say with real world expierence, taking into account we are assuming the shooter is competent and the equipment is cutting edge.....GO

I've killed over 50 deer with a muzzleloader (including a 150", 160", and 178" buck), and I won't take a shot on a deer past 125 yards using blackpowder substitutes or past 200 yards using a smokeless ML. I'm not saying the equipment won't do it, but I won't.