Hunting with a muzzleloader takes considerably more skill and knowledge of the firearm than using a centerfire rifle.

The biggest buck I’d ever seen in the wild moved like a lazy stream, graceful and gliding, from the treeline into the greenfield. He was one of those deer you don’t need to look at through binoculars to know he’s a shooter. But I did take my time to calm the nerves as an intense case of buck fever caused my heart to race and limbs to shake.

Easing my Thompson Center Omega muzzleloader up onto the window seal of the shooting house, I found him in the scope, increased the magnification, settled the crosshairs on his shoulder, and pulled back the hammer.

He stood broadside at 75 yards. A virtual chipshot. In this age of inline muzzleloaders, pyrodex powder pellets, and technologically advanced bullets, the range of a black powder rifle has increased considerably. I was confident, too confident, as I settled into the gun. 

The report put off a plume of smoke that screened the field in front of me for a couple really long seconds. The buck was running full tilt out of the field, surely going to crash just inside the woodline, if not sooner, I thought. Except he didn’t. He kept running and running and running until he disappeared into thick brush. 

I spent several hours scouring the field for signs of a hit. Several more that night and again the next morning pursuing the general direction he’d run. Nothing.

Hunting With a Muzzleloader

The reason I missed became crystal clear soon enough. It was a rookie mistake on my part because, well I’m sort of a rookie again in regards to hunting with a muzzleloader. Many years ago I was a much more devoted deer hunter, which meant that bow, muzzleloader, or rifle season, I was in the woods. My passion cooled for a bit until this past season when I pulled the Thompson from the safe and set out to rejoin what, in my area at least, I would call a select crowd.

I spent a couple hours the afternoon before the “big miss” cleaning the rifle first then putting rounds down range. And that was it; that’s where I messed up. I cleaned the gun, shot several times, then went hunting. I’d forgotten a very important part about hunting with a muzzleloader: cleaning it often. When the bore is clean, the ramrod sticks out of the barrel about an inch after loading. When it’s dirty, three inches, putting the powder roughly two inches from the primer. 

Not only did this render the rifle inaccurate, there could have been real safety issues. That’s why if you ever plan on hunting with a muzzleloader, take these steps into account.

Proper Care and Cleaning

Hunting with a muzzleloader is a unique experience that requires special tools and equipment. Though it's been a means of hunting for centuries, it hasn't come without its challenges. Namely, knowing how to effectively clean and care for it. Not only does regular maintenance help keep your gun in good condition, but it also helps ensure accuracy.

1. Unload the Muzzleloader: This is always step one when handling any type of firearm: make sure that the gun is unloaded.

2. Disassemble and Clean: Disassemble the gun and clean each part thoroughly. Use a powder solvent, bore brush, oil, and plenty of rags to ensure that all of the parts are free from dirt, grease, powder residue, and other debris.

3. Dry and Lubricate: After cleaning, make sure you dry off the components thoroughly with a soft cloth. If you need to, let them air out for a few hours. Then, use a lubricant on the inner moving parts like the breech plug that holds the primer. This will help protect against corrosion. 

4. Reassemble: Lastly, put your muzzleloader back together and make sure all of the parts fit snugly and there are no gaps or loose pieces.

You may consider going outside and firing a few primers through the unloaded gun. This will help clear oil out of the breech plug.

Loading and Firing a Muzzleloader

Loading a muzzleloader can be intimidating at first, but like anything, it will become easier with repetition. Once you’ve selected your bullets and powder - I like 245-grain Powerbelt bullets and 100 grains of Triple 7 powder pellets - you’re ready to load.

Holding the barrel at a 45-degree angle away from you, drop in the powder pellets. Since I like 100 grains, that would be two pellets. Next, seat the bullet, facing upwards, into the tip of the barrel. Use the muzzleloader’s ramrod to push the bullet down into the barrel. When the rifle is clean and you’re loading it for the first time, make note of how far the ramrod is sticking out of the barrel. 

Once the powder and bullet are seated properly in the barrel, you’ll need to insert a primer into the breach. My Thompson takes 209 primers, a step up from the No. 10 percussion caps, in my opinion. Once this is done and the breach is closed, we’re ready to fire. Find a solid rest and get your target in the crosshairs. In my case, as with many muzzleloaders, I must pull back a hammer to fire. Then squeeze the trigger. 

The report is going to produce a lot of smoke. So be sure to stay on the gun rather than trying to quickly look around the smoke to see if you hit the target. This is a natural reaction.

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Clean After Every Shot

I know, I’m a bit obsessed now with cleaning a muzzleloader. When I say “clean after every shot,” I don’t mean you need to completely break it down, lube the inner workings, and reassemble. But you should run a patch through the barrel to clean out some of the powder and residue. A very experienced muzzleloading hunter taught me to clean between shots using one wet patch and one dry patch and count the number of strokes. Consistency is key to making sure your muzzleloader is accurate from shot to shot.

I would however recommend giving it the full clean job after every four to six shots. You wouldn’t believe how fast powder residue can build up and cause resistance when loading. And in time, it can corrode the metal parts.

Benefits of Hunting With a Muzzleloader

Hunting with a muzzleloader can provide a thrilling and rewarding experience that makes it a great choice for those looking to take their hunting game to the next level. Aside from the challenge of mastering this somewhat traditional (the better technology gets, the more it takes away from what I’d deem “traditional.” But that’s okay!) method of hunting, there are numerous benefits that make muzzleloader hunting an ideal option. 

Accuracy, for one, is important. Because you’re only getting one shot. You can also tailor the gun to your liking. You decide how many grains of powder and the type of bullet you want to shoot. And we can’t leave you without saying that a good scope will make a world of difference!

So much about hunting with a muzzleloader makes it an enjoyable experience. Look at some of the hunting greats, like Jim Shockey, who only hunts with one. You can learn a lot about yourself as a marksman when you spend some time behind the ol’ blackpowder rifle. Just be sure to (I’m gonna say it again) clean it regularly so that hopefully, unlike me, you won’t whiff when that buck of a lifetime walks out.