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Handloader
- Dec 26, 2007
- 4,973
- 8
I have all my life hunted during muzzloader seasons with a traditional rifle. Most of my hunting for 20 years was with a custom 50 cal ball and patch Kentucky rifle with a 1 in 66 twist flint lock. In fact the last Mule deer I killed was with that rifle at 10,000 feet up on Cline Top in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado. Here is a picture of the mule deer.
Here are the last two muzzle loaders I have given a lot of time two over the last three years.
45 cal cap lock 1 in 18 twist custom
45 cal cap lock pistol 16" barrel 1 n 18 custom
I do love traditional muzzloading, but had something happen to me last year here in Mississippi where I have refused to hunt with modern muzzle loaders until last year. My friend invites me once a year to hunt his lease but only in muzzle loading season. Now I think he is a friend but every time I go there he puts me on a stand that has a shooting house with a food plot that is 250yds across. Not only that, the deer cross on the opposite side of the food plot from the shooting house. I have had to watch deer including one very nice buck walk across that end of the plot, with no way to take a shot. I did try the first day I hunted that spot last year with my 45 cal but did not hit the deer. He always ask me, "well Mike, did you get him," knowing I was going to see something, and knowing I would more than likely miss if I tried.
Well I decided to change things around. I bought a Knight Elite 50 caliber before he ask me back at the end of the first muzzle loading season. I bought some nice Hornady sabot bullets, Tripple 7 pellets and Tripple 7 primers, topping the rifle with a Burris Fullfield II 3-9x40mm scope. I carried it in the same gun case I carried my traditional rifle in the first day of that season and kept it in the case as he dropped me off at that same shooting house so he would not see what I was using. As he drove off he said, "I hope you see something again as he smiled and waved good-bye. Yes, you know what I am fixing to say!!! I saw a doe that morning and ask me if I took the shot this time? YOU BET, and the shot was 210yds, furthest I had killed a deer with any muzzle loader.
He heard the shot and text me on my phone and said, "was that you that shot?" I text back and said, "Yes, and I got her!" Tom text back and wrote, "WOW!! I didn't know that a deer would come out so close to the shooting house?" I text, "She didn't, I shot her at the other end." Tom did not text me back and about eight minutes later I heard him crank up his truck. Yep, he almost came to a sliding stop when he drove up. I stepped out of the shooting house, but left my new Knight Elite in side. He said, "man that was a shot!!!!!" I smiled and said, "not really." Tom said, "what do you mean, not really? That deer is laying over 200yds away and to shoot that far with your traditional rifle had to be luck." I turned and walked back to the shooting house and when I came out with that Knight Elite, I though Tom would not quit laughing. He said, "you turkey." He made me promise not to tell anyone what I did to him for at least a year, and I haven't, I didn't even tell my best hunting friend Jerry, so now I am telling it and sending Tom a link to this thread. :mrgreen: :mrgreen:
Here are the last two muzzle loaders I have given a lot of time two over the last three years.
45 cal cap lock 1 in 18 twist custom
45 cal cap lock pistol 16" barrel 1 n 18 custom
I do love traditional muzzloading, but had something happen to me last year here in Mississippi where I have refused to hunt with modern muzzle loaders until last year. My friend invites me once a year to hunt his lease but only in muzzle loading season. Now I think he is a friend but every time I go there he puts me on a stand that has a shooting house with a food plot that is 250yds across. Not only that, the deer cross on the opposite side of the food plot from the shooting house. I have had to watch deer including one very nice buck walk across that end of the plot, with no way to take a shot. I did try the first day I hunted that spot last year with my 45 cal but did not hit the deer. He always ask me, "well Mike, did you get him," knowing I was going to see something, and knowing I would more than likely miss if I tried.
Well I decided to change things around. I bought a Knight Elite 50 caliber before he ask me back at the end of the first muzzle loading season. I bought some nice Hornady sabot bullets, Tripple 7 pellets and Tripple 7 primers, topping the rifle with a Burris Fullfield II 3-9x40mm scope. I carried it in the same gun case I carried my traditional rifle in the first day of that season and kept it in the case as he dropped me off at that same shooting house so he would not see what I was using. As he drove off he said, "I hope you see something again as he smiled and waved good-bye. Yes, you know what I am fixing to say!!! I saw a doe that morning and ask me if I took the shot this time? YOU BET, and the shot was 210yds, furthest I had killed a deer with any muzzle loader.
He heard the shot and text me on my phone and said, "was that you that shot?" I text back and said, "Yes, and I got her!" Tom text back and wrote, "WOW!! I didn't know that a deer would come out so close to the shooting house?" I text, "She didn't, I shot her at the other end." Tom did not text me back and about eight minutes later I heard him crank up his truck. Yep, he almost came to a sliding stop when he drove up. I stepped out of the shooting house, but left my new Knight Elite in side. He said, "man that was a shot!!!!!" I smiled and said, "not really." Tom said, "what do you mean, not really? That deer is laying over 200yds away and to shoot that far with your traditional rifle had to be luck." I turned and walked back to the shooting house and when I came out with that Knight Elite, I though Tom would not quit laughing. He said, "you turkey." He made me promise not to tell anyone what I did to him for at least a year, and I haven't, I didn't even tell my best hunting friend Jerry, so now I am telling it and sending Tom a link to this thread. :mrgreen: :mrgreen:
