looking for my first MZ.. suggestions/warnings?

[TNReb]

I've shot other people's mz's in the past, but never owned one myself and never did any deer hunting with one.

Anyone have any warnings of things to stay away from or certain things to look for? I don't want to drop $600 on something I'm only going to hunt with 2-4 days each year.

I was glancing at a CVA Optima, CVA Accura, or TC Omega. $450+tax is about all I can spend. The $300 of the Optima sounds much better, but if there's big advantages of spending an extra $150, I'd rather do that.

 

[RUGER]

I know a few people that have the Optima and love it.

 

[FrontierGander]

the new optima is an amazing muzzy! I had 2 of them that i wish i still had. You can't beat it.

 

[feldmutze]

Buy American made.....

 

[redblood]

until u buy a savage, you havent bought your last muzzle loader.what a guy told me when i bought a T/C. he was right. absolutely no comparison- speed, accuracy and most importantly maintenance. blackpowder cannot compare to smokeless. i know they are big and ugly. but they are amazing guns.

 

[TNReb]

until u buy a savage, you havent bought your last muzzle loader.what a guy told me when i bought a T/C. he was right. absolutely no comparison- speed, accuracy and most importantly maintenance. blackpowder cannot compare to smokeless. i know they are big and ugly. but they are amazing guns.

They are also expensive and getting tougher to find...

 

[Hillbilly Hunter]

until u buy a savage, you havent bought your last muzzle loader.what a guy told me when i bought a T/C. he was right. absolutely no comparison- speed, accuracy and most importantly maintenance. blackpowder cannot compare to smokeless. i know they are big and ugly. but they are amazing guns.

They are also expensive and getting tougher to find...

they aren't that bad considering you will eventually buy several blackpowder guns over the years instead of one Savage. I bought my stainless one in 2000 or 2001 out the door for $430. They have went up alot since then but they are still worth every penny!

 

[Andy S.]

One word - Savage. The sunk cost up front will turn into a lifetime of savings as long as one keeps it and uses it as most Savage owners do. It will be the last MZer most buy. They shoot like a dream, are very low maintenance (this part alone is worth the extra cost) and very dependable. I cannot recommend them enough. Best of luck in your final choice.

 

[Deer Whisperer]

My TC Omega is a great ML, but my Savage is so much better.

In the end, they will all kill a deer.
I just prefer to not have to clean my ml after I shoot it.

 

[BuckNrut]

I would recommend a TC Omega for a first muzzle loader. Really good barrel.

 

[TheAirMan]

I have an Optima and love it. Savage may be great but I'm not spending that kind of money on a gun I normally won't use more than 4 times a year. I would buy an Optima and put any extra money I wanted to spend on it in the optics I put on it.

 

[iowavf]

I would also set your ML up using Blackhorn powder and it will make shooting easier. No cleaning between shots and I never cleaned my Encore until deer season was over and it was getting put back into the closet. Omega or Optima are both good ML's. My Encore is the only one I've ever had and don't see the need to change now or in the future.

 

[TennesseeJed]

If you're only going to use it a couple times a year, then I definitely understand not wanting to spend $600. I hunt with a T/C Renegade .54 I bought for $118 about a dozen years ago. Fun, reliable, and other than tightening up a screw in the lock, no problems.

I avoid those inline/smokeless/synthetic guns like the plague...

 

[Rubberduck270]

Go Smokeless. Whether you get a Savage or a conversion of some sort you wont regret it.

 

[stik]

every year i think i will get me a new muzzleloader but then why when the 20+ year old thunderhawk i have has killed everything i have ever dropped the hammer on. i expect i'll hunt with it another 20 years. the boy has the optima and the wife has the omega. i would recommend either.

 

[turkeyhunter64]

I bought an Accura 2 years ago and will not shoot anything else. Right out of the box at 100 yrds I had a thumbnail group. It shoots good and is well balanced. Lost the front fiber bead and CVA had one to me in two days. Like it so much I retired my MK85 I had hunted with for 15 yrs. Buy the thumbhole stock it is one fine weapon.

 

[danny1975]

I like my accura v2 . Besides being accurate, the handscrew breech plug makes it alot easier cleaning. But stainless steel barrel is the way to go. It solves the rust problem

 

[Gravey]

My first was a Knight T5 Woodsman and my brother-in-law has it now. My second and current is a stainless TC Encore. I love it and it shoots great. I'm sure the Savage is a great muzzleloader and maybe I'm in the minority but I love the smoke rolling at the shot so that takes the Savage out of the equation for me.

 

[Benelli 4 Life]

I've had the same ol Knight MK-85 since 1991 and the main reason i muzzleloader hunt is to see the smoke roll. A few of my buddies have a Savage and they aint any more waterproof or any more accurate as my old Knight,so i have no reason to change.

 

[iowavf]

My first was a Knight T5 Woodsman and my brother-in-law has it now. My second and current is a stainless TC Encore. I love it and it shoots great. I'm sure the Savage is a great muzzleloader and maybe I'm in the minority but I love the smoke rolling at the shot so that takes the Savage out of the equation for me.

I hear you, nice to see a little smoke and I like my stainless 45 encore just fine.

 

[Anonymous]

don't buy imported junk. here maybe this will help you
www.cvaguncases.com

 

[Boone 58]

The Accura V-2 with the highly touted Bergarra Barrels are hard to beat......and i love mine! topped with Nikon buckmasters bdc 3x9x40

 

[reloadxx]

Tc encore is what i recommend great guns

 

[barkscraper]

save yourself some money buy the savage Ive owned all the top muzzleloaders and i liked a lot of them but now i love and never to return to the smoke again nothing compares to the savage and if you have never owned one you cant compare

 

[Boone 58]

The Accura v2 with the bergarra barrel is as good as you need to spend money on.........IMO....
I have one and love it.

 

[square]

I have a T/C Encore I would like to sell if you are interestedin a used ML

 

[quigleysharps4570]

save yourself some money buy the savage Ive owned all the top muzzleloaders and i liked a lot of them but now i love and never to return to the smoke again nothing compares to the savage and if you have never owned one you cant compare

Guess to each their own...but in close to 40 years of shooting blackpowder I have never given thought to giving up my blackpowder rifles for anything like that and never will.

 

[wayers]

i really like my cva wolf light short accurate. but would upgraded to stainles version.

 

[Boone 58]

don't buy imported junk. here maybe this will help you
www.cvaguncases.com

Old cases.............this horse just wont die. And the bergara barrel is not JUNK!.....

 

[JohnP]

When your settin' out there with ol' Betsy, and a trophy walks out at 200yds, you'll be sayin', "Gosh, I wish I had that long range Savage instead of this old round ball machine".
Smokeless is the only way. Doesn't get no better!