Newby Hello from New Mexico

[SantaFe66]

I just got interested in Muzzleloaders after getting scotched again on tags for hunting in New Mexico. It seems the Game and Fish Dept, that is run (essentially) by the political Game Commission has again provided land owners with a large number of tags that they can sell to wealthy out-of-state hunters for our, OUR game animals. Some of our game (Oryx) are only found in a few states so giving tags to land owners ensures that the wealthy will get to hunt them. So, to improve my odds of getting any tag to hunt Pronghorn, Elk, Oryx and any other game animal, I've embraced Muzzleloading. I've found I have a lot to learn hence my membership here.

 

[HC]

To the brotherhood

 

[deermanok]

Welcome from Oklahoma.
Lots of choices in muzzleloaders. Modern inlines, to traditional sidehammer percussion and flintlocks.

 

[UndeadPoet]

Welcome and good luck with your hunting!

 

[gman57]

Welcome from NC , watch out you will come to love the smoke poles more then the center fires.

 

[Keone]

Aloha from Hawaii! A great of guys welcome you

 

[4stringdude]

Welcome aboard from the Hoosier State. Muzzleloaders open a world of opportunities.

 

[SantaFe66]

Thanks for the welcome. I did purchase a rifle and it was a Traditions Firestick model. Unfortunately I didn't check our regs and had to read the entire "epistle" and found a one sentence statement that "Muzzleloaders are restricted to rifles loaded with powder and bullets through the muzzle", That pretty much ruined my chance of hunting with that rifle so I bought another Traditions rifle and it's an inline. It didn't have any sights so I bought a set of Williams Peep rear and FO front. Screwed them on and I'm good to go. Once, that is, when I can find some primers.
That brings me to a question I hope I can get an answer to..........What's the real difference between Muzzleloader specific primers and the 209 Shotgun primers everyone has been using for years on Muzzleloaders?

 

[phalanx]

The ML primers are less powerful and supposed to cause less of a crud ring when using 777 powder. DO NOT use them if you are using BH209 as they reportedly will result in misfires.

 

[mnoland30]

Welcome from Albuquerque. If you're in town, I could help you out with some primers.

 

[SantaFe66]

Welcome from Albuquerque. If you're in town, I could help you out with some primers.

Thanks, would they be the Muzzleloader ones or Shotgun 209's? I won't be using Blackhorn since I can't find any, but have 777. So what ever will work with that powder. I'm also using the White Hot pellets and the 777 pellets but being a newbie I'll be shooting first so see how they do.

 

[mnoland30]

I have some old Federal 410 primers that are less powerful than the standard 209 primers. I also have some Winchester and old Federal 209s. They all work with 777.

 

[Boone]

Welcome to the forum, and have fun. What area of NM you are in?

 

[Hausser1]

Welcome from SE Michigan! There's a ton of expertise here.. enjoy