School me on smaller caliber muzzle loaders

[Desk Jockey]

I am not much of a muzzy guy. I bought a Thompson Strike a while back and sighted it in. However, either I have tagged out before muzzle loader season r my schedule hasn’t lined up in the past three years so it has been in the woods exactly twice And has never been fired in anger.

someone at my local gun shop was raving about .40 cal muzzle loaders being the new news and I honestlydon’t know the difference It makes, if any. FWIW, I mainly hunt PA / NY white tails where a 200 yard shot is unusual.

 

[Wapiti1]

The smaller bore muzzys are typically geared toward longer range shooting with a longer, more aerodynamic bullet. No sabot to deal with, and you shoot full bore bullets sized specifically to that rifle. .45 cal is very popular, but .40 and .375 have started to be more common at the shoots.

Arrowhead, Parker, and Pittman would be a few of the bullets tailored to these muzzleloaders. Also the new Powerbelt that goes with the CVA Paramount. For the former, you get a die that swages the bullet to perfectly fit your individual muzzleloader bore.

Without the sabot as a source of error, they can be extremely accurate out to 500 plus yards. Not that sabots cannot be accurate, but they just aren't the same as a perfectly sized copper jacket fit to your bore.

For a 200 yard and in hunter, they probably don't offer much.

Jeremy

 

[MuleyFever]

When I was looking for a .45 I came across the .40. I had not really seen anything in .40 offered before. I may look into one more after this season. I know in CO you have to hunt elk with a .50. I would want to read some more states regs to see if the .40 would be legal for deer everywhere and if it is legal for elk in any state.

 

[ENCORE]

A lot less offerings in bullets for the 40cal. Its known to be picky and pressure signs must be watched.
Actually for 99% of shooters and hunters, the 45cal is the way to go.

 

[Ozarkansas]

I could see a smaller caliber muzzleloader being an advantage for my style of whitetail hunting due to the lighter weight, but all the offerings out there right now seem to be geared towards the western crowd with long, heavy barrels

 

[Mtnman84]

I had a smokeless 40 cal built and am getting ready to hunt Colorado deer with it. Runs a 275 grain 40 cal xld arrowhead bullet at 2600 FPS over blackhorn 209, it’s not legal for Elk but I built it specifically for Colorado and Utah muzzleloader deer hunts