Muzzleloader Scope Recommendation

bboswell · Oct 3, 2014

Bought a muzzleloader several years ago that i have never shot, but I'm determined to hunt with it this year.

My eyesight has degraded significantly in the last couple of years, so I'm thinking it makes sense to throw on a scope rather than use the factory fiber optic sights..

Any recommendations from you guys that have experience on this topic would be greatly appreciated.

Gun is a CVA 50 cal that uses the shotgun primer if that is of any help. Propellent purchased with gun were 50 grain pellets and if memory serves, need to use 3 along with the sabot bullets, which are ???? 150 gr maybe?. Or perhaps 250 gr. I cant remember but they are the most common size for this type of set up.

Are the bullet drop compensating reticles worth consideration?

Would like keep this in the $200 range if possible.

Thanks and good luck on your hunging efforts.

dennishoddy · Oct 3, 2014

I shoot the Savage Smokeless SS MLII.
300 grain bullet running at 2400fps. Recoil is brutal. That being said, I mounted a Nikon Pathfinder 3-9 on it 6 years ago, fully expecting it to come apart after a couple of shots.
Its lasted this long, still holding the original 100 yd zero with several hundred shots down the tube.

There may be better scopes out their designed specifically for a MZ, but this one has sure worked for me taking deer cleanly out to 175 yds.

brandt9913 · Oct 3, 2014

Nikon Omega 3-9x40 is a great scope in your price range. Main advantage is this scope has the correct eye relief for a muzzleloader. The BDC is also closer to drops with common muzzleloaders.

Your bullets are likely 250 gr .45 cal sabot. I haven't seen anything much less than 250 gr for muzzleloaders. I'm sure your gun is rated for 150 grains of powder. The velocity gain vs the additional recoil is not worth it IMHO. Ballistics of muzzleloader bullets suck. With 150 grains of powder, the ballistics suck a little less and recoil hurts a lot more.

I shoot 250 gr sabot bullets with 100 grains of powder. I've dropped deer out to 200 yards with muzzleloader. Past 200 yards, you are just about lobbing a softball at them. Maybe others have had better luck at greater distance, but I haven't tried after I looked at the ballistics and bullet energy at the distances.