Best Muzzleloaders for 2019

Every year Muzzle-Loaders.com compares and compiles a list of muzzleloaders from every big manufacturer with the intent to create an unbiased list of what we consider to be the top muzzleloader! The list is broken down into different categories to allow hunters and shooters to find the best muzzleloader for their own application. As there are so many great muzzleloaders on the market, it often comes down to very small details that push a certain muzzleloader to the top.

For more information on any of these muzzleloaders listed, please contact our knowledgeable and courteous customer service team at 1-855-236-5000 or at sales@muzzle-loaders.com. 

Best Long Range Muzzleloader

We like to start with the Long Range Muzzleloader selection due to the increased popularity of this category. With manufacturers producing longer quality barrels and constructed muzzleloaders capable of shooting out to 300 yards, the main features of this category are accuracy, velocity, value, and overall fit and finish. The muzzleloaders that were considered for this category include the CVA Paramount Rifle, the Remington 700 UML, the Knight Mountaineer, and the Traditions Vortek StrikerFire LDR. After breaking down the accuracy of each muzzleloader and after finding the correct powder load, these muzzleloaders were able to maintain a 1" group or better at 100 yards! The CVA Paramount was the most accurate, followed by the Knight Mountaineer, however, we found that the shorter barrels resulted in lower velocity as compared to the CVA Accura V2 LR and Vortek StrikerFire.

At the end of the day, the true winner was the new CVA Paramount Muzzleloader Rifle. With the new VariFlame ignition system and the updated .45 caliber Bergara barrel, the Paramount Muzzleloader provides the best accuracy, velocity, and value. 

 

Best Mountain Hunting Muzzleloader

When a hunter on an all-day excursion into the mountains, the elements can throw everything at you while trying to traverse the rugged terrain. Western Hunting can be demanding and one of the biggest attributes that hunters are looking for is a lightweight rifle, as every pound truly does matter. Because of these parameters, the best mountain rifle is based primarily on its weight, followed by the easy-of cleaning and maintaining as well as accuracy. The muzzleloaders that we reviewed based on western hunting, we looked at the CVA Accura MR (Mountain Rifle), Traditions Vortek StrikerFire BackCountry, Thompson/Center Strike, and Knight Ultra-Lite. All of these muzzleloaders feature compact barrels mounted on a lightweight platform while providing great accuracy up to and beyond 200 yards. The Traditions Vortek StrikerFire BackCountry was the lightest of the lineup and the T/C Triumph was the heaviest. The Traditions Vortek and the CVA Accura MR are easiest to clean, with the Vortek StrikerFire BackCountry rising to be the true mountain hunting rifle of 2019! 

The Traditions Vortek StrikerFire BackCountry features a Chromoly steel barrel, which makes this rifle less than 6 pounds. This combined with its ease of use and its innovative StrikerFire mechanism makes this muzzleloader the best choice with or without a scope! 

Most Versatile Muzzleloader

As there is a niche for hunters who hunt in multiple states and in multiple types of terrain, this category is focused on muzzleloaders that combine long-range capabilities, packability, weather protection, and adaptability. The muzzleloaders that we considered for the 'Most Versatile Muzzleloader' are the CVA Accura V2 Nitride, Knight Bighorn, Traditions Vortek StrikerFire LDR, and Thompson/Center Triumph BoneCollector. The CVA Accura V2 and the Traditions Vortek both feature a nitride finish which protects the most against weather and corrosion and pitting. The CVA Accura V2 is also capable of converting between 209 and musket ignition, can use a scope or open sights, features a thumbhole or pistol grip stock, and capable of shooting out to 300 yards. No other muzzleloader has the same accuracy, range, and features and it makes the most versatile muzzleloader on the market! 

With the many different customizable setups that can be achieved on the CVA Accura V2 Nitride muzzleloader ranging from ignitions systems to optics, it will accommodate hunters from Alaska to Wyoming! 

Best Mid-Range Muzzleloader

One of the most common categories on this list in the mid-range muzzleloader as it combines affordability with great features. A lot of the features found in a mid-range muzzleloader have similar quality to their higher-end counterparts, however, they are generally at a better price point. This makes the mid-range muzzleloader more affordable for the average hunter. The qualities that we were considering were the accuracy, range, value and affordability, and overall fit and finish. The four muzzleloaders that we compared were the CVA Optima V2 Nitride, Thompson/Center Triumph, Traditions Pursuit G4 Hardwoods, and Knight Bighorn. While there are not a lot of authentic wood stocks on a modern inline muzzleloader, the Traditions Pursuit G4 Hardwoods series performs and looks great in the field and is accurate past 200 yards!

The Pursuit G4 series has always been known for being the lightest in their class, as well as adding ease of cleaning and a great price point. The Traditions Pursuit G4 Hardwoods is the 2019 Best Mid-Range Muzzleloader and is a great option for anyone who wants to reach past 200 yards while sporting a sleek, authentic wood stock.

Best Economy Muzzleloader

When first getting into muzzleloading or black powder shooting, many hunters might be focusing on a lower price point, while still maintaining quality. Throughout the years, many of the 'starting' muzzleloaders have become a staple in the market and are probably better than most muzzleloaders that were available 10 to 20 years ago. With these new innovations appearing in entry-level muzzleloaders, the biggest criteria that we compared was the affordability, value, accuracy, and innovation. The muzzleloaders that we have considered for the Best Economy Muzzleloader include the CVA Wolf Nitride, Traditions Buckstalker, Thompson/Center Impact!SB, and Knight Wolverine. The CVA Wolf Nitride is built on a dependable platform while bringing in the high-end nitride barrel, while the Traditions Buckstalker has been a fan-favorite due to its lower price point for years. 

The true winner of the Best Economy Muzzleloader of 2019 is the new Thompson/Center Impact!SB. With the newly redesigned Speed Breech® system integrated into the Impact lineup, the Impact!SB is extremely easy to use and clean while being able to shoot past 150 yards!

Best Youth Muzzleloader

While there is not a lot of youth muzzleloaders on the market, there are still a couple of great models that are worth looking into! The youth, or compact model, will feature a shorter length of pull which makes shots comfortable for smaller or younger shooters, so any other features that we are considering will be affordability, value, ease of cleaning and use, accuracy, and weight. The two muzzleloaders that we are looking into are the Knight Littlehorn and the Traditions Buckstalker Youth. Both of these models feature a lightweight platform and a shorter length of pull. While the Knight Littlehorn features a stainless steel barrel, the Traditions Buckstalker features the Accelerator® Breech Plug as well as a low price point.

With the ease of cleaning and shooting, while providing a lightweight platform and lower price point, the Traditions Buckstalker Youth is the Best Youth Muzzleloader for 2019!

Best Northwest Legal Muzzleloader 

With every state having different regulations, this category will go over the northwest regulations required in Oregon and Idaho, which include an exposed breech, an open sight capability, and a musket or percussion cap ignition. The northwest or western ignition muzzleloaders, the categories considered was ease of cleaning, accuracy, value, and fit and finish while providing all of the components to be able to hunt in Oregon and Idaho. We have considered the Knight Bighorn Western, CVA Accura V2 Northwest Thumbhole, and the Traditions Pursuit G4 NW LDR.

The Knight Bighorn Western features a #11 or musket nipple, which provides more ignition options. While all three rifles can be converted between NW and 209 ignitions systems, The Traditions Pursuit G4 NW LDR and the CVA Accura V2 NW Thumbhole both have inexpensive and easy to install conversion kits. The new Pursuit G4 NW LDR is the first 30" barreled muzzleloader that is capable of converting between the NW and 209 ignition systems! 

With its lightweight and long distance capabilities, the new Traditions Pursuit G4 NW LDR is our 2019 choice for Best Northwest Legal Muzzleloader! The updated 30" barrel will allow greater velocity and quality with every shot! 

Best Muzzleloaders 2019

As there are so many great selections of muzzleloaders out there, it can be hard to narrow down what is going to be the best option for your application. We hope that this article will be insightful and point you in the right direction for what muzzleloader works for you! If you have any questions concerning any muzzleloaders listed in this article or need any advice concerning how to properly use and maintain your rifle, please give our knowledgeable customer service team a call at 1-855-236-5000 or send an email to sales@muzzle-loaders.com.