Best Muzzleloaders for 2025

Our team returned to SHOT Show 2025 and had a great time connecting with many professionals in the muzzleloader community. This year, Traditions introduced a new variation of their FireStick muzzleloader lineup. CVA brought a fresh new look to their CVA Wolf line as well as some great new accessories and kits. Brixia came to market with some incredibly cool matchlock rifles and much more! In this article we will do what we do in the spring of every year and give you a break down of the best muzzleloaders for a variety of applications. Without further adieu lets dive into our selections for the 2025 muzzleloader season.

Best Long Range Muzzleloader for 2025

When you consider all of the great long range muzzleloaders, the Remington 700 Ultimate Muzzleloader quickly comes to mind. There are many excellent muzzleloaders on the market competing for this spot, however, for 2025 we are keeping the crow with Remington. Why? Not only does the Remington 700 UML perform exceptionally well, but also it is more available than its competitors, at the end of the day the best muzzleloader for any application is the one you can get your hands on. The Remington 700 UML boasts a 400 yard range and is ideally suited for just about any hunting application. The .50 caliber bore allows you to take advantage of all of the best muzzleloader bullets on the market right now while delivering serious power down range. We believe this combination provides muzzleloader hunters with a great advantage out in the field where longer shots are going to be needed to come home with more than just a tag.

Best Mid-Range Muzzleloader for 2025

The fact is that most hunters are not looking to shoot 300 yards, hike 15 miles into the backcountry, or break the bank with the purchase of a new muzzleloader. Because of this, mid-range muzzleloaders are the most popular and versatile guns on our list. Our qualifications for mid-range muzzleloaders are a gun that is capable of shooting 200 yards and can be purchased with a scope for under $600. The guns that we considered for this award are the CVA Optima and the Traditions Pursuit XT VAPR. With all things considered, we believe that the Traditions Pursuit VAPR is the best option in this category because of the lightweight and ergonomic design. Its 5.8 pound design, CeraKote coating, and overall feel distinguish it as the best mid-range muzzleloader for the broadest spectrum of hunting scenarios.

The Traditions Pursuit VAPR XT is one of the lightest muzzleloaders on the market. The Pursuit features the 1:24” twist VAPR barrel to better stabilize heavier bullets at higher velocities. This allows the Pursuit to shoot further distances with better accuracy. Additionally, the Pursuit VAPR’s XT trigger is one of the lightest weight and crisp triggers in this price range. The trigger safety is one of the features that we like most, as this is something that many muzzleloaders do not offer. This muzzleloader is perfect for the hunter looking for a lightweight and versatile gun that won’t break the bank!

Best Budget Muzzleloader for 2025

It’s no secret that gun prices have increased exponentially in the past decade. This is partially due to new technology, but also the rise in raw materials and inflation. New muzzleloaders retailing for $1,000 can be difficult to justify for many hunters, especially those that only use muzzleloader season to fill the freezer at the end of the year. Guns in this category are available with a scope for under $450. Currently, the CVA Wolf is one of the muzzleloaders that meets these criteria. It has become increasingly difficult to offer a muzzleloader with a scope at this price point, however, this is important to our company and is one of the reasons that we designed our own Muzzle-Loaders.com Genesis scope, to help bring better value to our customers.

The CVA Wolf features a new grey stock with a blued barrel that is price friendly. It comes with all of the same great features the muzzleloader world has come to know and love and is our pick for the best budget muzzleloader for 2025.

Best Northwest Muzzleloader for 2025

Northwest muzzleloaders are a niche market and there are only a few models that are legal in Oregon and Idaho. To be legal in these states, an inline muzzleloader must utilize a percussion cap ignition. Currently, Idaho requires the ignition to be exposed to the elements, however, Oregon no longer requires this. Because of these regulations, manufacturers are required to design a different firing pin and breech plug to comply with these two states. Additionally, both Oregon and Idaho muzzleloader regulations restrict hunters to open sights only. With these requirements in mind, we considered the CVA Optima V2 Northwest, CVA Accura MR-X Northwest, Traditions Pursuit Hardwoods, and Traditions Pursuit Northwest LDR. Because of the features and versatility of the CVA Accura MR-X Northwest, we chose that muzzleloader as the best northwest muzzleloader for 2025.

The CVA Accura MR-X Northwest wins out because of its feature-rich design. The MR-X is lightweight and maneuverable allowing it to be easily carried for long distances. The forestock is able to be removed without tools for a hassle-free breakdown process. The Accura MR-X is also resistant to corrosion thanks to its Nitrided and CeraKoted Bergara barrel. With all of this in mind, we consider the CVA Accura MR-X Northwest to be the best northwest muzzleloader for 2025.

Best Youth Muzzleloader for 2025

Unfortunately, the youth muzzleloader selection is quite slim. The Traditions Buckstalker XT Youth is the only muzzleloader currently available that features a length of pull suited for children, however, the build quality and features of this muzzleloader make it the perfect gun for any youth hunter.

The Traditions Buckstalker XT Youth offers the same features as the standard Buckstalker XT but with a stock suited for youth hunters. This gun is lightweight and nimble, but also has a trigger safety, which is a huge asset for youth muzzleloader hunters.

Conclusion

Overall, 2025 is shaping up to be an excellent year for anyone looking to pick up a new muzzleloader regardless of your budget or experience level. If you’d like more information on any of these muzzleloaders, the images below will direct you to the individual product overview pages. Additionally, our friendly and knowledgeable customer service team is always happy to discuss muzzleloaders and accessories. Feel free to reach out to our team at sales@muzzle-loaders.com or 1-855-236-5000. 

Why We Are Here

We just wanted to let you how much you are loved by God. In the Bible, the gospel of John chapter 3 verse 16 tells us "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life." - NASB 1995. His Son is Jesus Christ our Savior.

Wether you ever buy anything from us or not, we want to make sure we are using the platform God has provided to us to ensure the good news of salvation from sin and death goes out to all the world. Some day muzzleloading will cease, but life with God never will if you believe in Jesus Christ. If you are questioning where you are going to go when this life comes to an end you are not alone. Today is the day of salvation, if you know the Holy Spirit is prompting you to confess your sins to God and ask for His mercy through the blood of Jesus Christ shed on the cross for you, don't wait. Ask Him today to save you from your sins and make you into a new creation and He will do it.

Romans 10:9: "that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved." - NASB 1995

May God bless you and keep you in His arms. We love you and are here if you have any questions.