Modern in-line rifles come in many forms, including break-action, bolt-action and hinged-breech. They all preform well afield, so choose your rifle based on how it feels in your hands.

So you're thinking about joining the growing ranks of muzzleloader hunters? Well, it's about time. You have no idea how much you have been missing! If you're feeling a little confused about how to get started, don't worry. Here is a quick "nutshell" overview of what's what. Think of it as an entry level "Muzzleloaders 101" course on front-stuffing rifles.

Hunting Rifles
The important thing to remember about muzzleloaders is that the "parts that shoot" are all pretty much the same. Most of the differences between modern muzzleloaders and "traditional" guns are cosmetic. If you peel off the fancy dress, they're all more or less the same underneath. They all load from the front and accept the bullet, propellant and ignition source separately.

The use of sabots allows a muzzleloading hunter to use modern bullet designs that provide better penetration and accuracy. You'll still need to push them down the bore, however.

The modern in-line rifle allows the ignition source to be located at the rear of the powder charger, while the traditional sidelock features an ignition source at the side of the powder charge. So what? They both light the powder. Sure, there are some technical aspects, but unless you are a gun nut like me, they will bore you to death, and, to be honest, they really don't amount to much. Besides, the issue is pretty well settled. The good old American free market has spoken and it has chosen in-line rifles by a very wide margin.

In-line guns can be break-action, bolt-action, drop-action, rolling-block, ad infinitum. It doesn't matter, if the ignition is behind the powder charge, the gun is an in-line. The rest is all cosmetics and ergonomics, and is not relevant to performance.

Stainless steel is nice because it is less prone to corrosion, but it adds nothing to the ballistic performance. The same with synthetic stocks--they look cool and resist water, but they don't make the gun shoot any better. So, pick an in-line design you like--one you can afford from a brand-name maker--and you really can't go wrong. If you get hooked on this muzzleloader thing (I'm betting you will), you can explore the world of traditional guns later.

The author has found that Triple Seven powder provides the most consistency when shooting for accuracy with in-line muzzleloaders.

Your first gun should be a .50 caliber, by far the most popular bore diameter. There are more guns, bullets, propellants and accessories for this caliber than all the other calibers combined--all these options make life much easier.

The majority of modern in-lines use 1:28 rifling twist designed to work well with sabot bullets. Most rifles are drilled and tapped for scope mounting, just like the deer rifles you've used for years, but they are also equipped with open sights, generally of fiber-optic design. So, you can pick how to aim your new rifle depending on local regulations and personal preference.

Bullets
Muzzleloader bullets come in three basic forms. Roundball, conical and sabot. The roundball is simply a round ball of lead sized to fit tightly in the bore when wrapped with a cloth patch. They are used primarily by those hunters wishing to remain true to the old days. While there is some romance and history in using a roundball, they are the poorest performing muzzleloader bullet you can choose for hunting and I don't recommend them for beginners.