New Muzzleloader

[A Walrus]

Have you guy's tried out that new Muzzle Loader yet? I like the way it looks and sounds, but the fact I can use my classic one without having to switch out ammo is definitely a plus. Can't wait to see what the new map and species is. The more dangerous the better, I remember the first time I got charged by a hog I was hunting, it scared the crap out of me and I didn't have med supplies, lol.

[Zalzany]

The conicle .50 shells seem really impresive I had two friends hunting with me and another newb freind last night with them. The description points out the shot expands when fired, and the shape of the bullet does make a big diff at least in real life. That shot was the precursor for modern bullets after all. Seen them do some really good instant kill shots with them. Never seen the old one in play though, but the new also has more scope options. And its big game shot is consider overkill on dee making me think it really does expand and do more damage on hit if its considered unethical by Doc to shoot a deer with it lol.

I am defaintly looking long and hard at the new muzzleloader as my main big game gun, my shotgun has been fun, but the slugs just aren't good enough with my skill level to take down bears very well. I can get the elk or moose to get in close enough to drop them with ths slug, but those bears taught me with how skitish they can be when I track them yet if I catch them in the open their all like whatever and let me take long for shotgun slug shots at them.

[Alf Tupper]

Does it come with a bayonet?

Sounds great! The conical unjacketed bullets of the 1850s to 1890s for the Minie type rifle (I think?) were a big step up from the lead ball. Higher MV, faster reloading, and less range attenuation. The unjacketed bullet would deform rapidly upon impact - not the best for penetrating cover or thick hides and skulls of African big game, but on people and the right sort of game, it drops them dead.

I'm not tempted at the moment but hope to hear good things about it while the devs work on a proper Kentucky rifle or the European Jager rifle from the 1780s.

Call me Hawk Eye.

[DrNoesis]

I quite like the new one... compared to the old one there's a few pro's and con's to bear in mind tho.

On the positive - it's approx 4 seconds faster to reload, and you can fit most kinds of sight to it. I'm also told it's got a bit more power to it, though I've not really used it enough to comment on that myself.
On the negative - to be really effective you need to carry two types of ammo and remember to switch them out as needed..

To be honest, I'm a steampunk fan - I love the look of the old one, but the flexibility of the new one does kind of outway the looks...

If you can only afford one, and have the money to spend, I'd recommend the new muzzleloader over the old... using one is certainly a learning experience - you'll very quickly learn how to really develop your sneaking and shot placement :)

[Zalzany]

I use a shotgun as my main weapon, so I swap ammo like crazy, always got 3 boxes of slugs, at least one of bird shot, and one buckshot on me at all times. Well minus redfalls where I think birdshot can't ethical kill anything. I mean I always swaping ammo from slugs to buck, as I go from hunting an elk or boar, to a deer wich I can get with slugs, but want to save on slug ammo so just use buck on them.

I mean its just swaping out one shot, now if it didn't let me get that shot back after I loaded it that would be a pain in the but... But normaly I sawp shots once I get a fresh trail I want or hear a call that got my attention. Very rarely do I stumble into somehting with out time to hit ctrl to lay down and reload the right ammo.

[Alf Tupper]

Just for the record TOG - once a muzzle loader is loaded there is really only one (safe/quick/practical) way to unload it, and that is by firing it.

I'm going to have a guess - the .45 sabot round is much flatter flying but not as hard hitting, while the .50 Minie bullet is like being run over by a Volvo. Slow, heavy, but devastating. If you're shooting longer ranges with optics, I'd think the .45 would suit, but if you're iron sights and a crap stalker like me take the unjacketed .50 and splat them at 30 metres.

Good luck!

[Zalzany]

UGA since were using clan tags for names... This is a video game, I am not sure that is how it works with this, since one it looks like it breach loads its a modern muzzle loader with no ramrod at all, and 2 in this game I eject a shell every time i load my shotgun even if its empty, so I am thinking untill told otherwise you should be able to reload in this game.

[A Walrus]

Originally posted by DrNoesis:

I quite like the new one... compared to the old one there's a few pro's and con's to bear in mind tho.

On the positive - it's approx 4 seconds faster to reload, and you can fit most kinds of sight to it. I'm also told it's got a bit more power to it, though I've not really used it enough to comment on that myself.
On the negative - to be really effective you need to carry two types of ammo and remember to switch them out as needed..

To be honest, I'm a steampunk fan - I love the look of the old one, but the flexibility of the new one does kind of outway the looks...

If you can only afford one, and have the money to spend, I'd recommend the new muzzleloader over the old... using one is certainly a learning experience - you'll very quickly learn how to really develop your sneaking and shot placement :)

Excatly what I thought about the classic ML, it looks Steampunkish! My fav weapon in the game. Nothing more satisfying in game then seeing that the target droped where it stood after the smoke clears.

[Alf Tupper]

Originally posted by TOG | Zalzany:

UGA since were using clan tags for names....

Ooops sorry Zalzany... my error.

But seriously - the point of a muzzle loader is that the charge and bullet go in the muzzle, not at all like a breech loading shotgun, so I don't think your comparison to the game's shotgun is correct.

I am sure the new muzzle loader should have some sort of ramrod - can any one say why it doesn't have one if that is the case? - as a) I doubt that gravity would get the bullet seated and b) this would prevent reloading in the prone position. The Minie rifles had a special cupped ramrod to seat on the nose of the bullet to seat it centrally, so the precedent seems pretty clear.

So - can any muzzle loader owner tell us - can you change your bullet in the bore without having to fire it? Or not?

EDIT: just done a bit of googling and the game rifle is quite clearly modelled on a current in-line muzzle loader, which does have a ram rod under the barrel, just like the one in the game does if you look carefully.