6 Of The Best Traditional Muzzleloaders For Hunters (2024)

What is the best traditional muzzleloader for you?

I think many hunters will likely agree that there’s a certain purity associated with using a traditional muzzleloader while afield. Inline muzzleloaders certainly have their place (and I have nothing against hunters who use them), but traditional muzzleloaders are just really satisfying and fun to hunt with.

Let’s be clear: hunting with a traditional muzzleloader isn’t easy and successfully taking a big game animal with one requires a lot of patience, dedication, care, and practice. My very first muzzleloader was a Thompson Center New Englander and it took me a while to become proficient with it. However, there’s no feeling that can compare with the feeling of having it all come together on a hunt with a muzzleloader that looks and functions in a very similar manner to what American pioneers and frontiersmen used centuries ago.

Another big advantage of hunting with a traditional muzzleloader is that the hunting regulations in just about every state (even the Pennsylvania primitive weapon season) permit the use of them. Check the regulations in your area first, but there are generally fewer rules that restrict hunting with traditional muzzleloaders when compared to hunting with inline muzzleloaders.

While there are some outstanding traditional muzzleloader choices these days, they’re not all created equal and some are much better choices for hunters than others.

So with all that in mind, I’m sharing my picks of the best traditional muzzleloaders for hunters in 2024 so you can make an informed decision and choose the best traditional muzzleloader for you.

Before we get started, here’s a disclaimer: some of the links below are affiliate links. This means I will earn a small commission if you make a purchase.

This commission comes at no extra cost to you. This helps support the blog and allows me to continue to create free content that’s useful to hunters like yourself. Thanks for your support.

Now that we’ve got that out of the way, let’s get started.

Traditions Kentucky Rifle

picture of best traditional muzzleloaders traditions kentucky rifle

No list of the best traditional muzzleloaders for hunters would be complete without a Kentucky Rifle. With a full-length walnut stock, beautiful solid brass furniture, an octagonal 33 1/2″ rifled barrel, an authentic wooden ramrod, and a case hardened lock, this .50 caliber rifle will help you channel your inner Daniel Boone or Davy Crockett.

The Traditions Kentucky Rifle has a relatively slow 1:66″ rifling twist rate that’s best suited for patched round balls. Sabots and conical bullets probably won’t shoot very well in this muzzleloader, but then again, hunters back in the very early days of American history did just fine using patched balls in their long rifles.

Though the model pictured above has a percussion ignition system, Traditions also produces this exact hunting rifle with a flintlock ignition system. Additionally, if you want the full hands on experience of assembling a muzzleloader for yourself, you can also purchase both the flintlock and percussion cap (caplock) ignition models of this rifle as kits.

  • Overall Length: 49″
  • Barrel Length: 33 1/2″
  • Rifling Twist: 1:66″
  • Caliber: .50 Caliber
  • Ignition System: Flintlock or Percussion

BUY A TRADITIONS KENTUCKY RIFLE HERE

Pedersoli Brown Bess

picture of best traditional muzzleloaders brown bess

The Pedersoli Brown Bess musket is another interesting choice for a traditional muzzleloader that has a lot of history behind it. However, from an American perspective, the Brown Bess is unique for being used primarily on the other side of the conflicts fought in the 1700s and early 1800s in North America.

As a .75 caliber smoothbore musket, the Brown Bess is also a somewhat unusual choice for hunters. Even so, it’s still a very capable hunting muzzleloader at short range and the British military used it for many decades for the simple reason that it worked very well for them. You’re limited to using a patched round ball with the Brown Bess, but those large bullets hit hard and have plenty of stopping power inside their effective range.

Pedersoli manufactures the Brown Bess as a fully assembled product as well as a kit you can finish yourself.

  • Overall Length: 58 1/2″
  • Barrel Length: 42″
  • Rifling Twist: Smoothbore
  • Caliber: .75 Caliber
  • Ignition System: Flintlock

BUY A PEDERSOLI BROWN BESS HERE

Lyman Great Plains Rifle Signature Series

picture of best traditional muzzleloader lyman great plains rifle signature

Lyman teamed up with Davide Pedersoli of Italy to produce the new Lyman Great Plains Rifle Signature Series, which is based on the famous Hawken Rifle that was so popular among settlers, fur traders, and mountain men in the Great Plains and Rocky Mountains during the early 1800s.

The Great Plains Rifle Signature Series is available in both .50 and .54 caliber as well as flintlock and percussion style ignitions. The percussion ignition models use either #11 caps or musket caps. You can also purchase a kit and assemble the rifle yourself if you’d like.

All of these rifles come with a semi-buckhorn rear and blade front sight. However, they’re also drilled and tapped for the Lyman 57 GPR receiver peep sight.

The Lyman Great Plains Rifle has a 32″ octagonal barrel. The .50 caliber versions have a 1:48″ twist rate while the .54 caliber versions have a 1:65″ twist rate. Both are just about perfect for a patched round ball and the .50 caliber version can potentially use some conical bullets.

Lyman rifles are known for their quality workmanship and reasonable prices and their cooperation with Pedersoli takes things to the next level with this rifle. The walnut stock and blued barrel both look beautiful and the adjustable double-set trigger helps facilitate excellent accuracy. All in all, this is a perfect traditional muzzleloader for a hunter looking for a beautiful and functional muzzleloader with custom quality at a production muzzleloader price.

  • Overall Length: 50″
  • Barrel Length: 32″
  • Rifling Twist: 1:60″
  • Caliber: .50 or .54 Caliber
  • Ignition System: Flintlock or Percussion

BUY A LYMAN GREAT PLAINS RIFLE SIGNATURE SERIES HERE

muzzleloader ignition tips E-Book article

Traditions St. Louis Hawken

picture of best traditional muzzleloader st louis hawken

For a hunter wanting a traditional muzzleloader with that authentic look and feel, the Traditions St. Louis Hawken kit is one of the most reasonably priced options available.

These kits are designed specifically with serious hunters in mind while still maintaining the classic style and handling of the legendary Hawken. This model has a hooked breech for easy barrel removal and a somewhat unique click-adjustable rear hunting sight. It also has a double-set trigger and classic brass embellishments and inlaid solid brass patch box.

The 28″ barrel with a 1:48″ rifling twist will shoot patched round balls very well and also offers hunters the option of potentially using some conical bullets as well.

  • Overall Length: 44 1/2″
  • Barrel Length: 28″
  • Rifling Twist: 1:48″
  • Caliber: .50 Caliber
  • Ignition System: Percussion

BUY A TRADITIONS ST LOUIS HAWKEN HERE

Lyman Great Plains Hunter Signature Series

picture of best traditional muzzleloader lyman great plains hunter signature

The Lyman Great Plains Hunter Signature Series is very similar to their Great Plains Rifle Signature Series with a couple of very important differences: the Great Plains Hunter Signature Series has a much faster 1:24″ rifling twist, has a shorter 30″ barrel, and comes standard fiber optic rear sights.

With those differences in mind, the Great Plains Hunter is more functional and capable hunting rifle because of the better sights and the fact that it’s a better choice for using heavier conical bullets.

Those heavier conical bullets are a little better suited for longer range shots as well as for use on bigger game like elk, bear, and moose than round balls. Additionally, the Great Plains Hunter Signature Series still shoots a patched round ball pretty well for those hunters who want a little bit of flexibility with their bullet choices.

These rifles are still made in cooperation with Davide Pedersoli and also come drilled and tapped for the Lyman 57 GPR receiver peep sight. This traditional muzzleloader has the same octagonal blued barrel, adjustable double set triggers, wooden ramrod, and walnut stock as the Great Plains Rifle Signature Series. It’s also available in .50 and .54 caliber as well as either percussion or flintlock rifles.

While the Great Plains Rifle Signature Series is a great traditional rifle for hunting, hunters who prefer conical bullets should lean towards the Great Plains Hunter Signature Series model instead.

  • Overall Length: 48″
  • Barrel Length: 30″
  • Rifling Twist: 1:24″
  • Caliber: .50 or .54 Caliber
  • Ignition System: Flintlock or Percussion

BUY A LYMAN GREAT PLAINS HUNTER SIGNATURE SERIES HERE

Investarm Bridger Hawken

picture of best traditional muzzleloader investarm

Based on the famous Hawken Rifle that was so popular among settlers, fur traders, and mountain men (like Jim Bridger, Hugh Glass, and Jedediah Smith) in the Great Plains and Rocky Mountains during the early 1800s, the Investarm Bridger Hawken is a really cool traditional muzzleloader for hunters.

The Investarm Bridger Hawken has a 28″ octagonal barrel with a 1:48″ twist rate. That rifling twist is perfect for round balls and will also stabilize some conical bullets.

The Investarm Bridger Hawken is available in all sorts of configurations: .45, .50, or .54 caliber, with flintlock or percussion style ignitions, in left or right handed models, and as kits you can assemble yourself or as finished products.

The Investarm Bridger Hawken Rifle is a rugged, but still attractive and very functional traditional muzzleloader that’s available at a very reasonable price point.

  • Overall Length: 46″
  • Barrel Length: 28″
  • Rifling Twist: 1:48″
  • Caliber: .45, .50, or .54 Caliber
  • Ignition System: Flintlock or Percussion

BUY AN INVESTARM BRIDGER HAWKEN RIFLE HERE

While this post covers choosing the right traditional muzzleloader, that’s only a single part of the equation when hunting with a muzzleloader. For more detailed information on choosing the right primer, propellant, bullets, sights, and scopes, check out these other articles:

15 Of The Best Muzzleloader Primers For Igniting Your Powder

Blackhorn 209 vs 777 vs Goex Black Powder: Which One Should You Use In Your Muzzleloader?

These Are The Best Brands Of Black Powder and Black Powder Substitutes You Should Be Using In Your Muzzleloader

13 Of The Best Muzzleloader Bullets For Hunters

9 Best Muzzleloader Scopes For Hunters

These Are The Best 9 Best Muzzleloader Sights For Hunters

CVA Wolf Northwest Review

11 Best Muzzleloaders For Hunters

101 Best Gifts For Hunters To Put On Your Wish List

Essential Muzzleloader Supplies Every Hunter Needs

11 Best Hunting Ear Protection Options For Hunters

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NEXT: HOW TO HUNT WITH A MUZZLELOADER

5 thoughts on “6 Of The Best Traditional Muzzleloaders For Hunters (2024)”

  1. Nice article. I built the Traditions Kentucky Rifle from a kit a couple years ago. Great project! And it shoots really well. It’s extremely accurate with the round ball (cloverleafs at 50yds); however, it will also stabilize the 320gr Maxi-Ball out to 100yds, with approx 2″ groups (off bench rest). This is using Alliant Black MZ powder or Pyrodex Select (both using 90 gr by volume). The one comment about this rifle, though, is the way the buttstock fits my cheekbone. I walk away from a day of shooting with a bruise on my cheekbone. Other people may not experience this, but that’s how it fits me. However, that’s a small price to pay for a great project and a very accurate rifle. No problem shooting critters up to white tail deer out to 100yds with this.

    Reply
  2. Hello l would like to know what is the difference between the Pedersoil Missouri River Hawken and the new Pedersoil Great Plains Signature Series Great Plains Hunter muzzleloader? Thank you ,Lambert.

    Reply
    • Hi Lambert, thanks for your comment.
      The Pedersoil Missouri River Hawken has a maple stock and traditional iron sights. The Pedersoil Great Plains Signature Series Great Plains Hunter has a walnut stock and fiber optic sights. It’s also drilled and tapped for a receiver mounted peep sight.
      Hope this helps!
      John

      Reply
  3. While it is true that the British did use the Brown Bess, or its official name the Land Pattern Musket during the American Revolution, it was also the main weapon of the American Army. Also the term Brown Bess is also pretty broad and encompasses many different iterations of the musket. So…Don’t feel unpatriotic if you are using one.

    Reply
  4. What happened to the Lyman Trade Rifle ? And can I get nipels for it as well as the proper size loading rod preferably in an unbreakable or stainless, or aluminum design.

    Reply

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