2021 Hoosier Muzzleloader Classic | Long Range Muzzleloading Match

Last weekend we traveled to Bass and Bucks in Wabash Indiana to watch the "Hoosier Muzzle Loader Classic", a long range muzzleloading match with targets out to 750 yards.

While the match was set up for modern inline muzzleloaders and ultra modern smokeless muzzleloaders, all of the shooters participating this year were shooting smokeless muzzleloaders, and I gotta say, what a treat.

Before we go any further, I gotta preface who these guys were and what they were shooting.

First, never ever ever put smokeless powder into your muzzleloader. Odds are, you don't have a muzzleloader like these guys, and bad things WILL happen if you put smokeless in a blackpowder or blackpowder substitute rated muzzleloader.

Second, each and every one of the shooters featured here have been doing this for years. Many of them getting their start with the Savage ML in the 1990s.

Smokeless muzzleloaders have come a long way since the 90's and it's because of dedicated shooters like these guys treating it with the respect, care, and research needed to do it safely.

The day started with a warm-up period where shooters could get familiar with the range. With targets set at 200, 350, 550 and 750 yards, there was enough variety to keep the shooters occupied.

Targets out to 750 yards were all paper, meaning each and every shot had to count. The weather was great during the practice period, but as soon as the range went hot for the first relay, things changed for the difficult.

It became one of the hottest days Indiana has seen this summer. Temperatures flirted with 90F and an unstable breeze caused havoc with the mirage. Even with speeds around 3200 fps, the smaller caliber rifles had trouble fighting the breezy mirage. Targets from 200 yards returned after two fifteen-minute relays with strong groups. A few flyers, but each target was scored by it's top 4 shots, allowing for some wiggle room.

By noon, the sun was high and shooters were headed out to 350 yards. The breeze had laid, but the sun hadn't. On top of the mirage shooters were dealing with their own bodies as sweat poured off of everyone. Even those of us behind the line couldn't help but soak our shirts with sweat. This extra challenge didn't shake the shooters though, it was just one more thing to deal with. Shots flew at record pace, cracking through the range before piercing the target and resting in the burm. Shooters were eager to get their shots off and cool off with water and wet towels, all the while trying to keep their rifle stocks cool in the noon sun.

At 550 yards, the pack was tight, but small malfunctions (a funnel being shot down range) and several shots taken by the wind began to sort the pack.

Looking at the targets as they came back, I think the shooters were more confident at the 350 and 550 yard line than they were at 200. Groups were much tighter, with several groups all in the 10 ring, making for some real solid shooting, despite the onslaught of sweat running into everyone's eyes.

At 2pm the shooters set up for the last targets of the day, 12" steel gongs at 750 yards. In this "no sighter" relay, shooters had 5 shots to hit the gong.

1st shot hit: 2 pts.

2nd shot hit: 1 pt.

3rd shot hit: 1 pt.

4th shot hit: 1 pt.

5th shot hit: 1 pt.

I hadn't seen a relay set up like this before, but it was pretty neat. Even if you missed, you get a chance to make up some points. If you or your range don't have space for a full set of silhouettes, this is a great way to get some more time out of the relay as well.

At the end of the day, Mark Clemons took home first place. Steve Zoda 2nd, and Keith McDowell came in 3rd.

I had a great time, and can't thank the shooters enough for their generosity and kindness. I was a total stranger in the morning and left thinking I needed to tool up for a new muzzleloading game. Special thanks to Mark Clemons let me shoot his monster, 65lb .45 muzzleloader at 200 yards. I'm happy to share I cut the X Ring, but really, all the credit goes to the rifle, wow what a machine.

The range at Bass and Buck is great and only made better by the full-service shop on site. With modern firearms, archery, and a wide selection of muzzleloading supplies, it was great to stop in and cool off between relays. They had a few bottles of the Hodgdon branded Blackhorn 209, aligning with the restocks were are seeing around the midwest, which is great news.

If you'd like to learn more about this match, or chat with some of the shooters, please visit "Hanks Message Boards", every shooter was very kind and happy to answer any questions I had about their muzzleloaders. This is certainly a hidden gem of the muzzleloading world, but as with every muzzleloading event we visit, the people were very kind and want to see more people enjoying their sport.

Special thanks to Steve Zoda for hosting this match, looking forward to more if you can Steve!

I hope more matches like this happen here, and all over the country. You don't need a smokeless muzzleloader to have fun with these guys, matches for "Smokers", as they call them, go hand in hand. If we can get 2 more shooters willing to shoot blackhorn, we can have our own class at the next Hoosier Muzzleloader Classic.