Each time I do a Q&A on instagram, I get a lot of questions about “what should I get for my first muzzleloader?” and I love answering it because it shows me there are ALWAYS new people coming to muzzleloading and wanting to get started.

As of early 2022, my recommended first muzzleloader, be it a kit or a complete piece is a percussion muzzleloader from Traditions. Depending on your budget, you can get a pistol or a rifle, I don’t think it matters which.

Why pick a Traditions percussion muzzleloader for your first?

First off, the Traditions models offer an affordable price point for newcomers to start off with, without investing too much before they know they will like it. In any hobby, it’s hard to know if you will stick with it long term and muzzleloading can be that way for many. It might not become a lifelong love so it’s important to start within your budget.

Second, percussion muzzleloaders are a bit more user friendly than their flintlock counterparts. Percussion caps allow you to easily “prime” your muzzleloader with a convenient consumable cap for each shot, rather than priming the pan with blackpowder like a flintlock.

As of writing, there is an ongoing percussion cap shortage in the US, especially the popular #11 percussion cap used on muzzleloaders like the one I share in the video. Industry representatives hope for #11 caps to be back on shelves later this year.

Apart from percussion caps, the .50 caliber Traditions St. Louis Hawken can utilize a wide range of muzzleloading accessories. With the expanded interest across the US in muzzleloader hunting, .50 caliber muzzleloaders have become a favorite for medium to large sized game. With this you have a decades long catalog of accessories from different makers to choose from. From ball starters to speed loaders, projectiles, to slings, a .50 caliber muzzleloader is a great foundation to build your muzzleloading interest upon.

What powder can I use in my Traditions Muzzleloader?

As far as powders go, the Traditions St. Louis Hawken is design for real blackpowder, as well as Pyrodex or Triple 7. While I’ll always advocate for real blackpowder when you can get it, it’s nice that this Traditions model can be used by those of us out there without a supply of blackpowder. Do NOT use Blackhorn209 in this muzzleloader, or any traditional sidekick muzzleloader. Stick to the manufacturer recommended loads.

The Traditions manual has this to say about propellents:

PROPELLANTS
Cannons or very large-caliber rifles - we recommend 1 f/fg (coarsest granulation) black powder or Pyrodex®
.45 to .58 caliber rifles - we recommend 2 f/ffg (coarse granulation) black powder, Pyrodex®. RS or Pyrodex®.
Revolvers, pistols, and .38 caliber - 3 f/fffg (standard granulation) black powder, Pyrodex®. P
Flintlock primer - 4 f/ffffg (finest granulation) black powder
Store all propellants according to the manufacturer’s instructions listed on each container. Local fire regulations should also be followed.

What bullets work in the Traditions Hawken?

Once again the versatile .50 caliber Hawken shines when it comes to projectiles, there are a variety of options for you to get started.

We should start by saying that the kind of projectile you can use in your muzzleloader depends on the twist rate of your barrel. Twist rate is defined by how many inches it takes for the rifling in your barrel to make a full rotation. The Traditions St. Louis Hawken I have has a 1:48” twist rate, meaning the rifling completes a full rotation in 48”. The barrel of this hawken isn’t 48” long, so the rifling is a section of that full 1:48” barrel.

Muzzleloading projectiles are very particular about the rifling they need to be accurately guided towards the target. Strictly “roundball only” barrels are typically 1:60”- 1:72”. Strictly bullet or conical bullets can range from 1:18” - 1:28”. The 1:48” barrel, like seen on this Hawken, was designed to accommodate both roundball and conicals to be a multi purpose barrel.

In short, this means the Traditions St. Louis Hawken can shoot roundball and modern concials/sabots. It comes down to you finding the right projectile that works for your muzzleloader and your budget. Round balls are the cheapest muzzleloading projectile out there, especially if you cast your own, but the modern conicals and sabots are engineered for peak expansion and aerodynamic efficiency.

As with any muzzleloader, you’ll want to test different loads and projectiles at a distance of 25-100 yards depending on your use case for your muzzleoader and find the right combination for you.

What load is best for my Hawken muzzleloader?

In muzzleloading, you can ask 10 different people and get 15 different answers about what is “best”, we all have tricks that work for us and may not work for you. While it’s temping to use recommendations from folks online, it’s best to start with the manufacturer suggested guidelines. You can find the Traditions Sidelock safety manual and instructions, which includes some great information on load data HERE.

*Above: a screen capture of the manual as of March, 2022*

I hope this helps you get started with muzzleloading, if you’d like to learn more from folks all around the internet, check out our list of “Muzzleloading 101” articles and videos linked below.

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