Hopefully, everyone has had a better deer season than I have had this year with rifle and archery. In Virginia, we get 5 deer to tag out each year (6 on the Eastern part of the state) and I’ve only shot 2 this year.
With the number of hours I’ve spent hunting, I’m not having the best of luck, but it’s now muzzleloader season and most hunters have either got their fill or don’t want to use a muzzleloader. I feel like my luck is changing, especially with my new BDC Muzzleloader scope from Crimson Trace.
There are 3 types of muzzleloaders that I know of, including In-Line, Cap-lock, and Flintlock, and are chambered in either .40 or .50 caliber shot. My Thompson T/C Impact is a .50 caliber In-Line Rifle. A muzzleloader, regardless of the type and caliber, is any gun that the bullet and the charge are loaded through the muzzle of the barrel.
There are also 4 standard types of ammo used in a muzzleloader, including Pyrodex pellets, conical, belted, and sabot bullets. I prefer to use sabot conical bullets because they offer the best terminal velocity and accuracy. The T/C Impact is golden from any distance inside 150 yards for me, even in below-freezing temperatures.
What is an In-Line Muzzleloader?
To keep things as simple as possible, an In-Line Muzzleloader is a rifle with the cap lined- up directly with the hammer and the barrel. The Thompson T/C Impact SB muzzleloader has a removable breech plug and a primer. The only primers that I’ve used so far are the CCI 209 Primers, but I can’t find any store right now that has them available.
Photo from Hunter-Ed.com
Why Did I Choose an In-Line Muzzleloader?
The In-Line Muzzleloader is the type that is closest to a regular bolt-action rifle. From my experience, an In-Line Muzzleloader also has the best accuracy and range of any other type of muzzleloader. In-Line rifles have fewer issues in the cold, wet environments of the midwest and eastern mountain ranges that I mostly hunt in. This is because the powder and bullets are less exposed with the use of a removable breech plug and nipple (cap-lock muzzleloader.
What is a BDC Reticle?
A Bullet Drop Compensator or BDC for short is a type of reticle that predicts how much a bullet will drop at a given distance. The best way to ensure you get the results you’re looking for is to zero the crosshair at 100 yards and make a note in your notepad for the true BDC for your specific rifle.
Each brand of muzzleloader will show a slightly different measurement, so it’s up to you to do your own testing on the range. It’s also important to zero your scope at the closest temp of the testing (59℉) for quality control.
Once you adjust the distance for each bullet drop, you’ll have no problems with zeroing your BDC reticle to a muzzleloader. A BDC reticle will give you the projected bullet drop as you increase your distance for a more rapid adjustment in the field.
The Crimson Trace BDC reticle for a muzzleloader was zeroed with a 250 GR .50 cal bullet. It’s best that you use a similar load to the test load to dial in your scope. Using similar or exact loads will also let you know how your rifle is shooting versus the rifle used by Crimson Trace to test the scope.
Once you adjust the distance for each bullet drop, you’ll have no problems with zeroing your BDC reticle to any gun. A BDC reticle will give you the projected bullet drop as you increase your distance for a more rapid adjustment in the field. The Crimson Trace BDC reticle for a muzzleloader was zeroed with a .50 cal bullet to ensure that the most common load for a modern muzzleloader is calibrated.
Crimson Trace Brushline Pro 3-9x BDC Muzzleloader Riflescope
The Crimson Trace Brushline Pro with a 3-9x magnification is perfect for a muzzleloader because you won’t be taking any shots over 300 yards for sure with any muzzleloader that I’ve ever seen.
Hunting in the thick woodlands of Southwestern Virginia offers me anywhere from 20 yards of the line of sight to 200 yards in some open spots.
The Brushline Pro riflescope is one I’m familiar with because I have a Brushline Pro Plex reticle scope on my 30-06 Winchester.
The reason I like the Brushline Pro series as much as I do is that it’s the most affordable rifle scope that I trust for hunting. For $193.00, Amazon is selling a brand new BDC Muzzleloader scope that works perfectly in the elements that I need it to work in.
With muzzleloader season normally in mid-to-late December and early January, it’s difficult to find equipment in this price range that will function properly in temps below freezing, snow, sleet, rain, and high winds. I currently have 3 Brushline Pro rifle scopes on different rifles right now and all 3 of them handle the cold like it’s just another day at the office.
What is the Brushline Pro BDC Subtensions Muzzleloader Scope?
Everyone is different with varying capabilities, but I only use the A-D sub tensions and will most likely never take a muzzleloader shot past 175 yards.
Brushline Pro Muzzleloader Subtensions
Yards
MOA
A
125
0.90"
B
150
1.90"
C
175
2.90"
D
185
3.45
E
200
4.20"
F
215
4.95"
G
240
6.50"
H
250
7"
I
260
7.50"
J
300
10"
Why DId I Choose a BDC Reticle?
I chose the BDC reticle for my muzzleloader because muzzleloaders are notorious for drastic bullet drops, especially once you get past 180 yards. Even with a 250 grain .50 cal bullet, the drop is worse for a 200 yard shot than my 30-06 at 200 yards.
Math is not my strongest subject, a BDC reticle takes care of the adjustments with the diamond-shaped sub tensions.
By practicing with my BDC reticle, I’m able to make quick adjustments as I get comfortable with using the sub tensions. For example, if I see a deer at 175 yards, all I have to do is place the C sub tension over the deer and fire. No other adjustments are needed, so you can instantly adjust as your prey does.
Specs
Brushline Pro BDC 3-9x40mm Rifle Scope for Muzzleloader
Magnification
3-9x
Reticle
BDC Muzzleloader
Focal Plane
2nd Focal Plane
Housing Material
Aerospace Aluminum
Eye Relief
5" (Min)
Objective lens Diameter
40mm
Tube Diameter
1"
Click Value
1/4" MOA
Turret Type
Capped
Illumination
N/A
Light Transmittance
92%
Weight
15.2 Oz. (0.95 lbs)
Height
2.2"
Length
11.4"
Width
2.3"
Lens Coating
Green Multi-Coat
Rear Mounting Length
1.7"
Front Mounting Length
1.7"
Windage
65MOA
Elevation
65 MOA
Side Parallax
100 yards
Zero-Stop
No
FOV Maximum
33.9′
FOV Minimum
11.3′
MSRP
$259.99
Pros
Outstanding Price!
Calibrated for a .50 cal muzzleloader makes it easy for me to trust the BDC
Lightweight scope at just under 1 lb
Durability is great for any level scope but incredible for a budget scope
The scope is made to work perfectly in extreme temps and weather conditions
The Green multi-coat lens helps reduce the glare from the sun at the Golden hours of hunting
Aesthetically beautiful with most people thinking the scope is $400-$600 in price
All 3 of my Brushline Pro scopes have been reliable and effective in hunting deer, squirrels, and coyotes
The 2nd focal plane is perfect for short distances and low light conditions of the dense forests
Cons
Smaller objective 40mm vs 50mm.
Where Can I Buy The Crimson Trace Brushline Pro BDC Muzzloader Scope?
Stay Tuned to the RE Factor Tactical Blog and be part of this all VETERAN-run website. Be sure to follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn for exclusive content and deals.
Check out our DAILY DEALS page for industry deals and discounts.
Leave a Reply
Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *