Fudd Friday: New Muzzleloaders For 2025

The words “muzzleloading” and “new” might not sound like they should go together. But despite the fact that self-contained cartridges have been around for well over 150 years, many shooters—particularly hunters—still use muzzleloading firearms, and there is still a lot of R&D invested into these guns, to make them as accurate and efficient as possible while still fitting into the fish-and-game rulebook. Here’s a look at what’s new in muzzleloading for 2025.

Muzzle @ TFB:

• 10 Obscure Flintlock Guns from August 2022 Rock Island Premier Firearms Auction
• CVA Crossfire Break Action Muzzleloader with FireStick Technology
• POTD: Percussion Rifle and Duck Bill Blunderbuss Combination Gun
• CVA Paramount HTR Muzzleloader in 40 and 45 Calibers

In this case, the Optima now has an improved stock with a changed grip angle with a palm swell. Length-of-pull is adjustable, thanks to a 1-inch spacer (included). There’s also a removable cheekpiece that helps you get the rifle set up for either iron sights or an optic. Considering some jurisdictions require you to hunt with open sights and others allow scopes, it’s nice to have a rifle that can be set up for either option. MSRP varies on your rifle’s configuration, but the BPI Outdoors website lists a starting price at $380; see more details here.

Kibler Hawken

Jim Kibler is well-known for producing a wide range of high-end traditional-style muzzleloaders, but Kibler Longrifles has never offered a Hawken-style caplock. Earlier this year, he announced a Hawken kit rifle, available with the same wooden furniture as other Kibler rifles and in calibers of .45, .50, .54 and .58, with a barrel between 31 and 32 inches and a 16-inch breech. Some shooters want a flintlock version, particularly those who hunt Pennsylvania’s flint-only season, but for now, it doesn’t sound like that’s coming.

Pedersoli 1805 Baker

A reproduction of an original Baker rifle, as used by the British military through the early 1800s and made famous in the Television Age by Sean Bean in the Sharpe television series. These have a listing on the Pedersoli website (see here), but few details; no picture, no price. The repros were supposedly designed to closely match an original Baker rifle that Pedersoli acquired. Their PR says “The PMG quality barrel, equipping our rifle reproduction, features the adjustable rear sight and the bayonet lug. The stock, made of walnut, is embellished with brass fittings while the lock, whose mechanics are made from solid steel worked with CNC machines, is finished with an old silver treatment.” Now you know as much as we do.

These are not legal in every state, but where they are legal, they present a very convenient way to get accuracy and hitting power out of your muzzleloader. The rifle comes with a 24-inch free-floated, tapered and fluted barrel with a 1:24” twist rate that supposedly stabilizes PowerBelt-style hunting bullets. We first covered this rifle when we saw it at the SHOT Show. MSRP for the NitroBolt is $995; see more info here.

This rifle is made for serious backcountry hunting, not just bumbling around the swamp close to home. The 70-degree bolt throw means you can put a high-magnification optic for long-distance shots, and a Nix Sideport muzzle brake helps you keep the firepower under control. A BIX’N ANDY match-grade adjustable trigger (from 1 to 3 pounds) helps with accuracy as well. An integrated Picatinny rail lets you easily mount a bipod.

At 8 pounds weight (no optic, and unloaded), this muzzleloader will still weigh more than an ultralight centerfire mountain hunting rifle, but if you go over Fierce Firearms’ detailed description of the little details they’ve packed into this gun, you can see that it is made for high-performance hunting. The price tag reflects that hard work and the high-end components; MSRP starts at $3,299.

Knight Rifles Ridge Runner

Knight has introduced its new Ridge Runner muzzleloader offering long-distance accuracy at a price that most hunters can afford, even though every single part on the rifle is American-made, even the smallest fasteners. The Ridge Runner has a bolt action that can be paired with either a 209 Bare Primer ignition system in states where that is required, or their 100 percent waterproof/weatherproof Full Plastic Jacket Technology for more reliable ignition in all weather conditions. It comes with a machined bolt mated to a 24-inch barrel, and is only available in .50 caliber. Knight guarantees MOA accuracy out to 200 yards.