Experienced riflemen know that the long recoil produced by a large-bore muzzle-loaded rifle and hefty hunting load delivers more punishment to a rifle scope than the recoil produced by the vast majority of center-fire big game rifles. No one in the U.S. does more shooting with the popular No. 209 primer ignition in-line muzzleloading rifles than Toby Bridges of the NORTH AMERICAN MUZZLELOADER HUNTING Association. During the course of an average year, he puts between 3,000 and 4,000 rounds down range, and his muzzleloader hunting scope of choice is the one he helped Hi-Lux Optics develop – the multi-reticle 3-9x40mm TB-ML model. Bridges conducts extensive testing of muzzleloading rifles, powders, sabots and bullets, and in a single year any given rifle or scope that he shoots with sees more service than the typical scoped modern muzzle-loaded hunting rifle survives during the lifetime of its owner. The silver finish TB-ML scope shown in the accompanying photo has certainly been no exception. In less than 4 years, this scope has now had 11,000+ hefty muzzle-loaded hunting charges fired under it – including the one that took this Montana whitetail buck at 140 yards in November 2013.
The load for the .50 caliber Traditions Vortek Ultra Light LDR rifle consisted of 110-grains of Blackhorn 209 and a saboted Harvester Muzzleloading 300-grain Scorpion PT Gold bullet. Shot out of the 30-inch barreled No. 209 primer ignition rifle, the combination develops a muzzle velocity of 2,009 f.p.s., generating 2,691 f.p.e. Due to the progressive burning tendency of modern black powder substitutes such as Blackhorn 209, the load also generates a long recoil that often proves destructive to lesser scopes. The scope shown here has already stood up to nearly four lifetimes of modern in-line ignition muzzleloader shooting – and it’s ready to take on a fifth. For more on Toby Bridges’ testing of this scope, visit the NORTH AMERICAN MUZZLELOADER HUNTING website at www.namlhunt.com.
The Hi-Lux Optics TB-ML models are one of the very best buys in modern muzzleloading rifle optics today. The blued model retails for $179, and the silver model retails for $189. Both come with a Limited Lifetime Warranty.
More than 1,000 rounds were fired to develop the BDC style reticle of this scope, which allows a dead on hold at 100 yards and again at 200 yards, 225 yards and 250 yards, using the proper long range cross bar reticle. Other features that make this scope such a great buy include photographic quality lenses which are fully multi-coated to insure a bright, clear and super sharp sight picture. The TB-ML scope is also built with positive 1/4″ click windage and elevation adjustment and Tri-Center spring tension to insure that those adjustments are positive.
More on this scope and others in the line can be found on the Hi-Lux Optics website at www.hi-luxoptics.com.