I am looking for some first muzzleloader help. Wanting it for that early season and eventually hunting out of state.
I've never owned one and know very little about them.

What is a realistic budget? 200yard performance? What sort of gun specific regulations should I be aware of for out of state muzzleloader hunting in other states?
Any specific models I should be looking at?

I bought a 50 caliber CVA Optima stainless with camo stock and forearm a few years ago for $180 and it came with a 1 piece scope mount. So far I've been pretty happy with it. I have not tried it out to 200 yards but it is dead on at 100 shooting a 295 grain powerbelt hollow points with 100 grains of 777 pellets.

I’m a CVA fan. They’re all essentially same style. Wolf is budget gun, Optima is midrange, Accura is top of the line with, I believe, a Bergara Barrel. Range in cost $200 to $500.

Middle of the road would probably serve me about perfect.
I'll be researching the optima line.

Don't overlook the Remington 700ml the older ones can be had for around $100 if you look and Shoot great . Just don't leave the breach plug in when you put it up

I've had one since they came out back in the early 90s. It's a tack driver with 100gr Pyrodex Select loose powder and 300gr Barnes MZ Expander. I've lost count of all the deer I've killed with it. Took the only deer that I killed last season with it. It's a real pain in the ass to clean but somewhat easier since I converted it to 209 primers. There's one up on tndeer.com for sale.

I decided to upgrade to a CVA Optima V2 at the end of last season. Got it set up and just gotta sight it in....... when the right bullets get here after ordering .54cal

I've been watching videos on the Optima.
It looks caveman simple from what I can tell.

Toss two powder pellets down the tube, start a bullet with the starter, tamp it home, toss a 209 in the breach, cock, fire.

Loose powder gives better accuracy than pellets...... at least that's been my experience and the reason that I shoot loose powder.

Have you noticed HUGE gains or fractional differences?
Do you use the sabot style or non sabots?

Pellets shot a 2 to 3 inch group out of my old Remington and 100gr of loose Pyrodex Select powder shoots 3 holes touching at 100yds so I'd say huge as far as how I want my gun to shoot. Other loose powders did not shoot as well as the Select. And I have always shot Barnes MZ Expander 300gr hollow points after experimenting with several other bullets and powder combinations including max powder charge of 150 grains and everything in between down to 90 grains.

Ya that is a HUGE difference.

What are folks using in terms of scopes?
I've seen some Leupold and Nikon muzzleloading specific scopes.

Don't some states have regulations allowing only 1X magnification?

This is scary. But I mean at least the dummy had his PPE on

yes your load and mine are about same 100 grain pyrodex and 250 grain barnes or tc shockwave

I'm planning on a 100gr charge of whatever flavor of powder should I go ahead and get one.
Don't want less and don't need 150gr.

Listed my 35Rem up for trade to get into a muzzleloader.

Look at the TC line of ML's. When I had one it was very accurate using 100gr charge of Pyrodex powder or pellets. I only used open sights with mine.

I’ve got a TC Pro Hunter for sale if interested.