Weatherby Inc. has a long, long history of building high-end hunting rifles, but all those rifles have something in common. They’re chambered for the modern cartridges of their era because Weatherby was built to innovate from its founding. That’s changing now, kind of; Weatherby has announced its first muzzleloader, the Model 307 MZY. But is it really a step backwards, or a step sideways, then forward? Front-stuffer rifles @ TFB: Traditions Firearms Introduces the new Pursuit XT .50 Caliber Muzzleloader Buy Teddy Roosevelt's Big-Bore Hawken Rifle at RIA's Premier Auction Fudd Friday: New Muzzleloaders For 2025 [SHOT 2025] Traditions NitroBolt: Not Your Daddy's Muzzleloader A hot-rod pastYou would have a hard time finding a firearms manufacturing company with a history more tied to performance than Weatherby. Founded by Roy Weatherby in California in 1945, the whole point of this company from day 1 was to push the limits of firepower. Weatherby wanted to develop flat-shooting, hard-hitting, high-velocity cartridges and he wanted rifles that could handle them.Weatherby’s timing was perfect. In World War II, a whole generation of American buyers had learned to handle the M1 Garand, a semi-auto in .30-06, and servicemen were also exposed to a wide range of other weapons, either in the hands of themselves and their allies or in their opponents’ use. The lever-actions that had dominated America’s gun counters were on the way out, and superior firepower was on the way in. Increased consumer spending power drove sporting rifle sales, and gun magazines did booming business with stories about overseas safaris. And if you wanted a gun to smash a water buffalo, Roy Weatherby could sell you the gun to do just that. Over time, the Weatherby lineup changed to include other rifles besides their iconic Model V; today, the Vanguard gives a more affordable entry point into their catalog. But Weatherby is still one of the most respected names when it comes to the cutting-edge of hard-hitting fudd firepower. And not only were they pushing the limits of sporting cartridges, but their rifles also came with a fit and finish that was near custom-level.This whole philosophy sounds kind of like the opposite of muzzleloading. Or maybe it isn’t; Weatherby says their new Model 307 MZY is a high-performance rifle too; it just happens to load from the front. The important deetsTo make the Model 307 MZY perform, they used a sealed inline ignition system that would typically be used for custom muzzleloaders. This lets the rifle push the performance level without worrying about blowback that you’d get from some other rifles. It also makes for repeatable headspace, helping the shooter dial in long-distance accuracy that you might not usually expect from a muzzleloader. The sealed inline ignition system is also supposed to make ignition more reliable. Here’s how Weatherby’s website describes their newest sporting rifle:“The Model 307 MZY is Weatherby’s first ever muzzleloader built for hunters who want centerfire performance in a front end loader. Designed around the modular Model 307 platform the MZY brings a new standard of precision to the world of modern muzzleloading. At the heart of the MZY is the Arrowhead Gen2 Ignition System. Typically only found in the custom gun world, this sealed rifle primer design solves the problem of other ignition systems. By using precision fit primer modules with large rifle primers, the system delivers hotter and more consistent ignition through a short straight flame path while fully sealing the breech. This eliminates blowback, protects the action, and maintains repeatable headspace shot after shot. Available in both 45 and 50 cal options, the MZY has options that are compliant in many western states.”Barrel length on either caliber is 26 inches, plus another 2 inches for the muzzle brake. The .45-caliber version has a 1:20 twist, while the .50-caliber version has a 1:26 twist. Both versions of the rifle weigh 7.1 pounds without accessories and unloaded, with an overall length of 45 inches and a 13.25-inch length of pull. An adjustable TriggerTech unit comes standard. Peak 44 provides the carbon-fiber buttstock, which has a 3DHEX recoil-reducing buttpad. The metal comes with a Cerakote finish to fight corrosion. The key to accuracyThe Arrowhead Gen2 ignition system is somewhat like the NitroFire system, though; it uses not just a primer, but also a housing for that primer. Unlike NitroFire charges, which are disposed of after a single shot, the Arrowhead Gen2 housing can handle as many as 30 shots before they need to be thrown away. Weatherby ships 20 unprimed, reusable Arrowhead Gen2 primer housing modules with the Model 307 MZY rifle, which is probably enough to get you through several years of shooting, but if you ever want more, they’re currently listed on Weatherby’s site at $140 for 20. Weatherby also includes a breech plug wrench and socket, a collapsible ramrod and Cedar Mountain quick-loaders with the rifle. You can order the Model 307 MZY with your choice of two different open sights, or with a bare barrel for easy optics mounting.Note that this is not a smokeless muzzleloader. Weatherby recommends using Blackhorn 209 powder (a charge of 105 grains by weight or 150 grains by volume), and a 280-grain Hornady Bore Driver bullet for .45-caliber rifles or the same bullet in 340 grains if you’ve moved up to the .50-caliber version. With that in mind, consider the $2,699 to $2,849 MSRP (the $2,849 is for the version with the Williams Precision iron sights). For just under $1,200, Woodman Arms will sell you a front-stuffer that’s capable of using smokeless powder. A used Savage 10 ML-II will cost you even less. If you want Weatherby quality and accuracy, it’ll cost you more, but if you want to fire a smokeless muzzleloader, you might actually be able to save some money.See more details on Weatherby’s new muzzleloader here.All photos: Weatherby