I had to unload 3 muzzleloaders in December, a TC encore 50 cal that I had ported 150 grains of sticks and a 250 gr bullet, a 45 cal mountaineer 100 gr blackhorn and a 240 gr bullet and , the last gun was a customer smokeless 50 cal shooting 70 grains of 4198 with a 300 grain bullet, the encore is the lightest , shortest barrel of the bunch and the recoil was much less than the other 2 guns. Keep an open mind, is it gonna make it feel like a .22, no, but it will make a very noticeable differenceYou could call Mag Na Port intl. They are in Mt Clemens Michigan, they have ported a couple muzzleloaders for me.