Is it legal to use a scope on a muzzle loader at all in Minnesota? If not, what is the reasoning behind that?

Yes, it is legal......

In all seasons but the muzzleloadeer season.

Early antlerless, regular firearms all good.

Smokepole season, iron sights only. It is an attempt at keeping the integrety and the chalenge of the season.

100% Correct

Although you can get a permit from the DNR to use a scope during the muzzleloader season if you have poor eyesight. If you have bifocals you qualify, just get a note from your eye doctor.

I think that even with the note from the eye doc, it still has to be a 1X scope? Am i right by saying this?

Can you put a red dot with no magnification on it?

yep, 1X only with a doctors note. I do agree with this, as it does make sense. after all, it is an "older fashioned" way of hunting. With their accuracy now-a-days, it'd be like rifle hunting if ya had a scope in it.

I have never shot a deer with a muzzy, but missed a lot. guess someone has to practice a bit more. not used to open sights, as my rifle is scoped and has been all my life. so no scope definetly makes it more challenging

If you get the eye doctor thing signed off on, probably. Other wise a red dot is still considered a scope, and therefore not legal durring muzzy season. Red dot scopes are not iron sight's

need to have iron sights if you dont have the doctor note

If you want to read something interesting, Google - "Bad Bull Muzzleloaders". You cannot tell me that these are primative weapons in any sense of the word. A good scope on one of these and it sounds like they would outperform most centerfire rifles.

I really like Minnesota's no scope rule, it is a traditional gun that should be used in a traditional way. There is nothing worse than watching some guy on TV shoot a deer with a muzzy at 250+ yards, they might as well use a rifle.