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Post by BigJLocke on Nov 27, 2022 16:22:31 GMT -5
So I’m a little salty about not getting a shot during rifle season, so I just bought a muzzle loader. CVA Optima blah blah FOS .50. I’m going to need some suggestions on powder bullets etc. Never used one before, so any tips would be greatly appreciated!
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Post by M4Madness on Nov 27, 2022 16:28:24 GMT -5
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Post by greghopper on Nov 27, 2022 16:29:45 GMT -5
So I’m a little salty about not getting a shot during rifle season, so I just bought a muzzle loader. CVA Optima blah blah FOS .50. I’m going to need some suggestions on powder bullets etc. Never used one before, so any tips would be greatly appreciated! CVA will most likely have a recommended powder and bullet for the model it maybe in owner's manual or go to their website...goggle will show results also.
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Post by parrothead on Nov 27, 2022 16:48:59 GMT -5
Big Barnes fan here if they dont recommend something
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Post by Huntnfreak on Nov 27, 2022 16:53:17 GMT -5
I shoot IMR White Hot pellets with Hornady Bore Driver sabots out of my CVA Accura V2. It’s an accurate combo on the range, but I haven’t harvested a deer with it yet. I’ve shot the White Hots for years though and they shoot clean!!
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Post by Huntnfreak on Nov 27, 2022 16:54:03 GMT -5
Big Barnes fan here if they dont recommend something They’re hard to find it seems.
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Post by greghopper on Nov 27, 2022 17:02:22 GMT -5
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Post by chasingtails on Nov 27, 2022 17:19:15 GMT -5
I use triple 7 in mine 100 grain. I use 250grain Thompson center sabots. The yellow ones. Its a tack driver to 100. None of my deer have ever went over 40 yards
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Post by michaelc on Nov 27, 2022 17:26:35 GMT -5
I had the same muzzleloader until it got stolen. I used the Triple 7 powder pellets with either the Federal BorLock 270 grain copper sabots or the Federal 350 grain lead sabot. They recommend running a patch down the barrel after every shot but I don't do that. I recommend not going no more than 100 grain of powder for either sabot that you choose. I also don't recommend the sabots that have the wad separate, as the more you shoot it to sight in the optics the harder it is to seat the sabot and wad due to to temperature the muzzle gets when fired. As for the primers I use the Federal muzzleloader primers as they seem to ignite the powder better. I also recommend getting a breech plug pick because you'll want to make sure the ignition hole is completely open. You can put the breech plug in a bowl of hot water and let it soak while your cleaning the muzzle and rifling. If you want to make your cleaning easier and faster, you can get a bore snake that is made for a 50 caliber muzzleloader but a 12 gauge bore snake works as well. Most importantly after cleaning your breech plug, make sure you put breech plug lube on the threads so it will make it easier on removing the next time. Once you have cleaned the breech plug, you'll want to squeeze off a couple of primers just to insure the breech plug doesn't have any left over moisture as that will lead to a miss fire of the primer.
I know that's probably way more than what you were asking for but I'm just trying to help out
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Post by xizang on Nov 27, 2022 17:30:50 GMT -5
Muzzleloaders are a bit finicky. A good grouping out one gun may not pattern very well out of another. I've even seen it out of the same make and model guns. Buddy had same gun and my combo wouldn't work out of his. Trial and error unfortunately. Manufacturer will recommend 150 grains of powder and 250 grain bullets, but if you don't have opportunity for or are not confident past 150 yards then 100 grains will be fine. If you have short range shot opportunities, then I'd shoot a heavy bullet. If you want a little flatter trajectory for longer range, then go lighter. I am a firm believer in knowing what the gun will do and being prepared for a hunt. If I miss, it will not be the guns fault. I do not understand the hunters who take gun out of the safe on friday night and start throwing lead at deer on Saturday morning. I call them all unethical hunters and they drive me bat crazy every year. (Sorry off my soapbox now) Practice and trying different combos until you find something that will works for your setup. 2-3" groups at 100 yards is good enough for some to go hunting with, but it needs to be much tighter for me to have confidence in the set up. Like I said I am not into not knowing my guns ability. I shoot a CVA Accura V2 100 grains 777 pellets and 290 grain TMZ Barnes all copper sabot. Taken a lot of deer with this combo and the bullets pedal out to razor blades. I have taken deer easily at 160-175 yards with 100 grains of powder, and it has a little less recoil. Just my 2cents, hope it helps
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Post by Huntnfreak on Nov 27, 2022 17:57:33 GMT -5
When I was looking they were sold out every where! Glad to see some out there. I bought my gun from Bud’s.
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Post by BigJLocke on Nov 27, 2022 18:01:05 GMT -5
How about primers? It says it can use 1080 percussion caps in the description, but another one says #11. So I looked them up and one box of 50 was 100 dollars, one box of 100 was $5.
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Post by BigJLocke on Nov 27, 2022 18:03:19 GMT -5
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Post by welder on Nov 27, 2022 18:21:14 GMT -5
Are you able to shoot 209 primers with it?
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Post by greghopper on Nov 27, 2022 18:46:39 GMT -5
Must be an older gun if it uses #11 caps....
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Post by HuntMeister on Nov 27, 2022 18:49:12 GMT -5
I do not know much about a CVA Optima blah blah FOS .50 but I can say if it takes shotshell primers, I believe the Federal brand are the best choice. If suitable for that rifle and available, I would choose Blackhorn 209 powder, if not, I would choose a black powder substitute, loose not pelletized. You will be able to dial in a load for your rifle with loose. If you end up with BP or a BP sub, keep your powder sealed up as it will absorb moisture and become less energetic over time. Blackhorn 209 is nonhygroscopic so it will not absorb moisture like BP and BP subs.
I'm a big fan of the Barnes solid copper bullets. Specifically the Spitfire TEZ. My dad used the expander MZ with great success. Never had good accuracy with the Spitfire TMZ boattail design, flat base has always worked best for me. With proper shot placement, pass throughs have been the norm with these bullets.
I always found it best to let the barrel cool down between shots.
Last word of advice, sounds like you are new to muzzleloading. They can be finicky and very time consuming to get one dialed in. You may buy your components and get happy results the first time out to the range or it may take you several attempts to find happiness.
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Post by michaelc on Nov 27, 2022 18:51:16 GMT -5
, I guess I'm completely lost with #11 primers. Aren't all the new Optima's equipped for 209 primers. I thought the only black powders that took #10 and #11 primers were the Knights, old Kentucky long guns/Hawens and the replica black powder revolvers. My CVA Wolf which wasn't much different from the Optimas took 209 primers.
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Post by gumbootbill on Nov 27, 2022 18:52:59 GMT -5
1 use white hots and Hornady SST 250 gr. With my encore.
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Post by greghopper on Nov 27, 2022 18:55:03 GMT -5
, I guess I'm completely lost with #11 primers. Aren't all the new Optima's equipped for 209 primers. I thought the only black powders that took #10 and #11 primers were the Knights, old Kentucky long guns/Hawens and the replica black powder revolvers. My CVA Wolf which wasn't much different from the Optimas took 209 primers. When inlines first came out almost all of them took #11 caps...personally I thought that ship had sailed. Maybe not!
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Post by BigJLocke on Nov 27, 2022 18:58:37 GMT -5
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