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joelpresmyk8

Just getting into muzzleloader any suggestions

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Bugle - I'm going back out to the desert again this week to get a zero and test different ranges for drop I'll let you know how it goes. I did another load development day after my last post on here and found one that seems to work real well. I'm still using BH but instead of "rough" measuring by volume in the BH tubes I figured it would make a lot more sense to weigh the powder like you would when reloading for a rifle and found that 90 grn by weight shooting a TC shockwave bonded 300grn sabot is the ticket so far in my gun. My groups tightened up to 3/4" last time out. The consistency of the amount of powder is an obvious advantage that I didn't realize I was missing out on at first. BH being a loose powder varies greatly by volume when poured into a tube, sometimes comes out more compact and appears to look the same but when weighed it's off sometimes by almost 8-10 grns. Another learning experience for this muzzy newbie. One month and counting til my hunt. I'll report back with my results after this week.

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I don't have any positive input to give today on this subject so I'll keep it short.

 

Went to go to shooting location this morning at 5:30 and I-17 was closed due to car fire so we knew we wouldn't be able to make it back down to town to get back to work later so we headed to location B. Now behind schedule but still in a spot we can shoot out to 300 yards. The muzzy is not grouping anywhere near what it was last time out. Adjusted windage this time to zero (never got that far in the previous tests, too worried about shooting groups to set zeroes yet). It held a good windage zero at 100 yards but now I'm getting 1.5" groups and some random 4" high flyers (elevation) at 100 yards. Still prepping and cleaning the exact same as every other time.

I did notice some bullets felt harder to push down the barrel than others and those were typically my flyers, I'm assuming there's a variable in the sabots from TC causing them to fit tighter than others? I'm guessing this tighter fit is causing more pressure and higher velocities which is increasing bullet flight height. Anyone else have this experience with TC sabots?

 

I got frustrated with the muzzy so i got out my rifle and it hit a perfect bullseye on the first shot at 300 yards today and 1" next to that on the 2nd shot with a gusty 10-20 mph wind going strong.

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Very enjoyable thread, I figured I would post my results from today, which I'm pleased to say the least.

This is a new charge weight, sabot and bullet combination

 

CVA Accura V2 LR

Parker Ballistic Extreme 275 grain with Parker low ride smooth black sabot

70 grains by weight, approx 100 by volume (every charge was weighed out)

Fiocchi 209 Primer

 

3 groups at 100 yards (only shot 3 groups), by far best I've ever done. I have shot a 1" group before, but it's rare. I normally shoot 2-3" groups, even have fliers that drive me crazy. Morning wind was very calm, almost nothing at all, it did not pick up until we got out to 300 yards and it was 10mph 90degree cross +/-

1"

1.25"

1.635"

 

At 206 yards I was able to shoot a two shot group an inch low and group was 2.25"

 

At 307 yards my elevation was about 2.5" low, elevation wise group was about 2" but windage got me good as there were some obvious increases and gusts.

from left to right was 2 holes with 3" and the third and final was further left making the entire group 6.75" (we predicted this to happen based on wind dying down). At 307 yards with a 1mph cross wind, my drift is 1.7" and we guessed it to be max 12mph, and low at 6mph which explains the group nicely. IMO

 

Next time out, I will have fresh batts in the wind meter (was so pissed it was dead, I must have left it on??)

My plan is not correct for wind, but rather have each shot recorded at current wind speed to try and explain my groups as far as left to right problems. I do believe my groups at 300 would be about 3" IF I took each recorded wind speed per shot and made a dot according to my exact drift which I can figure out in strelok. I know that sounds like cheating, but in my opinion this method of recording exact wind speed at time of trigger pull would give me a better sight picture into my actual groups. I always dope for wind when shooting at animals and this would help build confidence in Strelok for my muzzy paying close attention to actual group drift vs Strelok/wind meter drift determination.

 

I'm tracking just a tad low in Strelok, going off load data from Blackhorn 209 website for my bullet and charge weight.

 

I will lower the speed a tad in Strelok for next time out and see if I can gain back my little bit of elevation I lost at 2 and 3 hundred yards.

 

Overall, very satisfied with the results.

 

At 300 yards, energy is 863.7lbs, speed is 1247.4 fps

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Gotcoues great info. I really feel confident now in my purchase of the cva accura v2 LR. With the right load/data and training and practice. This muzzleloader will do great out to 300. Curious what scope are you using?

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6.5-20x44 Vortex Viper

Get the "cleaning kit" or drill bits for flash hole and larger hole in the breech plug. Keeping the breech plug free and clear is important. More important than cleaning the barrel for I think.

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Just got my new optima v2 going out tomorrow to break myself in. Never fired a muzzleloader before... Really just want to get a feel for it not too concerned about accuracy first time out. Bought the cheapest powerbelts I could find and some 777. Definetly not what I plan to hunt with in December. Fun thread to read lots of really applicable information.

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I'm headed out Monday for round 3, me and pops put up some 3 in groups at 200 shooting real world bipod no gun rest. I picked up some horny 250 grn and also plan to weigh my charges from now on. Hope to tighten it up some then we should be set for the 23 rd.

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post-10379-0-49524700-1444962448_thumb.jpg

 

Me no like muzzy. My shoulder hurts and flyers are frequent. Shot 12 rnds 162 yrds with other guns and 5 with the muzzy. 2 big holes next to each other low right of bull were first 2 shots clean barrel and breach. Other 3 big holes are flyers on 3rd shot 4th shot then clean and 5th. Guess I'll shoot 2 then swap breach and clean barrel. I used 75 b grns by weight 209 loose and CCI 209 mag primers. 250 grn horny SST. Only need one shot anyway right?

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Try not cleaning the barrel until you have to because the rounds are too hard to get down the pipe. Breech plug should be cleaned a lot, but some advise from a friend was let the barrel stay dirty and that helped me out for sure. Less fliers with less cleaning. After being forced to clean the barrel, I now consider the first shot to be a fouling shot. Still have more testing so opinions could easily change. The more I tried keeping the barrel clean, the more it drove me crazy that I wasn't getting groups.

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I am thinking you may be correct, I know they say to keep the same patter no matter how you do it like clean every shot or every 2 or 3 or whatever but more important is what works, seems like 2 shots on a super clean bore works really well for me. Each time I go out I get 2 really good shots then it goes to heck no matter what I do. I hope its not the heat in the barrel. So I have one more test run with a clean barrel and breach then its hunt time. Luckily all flyers have still been in 3 or 4 in range so kill zone is ok at 100 yards. I have 2 breach plugs so in the field if needed I will swap plugs and scrub barrel before any more shots. Pops is a really good trigger guy so I wont need it but i will be ready.

Good luck all muzzy hunts, shoulder still hurts. LOL

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I just started shooting a muzzy the last few months. I have a traditions g4 pursuit. Im shooting 110 grns blackhorn 209 with federal 209a primers and 250 grn barnes expander mz bullets. So far my results have been disappointing. One day groups are good, next day all over the place. I usually swab the barrel after every shot, but maybe I should try with a fouled barrel. Gotcoues you are correct about getting a bullet down the muzzle with a clean barrel. Super hard!

I have a 12b west muzzy tag this year should be a fun hunt. Just hoping I can get some consistent groups going here tomorrow. Great thread guys I will let you know my results after I shoot tomorrow(weather permitting)

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Just got back from my second time out with the optima, really fun gun to shoot. First three were around 2" pulled the breach plug and cleaned. Thought I would try the above recommendations and not clean the barrel... Well apparently not so good for my rifle first shot thought it was just me. Second, third and fourth just got worse. Pulled it back apart and scrubbed everything. Scrambled to find something for a new target. First round I know was me second and third touching at 100. Still shooting 100 gr 777 and powerbelts. Guess we'll see how it goes when I switch over to the bullets I plan to hunt with.

post-3521-0-33497900-1445127684_thumb.jpeg

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