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I got a CVA Optima V2 for Christmas.  Just wondering if anyone else has this gun or recommends a load to start with.  Keep in mind I'm a total newbie with muzzle loaders.

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6 hours ago, Big Browns said:

I got a CVA Optima V2 for Christmas.  Just wondering if anyone else has this gun or recommends a load to start with.  Keep in mind I'm a total newbie with muzzle loaders.

I have that muzzleloader, it's so good, there's probably a ton of stuff it would shoot well. I've had good luck with .270gr power belts with white hots pellets. It'll shoot accurately 10 times without any barrel cleaning. Of course the critter is long gone by then, lol! 

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I would start with the 250 grain Barnes, and 100 grains or equivalent in pellets.  I bought some Buckhorn 209  after reading about its ease of use and cleanup, but have yet to shoot it.  The Triple 7 50 gr  pellets give me a good grouping though.

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On 1/7/2019 at 5:22 PM, Big Browns said:

I got a CVA Optima V2 for Christmas.  Just wondering if anyone else has this gun or recommends a load to start with.  Keep in mind I'm a total newbie with muzzle loaders.

Great choice!! I've had 3 different CVA rifles and all were incredibly accurate. I would highly recommend getting the blackhorn 209 breech plug and use BH209 exclusively as your powder. It allows you to weigh out your charges specifically and find what your rifle likes which takes a 3" @ 100 gun to 1.5" at 150, or at least it did with the ones I owned. dang good shooting for a muzzleloader.  REMEMBER- with loose powder in muzzleloaders they measure off volume and not weight-- it is something like 77gr by weight of BH209 is the equivalent of a 100gr "by volume" charge-- DO NOT stuff 150gr by weight of BH209 into your gun.  My optimal charge has been 82gr by weight of BH209.

 

I shoot Harvester Scorpions 245gr with their black "crush rib" sabot. Outstanding results on deer size game. If you are hunting elk Id go up to a copper bullet. 

 

The common theme I've found with muzzleloaders is they do not achieve peak accuracy at peak velocity.

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Thank you very much!  I was not aware that I needed a specific breach plug for blackhorn 209.  After reading your post I researched it.  Apparently I can use the stock breach plug, but the BH breach improves accuracy.  I already bought some 209 so I will order the breach plug as well.  Thanks again!

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So far the only bullets I've purchased are the Hornady SSt 250 grain bullets.  I'm planning on trying additional bullets, but these are the only good ones that Bass Pro Shops had when I went.

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Here is my set up so far.  I still need a funnel and a brass powder measuring device.  Anything else you guys recommend?

20190112_101213.jpg

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I have the optima magnum takes 150 grains of powder, I have had good luck with the Hornady, use sweets to clean it.  Can you change out the barrel to the 45 cal.  I saw catfish on Sunday, he's getting hairier. Lol. Nice gun

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Most  inlines  are great guns these days. you've got a great set-up. 

I borrowed  a knight  one yr.-- I used 90 grains pyrodex and 300 grain powerbelts.   100 yrds  -a perfect clover leaf you could cover with a quarter.

I was hooked. the - maybe the luckiest- longest  shot to date with this setup  was  250 yrd.  dead antelope.

A lot of improvements in guns - bullets  and powders  since  then. same setup dropped a big 6x6 bull at  100 yrds this  yr.

What I found interesting  with powerbelts-- you can snap finger spin them--  they will stand and spin like a top-  talk about balanced.

 

Good luck  and have  fun with your new present.

On a side note.  150 grains of any powder  may kick your shoulder out. 

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I shoot 300 grain MZ Expanders and 100 grains of 209. I have found with my Optima that the heavier bullet gives me more accuracy. Also have found in my setup a solvent cleaner every 5-7 shots gives me an accuracy improvement too. One thing to keep in mind is that it seems every gun seems to like a particular load. I have owned 2 Knights, the Optima and a  700M. What shot well in one gun didn't mean it was going to shoot well in the others.

This is a 300 grain MZ Expander pulled from a deer I shot at 150 yds quartering away. It went through the hip and lodged under the shoulder skin on the opposite side

1231091022.JPG

barnes 300 mz expander.JPG

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Cleaning is easy with the 209 powder just pull the breach plug and run the 20ga bore snake thru the barrel a couple times. Clean the breech plug and your back at it.  

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My father has a CVA muzzleloader. Shoots 100 grains with pellets and Hornady SST 250 grains. He has killed many deer with it and it's very accurate. You have a solid weapon to hunt with. 

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