CVA Optima NW muzzle loader owners

[Carl]

Hi All,

I ordered one and it came in. I’ll be starting the process of working up a load as soon as I get back in town.  I’m interested in what my CVA Optima brothers have had good results with.  I’m working on a .50 cal. Elk load.

Powder:
CVA recommends White Hot pellets, but then I hear that’s only for 209 primers.   I’ll be using the #1075 percussion caps.   Have you had good luck with some other pellets or better results with loose powder? 

Bullet:
PowerBelt or sabot? 

CVA seems to recommend PowerBelts.  I see PowerBelt has 348 gr. and 405 gr.  I’ll try both to see which shoots better out of my ML.  Is anyone shooting/preferring sabots?

Thanks for the input.  I know the correct answer is to try different combinations and see what shoots the best out of my ML.    I’m just hoping to keep the powder/bullet buying to a minimum.

Thanks very much for the suggestions,
Carl

[Damnimissed]

CVA recommends Power Belts because they are a CVA product. They are junk IMO. Please, if you are hunting elk, go with sabots and a quality bullet, not a very thin copper plated full bore conical with a high luster. They are fine for deer sized game, but even then id stick to the 348gr. Also, I'd recommend 777 loose over pellets, as its easier to ignite and no more difficult to load than pellets and you aren't stuck with only 50 or 30 grain increments. Good luck experimenting!

[Carl]

Thanks Damnimissed,

It sounds like people are leaning toward sabots. 

Carl

[MarkyMark]

For deer I worked up Hornady 250grain FTX .451 caliber bullets with 100grain 777 using the black colored Harvester crush rib sabots. The FTX bullets are on the shelf regularly at Cabelas.
 

[JJB11B]

just curious if anyone has tried the T/C 250 gr controlled expansion sabots with yellow ballistic tips. Thats about all I could find in walla walla. I bought two packages of them to shoot. So far I think I need to change something tho as the grouping isn't acceptable to me. Being a rifle/ archery guy I may be expecting too much. Whats a good Muzzy group? I'm currently running 100 Gr of 777 FFG with the German 1075 caps

[MarkyMark]

I think but don't quote me that those are the same as the Hornady FTX that I'm talking about but with neon yellow tips made by Hornady for TC.
I'm getting about 3-4" groups at 100 yards with the open sights. I'm a novice shooter.

[MarkyMark]

JJB11B here is a pic to show you what I'm rambling about.

And that is the Harvester crush rib sabot looks like. Order them online through cabelas.

Then for elk I will be offering them the Lehigh 275 grain Bloodlines machined from brass. They are really tight fitters. You'll be glad you have a palm saver ramrod to get the Bloodlines down. But they shoot real well in my NW Optima with 100 of 777.

Opening day is just around the corner. Good luck!!!

[Pete112288]

When it comes to Powerbelts and elk I have one suggestion... Just say no. Thats what I shot to begin with. The 348 grain aero tips. They shot amazing groups and loaded great but when I got them on elk it was no good. One went flat as a pancake before it made its way through the first lung on a broadside shot. It never made it any farther than that close side lung and the only bone it hit was 1 rib. that was at 60 yards. Also, in a cow I killed I found a powerbelt inside the rear quarter only 8 inches in or so and it hadnt hit bone either. Know a guy that lost a nice bull because he took a shot at a modest angle but just barely hit the shoulder and the bullet never made it past that shoulder. That was less than 100 yards as well. Also, I missed 3 elk with powerbelts in the brush less than 30 yard shots because they deflect off of light brush I swear worse then an arrow would (maybe not that bad but its pretty bad). I like the heavy conicals for elk.

[Damnimissed]

Here's the biggest piece of a 348gr powerbelt recovered from my bull last year. This was from the 3rd shot, a neck shot at 20 yards that only incapacitated him, didnt kill him.

[JJB11B]

My buddy told me to stay away from the all lead bullets becuase the energy retention sucks and that they have very poor penetration.

[MountainDevil54]

when using pure lead bullets with hollow points, you have to drive them slow in order for them to function properly.

Try the 348gr lead Flat Point or the 405 - 444 powerbelt.

Do you have to use lead bullets or can they have copper on them?

[JJB11B]

you can now shoot jacketed bullets. As this is my first muzzy season I have no experiance to draw on really. I just want to find a load that works...I can shoot well enough to shoot a deer in the head at 100yds with open sights. I just need to get a reliable load and becuase I do have a LOT of powder and bullets to shoot I think I will keep trying. I will up my charge to 110 Grains and try in the am. Hopefully Im not threadjacking here

[Pete112288]

They can have copper. Maybe worth noting, I wanted bigger conicals because I hunt an area that is all thick thick stuff and they are what I have heard the best reviews about when it comes to less deflection on brush and if I only have a shoulder shot then the heavy conicals would be the best bet.

[MountainDevil54]

In that case, Thor Bullets would be my go to Conical. 100% copper, excellent gas seal and priced right with a Powerbelt. Push them as hard as you can and they are not going to come apart.

[Rgrady35]

I'm shooting the Thor bullets this year for the first time. They seem pretty consistent, we'll see...

[JJB11B]

Well I got my Muzzy dialed in finally, The trick was adding a little ooomf. I changed my load to 110Gr. of FFG and those TC bullets really shoot nice. I shot a 1.5 inch group at 100yds and then shot a milk jug at 200yds. LETS GO HUNTING!!!

[MarkyMark]

Yes! I love it when a plan comes together...

[Damnimissed]

Good deal! 

[huntnnw]

Another thing with lead is go BIG... I use to shoot 460gr when were all lead here. All lead is about the worst thing when you got people that think faster is better and dont put time into muzzys to understand how they work