# Muzzle Loader Suggestions



## Rock8104 (Oct 24, 2013)

I've been gifted Cabela's GCs for Christmas. I'd like to pick up an entry level muzzle loader so I'm stuck between a T/C Impact and CVA Optima V2. I've read some bad stuff on the Impacts Breach Plug.

Any thoughts on a good starter muzzle loader that I can grab from Cabela's?


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## BigDub007 (Apr 1, 2010)

CVS optima hands down save up for a Nikon xr 300 inline muzzleloader scope , I use blackthorn 209 115 grains of powder and a Barnes 300 grain expander boattail and you will be pleasantly surprised on how accurate they are . I use the Knight disc extreme with the Nikon XR 300 scope and I highly doubt if I'll ever use my shotgun again if that tells you anything.


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## Rock8104 (Oct 24, 2013)

Thanks for the quick reply. Should I buy the package that comes with the scope? 3-9 x40 Konus Scope and mount or just get the gun and buy the Nikon? 

http://www.cabelas.com/product/CVA-...b&CQ_search=muzzleloader&categoryId=734095080


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## BigDub007 (Apr 1, 2010)

Honestly you should be just fine with the scope that comes with it every gun shoots different powder charges and sabbots better than others. I would start at around 100 grains of powder and work your way up in 5 grain increments until you find that sweet spot your gun likes until you find the sweet spot your gun likes


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## BigDub007 (Apr 1, 2010)

Some guns like 250 grain slugs and some like 275 and so on and so on my Knight disc extreme shoots out to 200 yards accurately with a 300 grain Barnes expander. It took me a while to find a load my gun really liked. If you use the Blackhorn gunpowder you do not have to swab your gun in between shots


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## sherman51 (Apr 12, 2011)

I have the accura v2 and it is an awesome gun with the konus scope on it. I have a tc encore that I was using then my older brother bought me the thumb hole stock and ss bergara barrel. I switch to the v2 and like it better than the encore. I can take it to the range and shoot many shots then still be able to unscrew the breach plug by hand with no trouble. I shoot 150 grns of triple seven powder with a 240 gr bullet and it has awesome accuracy with the bergara barrel. you'll love the way they feel the way they shoot and the easiest muzzleloader I have ever cleaned. hope this review helps you out.
sherman


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## Fishballz (Aug 15, 2015)

I'd like tack on a question for you seasoned ml guys. I have an older CVA that I love and shoot confidently out to 150 yds. I've always shot the pyrodex pellets as the come in 50 grain pre measured pellets. My gun can shoot 150 grains but found I have better accuracy with 100 grains. Question is, is there an advantage to shooting powder as opposed to the pellets?


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## Tritonman (Jul 4, 2004)

Impacts have done us good. No breach plug problems. Dead nuts on at 150 yrds. Hornady sst. Thompson center is really reputable!


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## DontDoubtTheJones (Oct 25, 2016)

OP, I have a CVA Accura that has the older style plug. Great shooting gun, I use 100 grains of BlackHorn and Barnes expander


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## DontDoubtTheJones (Oct 25, 2016)

Fishballz said:


> I'd like tack on a question for you seasoned ml guys. I have an older CVA that I love and shoot confidently out to 150 yds. I've always shot the pyrodex pellets as the come in 50 grain pre measured pellets. My gun can shoot 150 grains but found I have better accuracy with 100 grains. Question is, is there an advantage to shooting powder as opposed to the pellets?


The Blackhorn 209 powder is awesome stuff. Cleans up easily, shots are more accurate & goes boom every time. It is the only stuff I will use now.


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## 9Left (Jun 23, 2012)

.....


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## supercanoe (Jun 12, 2006)

I shoot a CVA Optima with 2 50 grain pyrodex pellets and 250 grain Hornady sst bullets. It shoots 1" groups off the bench at 100 yards. I've had it for awhile. Easy to clean, and always goes bang. I am very happy with it.


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## FAB (May 26, 2013)

CVA APEX here, 100 grains of BH209 Hornady sst . . 200 yard gun , have killed 2 deer with it over 200. Have the Nikon BDC scope. The gun closest to it now days is the Accura V2. Same barrel and frame but not interchangeable barrels .


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## capt.scott (Jun 27, 2007)

Fishballz said:


> I'd like tack on a question for you seasoned ml guys. I have an older CVA that I love and shoot confidently out to 150 yds. I've always shot the pyrodex pellets as the come in 50 grain pre measured pellets. My gun can shoot 150 grains but found I have better accuracy with 100 grains. Question is, is there an advantage to shooting powder as opposed to the pellets?


There is quit a bit of variance in the weight of the pellets. If you put the pellets on a scale you will see the differance in weight between each pellet. Have been shooting Blackthorn since it came out. I weigh each load out on my digital reloading scale. I store in pill bottles. I think it makes a differance in accuracy.


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## cb55 (Jan 4, 2014)

Scot turned me on to this Blackhorn powder I shot pellets for years and will not go back. Makes a world of difference on consistency of your pattern. Also he showed me a trick of cleaning out your breech plug with a 1/8 inch drill bit between every few shots it makes a big difference. The blackhorn is so much cleaner. With the blackhorn I can shoot same hole groups on a bench consistently at 100 yards


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## 9Left (Jun 23, 2012)

an 1/8" drill bit? please explain


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## capt.scott (Jun 27, 2007)

Use the 1/8" drill bit for ( CVA and TC) to clean carbon build up in the flash channel of your breach plug. When the channel becomes restricted with carbon build up it will create miss fires and reduce your accuracy.


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## Fishballz (Aug 15, 2015)

Thanks, that's a good tip! And now I understand why one could make an argument for the powder. I have had two shots that didn't go boom. One on a deer and one at the range in the many years. Then I converted to a 209 and yet to had a miss fire. Might have to give it a try, just liked the ease of the pellets


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## Snook (Aug 19, 2008)

Blackhorn 209 is the way to go. It burns hotter(higher velocity) and much cleaner. Both of which in its self should increase accuracy in muzzleloaders. Downfall is that it does cost more.
Loose powder should shoot more accurate than pellets. Pellets are for convenience - not accuracy(and they cost more money). Some 209 primers burn hotter than others too. Lots variables when it comes to muzzle loader accuracy. And each person will have his or her own opinion on the definition of "accurate"


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## slimdaddy45 (Aug 27, 2007)

Fishballz said:


> I'd like tack on a question for you seasoned ml guys. I have an older CVA that I love and shoot confidently out to 150 yds. I've always shot the pyrodex pellets as the come in 50 grain pre measured pellets. My gun can shoot 150 grains but found I have better accuracy with 100 grains. Question is, is there an advantage to shooting powder as opposed to the pellets?


Yes there is maybe your gun will shoot better with say 110 grns or 90 so yes you can tweek it to shoot better with loose pellets you cant do that but if your guns shoots great with pellets use them


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## Rock8104 (Oct 24, 2013)

Someone on another site mentioned that if I buy the stock CVA Optima, I would have to purchase a different plug to use BH209. Is that a correct statement and if so, what plug do I need?


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## capt.scott (Jun 27, 2007)

Rock8104 said:


> Someone on another site mentioned that if I buy the stock CVA Optima, I would have to purchase a different plug to use BH209. Is that a correct statement and if so, what plug do I need?


Yes you will need to buy a CVA blackthorn specific breech plug. It will have BH stamped on it. Cost about 30 bucks.


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## capt.scott (Jun 27, 2007)

If you go to Western Powders web site they have alot of great information on it. Proper breach plug cleaning, CVA breach plugs, recommended 209 primers ect. Well worth taking a look at.


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## FAB (May 26, 2013)

Rock8104 said:


> Someone on another site mentioned that if I buy the stock CVA Optima, I would have to purchase a different plug to use BH209. Is that a correct statement and if so, what plug do I need?


BH209 requires a little more to ignite it so the flash orifice needs to be a little larger or the powder a little closer to the primer. The redesigned breech plug does both. As long as you use 209 shotgun primers (not 209 muzzle loader primers) the gun will work 99% of the time without a misfire. What I have done in place of buying a new plug was simply open the flash about .003 of an inch ( this can be done by twisting a slightly larger than the opening drill bit into the orifice with fingers only. If it takes more than two fingers to twist the bit, it's too big. Best bet is just to order a new plug from CVA. If you do that you must fully seat the new plug into the barrel and then tighten it another 1\4 turn or the plug will not clear the lock mechanism on barrel and you will not be able to open the gun back up without considerable force.


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## 9Left (Jun 23, 2012)

I figured you were talking about the 1/8 inch drill bit for cleaning the flash channel… It makes sense.. it just seems to me like a 1/8 inch drill bit is entirely too big for that purpose ..I always used the nipple pic to clean it out, which is much much much smaller than an 1/8 inch drill bit


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## roundheadjig (Nov 9, 2016)

sherman51 said:


> I have the accura v2 and it is an awesome gun with the konus scope on it. I have a tc encore that I was using then my older brother bought me the thumb hole stock and ss bergara barrel. I switch to the v2 and like it better than the encore. I can take it to the range and shoot many shots then still be able to unscrew the breach plug by hand with no trouble. I shoot 150 grns of triple seven powder with a 240 gr bullet and it has awesome accuracy with the bergara barrel. you'll love the way they feel the way they shoot and the easiest muzzleloader I have ever cleaned. hope this review helps you out.
> sherman





FAB said:


> CVA APEX here, 100 grains of BH209 Hornady sst . . 200 yard gun , have killed 2 deer with it over 200. Have the Nikon BDC scope. The gun closest to it now days is the Accura V2. Same barrel and frame but not interchangeable barrels .


Get a 45 caliber use 190 grain power belts 150 grain 777 it's lighter shoot flat and long and use a good scope


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## sherman51 (Apr 12, 2011)

I've been using pellets for some time and they work great for me. now if I was shooting competition then I would weigh my powder. but for normal shooting I can get 1" groups at 100 yrds off a bench using triple seven pellets. and I don't take shots much over 100 yrds. if I planned on shooting a muzzleloader long range I would buy one of those long range muzzleloaders that uses 4 of the 50 grn pellets.
sherman


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## roundheadjig (Nov 9, 2016)

sherman51 said:


> I've been using pellets for some time and they work great for me. now if I was shooting competition then I would weigh my powder. but for normal shooting I can get 1" groups at 100 yrds off a bench using triple seven pellets. and I don't take shots much over 100 yrds. if I planned on shooting a muzzleloader long range I would buy one of those long range muzzleloaders that uses 4 of the 50 grn pellets.
> sherman


Haven't heard much about that loading ........ I read that some of the modern smokeless muzzle loaders shoot allot of powder. Even 150 grains of 777 is more than I enjoy shooting at the range.


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## sherman51 (Apr 12, 2011)

those rifles I mentioned used a Remington 700 action and uses rifle casings and primers. but they cost around 2500.00 to 3500.00 per rifle. and they are able to make 500 yrd shots. check out ultimatefirearms.com and watch the videos. shows how easy they load and clean, and shows them making a 500 yrd shot. check it out just for fun.
sherman


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