# Cva optima v2



## bradley4 (Mar 31, 2014)

Bought one from fin feather and fur today. Paired it with a 4x12 vortex scope. Any one have one? Good reviews? What powder/bullet setups do you guys use?


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## Burkcarp1 (Dec 24, 2016)

I have the optima pro and love it. I shoot 150 gr. Pellets triple 7 and power belts. 200 + yds. Is no problem.


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## sherman51 (Apr 12, 2011)

i have the v2 and love the gun but haven't got to use it on a deer yet. i bought the thumb hole stock with the scope, but right off hand i don't remember the power's on the scope. but it shoots great and is the easiest ml i have ever cleaned. right now I'm using 150 grns of pyrodex 3 50 grn pellets and 250 grn cva slickloads. but you cant get the slickloads any more so when mine are gone i'll be looking for something else.
sherman


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## halfrack (Oct 13, 2004)

I have one bought it last year killed a doe and was pleased. But I started using Black Horn 209 70 gr by weight with a Barnes 250 gr T-EZ FB . They were 2 in high at 100 yds. Like the gun a lot very light and easy to clean. I want to try some different loads before Muzzy season if the weather lets me.


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## bigwayned (Jul 7, 2015)

I love mine. I took the scope off that came with it and put fiber optic rifle sights on it,just my preference for how I hunt. I shoot 100 grains of 777 and 250 grains powerbelt aerolites and it shoots great. I think you'll be pleased.


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## gotta hit (Dec 11, 2007)

just bought one yesterday, came with a scope already konus pro 3-9x40


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## sherman51 (Apr 12, 2011)

yeah i checked and mine has the thumbhole stock with the konus 3x10x44 scope on it. i have one of the tc encore ml's and its a great deer gun. but i just like the v2 i have and been hunting with it the last few yrs.
sherman


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## Smitty82 (Mar 13, 2011)

MY wife surprised me with a optima v2 this weekend for my birthday. I’m excited for the challenge and learning experience. I did order the cva blackhorn 209 breech plug yesterday. I’m stoked to get out and shoot it.


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## Smitty82 (Mar 13, 2011)

halfrack said:


> I have one bought it last year killed a doe and was pleased. But I started using Black Horn 209 70 gr by weight with a Barnes 250 gr T-EZ FB . They were 2 in high at 100 yds. Like the gun a lot very light and easy to clean. I want to try some different loads before Muzzy season if the weather lets me.


What kind of scale do you have to measure it by weight? Most of the reviews I have read said that they get better consistentcy with the blackhorn by weighing it rather than measure it by volume.


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## fastwater (Apr 1, 2014)

Smitty82 said:


> What kind of scale do you have to measure it by weight? Most of the reviews I have read said that they get better consistentcy with the blackhorn by weighing it rather than measure it by volume.


Lundy posted the type of powder scale he uses on a thread in the Bucks and Does forum. Thread is titled: Muzzleloader shooting SST Hornady/ Thompson performance.
FWIW, there's some good info on shooting BH in general in that thread also. Too, I have the same rcbs scale and use it Spot checking powder weights when loading pistol cartridges with turret loader and will also vouch that its a good scale.

Lundy's post about scale he uses:
_
I use Blackhorn 209 in one of my MZ's that I set up for my Daughter-in-law. In my opinion it is easily the best power available today._

_
I use a beam type scale to weigh my smokeless loads and my Blackhorn loads.(see below for BH209)
_
_http://www.cabelas.com/product/shoo.../rcbs-m-mechanical-scale/1979041.uts?slotId=0_

*BUT PLEASE READ THE BLACKHORN LOAD DATA PRIOR TO SHOOTING.*
_http://www.blackhorn209.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/b209muzzleloaderdata.pdf_
_
They show load data in VOLUMETRIC measure like you would for T7 or Pyrodex. A 100 grain load by volume is only 70 grains of actual weight. If you weigh out 100 grains of BH209 on a scale you could have a very dangerous load in your gun._


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## bradley4 (Mar 31, 2014)

Shot mine for first time today. Man does that thing shoot accurate and smooth. Took me 4 adjustment shots to get dialed in. 3 holes at 50 yards all touching. 100 yards within a 2” group. Shooting 100 grain of 777 and 245 grain Powerbelt.


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## Lundy (Apr 5, 2004)

Shoot what you want but there are countless reviews of exactly what this picture shows. This yearling was shot from less than 40 yds away by a young neighbor boy on the property I hunt. He hit in the shoulder bone and like the reports all say the 245 gr. Powerbelt just exploded. We found







hair, meat and a little blood. It showed up on my camera a week later. I never saw that deer again in person or on any of the cameras. I doubt it made it through the winter.


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## halfrack (Oct 13, 2004)

Your a lucky man and have a good wife. Well I bought a accura V2 MR nitrate mountain rifle last year it shoots very good. I also use BH 209 powder great stuff. I use by weight 70 gr it equals 100 grain by volume. Last year I was shooting 56 gr but bumped it up this year . But I did kill a doe at 80 yds with that load. I sighted it in again Thursday using 70 gr by weight with Barnes SpitFire TEZ 250 grn. After a cpl adjustments was dead on 2 in high at 50 then 1.5 high dead on at 100 bullets hitting same hole. Then went out to 135 yards they hit 1 in high dead on and same hole . I did like being able to load 12 rounds with out cleaning and they all loaded easy. But after I was sighted in I cleaned the barrel good to see how they shot at each distance with a clean barrel. All yardage’s were spot on. Oh the scope I have on it is a Inline Muzzy scope Nikon BDC . Good luck sorry so long winded.


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## halfrack (Oct 13, 2004)

Here is a pic of the scale I use and bought from Cabelas in Avon. What I did was weighed the loads from 56 to 84 gr. Then poured them in my brass powder measure from 80 to 120 gr. Then I marked the powder measure in what it was in the weight. So when I went to the range I just used the powder measure. I bought that scale because of the good reviews and was cheap.


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## Smitty82 (Mar 13, 2011)

Lundy said:


> Shoot what you want but there are countless reviews of exactly what this picture shows. This yearling was shot from less than 40 yds away by a young neighbor boy on the property I hunt. He hit in the shoulder bone and like the reports all say the 245 gr. Powerbelt just exploded. We found
> View attachment 251450
> hair, meat and a little blood. It showed up on my camera a week later. I never saw that deer again in person or on any of the cameras. I doubt it made it through the winter.


That’s crazy


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## fastwater (Apr 1, 2014)

halfrack said:


> Your a lucky man and have a good wife. Well I bought a accura V2 MR nitrate mountain rifle last year it shoots very good. I also use BH 209 powder great stuff. I use by weight 70 gr it equals 100 grain by volume. Last year I was shooting 56 gr but bumped it up this year . But I did kill a doe at 80 yds with that load. I sighted it in again Thursday using 70 gr by weight with Barnes SpitFire TEZ 250 grn. After a cpl adjustments was dead on 2 in high at 50 then 1.5 high dead on at 100 bullets hitting same hole. Then went out to 135 yards they hit 1 in high dead on and same hole . I did like being able to load 12 rounds with out cleaning and they all loaded easy. But after I was sighted in I cleaned the barrel good to see how they shot at each distance with a clean barrel. All yardage’s were spot on. Oh the scope I have on it is a Inline Muzzy scope Nikon BDC . Good luck sorry so long winded.


halfrack, have you been on Nikons sight that will give you the different yardages for the your rifle, load you've chosen and the scope you have when using the BDC?
Kinda fun to play around with and see the different MOI when switching from one power to another..and surprisingly, fairly accurate.

Go here and plug in the required info to get your particular info(also fun to plug in other powder charges,bullet weights etc to see their ballistics as well):
http://spoton.nikonsportoptics.com/


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## halfrack (Oct 13, 2004)

fastwater said:


> halfrack, have you been on Nikons sight that will give you the different yardages for the your rifle, load you've chosen and the scope you have when using the BDC?
> Kinda fun to play around with and see the different MOI when switching from one power to another..and surprisingly, fairly accurate.
> 
> Go here and plug in the required info to get your particular info(also fun to plug in other powder charges,bullet weights etc to see their ballistics as well):
> http://spoton.nikonsportoptics.com/


No I haven’t done that yet but want to. I was limited on time and haven’t had the chance yet but I will.


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## fastwater (Apr 1, 2014)

halfrack said:


> No I haven’t done that yet but want to. I was limited on time and haven’t had the chance yet but I will.


Its neat...have fun!


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## Smitty82 (Mar 13, 2011)

My buddy Roy aka TXflatsfishin recovered this Barnes bullet from the buck he shot this year.


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## Lundy (Apr 5, 2004)

That is special, Not many ever get recovered, they normally just pass through. Any chance he shot that deer stem to stern or visa versa. That is normally the only way you ever get to recover one.


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## TXflatsfishin (Jun 3, 2010)

shot it in the neck area going low to high and recovered it by the throat, never thought it would be there. must have hit something somewhere


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## TXflatsfishin (Jun 3, 2010)

shooting barnes spit fire T-ez 250gr with 2 triple 7 pellets.


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## Burkcarp1 (Dec 24, 2016)

Lundy said:


> Shoot what you want but there are countless reviews of exactly what this picture shows. This yearling was shot from less than 40 yds away by a young neighbor boy on the property I hunt. He hit in the shoulder bone and like the reports all say the 245 gr. Powerbelt just exploded. We found
> View attachment 251450
> hair, meat and a little blood. It showed up on my camera a week later. I never saw that deer again in person or on any of the cameras. I doubt it made it through the winter.


Looks like he just grazed it. Don't know if I could blame that on a bullet.


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## Lundy (Apr 5, 2004)

Burkcarp1 said:


> Looks like he just grazed it. Don't know if I could blame that on a bullet.


I can easily blame it on the bullet. He shot from an elevated stand and more importantly that performance is the same as reported by many, many, many other hunters with similar results from that same bullet. It is not a coincidence. That bullet has a proven history of exploding on impact with far less than desirable results.


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## fastwater (Apr 1, 2014)

^^^Especially if pushed with higher/magnum charges.^^^


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## Junebug2320 (Apr 23, 2010)

Bought a ML this Fall and it included two packages of the PB 250gr bullets. Any problems with those? Would 5more gr make a substantial difference?? I’ve looked and found a few articles about the 245gr—. I dont bother with another “pellet” seems two does its job and the third only makes a difference on my shoulder—.


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## bobk (Apr 30, 2004)

PB's are made to load easy. That's the only thing good about them. Great marketing and terrible performance.


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## T-180 (Oct 18, 2005)

My son shot a small doe with the 245 gr PB through the shoulder & it absolutely exploded on that small deer. Destroyed almost all the meat on the entry side & tons off blood in the meat on the backside shoulder. Fragments of that bullet were everywhere & not one piece exited. That deer still ran 40 yards or so. He switched to Barnes after that & will never, ever go back.


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## M.Magis (Apr 5, 2004)

Weird, I've shot more deer than I care to remember with PB bullets, and know plenty of other people who use them. I don't know of one instance of bullet failure. I won't pretend it's the best thing out there, but it kills deer just as dead as any other bullet I've used. Of course I try not to shoot through the leg/shoulder bones, and I'm not trying to shoot the hottest load my shoulder can handle.


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## FAB (May 26, 2013)

Smitty82 said:


> MY wife surprised me with a optima v2 this weekend for my birthday. I’m excited for the challenge and learning experience. I did order the cva blackhorn 209 breech plug yesterday. I’m stoked to get out and shoot it.


Smitty, when you put that new breech plug in the rifle the first time , you have to seat it as tight as you can , then remove it and do the entire process over about 3 times before you ever close the gun. Otherwise you will have trouble opening the gun because the breech plug will not be seated all the way. Don't forget that with the BH 209 powder you will have to use regular 209 shotgun primers not ones designed for black power.


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## M R DUCKS (Feb 20, 2010)

regarding powerbelts, there ARE at least 5 different types. * Different ones for different uses*, powder charges , etc.
I use to use them...never had a problem or lost a deer or had a deer go very far at all with them. I used the regular copper coated hollow point, 295 grn, with 100 grns of T7. These would expend their energy in the deer...a lot of destruction, but generally not a pass through. Obviously with a pass through you are wasting some energy.
I decided that IF and or WHEN I get a chance at a real monster of a deer that I would prefer a better chance of a pass through in case a tracking job became necessary. I have since switched to a 300 grn XTP bullet and Black Horn powder. At this time, the only other bullet I would consider is the Barnes Expander. 
I have NOT been impressed with a friends T/C Shockwave.
Muzzleloader bullets are made to "perform" at specific velocities.
* note: deer don't usually drop in their tracks.


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## M R DUCKS (Feb 20, 2010)

double post computer gremlin...


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## fastwater (Apr 1, 2014)

bobk said:


> PB's are made to load easy. That's the only thing good about them. Great marketing and terrible performance.


And with todays advancement of sabot's along with the wide selection of various sabot's and bullets, working up a bullet/sabot combo that loads just as easily as the PB, is just as(most likely more) accurate as the PB and has much better terminal performance on game is not hard to do in most cases.
Surely a sabot'ed bullet combo has a much flatter tragectory than any PB load due to less blow by.
In short, IMO, today PB's are extremely dated technology.

Again, I can remember when CVA bought the patent for the PB's from Big Bore Express and really started big time marketing PB's. At that time, with much less selection of other sabot's/bullets to choose from, PB's were the latest/greatest thing out there. Most guys that were currently shooting m/l at that time were used to very hard loading rounds. There used to be a couple sayings back in the flintlock/cap lock days when it came to loading. One was same as today..."it's all about consistency".
The second was one referring to loading pressure..."the tighter,the better".
With the advancement over the years of inlines,their ignition systems,barrel twist, powders,primers and available bullet/sabot combos

Today...that second old saying is just not so...


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## Burkcarp1 (Dec 24, 2016)

fastwater said:


> And with todays advancement of sabot's along with the wide selection of various sabot's and bullets, working up a bullet/sabot combo that loads just as easily as the PB, is just as(most likely more) accurate as the PB and has much better terminal performance on game is not hard to do in most cases.
> Surely a sabot'ed bullet combo has a much flatter tragectory than any PB load due to less blow by.
> In short, IMO, today PB's are extremely dated technology.
> 
> ...


There is no sabot on the market today that will load as easy as a PB that I am aware of. I have tried 5 different ones (sabots)and everyone loads very hard. Not saying they don't preform well otherwise just that I haven't found any that load easily as a PB. That's why people want to use them so they don't have to fight to get a bullet down the barrel.


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## FAB (May 26, 2013)

Burkcarp1 said:


> There is no sabot on the market today that will load as easy as a PB that I am aware of. I have tried 5 different ones (sabots)and everyone loads very hard. Not saying they don't preform well otherwise just that I haven't found any that load easily as a PB. That's why people want to use them so they don't have to fight to get a bullet down the barrel.


That all went away when I switched to Black Horn 209 loads the same after one shot or 20 does not matter. More power, less sensitive to moisture


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## fastwater (Apr 1, 2014)

Burkcarp1 said:


> There is no sabot on the market today that will load as easy as a PB that I am aware of. I have tried 5 different ones (sabots)and everyone loads very hard. Not saying they don't preform well otherwise just that I haven't found any that load easily as a PB. That's why people want to use them so they don't have to fight to get a bullet down the barrel.


What rifle/powder are you shooting?


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## Burkcarp1 (Dec 24, 2016)

fastwater said:


> What rifle/powder are you shooting?


Cva optima pro with triple 7


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## FAB (May 26, 2013)

fastwater said:


> What rifle/powder are you shooting?


I used to shoot that but the starch in it is horrible for reloading after 3 or 4 shots.


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## fastwater (Apr 1, 2014)

Burkcarp1 said:


> Cva optima pro with triple 7


What loads(bullet/sabot combos) have you tried and do you swab between shots?
Have you tried cleaner powders such as White Hots or BH209?


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## fastwater (Apr 1, 2014)

fastwater said:


> What rifle/powder are you shooting?





FAB said:


> I used to shoot that but the starch in it is horrible for reloading after 3 or 4 shots.


???


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## Brahmabull71 (Jul 30, 2014)

Lundy said:


> I can easily blame it on the bullet. He shot from an elevated stand and more importantly that performance is the same as reported by many, many, many other hunters with similar results from that same bullet. It is not a coincidence. That bullet has a proven history of exploding on impact with far less than desirable results.


Absolutely an accurate account. I have had it happen twice. The second account was three years ago I was on a deer drive and a large Doe came running 12 yards quartering toward me. I was shooting 245 grain PB with 150 grains 777 pellets out of my TC Omega. I put it right on her and rolled her up landing 7 yards in front of me (I was behind a large forked tree on the ground). Perfect center shot in the shoulder. Absolutely blew a hole the size of a plate with her shoulder/meat hanging out. Thought I killed her and while I was busy reloading, she somehow got up and ran down to the next young man down the way from me. He finished her off. It was absolutely the damndest thing I’ve ever seen. I will absolutely NEVER use another one after this experience. I’m in it for meat and a clean kill. This bullet cost me both and had no punch power through bone. I have killed several deer when shot through the heart and lungs, but bone is not good with these bullets.


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## Smitty82 (Mar 13, 2011)

FAB said:


> Smitty, when you put that new breech plug in the rifle the first time , you have to seat it as tight as you can , then remove it and do the entire process over about 3 times before you ever close the gun. Otherwise you will have trouble opening the gun because the breech plug will not be seated all the way. Don't forget that with the BH 209 powder you will have to use regular 209 shotgun primers not ones designed for black power.


Good looking out! When I got the rifle I read through the manual and it said to do that. It was one of the first things I did. I have not done that process with my bh plug yet. Today was the first day I shot it. I was gifted thriple 7 pelets and 250g traditions smackdown sst sabots for Christmas. I was happy with the results so I am going to use this setup for ml season. After late ml season I’m going to start working with blackhorn and different projectiles.


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## ironman172 (Apr 12, 2009)

My county season is over (so no ml needed) so far pleased with the pb 245 with2 triple 7 loads....I would think bullet placement would be the key to performance (pass throughs) or not shotgun slugs have been found in shoulders before....I only have experienced 2 kills with them and both path throughs....heck the ribs I cut with a knife to remove the sternum....distance ,angle and shot placement would affect performance. ....I am stuck using them, have stocked up at the end of the year clearances. ...after a shotI swab the barrel with a wonder lube patch.....after 3 or 4 run a brush....seems the fire from ignition melts the pastic and needs cleaned.....no problem hunting 1 shot one kill, but the secound still loads easily, and maybe a 3rd
still have a store bought tag , but done hunting in Hocking county (land owner) and filled my buck tag too....so open to huntin other counties for a doe


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## M R DUCKS (Feb 20, 2010)

opinion
the "exploding" Powerbelt might be because it is being pushed too fast...150 grns of powder.
check this out.

*How to use a Powerbelt Bullet Correctly - HuntingNet.com Forums*
https://www.huntingnet.com/forum/..


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## M.Magis (Apr 5, 2004)

Brahmabull71 said:


> Absolutely an accurate account. I have had it happen twice. The second account was three years ago I was on a deer drive and a large Doe came running 12 yards quartering toward me. I was shooting 245 grain PB with 150 grains 777 pellets out of my TC Omega. I put it right on her and rolled her up landing 7 yards in front of me (I was behind a large forked tree on the ground). Perfect center shot in the shoulder. Absolutely blew a hole the size of a plate with her shoulder/meat hanging out. Thought I killed her and while I was busy reloading, she somehow got up and ran down to the next young man down the way from me. He finished her off. It was absolutely the damndest thing I’ve ever seen. I will absolutely NEVER use another one after this experience. I’m in it for meat and a clean kill. This bullet cost me both and had no punch power through bone. I have killed several deer when shot through the heart and lungs, but bone is not good with these bullets.


Again, not saying PBs are great, but that result had little to do with the bullet. Shooting bone, at near point blank range, while pushing a light bullet with a 150 grain charge is almost always going to cause a bullet to explode. I’ve even seen it with a 12 guage slug.


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## bradley4 (Mar 31, 2014)

Well....it’s in fact true. Put the new CVA to use on Saturday. Shot me a doe at 15 yards. Double lung and heart shot. Zero blood for 50 yards and she still went 100-120 yards. SAD. Will no longer be using PB next uear


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## halfrack (Oct 13, 2004)

bradley4 said:


> Well....it’s in fact true. Put the new CVA to use on Saturday. Shot me a doe at 15 yards. Double lung and heart shot. Zero blood for 50 yards and she still went 100-120 yards. SAD. Will no longer be using PB next uear


Well try some Barnes bullets next year. All the deer I have shot either dropped in the tracks or went 10 yds and fell over. But they were all shot in the lungs with a awesome blood trail.







. Shot her at 50 yds yesterday with a Barnes 250 grn TEZ. Plus shot another one in the afternoon and she dropped in her tracks and it was 70 yds.


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## M.Magis (Apr 5, 2004)

bradley4 said:


> Well....it’s in fact true. Put the new CVA to use on Saturday. Shot me a doe at 15 yards. Double lung and heart shot. Zero blood for 50 yards and she still went 100-120 yards. SAD. Will no longer be using PB next uear


And one more time, that's not really a bullet issue. It's a shot placement issue. Shots that go through the front elbow don't typically bleed well because the meat plugs the hole. And again, a close range shot.
I don't care what anyone shoots, I don't even use PB bullets myself. But nothing mentioned in this thread has been an issue directly relate to the bullet.


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## ohihunter2014 (Feb 19, 2017)

I shoot a v2 stainless thumbhole and hit a buck at 60yards with a 250gr shockwave and no exit and no blood for 100yards. I tried different bullets, 777 pellets, mag pellets and nothing worked right. This year I switched to 100gr weighed of blackhorn 209, cci mag shotgun primer, .452 Hornady 300gr XTP and shot a medium size doe at 60yards last night blew the heat out she ran maybe 40yards and passed away. This load shot 3 in the same hole during October but opened up Saturday morning when I tried it. I will say these muzzleloaders are finicky.

BTW that shockwave was put right through both lungs and it didn't open or exit. XTP blew a huge hole in the doe with blood everywhere. Too many horror stories with power belts so I stay away. For those who don't know pick a bullet and harvester.com and find a sabot and buy bullets and sabots in bulk.


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