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First Muzzy

Treed

Junior Member
522
0
Stark County
I just bought the CVA Optima V2 with the 26" fluted stainless steel barrel. It has a thumbhole stock and a Konus Pro 275 BDC scope mounted and bore sited. I bought a pack of 295 grain power belts, a pack white hots, and some Winchester triple seven primers planning to shoot the 295's over 100 grains of pellet. I've heard a lot of good things and a lot of bad things about power belts. A friend of mine swears by the 295s so I went ahead and got them but I'm not opposed to playing around with some different charges and loads to see what's what with my particular gun. I'm going to go by Kames in the next day or two to get some cleaning stuff and I think I'll pick up CVAs breech plug for loose power so I have more versatility. So, does anyone else shoot a CVA? What works for you? More than anything else, I'd like to hear of peoples experience with the power belts. Who shoots 'em, over what and how do they preform on game for you? I'm pretty excited about this gun but it's my first muzzy so any input would probably help. Thanks.
 
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TwistedX

Junior Member
35
13
I've heard mixed reviews on power belts myself, blame it on what u want everyone has their independent favorite. The best advice I know of is keep it clean, an always, ALWAYS, make sure you seat the bullet fully! Once your certain it's seated mark your ram rod to be sure its consistent every time.
 

motorbreaker

*Supporting Member I*
1,542
63
North of Toledo
I have the same gun and am very happy with it. Just about everything ive shot out of it shot good. I did shoot a couple doe's with the powerbelts a couple years ago, I was not at all happy with what happened to the bullet, They blew apart into little pieces and didn't do a good job putting the deer down. Good hits but Long tracking job. I was using 100grains of 777. Now i'm using barns bullets and am more then happy with there performance. Good luck.
 

bowhunter1023

Owner/Operator
Staff member
48,879
274
Appalachia
Lundy's posted a good link to this topic.

I recently switch from Powerbelts to Shockwaves out of my Optima Elite. I shot PBs because someone gave me about 50 sabots in all different sizes, so they lasted me a while. I was satisfied with the groups I was getting when shooting 150 grains of 777 behind a 295gr Powerbelt Aerotip. I also shot the Platinums one season, which loaded better, but were not much more accurate. Two years ago after selling the CVA Wolf I bought for my wife, I switched to 100grs of powder to make it easier on her when she shot it. My groups went to hell with the 295s so I tried some 245s and could live with the grouping for those 4 days. When it came time to go to Strouds this fall, I bought Shockwaves based on the large support group they have here. The 250gr SWs fly great out of my gun with 100grs of 777. IMO, it is worth picking up a box to try out.
 

Treed

Junior Member
522
0
Stark County
Thanks guys. After reading the other posts and seeing the pictures of the maimed doe Lundy posted, I don't think I'll be hunting with the power belts, ever. Those pictures sealed the deal. I've actually been looking for the Barnes MZs but nobody has them on the shelf. I'll grab some SSTs and Shockwaves and see how they perform. In the meantime, I'll order some MZ Expanders online. I've also been looking at Harvester Scorpion PT Golds in the crushed rib sabot. I've read nothing but good things about this bullet/sabot combination but they're another thing that has to be ordered online. Anyway, thanks for the input, fellas. Good luck this weekend.
 

Ricer2231

Senior Member
I bought the same Muzzy package about a month and a half ago, just without the thumb hole stock, didn't care for it. I shot four different bullets out of it to pattern it and found the Hornady XTPs shot the best from mine. I'm shooting 100g of 777. The Powerbelts came in second, Hornadys SSTs third and the Powerbelt Platinums fourth. I am actually sighting mine in Wednesday so I will let ya know how it goes.
 

yotehunter

Member
1,527
36
spencerville oh
I've heard mixed reviews on power belts myself, blame it on what u want everyone has their independent favorite. The best advice I know of is keep it clean, an always, ALWAYS, make sure you seat the bullet fully! Once your certain it's seated mark your ram rod to be sure its consistent every time.

I've shot the power belts the all lead 295s put a heck of a hole in a deer and was accurate the copper jackets not so much they are accurate but not much exspansion. I haven't seen the pure lead power belts for over two years now. I switched too the 250 hornady SST in 50 cal and have been impressed so far.
 

Treed

Junior Member
522
0
Stark County
I bought the same Muzzy package about a month and a half ago, just without the thumb hole stock, didn't care for it. I shot four different bullets out of it to pattern it and found the Hornady XTPs shot the best from mine. I'm shooting 100g of 777. The Powerbelts came in second, Hornadys SSTs third and the Powerbelt Platinums fourth. I am actually sighting mine in Wednesday so I will let ya know how it goes.

I'll let ya know what groups well with mine too.
 

Treed

Junior Member
522
0
Stark County
I sighted my Optima off my neighbors lead sled this morning at 100 yards. I shot some 295 grain Power Belts because I don't intend to hunt with them and I wanted to get accustomed to the gun and the process. They grouped well so I used them to sight in. Next, I tried some 250 grain TC Shockwaves and 250 grain Hornady XTPs both with 100 grains of White Hots. The XTPs group much better than the Shock Waves and the Power Belts but I had to resight my scope a bit because I originally used the Power Belts to sight the gun and the XTPs were hitting a little high. Although the Shockwaves shot pretty darn good, the XTPs edge them out in consistency so there we go, that's what I'' be using for the time being. I look forward to getting my hands on some Barnes MZs and seeing how they fly.
I gotta say, I absolutely love this muzzle loader. I've grown up with guns and hunting but I've never ventured into the realm of black powder until now. Growing up out west, most of our work was done either with a .270 or a .308, only the "old guys", a group to which I now belong, hunted with muzzle loaders. There's something about it, I haven't put my finger on it yet, but there is definitely something about it that makes it special, more rewarding, more fun. I haven't been this excited about a new gun since my ole man gave me my first .22 when I was 10.
Good luck this weekend!
 

"J"

Git Off My Lawn
Supporting Member
56,743
274
North Carolina
It's the thing in shooting where it's more on you then the gun.... The powder, the bullet choice the primers used.... It's a piece by piece shooting aspect that you put together more so then a manufactured load off the shelf..... Lots of experimenting....
 

Treed

Junior Member
522
0
Stark County
I saw the Spitfire TMZs at Dicks. If they have the MZ Expanders they were out on Monday. I went to Kames, FF&F and Gander Mountain too, none of them had the MZs.
 

Hedgelj

Senior Member
Supporting Member
7,145
178
Mohicanish
I have had very good success with the XTPs out of my TC Omega. My dad and brother shot the Shockwaves for a season or two but now they have switched to the XTPs.

Once you figure out what bullet you want to shoot you can save some money. The XTPs are Hornady pistol bullets and you can buy a box of them anyplace that has reloading supplies generally. Then you can go online and pick up the exact sabots you want to run also depending on the caliber of your gun and also the weight of the bullet you are shooting. I like the Magnum Muzzleloading Products sabots myself. I went through 3 types before I settled on one I really liked (good groups and pretty easy to load). Doing it this way I was able to get 100 bullets and sabots for about the cost of 30-40 XTPs or Shockwaves in the TC packaging.

I presently run the 250 grain XTPs with a MMP sabot over 110 grains of Triple seven. Shoots pretty flat out to 150ish and that's as far as I will generally shoot but I do know my hold over at 200. I am pushing the XTP a little too fast b/c if I shoot a deer too close (under 15 yards) I have noticed that I will sometimes get jacket separation on my recovered bullets.

When I run out of my 250 grainers (gonna be a while I have 75+ left) I will probably convert over to the XTP mags b/c they have a thicker jacket and can hold up to faster velocities. I will also be switching over to Blackhawk 209 when I'm out of Triple seven. A friend of mine runs the 200 grain XTPs and his gun is a laser out to 200, which is another option I have considered.

The Shockwaves I believe are the Hornady FTX bullets but not positive. IF you go searching on some muzzleloading only forums they will probably know what is the closest approximation. The polymer tip would increase the ballistic coefficient of the bullet which should provide a flatter trajectory but I'm not sold on how much of a difference it makes inside of 200 yards which is pretty much the max range of most muzzleloaders and the jerk behind the trigger.
 

Ricer2231

Senior Member
I just sighted my CVA Optima V2 in with the Hornady XTPs. Dead on at 100 yards because that's what my scope requires. 5 rounds and I was on. Now I gotta go buy more bullets, I didn't wanna stop shooting it. Haha.
 

Jackalope

Dignitary Member
Staff member
38,841
260
CVA Accura V2
150gr triple 7
240 gr xtp


About a 10-15 mph wind from 8'oclock.

100 yards.
ImageUploadedByTapatalk1388629135.478304.jpg

200 yards.
ImageUploadedByTapatalk1388629178.040090.jpg
 

Lundy

Member
1,307
127
The Barnes from my guns shoot pretty well. I would sacrifice a little accuracy to have the bullet performance that I trust. Fortunately for me I get all the accuracy I need with the bullet I want to shoot.

100 yds


200 yds