Welcome to TheOhioOutdoors
Wanting to join the rest of our members? Login or sign up today!
Login / Join

Muzzleloader question.

BlueSpruceOutfitters

BlueSpruceOutfitters

Junior Member
941
71
Valley City, Medina Co. OH
Hey guys. Finally broke down and bought a new muzzleloader and scope CVA Optima V2 w/ Nikon Inline XR 3-9/40 BDC. I was wondering if anyone has experience with this gun and loads. I'm usually a 270 grain Powerbelt and 100 grains Pyrodex guy but wondering if anyone has any better suggestions? The BDC reticle will let me shoot up to 250 and maybe there is a better option. Thanks guys
 
CJD3

CJD3

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
14,881
215
NE Ohio
If the Powerbelts don't paper well, try Shockwaves.
Good luck w/ the new gun and keep us posted as the final load!
 
Last edited:
oakswamper

oakswamper

Member
1,217
122
around Toledo
50 cal 245 gr HP Copper Clad BC=.140 100 grains

Distance (yards) Muzzle 25 50 75 100 125 150 175 200 225 250

Trajectory -1.5 0.83 2.47 3.34 3.31 2.26 0 -3.6 -8.8 -15.5 -24.05

I went to the 245 last year with 100 grains pyro, love it
 
Treed

Treed

Junior Member
522
0
Stark County
I bought an Optima last year, since then I've experimented with a few different combinations. Power Belts, TC Shock Waves, Hornadys and Barnes Expander MZ's. I've found that Barnes Expander MZs (.50 cal, 300 grain) powered by 100 grains of White Hots powder and a Winchester Triple 7 209 Primer is what my particular Optima likes. I have far more faith in the Expander MZ than I do in a Power Belt TOO. Looking forward to next week! Lundy may chime in on this. He knows his muzzies.
 
Last edited:
Beentown

Beentown

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
15,740
154
Sunbury, OH
Out of the 6 or so muzzies I have sighted in...Shockwave are my recommendation. Followed closely by Hornady. Power belts only worked kinda ok in one of them.
 
Lundy

Lundy

Member
1,312
141
I would leave the Powerbelts as my last choice, 250 gr. Shockwaves, Hornady's, Barnes expanders will all give you much better terminal performance.

I am partial to the Barnes expanders, only because I have a long proven personal track record of excellent performance. I like a solid copper bullet in the event of a high shoulder bone hit. I don't have to worry about separation of the jacket and the core.

100 grains of Pyrodex or Triple 7 with any well constructed 250-300 gr bullet will kill any deer we have in Ohio.

Powerbelts have a following of hunters that love them and an even larger group of hunters that strongly dislike them. The only attribute they really have is that they load easily.

You may want to try some Blackhorn 209, Burns a little hotter and MUCH cleaner that the other black powder substitutes.

If you are new to muzzleloading just make sure you have a witness mark on your ram rod and ensure that you have your load fully seated and that you have not double loaded PRIOR to ever pulling the trigger.

Hope you get a big one.
 
oakswamper

oakswamper

Member
1,217
122
around Toledo
Lundy said:
I would leave the Powerbelts as my last choice, 250 gr. Shockwaves, Hornady's, Barnes expanders will all give you much better terminal performance.

I am partial to the Barnes expanders, only because I have a long proven personal track record of excellent performance. I like a solid copper bullet in the event of a high shoulder bone hit. I don't have to worry about separation of the jacket and the core.

100 grains of Pyrodex or Triple 7 with any well constructed 250-300 gr bullet will kill any deer we have in Ohio.

Powerbelts have a following of hunters that love them and an even larger group of hunters that strongly dislike them. The only attribute they really have is that they load easily.

You may want to try some Blackhorn 209, Burns a little hotter and MUCH cleaner that the other black powder substitutes.

If you are new to muzzleloading just make sure you have a witness mark on your ram rod and ensure that you have your load fully seated and that you have not double loaded PRIOR to ever pulling the trigger.

Hope you get a big one.
Click to expand...

My father-in-law has the same TC mag that I do, his shoots the Barnes better than the PB. I think you just need to shoot until you find what works best in your gun.

I love the PB's but I still try everything that comes out
 
BlueSpruceOutfitters

BlueSpruceOutfitters

Junior Member
941
71
Valley City, Medina Co. OH
Lundy said:
I would leave the Powerbelts as my last choice, 250 gr. Shockwaves, Hornady's, Barnes expanders will all give you much better terminal performance.

I am partial to the Barnes expanders, only because I have a long proven personal track record of excellent performance. I like a solid copper bullet in the event of a high shoulder bone hit. I don't have to worry about separation of the jacket and the core.

100 grains of Pyrodex or Triple 7 with any well constructed 250-300 gr bullet will kill any deer we have in Ohio.

Powerbelts have a following of hunters that love them and an even larger group of hunters that strongly dislike them. The only attribute they really have is that they load easily.

You may want to try some Blackhorn 209, Burns a little hotter and MUCH cleaner that the other black powder substitutes.

If you are new to muzzleloading just make sure you have a witness mark on your ram rod and ensure that you have your load fully seated and that you have not double loaded PRIOR to ever pulling the trigger.

Hope you get a big one.
Click to expand...

Awesome man! Not new to muzzleloading just a new gun. Sounds like good bullet suggestions to me. I'll have to try those bullets when I sight it in in a couple days. I'll let you guys know how it goes! Thanks again guys!!!
 
jagermeister

jagermeister

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
18,310
237
Ohio
I'll echo what the others have said. Powerbelts load easy, but they don't hold a group worth a shit, especially at longer ranges. Get a sabot type load like TC shockwaves or Hornadys.
 
Lundy

Lundy

Member
1,312
141
BlueSpruceOutfitters said:
How much of a pain are they to reload after the first shot? I've heard horror stories about having the plastic sabot gunk inside the barrel and the second shot is a pain to load and accuracy suffers.
Click to expand...

You shouldn't have any plastic fouling issues unless you plan on shooting 50-75 rounds in a day. The "gunk" making loading the next round tough is not plastic from the sabot.

The cause is the "crud ring" that develops with Triple 7 and to some extent Pyrodex most likely. It develops right at the top of the powder column where it meats to sabot. The problem occurs when this buildup makes it very difficult to seat your next load fully. Both of these powders burn very dirty and may require swabbing after every shot or every few shots. This problem is completely eliminated with the use of Blackhorn 209. If you elect to try the Blackhorn read the instructions carefully, it is hotter than the others.

Some guns shoot their best with dirty barrels, some like swabbed barrels for the best accuracy. Do your self a favor if you plan to hunt with a clean barrel and check zero against a fouled barrel. I've had MZ's that impacted 4" different with a clean barrel versus a fouled barrel at 100 yds and other guns where it was just an inch or two
 
Last edited:
huntn2

huntn2

Senior Member
6,097
171
Hudson, OH
Lundy said:
You shouldn't have any plastic fouling issues unless you plan on shooting 50-75 rounds in a day. The "gunk" making loading the next round tough is not plastic from the sabot.

The cause is the "crud ring" that develops with Triple 7 and to some extent Pyrodex most likely. It develops right at the top of the powder column where it meats to sabot. The problem occurs when this buildup makes it very difficult to seat your next load fully. Both of these powders burn very dirty and may require swabbing after every shot or every few shots. This problem is completely eliminated with the use of Blackhorn 209. If you elect to try the Blackhorn read the instructions carefully, it is hotter than the others.

Some guns shoot their best with dirty barrels, some like swabbed barrels for the best accuracy. Do your self a favor if you plan to hunt with a clean barrel and check zero against a fouled barrel. I've had MZ's that impacted 4" different with a clean barrel versus a fouled barrel at 100 yds and other guns where it was just an inch or two
Click to expand...

Lundy sums up my experience 100% in this post. My Muzzy was horrible if once fired using Triple 7 from both the ability to seat a second load as well as accuracy. I had a 4" drop clean to dirty with Triple 7.

I switched to Blackhorn 209 and it is so easy to seat multiple loads. That and the clean vs. dirty barrel accuracy/consistency is phenomenal.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.