Muzzle loader loads

[HD]

Ok.....

So far I've tried the Hornady bullets and the Power Belts in my muzzle loader....
Tried anything from 245 grain up to 270.
They both suck for grouping!
Had the gun locked down in a gun vise, and they are still all over the target.

75 yards.......

Using Triple 7 primers and Triple 7 powder pellets....

Muzzle loader is a CVA magnum optima....

Anybody else got this gun? And what works the best?
I'm about ready to throw this thing in the trash!
If I can't get this gun to preform, it will be for sale soon............
(can you tell I'm pissed off)

Any help would be greatfull!

Hunter

[Auggie]

HD, try different loads of powder and different brands. I don't have the same gun, I shoot a TC Omega. But My buddy that shoots the same gun shoots a completely different powder, load, and bullet than me. And we both tried all the same. I couldn't hold a real tight group with mine before I had run maybe I'm guessing 40-50 rounds through it. Some guys claim they need to get "seasoned" like that before they will group decent. I wouldn't give up on her yet!

[HD]

Auggs....I'm guessing I'm up to around 100 rounds through this thing.
Tried the Pyrodex powder pellets too...same damn thing!

Regular 209 primers, then went to the Trple 7.

Granted the Triple 7 stuff burns cleaner, but the preformance still sucks!

Maybe I'll try the Hollow points next....dunno....I'm at a loss.....

[JohnWester]

i shoot a 250 gr bullet, the tc shock wave sabots. and I switched to the tc fusion primers.  they burn hotter and will clean up easier in the breach plug.  I use the triple seven pellets, the 50gr ones. I put in 3 of them for a 150 gr total.  and when I ram it/pack it in, I don't over do it.  Be consistent in how much pressure you apply when packing.  I found that if I don't do it the same, I will get a bigger spread in my pattern.  I too shoot a tc omega, and I am grouping them in 5" at 100 yards.  when sighting in, run a patch through each time so you get a consistent shoot. 

and remember to fire off a primer everytime before you are going to load it for the first time after a cleaning.  Nothing worse then having bore butter in the breach hole when you are pulling up on a big one... trust me, I have been there.

[Auggie]

I shoot the same exact sabot as you John. I run Pioneer Gold pellets and the old 209 primers and get a better grouping with just a 100 gr worth of pellets vs 150gr. I have also been playing with loose powder and seem to be getting better groupings with that as well. About 120 gr. seems to be the ticket so far. But here is a perfect example of how the same guns can perform with different loads. I still wouldn't toss in the towel on it yet Hunter.

[prosupermag]

Hunter i agree with everything that has been said so far       My father has the same gun as you and we played around with all kinds of loads ended up with 100 gr of tripple seven pellets with a 300 grain powerbelt aerotip platinum bullet   I shoot a TC Encore and i use same powder load with a 245gr TC shock wave bullet but my gun performes best with 90 gr of tripple 7 loose powder and i would be willing to bet it took about 200 rounds before my gun started to shoot consistantly so hang in there and keep trying   as the shooting is fun the only bad part is buying all the different combinations to try

[HD]

John, When you run a patch through after every shot....is it a dry patch or do you have a powder stripper, or oil on it?

So, far, I've found that the Platinum Powerbelts are tighter grouped...but, still not to my satisfaction. And they are a little spendy compaired to the green powerbelts.

[Auggie]

John, When you run a patch through after every shot....is it a dry patch or do you have a powder stripper, or oil on it?

So, far, I've found that the Platinum Powerbelts are tighter grouped...but, still not to my satisfaction. And they are a little spendy compaired to the green powerbelts.

Hunter, I would try other bullets than powerbelts and hornady to get started. Then maybe play with your powder loads. I would be willing to send you a few pioneer pellets to let you try them so you didn't have to fork out another $25-$30 for a bottle of them. I don't think I have many Shock waves left or I would gladly send you a half dozen of those as well.

[HD]

Since they don't have a very good selection at the local Wally World, I'm gonna stop by Gander on the way home. I'll see if they got some of that pioneer powder and some shock waves. What grain do ya think I should try first Auggs?

[JohnWester]

DON'T GO TO GANDER OR CABELAS FOR SABOTS!!!! 
Fleet farm by far has the best prices...

and I run a patch with that powder spray on it, then a dry patch. every or every other shoot when siting in.  a fowled up barrel can affect your pattern.  Even when hunting, I'll run a patch if I shoot more than 3 times.  I always will fire a primer before loading to go hunting though to insure the breach hole is cleared.

[HD]

HaHaHaHa.....That gives me an excuse to swing by the Fleet Farm in Forest Lake....Ain't never been there yet..... 

[Auggie]

Since they don't have a very good selection at the local Wally World, I'm gonna stop by Gander on the way home. I'll see if they got some of that pioneer powder and some shock waves. What grain do ya think I should try first Auggs?

You might as well start with the 250 gr., That way if they don't work for ya, you can give them to me or John!

[kenhuntin]

HaHaHaHa.....That gives me an excuse to swing by the Fleet Farm in Forest Lake....Ain't never been there yet..... 

"There aint no draft no more son" (a quote from Sgt. Hulka in stripes). There aint no Fleet Farm in Forest Lake either. The new one is in Blaine. Great store though. Let me know when you go because I got something of yours over here Hunter.

[HD]

HaHaHaHa.....That gives me an excuse to swing by the Fleet Farm in Forest Lake....Ain't never been there yet..... 

"There aint no draft no more son" (a quote from Sgt. Hulka in stripes). There aint no Fleet Farm in Forest Lake either. The new one is in Blaine. Great store though. Let me know when you go because I got something of yours over here Hunter.

Shows ya how much time I spend down there...  Thanks Ken! 

[HD]

Since they don't have a very good selection at the local Wally World, I'm gonna stop by Gander on the way home. I'll see if they got some of that pioneer powder and some shock waves. What grain do ya think I should try first Auggs?

You might as well start with the 250 gr., That way if they don't work for ya, you can give them to me or John!


Auggs....If I don't get this thing figger'd out....You can have the whole flipp'in shoot'in match! 

[JohnWester]

too bad it's so late in sept... I don't have any time now due to hunting, but we should have got together somewhere to shoot the black powder.

[HD]

That would have been great John!

I got a traditional that I ain't never had this much trouble with.
I thought a in-line would be gravey....I guessed wrong.

[mncowboy]

hey all,
i use 92 grains of tripple 7 loose powder, harvester ribbed sabot and a 300gr. horndy 45 cal bullet that is .452 dia and a standard 209 primer. shoot very well. you can really dial a round in with loose powder. 2 grains can make a big difference belive it or not.
monty

[HD]

Well, I stopped by the store and got some more bullets...

Shock waves, cva and some more platinums.
They didn't have any pioneer powder Auggs...so, I'll have to try them with the pyrodex and the triple 7

Once it stops this flipp'in raining, I'll give it a try with swabbing the bore after every shot.

I'll keep ya posted!

Hunter

[HD]

OK, it stopped raining today...so, I shot

I shot all 3 sabots with the same load, same grain 250, and 10 shots a piece...2 pellets of triple 7 and a triple 7 primer.

First I shot the platnium power belts....still all over the target
2nd I shot the cva slick load sabots....Bingo! Nice grouping!
3rd I shot the TC shock wave sabots....Bingo! Still nice grouping!

I did find that the cva's were easier to load than the tc's, but I kept them in a 3 inch dia circle at 75 yards. I swabbed the barrel between each shot with the powder stripper, then followed it up with a dry patch.

I'm so flipp'in happy...I could just  !

Thanks for the advise there fellers! 
Gonna shoot it quite a few more times to prove it out, but I'm happy with the results today.

(Sorry Auggs...looks like I'm gonna keep it)


Hunter

[Auggie]

Glad you got it licked!

[JohnWester]

yeah, glad you got it figured out.