CVA Wolf - Hard to Load

D

-Doug-

CGN Regular
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Hello,
I have 2 CVA wolfs (both stainless).
I use Barnes projectiles.

One is very easy to push the projectile down (could use 2 fingers)
The other is extremely difficult, full body weight pushing down on it.

Any suggestions on what may be causing this?
Both are cleaned the same, use the same ram rod, same projectiles…etc

Thanks
 
it is possible the the bore diameters are different. I suggest you slug each barrel and measure the bore from each so you know. There are sabots that are different thicknesses and there are bullets with different diameters that might help with this. Sometimes a build up from burnt powder residue is the culprit but you stated both were clean.
You never mentioned if this was always the case or only with these particular projectiles.
 
Same projectiles as before.
Barrel looks clean.
I have noticed that in the cold the one barrel is much harder to load than the other.
It was easier when I first got it last summer but come Nov/Dec it was a pain.
 
saboted loads i presume, plastic sabots get stiff when cold. Keep them in your pocket until used, a warm pocket might help. I'd still measure ( slug ) the bore to know what you're dealing with and go from there.
 
Seat the sabot first, then drop the bullet in and push it into the sabot. My wolf was nearly impossible to load with Barnes bullets and sabots any other way.
 
Muzzleloaders are notorious for having varying bore diameters. I've had good luck with the ribbed sabots, which are easier to load in a tight barrel. FWIW - The tighter barrel will probably shoot better than the other...
 
JJ-65 said:
Seat the sabot first, then drop the bullet in and push it into the sabot. My wolf was nearly impossible to load with Barnes bullets and sabots any other way.
Click to expand...

Good idea, as long as one can be assured the bullet actually gets into the sabot. I guess a mark on the ramrod could confirm that.
 
cosmic said:
Muzzleloaders are notorious for having varying bore diameters. I've had good luck with the ribbed sabots, which are easier to load in a tight barrel. FWIW - The tighter barrel will probably shoot better than the other...
Click to expand...

I own two CVA inline muzzleloaders, including a Wolf. I find that the type/brand of sabot makes a huge difference. The Harvester Crushed Ribbed sabots are by far my favourite from a loading standpoint.

I would also note that sabots (and projectiles) are common in two different sizes: 44 Cal projectiles (usually green sabots) and 45 Cal projectiles (usually black sabots). Of course, there are exceptions (I have 44 cal black sabot/projectile combos T/C branded, Hornady has green 44 Cal and red 45 cal). I take it your Barnes is a sabot/projectile combo (i.e. you aren't trying to use a 44 cal sabot with a 45 cal projectile).

I have standardized on those crushed ribbed sabots and Hornady 45 cal XTP pistol projectiles for my "first shot", and then shoot a CVA Powerbelt as my second shot (if needed) as I find I have to clean the barrel after shooting a sabot but I can get 2 or 3 shots with the Powerbelt (i.e. sabot/45 cal projectile, Powerbelt, Powerbelt, clean). At 100 yards the Powerbelts I have shoot about 4" low compared to the 250gr Hornady XTPs, but if I needed a second shot at a deer, I feel that this combo works (for me at least).

YMMV
 
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