Getting started with first Muzzleloader.

[flying pig]

I bought my first muzzleloader recently, a used CVA Optima.

I’m a 100% newb when it comes to them. I’ve never shot one and am starting right from scratch. I plan on hunting with it next season and would like to have things figured out by then.

I’ve watched a few short videos on them online. 209 shotshell primers? How can I tell if the plug is for ball powder or Pyrex pellets? Is there printed safe loads anywhere? It’s a 50 cal 1in 28 twist 26” barrel, what bullets do I need to shoot?

Also, care gear. Special bore cleaner or patches and brushes, etc?

Anything else I need to know?

Thanks in advance.

 

[cdnrokon]

I would first start with a good bore cleaning, get used to how to disassemble and remove breech plug. proper cleaning is key to a good functioning muzzleloader. I prefer 3fg triple 7 loose powder and a sabot bullet combo in the 240 gr for starters. powder charges are poured by volume 80 gr -100 gr until you find your best load. Being very consistent with loading ,shooting, and cleaning will give you great results.
I shoot at the bench at our local club and have many pre measured charges made up. I have my cleaning patches, and loading ram rod ready with correct size jag. I first shoot off just a primer with no charge or bullet, then drop powder charge down barrel, take bullet sabot combo and start down the barrel until seated on powder charge. Take note as to where the ram rod is sitting in bore ,mark it for reference. do not leave ram rod in bore... aim down range ,prime ,fire ...big smiles .. and repeat it all over again.. then get ready for the most fun you can have..
and they are like potato chips... you can not just have one.

 

[cdnrokon]

get a bore brush, jag and cleaning patches for 50 cal. Butches Bore Shine works good as a cleaner. or hot water and dish soap.
I use a second ram rod as my range rod for loading and cleaning, and keep the main rod under the barrel for hunting.

 

[old303]

I picked up a similar rifle and didn't get a chance to get it out to the range yet. Was considering a camp stove to heat water for cleanup, but may just go with a thermos from the kettle at home, with dish soap mixed in. Lemishine too?

 

[cdnrokon]

Lemishine is basically citric acid… I would not use it on a barrel

 

[cosmic]

Most synthetic powders (777, Pyrodex, White Hots etc) contain Potassium Perchlorate, which becomes a corrosive salt when burned, The salt is not soluble in oil based cleaners, hence the use of water to flush the salts. People use boiling water as it evaporates quickly, leaving the bore dry, and ready to be oiled slightly. Get a funnel, remove breech plug (cleaned separately) and flush.
I use pellets, two 50 gr bp equivalent is the standard load, most rifles can accept a magnum load of 3 pellets. You only need a special breech plug for Blackhorn 209 powder. Your gun is a first generation Optima, and would have been supplied with the standard, non-Blackhorn, breech plug.
For 50 cal guns, 240 to 300 gr bullets are common. Best to try both - I prefer the sabot style over over the other types. Any 209 primer will do. Hodgdon has an on line pamphlet that describes the ballistics of the various powder and bullet combos.

 

[old303]

Okay, no lemishine. I was guessing from the formula for the brass tumbler.

 

[Jay]

I have the CVA Optima V2 stainless synthetic in 50 cal & run BlackHorn 209 powder with 240 grain Hornady XTP saboted projectiles.

I did pick up the BlackHorn 209 breech plug that CVA makes, but I'm not sure it's needed?

I've always weighed my powder & loaded it mid-power with 70 grains. They say you can load it with 56 grains to 84 grains of BlackHorn 209...

Never seen the need to max it out? The deer I shot 2 years ago didn't go far & had a wicked exit hole...

WRT cleaning. I take the barrel off & run HOT water down the bore, scrub with a 50cal brush a couple times, and run some more hot water down the bore. Repeat... Similarly I scrub the breech plug. Then, once I'm satisfied with the bore being clean, I put the barrel over the furnace vent & let hot air dry it thoroughly. Then I run a patch of CLP down the bore & wipe the rest of the metal down.

 

[Alex McKr]

flying pig: Some good advice, so far. About all I would add, is to go to your local pharmacy and pick up some ordinary isopropyl alcohol(rubbing alcohol). Makes an excellent bp solvent. Great for cleaning fouling out at the range and in the field. Or, prior to deeper cleaning with hot, soapy water, etc. Dirt cheap and a bottle lasts a long time. For cleaning patches, any old flannel shirt, nightgown etc., cut up into approx. 2-inch patches also serves very well and costs next to nothing.
As others have mentioned, ordinary water dissolves corrosive salts. I generally start with a patch soaked in soapy water to clean the bore. Followed by a thorough rinse, in hot water. This includes your breech plug, etc. After the bore and all other metal parts are dry, protect with any good oil, metal protector, etc.
Lots of choices out there. I tend to go with Ballistol. Inexpensive and does a good job. When mixed with water(8:1, 9:1, etc.), it also serves as a good bp bore cleaning solvent(Though I find alcohol does a better job and leaves no oily residue behind).
Since you rifling pitch is 1:28....it will likely shoot either .44 or .45-caliber, saboted bullets in the 200-300 grain range, with good accuracy. With 240-250 grainers likely being a good choice, overall. Personally, I prefer .44 caliber saboted slugs. Either jacketed, or my own cast lead bullets. But in the end, it boils down to what your rifle prefers.
As for powder choice, go ahead and use either loose powder or pellets. Either type will work well and makes little to no difference, performance wise. Pellets being a bit more convenient for loading. If you use pre-measured loose powder charges, just as easy.
Though I have seen plenty of deer and other game taken out cleanly with light powder charges....ie: 60-70 grains.....for hunting loads, I suggest starting at around 80 grains, then work up until you hit on the one that offers the best balance of accuracy and performance.. You will likely find that powder charges somewhere in the 90-100 grain range will prove perfectly adequate for most hunting situations. Chances are, you will find 90 grains does offer a good balance. That always seems to be a good standard charge in any .50 caliber rifle of mine. No need to push your limits beyond that. All you will end up with is a bad recoil flinch.

Al

 

[mcpiper]

CVA are great muzzleloaders, I started out with an Eclipse and then moved onto a used Wolf. One peice of advice I always give new blackpowder shooters is once you have the load bullet combo that you want, mark with paint marker or tape on your ramrod the depth of the firearm unloaded and with the firearm loaded and bullet properly seated. They gum up fast and you need to know that your bullet is properly seated especially if reloading in a treestand etc.