Thanks for everyones advice.

[NewbHunter]

Well guys after bothering everyone on here about which muzzleloader i should buy i finally made a purchase. I bought the CVA Kodiak Pro 209 Magnum .50 in All Camo Realtree. http://cabelas.com/cabelas/en/templates/product/standard-item.jsp?_DARGS=/cabelas/en/common/catalog/item-link.jsp_A&_DAV=MainCatcat20712-cat20815&id=0033459215869a&navCount=2& podId=0033459&parentId=cat20815&masterpath id=&navAction=push&catalogCode=XG&rid= &parentType=index&indexId=cat20815&has JS=trueI cant wait to get to shoot this rifle and let u guys know what i think of it. This will be my first muzzleloader and was wondering if anyone knows what i should try as to loading it? Once again thanks to everyone for there advice and opinion.

[cayugad]

Good luck with your rifle. I am sure you will love the rifle and find it to be well made and accurate. As with any rifle, no matter what brand, read the manual and then read it again. Know every aspect of your rifle before you attempt to operate it. Then always use common sense when loading and shooting it. Follow the guidelines set down by the manufacturer and powder company and enjoy your rifle.

[Triple Se7en]

You did it the proper way Hewbhunter.... asking for help/advice from posters herebefore the purchase - not after!

Now read that manual front-to-back to get a better understanding of that ML - before unpacking/cleaning it. Beyond that - the fun begins at the range. Buying 338-348 gr.Powerbelts & sabot/bullets between 240-300 grains would be a good start -- after breaking in that ML with a 50-pk box of Buffalo Ballets - to smooth-out that bore & become familiar with your new ML.

Best of luck to you!

[size=2]
Keep Your Powder Dry Folks
. . . . . . . Joe [/i]

[frontier gander]

Boy is this forum screwed up or what? ive tried to respond to this thread 3 times today since 1030am! Hope this works. But anyways, thats a cool looking gun. I would start off with 70 grains pyrodex RS and a 245 grain powerbelt, if your shooting deer then a 245gn powerbelt will put it down. I used the 245's in my winchester on mule deer and not one of them went over 5 yards. But just use 70 grains powder for your first sight in at 25,50 and 75 yards. For deer i would use between 100-120 grains withthe 245 and put it 2" high at 100 yards. my winchester does best with 120 grains powder. You'll just have to experiement and try different loads. CVA's manual says if it 2" high a 40 yards, it should be close to dead on at 100. That all will depend on your powder charge and bullet weight. But i would do atleast 2" high at 100 and that should get you dead on at 130+ yards. Make sure you read all of the RED print in the manual to. And use loose powder, those pellets are over priced and pretty much made for the lazy that cant measure a loose powder load. Keep us up to date.
Jon

[NewbHunter]

ORIGINAL: Triple Se7en

You did it the proper way Hewbhunter.... asking for help/advice from posters herebefore the purchase - not after!

Now read that manual front-to-back to get a better understanding of that ML - before unpacking/cleaning it. Beyond that - the fun begins at the range. Buying 338-348 gr.Powerbelts & sabot/bullets between 240-300 grains would be a good start -- after breaking in that ML with a 50-pk box of Buffalo Ballets - to smooth-out that bore & become familiar with your new ML.

Best of luck to you!


Keep Your Powder Dry Folks
. . . . . . . Joe [/i]

When u get a muzzleloader u have to brake it in with Buffalo Ballets? Im new to this, so i dont know.

[Triple Se7en]

Any conical ( Ballets are cheap) brand should be used prior to loading sabots for barrel break-in. That plastic sabot will not remove tiny burrs at the eges of your rifling - should they exist. A full-fledged conical will. That's why I suggest your first range visit be with conicals-only. Shoot at least one box (20-36 bullets). You can still work the open sights, get accustomed to the recoil, get familiar with the new trigger... etc... etc.

The 2nd time at the range is when the actual sighting-in could occur with sabots.

Just a suggestion! Some guns need the break-in period-- some don't. Some MLs some 150 shots... some need zero shots before loading that sabot.


Keep Your Powder Dry Folks . . . . . . . Joe
[/i]

[cayugad]

Besides knocking off the ruff spots in the barrel of a new muzzleloader (if there are any, and some are just fine) getting a box of ball-ets, or maxiball cheap somewhere and just going out to the range and shooting them off does a lot more then smooth the bore.

These projectiles are normally easy to load, many times very accurate (I know a fellow that broke in his Knight Wolverine with ball-ets and got such good accuracy, still to this day shoots them when he hunts) and they will give you a chance to get to know your rifle, how it loads, how it sounds, kicks, etc. This is a lot better then going out the first time to the range and blasting off a $18.00 pack of powerbelts and not hitting or tuning anything. These cheaper projectiles will put you on paper, even get your scope and sights close, for when you finally decide it is time to work up the main hunting load.

[NewbHunter]

OH i see...Thanks for the info. Sorry to be bother around so much. Im just trying to get as much info as i can b4 i go out there and shoot it for the first time. I only bow hunt so this is all new to me...Lol...