new to black powder hunting
 

what is the best load for my cva optima mag 209? Without being so pricey!!!

RE: new to black powder hunting
 

Have you tried some 240 grain Hornady XTP's with around 100 grains of loose powder? You can buy them in bulk as well as the sabots, and they normally shoot very well out of CVA's. They do mine anyway. I have a CVA Staghorn and I shoot them with 90 grains of Goex 2f with real good accuracy. They make a nice deer hunting load as well.

RE: new to black powder hunting
 

I don't have a Optima but every gun, even those of the same brand, shoots differently. You will need to experiment. For value and performance it is hard to beat 777 (loose powder). It cleans up quite easily and doesn"t rust your barrel like black powder and Pyrodex. As for bullets it hard to beat Hornady XTP or Speer Gold Dot, most like the 45 cal pistol bullets the best (around $8.00 per hundred). Then buy your sabots in bulk from someone like Muzzleload Magnum Products.Hope this helps.

RE: new to black powder hunting
 

ropedawgWelcome to the forum

For price and just shooting for fun or deer under a 100yds its hard to beat buying bulk sabots and pure lead swaged pistol bullets. I use Shock Waves or 230gr XTP's depending on what gun I always use what the gun shoots best for deer because I sometimes shoot to 200 yds. Lee

RE: new to black powder hunting
 

Just a thought - if you have trouble loading bullets in that Optima, be sure to try Harvester's Crush Rib sabots. They're a lot thinner than many others.


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