Doegirl75

For about 2 months, I've been trying to get my CVA Kodiak sighted in. At first, things were going along o.k. with 2" groups @ 50 yds. However, my groups progressively got larger and larger. Now, I'm not getting any sort of accuracy whatsoever. Today I bore sighted twice and ended up stapling 6 18"X18" target side by side to figure out where the rifle was impacting. When I did get a hit, I aimed at the same bull and sure enough, that shot went somewhere else. Keep in mind this is 25 yds away. I've gone through two scopes and tried rifled sights. Tried sabots, powerbelts, and maxihunters. Could the powder possibly be bad (pyrodex)? I swab the bore between shots. Gun is cleaned when the day is done, always. The only thing consistent with the gun is that it shoots WAY the hell off to one side. Help.

cayugad

Doegirl75 - powder could very well be the problem. It would be one place I would look to. Also you did not mention how much and what kind of Pyrodex you are using. Pellets or loose, and the amount is important. Many times people try to push the projectiles too hard.

I would get a brand new jug of loose powder. Pyrodex RS is fine. Get a powder measure and set it at 80 grains. Start your shooting on a clean oil free barrel and no bore butter please. Load the 80 grains and a 240 grain XTP would be a good starting load. Start your target at 13 yards if possible and have it hit dead on the bull. When you can group them there, then you can move to bigger distances. If you can not because of range restrictions shoot at 13 yards, then move back to 25 yards.

If you are swabbing between shots as you say, and the rifle will not hold any kind of a group at those distances with new powder and proper barrel care... I would suspect you might have a BAD rifle. It might be one that has something wrong with the barrel and for this you would need to send it back to CVA and see if they can get the rifle to shoot accurate.

Open sights are usually the best indicater if the rifle is bad or the scope is bad. If you can hold a group with the iron sights, then start checking scope mounts and the scope itself.. like you have done.

Can you feel any flaws in the barrel when you swab, like a bulge or ring?

lemoyne

Have some one who knows a bit of gunsmithing check your scope mounts and barrel and recoil blockbedding. Shoot someone elses gun to make sure that you are not flinching. If you still have a problem after doing all that then let the group know and if you live close to one of us old timers that have been muzzleloading for 30 or 40 years then maybe you can get together long enough to pin the problem down. Lee

Doegirl75

Lemoyne-Scope was mounted by a gunsmith. Rings and bases were tight.
Cayugad-I'm using loose pyrodex RS. Today, I used 80 grains and 195 gr Powerbelts. (shooting a .45 cal.). Other than the fact it's awefully hard to push a jag and cotton patch past the false muzzle, I can't see anything unusual with the barrel. Could not group the gun with iron sights, either.

cayugad

This is a .45 caliber rifle. I really have little experience with a .45 caliber inline rifle. I do know that some other people reported having the same problems you are havinggetting their .45 calibers to "tune up." Others loaded something and they just started shooting them. I would think you are going to just have to search for the right projectile the rifle likes. That can sometimes be a long search. You might want to e-mail CVA and advise them of your problems and see what suggestions they offer...

I would have thought the powerbelts would have shot real well out of the rifle (shows what I know). My CVA .50 caliber Staghorn will shoot a lot of different projectiles very well with 90 grains of powder, but that does not help you...

You might want to get some Shockwaves and see if they will shoot well. They normally shoot well out of most any rifle they go into. Also the XTP's work well in all my .50 caliber inline rifles. I really wish I had more information to help you. CVA tech support might be a good bet. They are really helpful people there.

sproulman

i seen this too but not from in-lines as i am not sround inlines only flintlocks.most of time it was bullet i was using. maxi-hunters are terrible in my hawkins .50cal and others too. usually when i changed to right bullet, things got better. maxi-balls are best out of my hawkins, powerbelts too.so, i would say bullet you are using is problem.LENGTH of bullet is secret in most guns. my hawkins likes bullets LONG.

Landngroove

Have you used a good solvent when cleaning the bore? You could have plastic residue, or lead fouling in the barrel. I would try a solvent that cuts plastic and lead. Also, is your stock/forearm/barrel, properly aligned, and tight. I am not familiar with your muzzleloader, so don't know what type of components you have, but not a bad idea to check these out.

AQUATECH

I also have a CVA mine is the Beartooth Mag. in
45cal. Mine will shoot the 195gr. aero-tip power-
belts really well, with 100gr. of Pyrodex or 777 in
pellet form. Cva has a very distinct and deep cut
to the lands & grooves or rifling. Powerbelts should
load very easily, in other words you should not
need much pressure on the ramrod to load. You may
have some bad powder, but my 45 just doesn't
like loose powder. You may find some left-over
pellets at the local WallyWorld, cheap & give them
a try. Good luck.............Danny

Pittsburghunter

LnG I was thinking the same thing. What if all the packing greese was not removed before shooting? that could be screwing things up big time with it getting all hard and dirty now.

I wonder if that did happen what would be the best way to get it out?

Doegirl75

Well, the gun is going to be sent back to CVA. After the time and expense I went through, it should at least be on the paper @ 25 yds[:@] There are some other issues with the rifle that makes me believe that perhaps I bought a "dud". I'm gonna let the techies at CVA figure it out.