I am having a hard time deciding on which muzzleloader I should use this year. I have a cva optima (nickel finish) a Optima Pro (blued finish)and a Brand new cva kodiak, (nickel finish). I like them all just dont know what one to use any suggestions would be good. The gun's are all .50 cal thanks in advance.......Shaun
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Flip a coin..........? I'd imagine any of the three will get the job done. How does each one pattern? Which one are you more confident with? Pick the best shooter of the bunch and go for it.

how about using one you have not killed with before

I would shoot the three and take the one you are most confident with, as mentioned. Always best to have no worries about your gear.

Take all three to the range with their favorite loads. Shoot all three and see which one shoots the best. Then consider where you are hunting and physically what will be demanded for you. For instance, when I stalk hunt I carry a carbine or a 22" barrel Knight. When I blind hunt on a field I carry a Black Diamond XR or a Knight Disc. When I am in a tree I use a Renegade or a Knight. It all depends on what I am going to do for that day's hunt.

If you are hunting thickets, then consider which projectile would be the best for you. If you're hunting fields, then consider which of the projectiles you shoot are flattest shooting.

After all that.. flip a coin and pick one. All of them will work just fine.

Hi,

Thanks all for the advice. I havent used none of the guns yet so I will need to try them all I guess I am planning on trying 300 grain hornady xp sabot's. I really like these bullets, what do you all think? and what would be the best powder for me to use triple seven or regular hodgdon pellets? Thanks all for the time and help.......Shaun
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Shaun, respectfully - I think you need to get yourself and one of those rifles to the range. Pick the one that feels best on your shoulder and make your best effort to get it ready. You can't have a lot of time left before season to prepare, so try to have ONE of those rifles sighted in and ready to be used with confidence. Try the XTPs you mentioned with 90 to 100 grains by volume of Triple7 FFg loose powder as a starting point.

Read many of the tips on this forum for obtaining consistent, accurate results. Be safe.

Dave
If I have your collection I would never get hunting it I could never make up my mind what to use

Hi,


Thanks, underclocked I will be heading out like real real soon. Your right the season is aproaching really fast just havent had much time to get out and get sighted in. I will try your suggestions thanks again........Shaun
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Shaun,
I think we need more information here. With the optima and optima pros for instance, how long are the barrels? What type of situation will you be hunting in? What type of groups do you shoot with each gun? Are they scoped or not? I don't know any of this about your rifle so I'll answer what I can with what I use and then suggest somethings to you.

I have afew different deer guns.
1. My white mountain carbine which I've had for 12 yrs now and know the magic combination is a 325 gr. Maxiball and 90 grains of powder. This is one of my "brush guns".

2.A 29" Optima (nickel finish), which actually belongs to my father, likes 2 pyrodex 50gr. pelletsand a245gr powerbelt and shoots 2" high at 100 yards and just about dead on at 150yards.

3.A 24" CVA wolf, which I'm sighting in, but will be good out to about 150 when I get done with it.

4. A puma 92 chambered in 357 magnum. My other good brush gun.

I'll prolly use 3 and 4 the majority of the time. My point that you can use different guns for different shooting situations. I personally like a shorter rifle. I don't know what the barrel lengths are for yours but I say if there is one that is a 29" barrel and your hunting cornfeilds and such. If the rifle is capable of giving good groups at longer ranges then I would use it for this situation. Since your kodiak and perhaps one or both of your optimas has a shorter barrel then I would use it a brush gun. They're easier to manuver but will shoot just as far. The important thing is to go to the range and get to know each rifle and the combination that works best. If they shoot equally well then I would say look at the shooting situation and pick keeping in mind what is required.