Shot my new CVA Optima Elite yesterday and was extremely pleased with the results.It's shooting 1 1/2" groups at 100 yds using barnes 250 gr Spitfire TMZ with 100 gr 777 (2-50gr pellets).My only problem is how tight these buggers are to get started and if I don't run a patch in between shots they're almost impossible to get all the way down.What do I need,new starter,different projectiles,or bigger muscles.Any suggestions would be of help.

when using sabots it is best to swab between shots anyway.

try different sabots

bigger muscles never hurt for anything you do. (keeping it G)

Different sabots. But that can be hard to do when you shoot a Barnes as I think their sabots are custom made for the bullet. I might be wrong on this point. Another thing you can do since you have such an accurate first load, is work up an easier loading second load. Something with a Crushed Rib sabot. Or you just have to swab the devil out of the barrel before loading the second shot. Nothing really wrong with that. A lot of us take the time to swab. After all if you place that first shot, especially with a Barnes, you will not have to track too far. So take some time, swab the bore, load a second one and have fun.

Someone once told me in their hard loading rifles, they swabbed and then ran a patch with a very light coat of gun oil on it, down into the bore but not all the way to the base. Now I would think the powder you dump would catch on that light oil, but then I thought... that sabot would kind of scrap it off the sides of the bore on the way down if it was tight fitting. He said it was still accurate. I never tried that. Since my rifles load sweet.

You have two options, swab between shots or switch to Blackhorn 209. I shot 777 with Nosler partitions and Crushed Rib sabot, and I had to swab between each shot.I switched to Blackhorn 209 and Barnes MZ 300g, and I don't have to swab. If you want accuracy, they gotta betight. In the field I used some bore butter to swab with since alchol dried up in my plastic bags, I have heard of some guy buying some of those alchol swabs in packets at a drug store, that would be a good choice also. Chap

I have an Elite as well. I am currently shooting the 200gr TC S/W's. The factory sabot loads really tight as well. I too amost have to swab in between every shot. I am going to try the crushrib later on and see how that goes. I tried some 250gr Hornady SST HS/LD. They loaded a lot easier but didn't group like I wanted.

I just don't see that swabbing between shots is a big deal, especially if it gives you superior accuracy. Then again, I'm retired and do everything slow. Try swabbing with a fairlywet patch of straight 91% rubbing alcohol - both sided of one patch - nothing else needed (no dry patch).

Chap- I got a couple snuff cans from a friend that chews. they keep my alcohol patches wet for quite a while and fit well in my pouch.

Charlie

Good idea to hold wet patches, film canisters would work also. Thanks chap

I have found the tighter the fit the better they shoot in my
Lyman mustang rifle anyway....And I do wipe between the shots as well...