Cva optima pro?
 

I just bought a optima pro with 29in barrel, was wondering what bullet powder combo to shoot. I been using 240xtp with 90grn pyrodex winchester 209 caps out of a new frontier cascade magnum and a cva buckhorn both have 24in barrels and out to 100yds groups was around 3inches. Will the optima shoot as good as those 2 guns? What would you recomend for a scope? Been looking at a simmons 4x12 shotgun scope, would that be a good choice?

try a 348gr powerbelt aerotip with 90gr pyrodex P. that was one hell of a shooting load for me!
another excellent option is the thor. 90-110gr pyrodex rs is the range they do best for me.
www.thorbullets.com

Thanks md i am going to try several different bullets loads etc just wanting to see what everybody would recomend. I have shot the buffalo ballets with pretty good results, would the 29in optima shoot the conical well, or should i stay with the sabots?

Forgot to say, that most of the shots i take are between 25-75yds.

conicals will do excellent. As always, just takes the time to find the right load combo.

Your hunting sounds like mine... all close shots. As for a scope I have a couple I have mounted on different rifles and am using and like;

2-7x32mm Nikon Pro Staff
3-9x40 Nikon Omega
4x32mm Simmons Pro Diamond
1.5x4.5x32mm Bushnell Banner Dusk to Dawn
2.5x20mm Simmons
1x32mm Traditions
1x20mm Nikon
1x32mm Thompson Center Hawkins
1.4-6.5x40mm Traditions illuminated
2-7x32mm Bushnell 3200 with firefly

All of them are 100 yards scopes and some even more. I know I can make a shot out to 100 yards with any of them. A real surprise was the simple Simmon 4x32mm Pro Diamond. A $39.99 scope and it just plain works. Excellent glass, clarity, etc. And for the money I paid for it.. if I damage it ... SO WHAT!!

My favorite is the Nikons and the Bushnell 3200 of course. They are just nice scopes. But the price of them and some of the others really make me wonder if I need that expensive dollar scope for where I hunt.

As for bullets.. my CVA Staghorn Magnum shoots about anything real good, but 90 grains of Pyrodex RS and a 245 grain Powerbelt and it will amaze you with what it groups. I never killed a deer with a powerbelt, but I would think that load would be more then lethal. I tried them when I was playing with powerbelts and found them to be deadly accurate. I Frontier Gander used that bullet on a mule deer a while back...

My bad that simmons was the 4x32, cheapest i found it was 55 plus tax n shipping. I see alot guys use a 3x9x40 would that be better? Looking to spend around 100.00. I have used the staghorn with a 285gr buffalo ballet, 85gr pyrodex and it was excellent! Thanks for the input I also got the 12ga barrel from cva for about 50.00 shipped! Cant wait to try it out next spring for turkeys!

i still cant believe they were selling the 12g barrels for around $30!

Look for the bushnell sportsman 3-9x32 at walmart. they are around $55-60

Yhea that 12ga barrel is complete camo, 3yrs ago it was 150.00! I have used the tasco bantams,and they worked pretty good for a 40.00 scope. Was wanting to try that 4x32 simmons pro diamond, but will keep that bushnell in mind too.

I have my dads optima set up with 90 BH 290 barnes T-EZ with the supplied blue sabot. Nikon 3x9 Prostaff. excellent groups
Doug