New Optima is IN!!
 

I was out at 150 yards shooting the Accura and i heard a truck. After i was done shooting my brother said a package came in from BPI. woooohoo!! I knew either the wolf or the optima had come in. The new optima is sweet! I'll post pics later after im done playin with it.

heck no the Accura isnt retiring! In fact i shot 150 yards with it today off of my shooting sticks and that sucker put the last 2 shots touching!

The Optima is one hell of a shooter! After zeroing in the scope at 30 yards with 3 shots, i got 3 more loads, took one shot and hit perfect in the center of the bull. Backed out to 50 yards and put the final 2 shots into the same holes.

This rifle loves 100gr BH209 - CCI 209M and a 270gr Powerbelt Platinum. The trigger pull on it has Z-E-R-O Grit or creep! I'd say roughly a 3lb trigger pull that breaks like thin glass. The break action is a little stiff right now ( new gun of course) but it locks up tight and solid.

We're supposed to get 12 to 24" of snow tonight ( doesnt that figure)
Stock fits me like a glove and is comfortable with open sights. Huge eye relief with the Durasight Dead-On Mount set up.

I robbed that Bushnell scope off my dads rem710 '06 as he said he wants a new scope for his rifle.

Rifle is built strong inside of the frame too, I'll take pics of that later on.

The ramrod will no longer get scratched up like the old style used too, they put some fillers inside of the ramrod thimbles to keep it quiet, rattle free and scratch free.

Recoil pad also is great as well, it sucked up the recoil pretty darned good and im not sore. Doesnt even felt like i shot today.

Also the hammer spur is either a righty or a lefty. Mine unscrews easily.

For the price of this rifle with the SS barrel, its going to be damn hard to beat. In all honestly, im really starting to like this rifle better than the Accura over all. We'll find out at 100 yards how it does.


Oops almost forgot, i can hear it already. How'd the breech plug unscrew after shooting?

Like a hot knife going through cold butter. It amazed the hell out of me!

Nice looking rifle!

Very nice.....Is that the new model or last years?

new model. date of manf is 2010

Nice Looking ML MD, you forgot to mention the Most IMPORTANT Thing.....was there any BLOWBACK?? is this Breechplug the same as the New ACCURA V2?
(BP)

NO BLOW BACK!! Yeah its the same as the V2.

I wrote this up, i need to add things as i go along and learn about it but it will be an honest review. i dont make no money off this so theres no need to sugar coat it any LOL. I really do like the rifle a lot so far.
http://gandersmuzzleloadingblog.blogspot.com/

Great, give us a Honest Review. I knida like it better than the new ACCURA V2, Im not into the rubber on the V2. Do us favor and if possible try some different powders and bullets, mabey some regular Pyrodox, T7 ect and something other than Powerbelts if possible. I'll be looking forward to the Review.
(BP)

i have plenty of American Pioneer and Jim Shockeys Gold, Powerbelts and of course, Both Thors.

I use none of the above, but Im sure the ML will do just fine with what I use. So let me get this straight......you are somehow connected with BPI ???? what are you like a Field Tester?:fighting0007:
(BP)

Nice looking rifle MD. Will be looking foreward to the range reports.

Lowest 2 shots were my first group after i scrubbed the bore with flitz and 000 steel wool. I adjusted 3 clicks up and took 2 more shots and steadied myself better. Those top 2 shots were just under 1" center to center. Not bad for a muzzleloader thats not even One day old! This was 100 yards too. 270gr Powerbelt Platinums, 100gr BH209. Next time out i will try 110gr and see if that will tighten them up. This rifle also softens recoil a good deal better than the Accura. I was pretty surprised, but once i try the 338 Platinums with 120gr BH209 we will see just how much better it does with recoil.

Gotta have one, anybody want to buy an Accura?

yes,I do.I have an Optima on the way but could always use another Accura :biggrin:.

Took the Optima out today with the 245gr powerbelts and American Pioneer 2F.

70gr APP 2f ( Weight)

75gr APP 2F (Weight)


Next up i tried 61 grains Jim Shockeys Gold 2f,


64.4 grains Jim Shockeys Gold 2f,


These lighter loads are for my nephew and just seeing how the Optima does with APP. 75gr APP seems to do fine and we'll work on that at the range.

MD, Im not trying to be a jerk or anything but if I had groups like that I'd give up, there's got to be a load that will put em all togeather in at least a 1" group. I get way better groups at 200yds. That Optima better shoot better than that or it's off my list! Lets see some real groups! Again dont take this wrong, but get that baby shootin like it's suppos to and then show us some groups.
(BP)

shoots much better than that. i was using american pioneer today, not blackhorn. And that very first group is at least 1"!! the bullseye alone is 2"

Again, dont take my quote the wrong way fellow CVA Shooter, but get that baby shootin some groups that will make us want one:cool2:
(BP)

Curious as to the answer to BP's questions as well.

i review products for many places, not for money either, i dont make a dime off anything, nor do i get to keep the products after i am finished trying them out. Just get to review products and do write up's on them. I want to be able to shoot as try out as many rifles/bullets as possible and if someone down the road comes along and asks for help, i can supply that hopefully. Just my side hobby that i enjoy. You get to meet a bunch of great people, test many items out and tell them what you think, what they could change, all that stuff.

Full disclosure does add value to any backyard testing.
Failure to do so renders it meaningless to most - or at least viewed with a high level of scepticism.

holy smokes! I took 6 shots at 100 today with the 70gr bh209 - 245gr powerbelt. i'll take pictures as soon as i fire off 3 more! I found the perfect load for my nephew to use this season.

I do prefer the cci 209m's as they are much cleaner. I need to get some Rem STS primers though and see how those group.

I do believe i got a winner right here.

went out again. The federal 209a primers certainly dont shoot as tight as the cci's but hell, i cant complain. I want to try 80gr next time out and see how it does and if it tightens things up any. And i figured out why my rest had been causing me problems!

The 2 unmarked shots was me doing the shooting my old way off the rest. Normally with the accura i will take the tip of the stock and jam it face first into the rest as i get a super steady hold this way but my accuracy was ok here and there. Now the reason i did this with the accura was because the sling stud was in the way from being able to get a good rest, so this was the steadiest way to do it. After i jammed it into there i would then shoulder the rifle and swing the stock over to get to where i needed it and THAT is what the problem was on the Accura and even on the Optima today. The stock would press over at the top and move my barrel and throw my shots off target.


Correct way that the Optima likes but impossible to do with the Accura due to sling stud position.


Last 3 shots, i punched the trigger on #1 and kicked myself for doing so.


Im only have enough BH209 for a few 80gr charges so i will do that even later this evening or tomorrow morning.

Doesnt like 80gr bh209 at all! It spit them into a 4" group. The 70gr load will be fine this year for my nephew.