New to muzzleloading
08-08-2011, 07:42 AM
#1
Fork Horn
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location:
Posts: 180
New to muzzleloading
Finally got myself a muzzleloader after looking at them for the past couple of years. Cabelas had a good deal on the loaders so I got a CVA Optima. Now I need to get all the accessories ( bullets,powder/pellets,cleaning kits,primers, and whatever else I need) wondering what you all recommend?
08-08-2011, 08:05 AM
#2
Banned
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: Boncarbo,Colorado
Posts: 9,186
Great gun! I have 2 of them.
250gr Thor/250gr Powerbelt Aerolite/260gr harvester scorpion pt gold with mmp-24 sabot/300gr Traditions Fullbore all shoot great in my Optimas.
Powder: Blackhorn209 without a doubt.
Primers: CCI 209 Magnum
Accessories:
Range Rod
Cleaning rod
Short Starter
Powder Flask
Powder measure
Speed Loaders or powder tubes
Nylon bore brush
breech brush
Birchwood Casey Bore Scrubber
Birchwood Casey Gun Scrubber " for cleaning out the new gun"
It add's up pretty quickly but those items are important in order to shoot and maintain your muzzle loader.
250gr Thor/250gr Powerbelt Aerolite/260gr harvester scorpion pt gold with mmp-24 sabot/300gr Traditions Fullbore all shoot great in my Optimas.
Powder: Blackhorn209 without a doubt.
Primers: CCI 209 Magnum
Accessories:
Range Rod
Cleaning rod
Short Starter
Powder Flask
Powder measure
Speed Loaders or powder tubes
Nylon bore brush
breech brush
Birchwood Casey Bore Scrubber
Birchwood Casey Gun Scrubber " for cleaning out the new gun"
It add's up pretty quickly but those items are important in order to shoot and maintain your muzzle loader.
08-08-2011, 08:06 AM
#3
Boone & Crockett
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Eastern PA
Posts: 12,745
OK let's see. Where do we start. First off you are going to need a range rod and cleaning jag (.50 cal I presume). Give your bore a good cleaning with a degreaser and/or alcohol followed by a gun cleaner and light coat of gun oil. (Be sure to swab the oil out before you shoot.)
Patch worm: Sooner or later you are going to get a patch in your bore and you may as well have this little rod accessory available.
Next you will need 209 primers. You can get the muzzleloader primers or regular shotgun primers.
Powder measurer: Try to find one that adjust in 5 grain increments.
Powder: (depending on you budget, from what I am hearing Blackhorn 209 is the cleanest burning but the most expensive.) Or you can get some Pyrodex RS.
Bullets: I would select a saboted bullet in the 250 AND 300 grain range. You want to see which shoot best as all MLs are different.
Suggested loads: I would start at 80 gr and work up in 10 gr increments to no more than 120 gr and see where you better grouping is. (Note this is by volume not weight)
This should get you started. Welcome to the club.
Patch worm: Sooner or later you are going to get a patch in your bore and you may as well have this little rod accessory available.
Next you will need 209 primers. You can get the muzzleloader primers or regular shotgun primers.
Powder measurer: Try to find one that adjust in 5 grain increments.
Powder: (depending on you budget, from what I am hearing Blackhorn 209 is the cleanest burning but the most expensive.) Or you can get some Pyrodex RS.
Bullets: I would select a saboted bullet in the 250 AND 300 grain range. You want to see which shoot best as all MLs are different.
Suggested loads: I would start at 80 gr and work up in 10 gr increments to no more than 120 gr and see where you better grouping is. (Note this is by volume not weight)
This should get you started. Welcome to the club.
08-08-2011, 12:25 PM
#8
Dominant Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Wisconsin
Posts: 21,193
I do like loose powder. And for the reasons mentioned.. cheaper and load development. But I have a rifle that really likes just two pyrodex pellets and a Barnes bullet. I tried the same bullet with loose powder and did not get as good of results. Not really sure why, either.
08-08-2011, 01:07 PM
#9
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: Illinois
Posts: 1,482
Good advice here. I'd also recommend loose powder- Pyrodex, Triple Seven or Blackhorn 209 are all good powders, Blackhorn is less dirty and less corrosive than the others, though I've never had any problems with Triple Seven.
As far as bullets go, if you are allowed to used sabots, I would suggest trying out several- there are a lot of good bullets out there, including, but not limited to, 250 grain Gold Dot, 250 or 300 Grain XTP, 250 Barnes expander, and many others.
It will take some experimenting to find out what works best for you. Good luck!
As far as bullets go, if you are allowed to used sabots, I would suggest trying out several- there are a lot of good bullets out there, including, but not limited to, 250 grain Gold Dot, 250 or 300 Grain XTP, 250 Barnes expander, and many others.
It will take some experimenting to find out what works best for you. Good luck!
