Electra Range Report
 

Target #1
At 25 yards and after adjusting the scope to get close to the bulls eye I thought I might have something going so I moved out to 50 yards. Targets #1 through #5 were shot using a 10 mm, 200 grain Hornady XTP and a Harvester Blue Crush Rib sabot.

Target #2
After shot #1 I adjusted the scope and almost put the shot dead center. Target #1 and #2 were shot with 1 Pyrodex pellet. So now I thought the scope was set well enough to move on to Blackhorn with a Pyrodex booster.

Target#3
For this target I stayed at 50 yards but switched to 80 grains Blackhorn with a 5 grain booster of Pyrodex.

Target #4
As you can see from Target #3, with the change and increased amount of powder, my point of impact rose significantly. So I adjusted the scope and shot this target with the same load.

Target#5
After shooting Target #4 I figured it was good enough to move out to 100 yards.

Target#6
Target #5 was not looking too good so I decided to switch to my hunting bullet, A240 grain Hornady XTP in a Thompson Center Mag Express sabot.

Target #7
Things were not coming together but I didn't want to give up on the load just yet and shot another target.
Dang! I thought I might have something with a scope adjustment.

Target #8
This is when things fell apart. I mean my scope, I believe. I noticed that the cross hairs were not level and I had to level them. But they were level when I started and the scope was tight in the rings.

Target #9
After Target #8 I added 20 grains of Blackhorn to make a total of 100 grains.

Target #10
I was getting tired and figured that was the reason for the bad groups so I figured it was time to go home after a couple more shots with a 5 grain Pyrodex booster under 100 grains of Blackhorn 209.
After taking the rifle apart, cleaning it, and putting it back together I noticed that the cross hairs had shifted again. I think The scope died on me.

Vision??:confused0024::confused0024: or Electra?

That was my first question too. Also, I don't shoot BH209 because over 90% of my shooting is done with sidelocks but from the reports I've seen, it works best with heavy charges (100-120 grs).

OK! I finished editing my report! If you have any more questions please feel free to ask.:confused0024:

I was under the impression that BlackHorn was not a recommended powder. Just curious to know what made you try it?

Do you now feel the scope failed and was causing the problem? Are you going to use a new scope?

How was the trigger? As good as they claim it is?

I was under the impression that the Electra was easy to clean. How was the clean up?

Are you going to try some other projectiles other then the light ones?

Must have been frustrating.

How's the ignition, any delay,etc?

Dave, shot mine Sunday. The trigger is comparable to a Knight bolt gun IMO ie very good. It's the easiest cleanup I've ever had with a muzzleloader and I was shooting Goex. Mine didn't shoot very good but I only tried a couple of combo's.

The clean up part is good to hear. I am sure it is a matter of time before you find the right combination.

I will try some other bullets but I hope to get the .45 caliber, 240 grain XTP to shoot good. That is my go to bullet. I was just using the light ones to get the rifle shooting close to the bulls eye.

There was no delay. I did have one time where the rifle failed to fire. It fired on the second try though. There were no other ignition problems out of the nearly 40 rounds fired.

You had a fail to fire... and it was charged... wow, do you blame that on the powder, or swabbing?

The accuracy looked all over the board there. I wonder if using BH with a starter charge is a good idea in this rifle. Personally, I would stick with loose Pyrodex or T7 with the Electra. I think there is a good possibility the erratic accuracy is because of the duplex load. Every report I've seen on the Electra has shown very good accuracy (with Pyrodex or T7). Interesting though.....

The gun shop where I first saw and could have purchased an Electra (for $395.00) at the time has a 200 yard range. And the owner said Electra owners were shooting APP 2f and shockwaves out of them. And that their accuracy was exceptional. I then noticed.. he was selling APP and shockwaves in his store. So I took what he said with a grain of salt.

I forgot to ask you your over all impressions of how well built the rifle appears? Nice and solid welds, and stock to barrel fit good?

I don't know what the problem was. I can't blame it on anything because There was nothing done differently with that particular round then was done with any of the other rounds. I was very surprised when it happened.

I plan on trying nothing but loose powder the next time I take it to the range. Goex, Pyrodex, or maybe some Jim Shockey's Gold. I have never shot Triple Se7en but I would like to get some and give it a try some time. I think it would shoot Pyrodex pellets well from the initial sight in targets but I would like to get away from using them. I think they are just too expensive without the advantages of a powder like Blackhorn. Plus, you are supposed to crush the pellets when you load them and I'm afraid that will cause problems with accuracy.

I simply love the feel of the rifle. It is built well and feels solid. There is one problem I must expose though. The ram rod is loose in the thimbles and rattles around in them. I put a piece of duct tape around it where the first thimble is and it cured the problem. I plan to replace that with a piece of black electrical tape in the future. It's a simple fix but shouldn't be necessary. I like the rifle so much that I almost ordered another one before I had even shot the first one. Even after the less than stellar performance of the rifle, and or me, I would still like to get another but since my wife talked me out of that once I think I'll try to be happy with just one.

I held Target # 9 over top of target # 10 and held it up to the light and this is what I saw.

Holes 1 through 5 were on target #9. The 2 holes in target #10 are the one just below and to the right of hole #3 on target #9 and the hole behind hole #4 on target #9. The one you can see clean through. I would like you to be aware that holes #1 and #2 on target #9 were made with scope adjustment. With the final scope adjustment made before shots #3, #4 and #5 were taken at target #9 and the last 2 shots taken at target #10. I think this brings to light a little different picture of the grouping of the final 5 shots. That would be shots #3, #4 and #5 on target #9, plus the 2 shots on target #10 that is behind target #9.

I remember a while back when CVA was offering a satisfaction or your money back guarantee
but only if buying the White Hots pellets to try them together.
CVA was willing to put their money on the line based on the performance of the White Hots pellets,
so maybe they generally do work better in the Electra then any of the other propellants.

I don't think it was the White Hots. They still honor that if the CVA muzzle loader isnt the most accurate you've ever shot, send it back for a full refund. Apex and Accura V2 are the ones that get this treatment.