Recently purchased a CVA Optima 50 cal and have always used maxi balls. Many posts praise power belts. Welcoming opinions of sticking with the maxi ball or change it up to power belts and reasons for either choice please.

optima has a 1 in 28 twist barrel which is designed for shooting conicals ( powerbelts ,sabots ,etc.) . if maxi balls are conical shaped they should be ok.
don' t have any experience with them . you could go to cva.com and check their forum and ask there.most of the posters there are helpful and informed .
good luck

I guess it comes down to your personal preference and what your gun likes. Every gun is a little different.

As mentioned with that barrel twist - it' s set up nice to shot PB, sabots, etc. I have had pretty good consistency w/ 295 gr HP from Powerbelt. I' ve also heard a lot of guys that like it slightly heavier - i think there is a 348gr (not sure on the exact number)

Your gun will handle elongated projectiles, like various bullets in sabots, or full bore-size bullets like Power Belts, Maxi-balls, Buffalo Bullets, Hornady Great Plains bullets, etc. The regular Maxi-ball has a reputation for very deep penetration but little expansion, even though made from pure lead. If you hunt deer, use a Maxi-Hunter or one of the lighter Power Belts, whichever is most accurate in your gun. For elk and bear, use the plain Maxi Ball or some other heavy conical, like the Power Belt, in a weight of over 400 grains. Choose the best bullet for your gun by shooting trials, and select the one that shoots best, in the design you need for whatever game you are hunting.

Was at the range yesterday and a fellow had a new one trying to shoot the PB was all over the board at 50 yds.I gave him 3 xtp 250 gr and he shot an inch group.His was the stainless pro.He was out of pellets then,said he was going to get some more of xpt' s,he saw what I was doing with the sst' s and he would try them too.

Great info. Thanks. I had heard the pb' s would not group well.

my friend and his dad shoot powerbelts out of 1:48 twist flinters and they say they get good groups....every guns diffrent..i sure hope my gun will shoot them...i have 25 bucks invested in them things already...i didnt even think that they wouldnt shoot good...i bought 1 pack then was back at walmart the other day and figured hunting seasons a few weeks away...i better stock up just incase im too busy or something...whatever bullet you like to shoot you shouldnt have a problem....if my gun dont like powerbelts im going to a maxi....but this is my first year so im testing everything i use still.....good luck

i tryed powerbelt bullets, would not shoot a good group, I used the remaining powerbelts from the pack as fishing sinkers.

Here' s a third option that works better than a PowerBelt in a CVA .50 cal barrel:

Try the Hornady 300gr SST sabot loads with 90gr Pyrodex. Clean between each shot and you will like the results

I' ll tell you another load that performs in the CVA barrells. Try the 300 grain, all copper Knight Red Hot..or Barnes Expander 300 gran load....(same thing)...............my gun never shot a group larger than 2 inches and consistancy is great. Furthermore, the bucks I have shot with this load, from 40 to 140 over the lastfew years, have almost all dropped in a few steps. Shoots great, kills great.