New optima v2 problem.
 

Just bought a brand new optima v2 and it has the cva scope mount and I mounted a leupold rifleman on it. Well I got it out to line it up for deer season and I can't get it to group at 100 USA I was using triple 7 pellets and triple 7 209's. I tried a Barnes sabot which shot about six inch groups with 100 grains and 150 grains. Tried shockwaves which shot about 3" groups with both previous charges. And I tried 195 grain power belts with only 100 grains which shot about the same as the shockwaves then ran out of pellets. I bought some more pellets and plan on shooting it again in a couple days an try mag load with the power belts. But I did notice that the pellets had some residue on em. They where about 3-4 years old an I'm hoping that was the problem but something tells me it's not bc my cva wolf shot fine with them. There was no delay in discharge or anything either. So wats you guys opinion? U think it's the powder or the gun or something else?

100 yards not USA

old pellets and sucky accuracy is no surprise.

195gr powerbelts are .45cal so how in the world are you shooting them in a 50cal?!

Swab between each shot with a windex saturated patch and see how that does. The old pellets however are very common issues with poor accuracy.

I believe a 3" group at 100 yards is standard MZ accuracy. I know some will jump in and say you should have 1 hole groups but that's with load development, quality bench rest and and plenty of skill.

I'd switch to loose powder. If it's T7, you need to swab between shots Try between 90-110 grains by volume with a 250 - 300 grain bullet. The groups and your confidence will improve.

Got the same setup same scope. No issues here.

295 grain lol sorry

It's your pellets most likely. Buy loose powder. It won;t grab moisture anywhere like the pellets do. Plus you can tweak your load in 5 / 10 grain increments. You'd be surprised what 5 or 10 grains can do to shot groups on paper. Sometimes, that's all it takes, along with uncontaminated powder.

One last thing! Those 777 primers are pretty weak. Consider changing to Winchester 209 primers.

WinT7 primers worked fine for me with loose T7 powder. Never had a single ignition issue. I cant say for sure if i ever used them with T7 pellets but they worked fine with Pyrodex pellets.

No primer seemed to help the crud ring much with the pellets but the WinT7 primer had some effect on loose T7. They made a bigger difference in my old ThunderHawk...not 100% sure why.

Have you had ignition problems with them? Not saying I won't but iv always used em an never had a problem. I'm in Tennessee an our weather is usually pretty fair during muzzleloader season as far as weather related problems would be. Just wondering

Well after about 50 shots it's finally grouping with the shockwaves. Maybe the barrel needed breaking in.

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Burn rates with pellets are a concern when using too hot of a primer and to weak of a primer sometimes. So when I suggested trying a medium primer like Winchester 209, I just have the opinion that it may help you in the accuracy department and ensure a faster burn rate.

Too many posters here seem more concerned about keeping their breechplug cleaner - thus using the weakest primer as possible. They seem less concerned on the possibility that the type of primer they use, can affect their accuracy a wee-bit - can affect their shot-to-shot consistency a wee-bit too.

Not all barrels accept pellets snugly. Some bores are wide enough to leave pellet-related tiny gaps when ignition occurs and sometimes those gaps will create the faster burn rate, should you switch to a little hotter primer. So if your pellets are dropping the bore real easy and fitting a little sloppy at the breech, you may improve your target groups with a more complete, faster burn rate, using a little hotter primer.

Writer/author Randy Wakeman and bullet manufacturer Cecil Epp have stated multiple times that too hot of a primer with pellets can even push a bullet off the pellet powder, prior to a full ignition. So you want to draw a line in the sand and find the right strength primer that suits your bore best. Don;t be too concerned if your breechplug is a little dirtier with one type of primer over the other. You want the best accuracy..... period/exclamation point.

No - I'm debating this subject here. You are free to continue using the weak primers, or you can try the mid-level Winchesters next and see how you like them.

Glad to read you are finding better results after about 50 shots. The new ML is getting used to you .... and you are getting used to the new ML. Need any more help, feel-free to ask. Lots of good, smart board members here, with lots of experience shooting MLs.

What????? Your statement is totally false!

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Is that going to be your new signature line Triple Se7en? :D

When did i reply to you in this topic?

You will know when i reply to YOU because i will quote you like i just did.

BTW in case you did not notice its GM54-120...im not sure what a GM154 is. ;)


It's time to acknowledge Hillary's time has come. She deserves two full terms. Both in jail.

y'alls worse than me i swear.

As The Forum Turns will return after this brief message from our sponsors. :D Sheesh what a soap opera this place is starting to resemble! The OP asked a very simple question that yes granted could be a fair amount of answers to his particular problem and you T7 just tried to turn a simple answer from GM into a personal attack towards you when there was absolutely none! Sorry to tell you T7 but this forum nor the world does NOT revolve around you! Both of your answers (GM's as well as yours T7) had merit until yours started the little snippy crap!

Now, glad to see that the OP may have solved his problem. Me personally, I would go with loose of anything. Pellets just don't give you the adjustability of loose. As T7 put it, you would be surprised at what a 5 grain adjustment can do for a group. Never got into those pellets when the craze hit.

You bet as the Forums turns.

Let's all of get back to this gents question please.

Any of you have a problem with a poster use the little Yellow triangle and report it.
Air it out by Posting for the public and a Public Hanging will ensue. It has come that far!

Dave...JW

I shoot an Optima and find that 90 grains of loose powder gives me the best accuracy. For fun, I tried the 150 grains. Lots of recoil and so so accuracy. I like shockwaves in my Optima. I personally shoot the .40 caliber 200 grains shockwave with the blue 40/50 sabot. Amazing accuracy. And other members I trust said it is a deer killer. I never personally had the pleasure yet.

My opinion - take it or leave it - depending on how much cash you want to shell out is to get a powder measure and a bottle of Pyrodex RS and start working up a load with the bullet in the 250 - 300 grain range of your choice starting at 80 gr up to 110 gr.
Or you can get a breech plug designed for Blackhorn 209 and a bottle of Blackhorn 209 and do the same thing. I haven't had a .50 cal muzzleloader yet that didn't shoot a .429" - 300 gr Hornady XTP with a green Harvester crush rib sabot with good to exceptional accuracy.