Need advice from yall
05-27-2017, 03:37 AM
#1
Fork Horn
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Pasco, Fl
Posts: 272
Need advice from yall
I own a cva optima (2 yrs old) with a 3x9 leupold, last year i was shootin it with winchester 209 primers, 2 triple seven pellets, and the 245 grain powerbelts green tip. I shot a few deer with this set up and have never gotten a good blood trail, even with double lung shots. I even lost a few deer due to no blood. I have lost all confidence in this gun and ammo. After sum research alot of others have had similar complaints about PB. I recently bought sum hornady xtp mags. Any experience with the xtp mags? I hear alot of yall talk about blackhorn. Should i switch to BH? Also does anyone own a Thompson Center and have any suggestions, i want to get rid of my optima b/c of lack of confidence in it. Sorry for the long post guys
05-27-2017, 04:42 AM
#2
Giant Nontypical
Join Date: Nov 2005
Posts: 6,585
Its probably not the gun. The first thing is the Power belts many of us have had bad experiences with them , everything from fragmenting on the surface to very poor accuracy. The second major cause of no blood is high hits, when you get a high double lung hit they bleed inside and you are left with a difficult situation.
Suggestions:
First the bullet Lehigh Bloodline 250 grain has done extremely well for me, expensive but the best for hunting[my opinion have used them since they came on the market. next the powder , try Blackhorn about 110 or a bit more this would increase your velocity considerable which increases the damage done with a good bullet.
The Harvester 300grain or less sabot is usually a good match for the CVA guns and that bullet if to tight use the crush-rib. For practice the XTP 250 grain is low priced and a good bullet.
PS study deer if you place your bullet just over the top of the heart in the large arteries there your problems will be much less.
Suggestions:
First the bullet Lehigh Bloodline 250 grain has done extremely well for me, expensive but the best for hunting[my opinion have used them since they came on the market. next the powder , try Blackhorn about 110 or a bit more this would increase your velocity considerable which increases the damage done with a good bullet.
The Harvester 300grain or less sabot is usually a good match for the CVA guns and that bullet if to tight use the crush-rib. For practice the XTP 250 grain is low priced and a good bullet.
PS study deer if you place your bullet just over the top of the heart in the large arteries there your problems will be much less.
Last edited by lemoyne; 05-27-2017 at 04:48 AM.
05-27-2017, 05:23 AM
#3
Dominant Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Wisconsin
Posts: 21,193
It is not the rifle. I have the same rifle. I am going to make a guess and suggest you were pushing the PowerBelts too hard. Most suggest a 80 grain max load. Also ditch the pellets. It is much more cost effect to shoot loose powder. Now that Hornady XTP is a good bullet. From all I read it is a real deer taker. With my Optima I shoot a 260 grain Scorpion Funnel nose made by Hornady. But the funny thing is, I have never taken a deer with them. Not from lack of trying mind you. It seems when I hunt with an inline I never see anything. I take a traditional round ball rifle out and always see deer.
Here I my suggestions. Get loose powder. My Optima likes 90 grains of powder with an XTP. Shoot that at a deer and then let us know what happens. Now I have shot a lot of powerbelts. And I have seen a lot of deer taken with them. I find them very accurate. But I do think there are better bullets. One of my favorite bullets (but they are expensive) is the Barnes MZ 250 grain.
Here I my suggestions. Get loose powder. My Optima likes 90 grains of powder with an XTP. Shoot that at a deer and then let us know what happens. Now I have shot a lot of powerbelts. And I have seen a lot of deer taken with them. I find them very accurate. But I do think there are better bullets. One of my favorite bullets (but they are expensive) is the Barnes MZ 250 grain.
05-27-2017, 05:46 AM
#4
Giant Nontypical
Join Date: Mar 2010
Posts: 5,600
A 50cal 245gr bullet is going to have a horrible sectional density no matter what you try. Why people even try to use a 50cal lead bullet that light is beyond me.
There is a reason you dont see lead bullets that light loaded in 50A&E or 500S&W and you found out first hand why. No matter what you try you will end up with a pancake and/or just fragments after impact.
If you just cant resist the overwhelming urge to use a PowerBelt, move upto a 300gr or heavier and don't push them too fast.
Going to a XTP MAG might put you on the other end of a 2 pellet load. Not enough fps for reliable expansion. The 240gr XTP MAG is far tougher than the regular 250gr XTP. There is a huge difference in jacket thickness.
If you cant resist the overwhelming urge to use 2 pellets then get some regular 250gr XTPs and the Harvester Smooth Black Sabots for upto 300gr bullets.
There is a reason you dont see lead bullets that light loaded in 50A&E or 500S&W and you found out first hand why. No matter what you try you will end up with a pancake and/or just fragments after impact.
If you just cant resist the overwhelming urge to use a PowerBelt, move upto a 300gr or heavier and don't push them too fast.
Going to a XTP MAG might put you on the other end of a 2 pellet load. Not enough fps for reliable expansion. The 240gr XTP MAG is far tougher than the regular 250gr XTP. There is a huge difference in jacket thickness.
If you cant resist the overwhelming urge to use 2 pellets then get some regular 250gr XTPs and the Harvester Smooth Black Sabots for upto 300gr bullets.
Last edited by Gm54-120; 05-27-2017 at 05:51 AM.
05-27-2017, 05:53 AM
#5
Fork Horn
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Pasco, Fl
Posts: 272
Its probably not the gun. The first thing is the Power belts many of us have had bad experiences with them , everything from fragmenting on the surface to very poor accuracy. The second major cause of no blood is high hits, when you get a high double lung hit they bleed inside and you are left with a difficult situation.
Suggestions:
First the bullet Lehigh Bloodline 250 grain has done extremely well for me, expensive but the best for hunting[my opinion have used them since they came on the market. next the powder , try Blackhorn about 110 or a bit more this would increase your velocity considerable which increases the damage done with a good bullet.
The Harvester 300grain or less sabot is usually a good match for the CVA guns and that bullet if to tight use the crush-rib. For practice the XTP 250 grain is low priced and a good bullet.
PS study deer if you place your bullet just over the top of the heart in the large arteries there your problems will be much less.
Suggestions:
First the bullet Lehigh Bloodline 250 grain has done extremely well for me, expensive but the best for hunting[my opinion have used them since they came on the market. next the powder , try Blackhorn about 110 or a bit more this would increase your velocity considerable which increases the damage done with a good bullet.
The Harvester 300grain or less sabot is usually a good match for the CVA guns and that bullet if to tight use the crush-rib. For practice the XTP 250 grain is low priced and a good bullet.
PS study deer if you place your bullet just over the top of the heart in the large arteries there your problems will be much less.
05-27-2017, 05:55 AM
#6
Fork Horn
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Pasco, Fl
Posts: 272
A 50cal 245gr bullet is going to have a horrible sectional density no matter what you try. Why people even try to use a 50cal lead bullet that light is beyond me.
There is a reason you dont see lead bullets that light loaded in 50A&E or 500S&W and you found out first hand why. No matter what you try you will end up with a pancake and/or just fragments after impact.
If you just cant resist the overwhelming urge to use a PowerBelt, move upto a 300gr or heavier and don't push them too fast.
Going to a XTP MAG might put you on the other end of a 2 pellet load. Not enough fps for reliable expansion. The 240gr XTP MAG is far tougher than the regular 250gr XTP. There is a huge difference in jacket thickness.
If you cant resist the overwhelming urge to use 2 pellets then get some regular 250gr XTPs and the Harvester Smooth Black Sabots for upto 300gr bullets.
There is a reason you dont see lead bullets that light loaded in 50A&E or 500S&W and you found out first hand why. No matter what you try you will end up with a pancake and/or just fragments after impact.
If you just cant resist the overwhelming urge to use a PowerBelt, move upto a 300gr or heavier and don't push them too fast.
Going to a XTP MAG might put you on the other end of a 2 pellet load. Not enough fps for reliable expansion. The 240gr XTP MAG is far tougher than the regular 250gr XTP. There is a huge difference in jacket thickness.
If you cant resist the overwhelming urge to use 2 pellets then get some regular 250gr XTPs and the Harvester Smooth Black Sabots for upto 300gr bullets.
05-27-2017, 05:58 AM
#7
Giant Nontypical
Join Date: Mar 2010
Posts: 5,600
In CVAs you are far better off getting the Blackhorn209 breach plug from either CVA or Western.
Carlos at Eds Gunshop in Vass NC can sell you a Western Powders BH209 plug with everything you need.
The regular plug works fine with pellets and other brands of loose powder.
Carlos at Eds Gunshop in Vass NC can sell you a Western Powders BH209 plug with everything you need.
The regular plug works fine with pellets and other brands of loose powder.
05-27-2017, 06:01 AM
#8
Giant Nontypical
Join Date: Mar 2010
Posts: 5,600
The Harvester smooth black for upto 300gr bullets is normally the best fit for the newer CVAs. The sabot the comes with Hornady or T/C ML bullets is made by MMP and it will load much tighter than the Harvester sabot.
05-27-2017, 06:02 AM
#9
Fork Horn
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Pasco, Fl
Posts: 272
In CVAs you are far better off getting the Blackhorn209 breach plug from either CVA or Western.
Carlos at Eds Gunshop in Vass NC can sell you a Western Powders BH209 plug with everything you need.
The regular plug works fine with pellets and other brands of loose powder.
Carlos at Eds Gunshop in Vass NC can sell you a Western Powders BH209 plug with everything you need.
The regular plug works fine with pellets and other brands of loose powder.
05-27-2017, 06:03 AM
#10
Fork Horn
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Pasco, Fl
Posts: 272
