Give Black MZ a try. Been using Black MZ almost exclusively since it hit the market. Stuff is more powerful than Pyrodex and is very clean.


Yeah, it ain't the most powerful powder on the market but at $9.99 per one pound bottle you can afford to use more if power is your thing.





Try the Hornady 300 grain .452 XTP magnum bullet in the black crush rib sabot. If the crush rib is too loose go to the black smooth sabot. The price won't break the bank and that bullet is just as effective as bullets costing much more.


Good luck with your muzzleloader experience.

I really love Black MZ myself... very clean and easy to deal with. With a 270 PB Platinum, which is an awesome killer, I get .75 for three shots at 100 yards with 110 grains of MZ. Good luck with your new CVA!

I have a SS Optima and love it. I have a Redfield Revenge Sabot scope on mine, one of those range finding jobs. I use Triple 7 pellets in mine, two at a time of either the 50 or 60 grain. I have 250 grain Hornady SST's, T/C 240 STP's and T/C 240 grain Cheapshot. They all seem to do very well accuracy wise but I am not a purist. I think the all lead Cheapshots are about as good as any. I use mine for deer only and limit myself to 200 yards if it is a perfect setup. If you use Triple 7 be sure to swab between shots and make sure the bullet & sabot are seated on the powder. It produces fowling a few inches from the rear of the barrel that is difficult to push the saboted bullet past. A great gun, enjoy!!