NDR - Inline smoke pole question.....load size

J

JimG

Well-known member
I picked up a new smoke pole yesterday, CVA Optima V2, thumbhole stock, scope. $349 at Dick's Sporting Goods of all places.

After a small heart attack from the sticker shock of buying Power Belt bullets and a box of White Hots, my question is if there is much to be gained by 3 pellets vs 2 pellets of the White Hots. I anticipate no shots farther than 75yds out in the woods.

Jim
 
For 100 yards or less stick with two pellets. I shoot .338 grain and 100 grains of pyrodex. Dead on at 50 and 1/2" low at 125........I've never shot it beyond 125.

If you were sing loose powder you could fine tune your charge for better results , but the pellets are so easy!
 
Jim, I agree with jode. I shot 3 pellets for years and all it hot me was more recoil. My gun shot more accurate with two pellets even at longer distances. I now shoot loose powder, much more accurate. You should try some of the sulfur free alternatives such as blackhorn 209 ands hockey's gold. Clean up is really easy and non corrosive. I say this after having pyrodex ruin 2 muzzleloaders. Lastly I know a few people who have had poor performance on game with the power belts. There is a lot of info on the web about them. To save $ on the bullets you can buy the same bullet as the hornaday sst and TC shockwave (same bullet) from reloading supply places. It's a 45 cal bullet. Seems they mark up the price when they brand something muzzleloader specific. You just have to buy sabots. Good luck with the new gun.
 
Yes, as has been said. 100 will do in CT. I shoot 90 grains of triple 7 behind Barnes TEZs.
 
I also shoot the White Hots and really like them. Two pellets will do it for anything out to 100 yards. Have you checked out Precision Rifle for bullets? I've been shooting the 195 grain polymer tipped rounds for deer. Very accurate bullets. The prices are reasonable too.

https://www.prbullet.com/


Very best,
Nate
 
I tried the pellets & didn't like 'em. Did not seem reliable. I use pyrodex and it always goes boom. 90 gr. of pyrodex behind a 295 gr powerbelt is plenty out to 125yds.
 
The barnes copper bullets are excellent! Consistent performance and great controlled expansion. They are my go to should I ever switch.

I shoot the Powerbelt platnums and have very good results always dead deer at the end of the very short and good bloodtrail.
 
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The barnes copper bullets are excellent! Consistent performance and great controlled expansion. They are my go to should I ever switch.

I shoot the Powerbelt platnums and have very good results always dead deer at the end of the very short and good bloodtrail.
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We open up next week. I've been looking for a good deer with the rifle and haven't found one - but the freezer has been full since Sept, so just having a good time until we get some real cold to move the ducks to big water. I really like shooting my inline - should shoot it more.

Taking the day off, my body is beat - going to sit dawn to dusk tomorrow with the rifle, hoping for a late season biggun.
 
I bought my Optima last year. I've hunted with a TC Hawkin Flintlock since PA's first season way back when... and when the gun did Go Off even killed a few deer. Hunting with that Flintlock taught me patience, and made me a better still hunter. Only had to pull one ball in many years of huntin', but I will not miss using it.

The Optima sure is not a primitive weapon, but man I love it! 2 pellets of triple 7, and 245gr. Powerbelt Copper (Yikes they are costly) and very good groups at 100 yards. That's as far as I will shoot, and most likely a lot closer. Our season opens next week, and I'm lookin forward to killing a deer with the Optima, until then havin' fun with the rifle. Life is Good.

A friend that uses his Optima for All big game, bear & deer, and does very well indeed gave me his recommendation. 2 pellets triple 7, and 250gr. TC Shock Wave Yellow Tip.
 
more than twice as expensive as buying Winchester Silvertips for my 270.

Because they came with the "kit" of ball starter and cleaning supplies, shooting the 295 grain power belts this year.
 
Wow...some pretty fancy stuff you guys are shooting. I shoot round balls and powder from my Muzzleloader. Of course it's not an in-line, just a flintlock fowler piece. No pellets or high tech stuff for me, that's what my rifle is for.

Steve
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If I lived in PA, I'd shoot a flintlock too, but I don't.
 
Tod...That's by choice, not regulatory requirement. I hunt NY state as well where in-lines are allowed. We'll just leave it at that...
 
Tod...That's by choice, not regulatory requirement. I hunt NY state as well where in-lines are allowed. We'll just leave it at that...
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You can leave it wherever you like.
 
Not sure who tinkled in your Wheaties Tod, but I'm not sure what the deal is with the callous replies?

I apologize to everybody else (especially JimG for the direction this thread went) if my original post was out of line or offensive, that was not the intent. In fact, I'll just go ahead and delete it so as not to offend anybody else. Those that really want to read it can do so where Tod had the good sense to quote it. It was merely stating the vast differences in our choice of tools. Not saying one is better than the other or anything of that nature. Clearly the inline would win that hands down from a ballistics standpoint.

Now I remember why I don't post much anymore...Good day sir.
 
Not sure who tinkled in your Wheaties Tod, but I'm not sure what the deal is with the callous replies?

I apologize to everybody else (especially JimG for the direction this thread went) if my original post was out of line or offensive, that was not the intent. In fact, I'll just go ahead and delete it so as not to offend anybody else. Those that really want to read it can do so where Tod had the good sense to quote it. It was merely stating the vast differences in our choice of tools. Not saying one is better than the other or anything of that nature. Clearly the inline would win that hands down from a ballistics standpoint.

Now I remember why I don't post much anymore...Good day sir.
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Back to the topic at hand, I have a T/C Omega which is very similar to your rifle, and I've had good luck with both the pellets and loose powder. My most accurate load by far has been with 95gr of loose pyrodex and a 245gr T/C Shockwave, averaging about 1.5" groups at 100yds. I've also had good luck with 2 50gr pyrodex pellets and a 245gr Barnes Spitfire, not quite as accurate but good enough for hunting shots out to 125yds or so, and I personally love the Barnes bullets. I will usually hunt with pellets instead of powder because I like the option of a quick reload, they even make bullets and pellets that are bonded together for super fast reloads but that is illegal in my state and it gets too far from the intent of muzzleloading in my opinion.
What I have also heard and read is that 3 pellets won't completely burn in a 28" barrel, so you're not gaining much if anything by stacking 3. 2 is plenty, and gives me about 1800fps in my Omega. A lot of guys out here are crazy for the new Blackhorn 209 powder, it's supposedly really clean burning and will give you some higher velocities than pyro but I haven't tried it yet. One of the really fun things about muzzleloaders is that every one seems to be different and it's a fun experimentation process to get a good load dialed in, good luck!
 
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Jim,
I've done quite a bit of research and use to talk to owner Russel Lynch at MAX Muzzleloader, (not sure his business status these days), but he saved me a lot of time and $$$ trying different things. I believe you will find loose powder is the most accurate and Blackhorn, by far the cleanest powder. I shoot Parker Productions' Ballistic Extreme 275gr bullets with sabot. Good luck and enjoy your inline.
Louie
 
Jim,
I forgot to say, my most accurate load of Blackhorn in my CVA Apex is 110 grains. Good shooting.
 
I'll jump in and stir the pot a little. I shoot a Savage ML 2 .50 cal loaded with 30 grs. of 2400 behind a hornady 250 gr. .45 bullet with sabot. And yes it is legal in Ohio. Very
accurate,no smoke,easy to clean. Five one shot kills testify to it's humane effectiveness. Certainly not traditional.
I think it is the only muzzle loader that can use smokeless powder.
 
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