100 yard accuracy
#41
RE: 100 yard accuracy
If your rifle isn't scoped, scope it (if you prefer open sights you may very well be at "YOUR" limit). But, do try some SST's(Shockwaves), Dead Centere and some other pointy bullets, change up your powder/chargeand try again. Your rifle might not like those XTP's. I know mine sure didn't. Just a thought and will probably be cheaper than a trigger job.
#42
RE: 100 yard accuracy
Sthrnhogbuster
1. Is your Optima scoped? if so what power?....
2. There really is not a lot that can be done to those triggers. They can polished and honed and that will help some - but you do not have and adjustable trigger - nor do I in my Omega
3. I am making an assumption - I am thinking the 240 XTP is a 44 caliber bullet. Their a lot of people out there that shoot 44's from their 50's really well - I am not one of them - I have had much better luck with 45's and for some reason with the 10mm (40 cal) bullets shoot excellent.
4. Which sabot are you using with the bullet how easy/hard is it to get down? When it does go down does it go down with consistent pressure or are there easier spots and tighter spots in the barrel. CVA uses extruded barrels and not all extruded barrels come out with the bore being equal diameter the length of the barrel. Sabots will and can make of for some of the differences but not all. If yourbarrel is at fault CVA will work eith you to make it right, but you need to contact them and tell them your problems... Most of the time they are very receptive to trying to make you happy.
5. You do not have to be happy with a 5/6" group with a ML if you are using a scope... although and I hate to say this in public there are and there have been some CVA bores that just will not shoot good groups, and not to say there are not other companies with the same problem, but it seems to be more common in CVA's.
6. Some guns just like different bullets.... I might suggest try using some Speer 250 grain .452 (45 cal) bullets and a MMP HPH-24 or a HPH-3p-EZ load sabot if the 24 is to tight.
7. Another great bullet for me has been the Hornady 10mm 200 grain XTP in a MMP 40/50 blue HPH sabot...
8. 110 grains of what powder?... I would suggest trying a 100 grains of T7-2f.
9. You really do not need to buy expensive bullets to get accuracy...
I have not read all the posts on all the pages so maybe some or all of this is redundant....
Do you know of any other folks that shoot ML's in your area? If you do, might work out a deal to go with them sometime shooting and try their gun with their loads and see how you do... that could/would tell you a lot.
It may be the "bore" and with a CVA it is really possible - but try working with CVA first. I have had two CVA's no actully 3 but one was an old sidehammer, the sidehammer and the Firebolt shot really well, I had to do a bunch of work to the stock of the firebolt though, and the 3rd on a Hunter did not! it was terrible with anything and any combination- it is gone.
Good luck hope you get it worked out... cause ML shooting/hunting is just awesome...
I'm shooting 5-6 inch groups at 100 yards with a 240 grain Hornady XTP with 110 grains. I worked up to this from 80 grains and it seems to be the most consistant. I went to my local gun shop/smith and they said my trigger couldn't be worked on. It's a CVA Optima Pro, when they asked why I wanted to lighten my trigger I told them I wanted to tighten up my 5-6 inch group at 100 yards and they said that was pretty damn good and I should be happy with that with black powder.
2. There really is not a lot that can be done to those triggers. They can polished and honed and that will help some - but you do not have and adjustable trigger - nor do I in my Omega
3. I am making an assumption - I am thinking the 240 XTP is a 44 caliber bullet. Their a lot of people out there that shoot 44's from their 50's really well - I am not one of them - I have had much better luck with 45's and for some reason with the 10mm (40 cal) bullets shoot excellent.
4. Which sabot are you using with the bullet how easy/hard is it to get down? When it does go down does it go down with consistent pressure or are there easier spots and tighter spots in the barrel. CVA uses extruded barrels and not all extruded barrels come out with the bore being equal diameter the length of the barrel. Sabots will and can make of for some of the differences but not all. If yourbarrel is at fault CVA will work eith you to make it right, but you need to contact them and tell them your problems... Most of the time they are very receptive to trying to make you happy.
5. You do not have to be happy with a 5/6" group with a ML if you are using a scope... although and I hate to say this in public there are and there have been some CVA bores that just will not shoot good groups, and not to say there are not other companies with the same problem, but it seems to be more common in CVA's.
6. Some guns just like different bullets.... I might suggest try using some Speer 250 grain .452 (45 cal) bullets and a MMP HPH-24 or a HPH-3p-EZ load sabot if the 24 is to tight.
7. Another great bullet for me has been the Hornady 10mm 200 grain XTP in a MMP 40/50 blue HPH sabot...
8. 110 grains of what powder?... I would suggest trying a 100 grains of T7-2f.
9. You really do not need to buy expensive bullets to get accuracy...
I have not read all the posts on all the pages so maybe some or all of this is redundant....
Do you know of any other folks that shoot ML's in your area? If you do, might work out a deal to go with them sometime shooting and try their gun with their loads and see how you do... that could/would tell you a lot.
It may be the "bore" and with a CVA it is really possible - but try working with CVA first. I have had two CVA's no actully 3 but one was an old sidehammer, the sidehammer and the Firebolt shot really well, I had to do a bunch of work to the stock of the firebolt though, and the 3rd on a Hunter did not! it was terrible with anything and any combination- it is gone.
Good luck hope you get it worked out... cause ML shooting/hunting is just awesome...
#43
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location:
Posts: 3,246
RE: 100 yard accuracy
ORIGINAL: sabotloader
Ok - UC and Chap... when you are talking about a 3" group @ 100 are you talking with open sights or a scope and with a ML. I can get 1.5/2" groups @100with about any inline and scope combination that I shoot. That is not a problem at all, but they all have scopes. Now on the other hand when I move to a sidelock with open sights, I wish I could say that I could consistently get that same at 100, but the truth is they do expand. I can, and I would like to say "easily" maintain a 4" group with several shots, but it really is not that easy it takes a lot of concentration for me.
I have always considered myself a decent shot, actually pretty lucky shot, but I could not honestly tell anyone with open sights off a portable bench and bags I could consistently get 3" groups, with a volume powder hunting load (not weighed)in the barrel. Now if I loaded down just for targets and the wind gods would stop all wind when I was shooting - then maybe...
There are just so many different forces acting upon a bullet that I really can not control @ 100 I feel really comfortable with a 4" group @ 100 with open sights on a ML. Gees even just how you breath or don't breath can make a difference, but the biggest factor still remains inconsistentx-winds and drafts especially on the slower conicals.
I guess I just ain't that good after all...
Shudup Cdad...
Ok - UC and Chap... when you are talking about a 3" group @ 100 are you talking with open sights or a scope and with a ML. I can get 1.5/2" groups @100with about any inline and scope combination that I shoot. That is not a problem at all, but they all have scopes. Now on the other hand when I move to a sidelock with open sights, I wish I could say that I could consistently get that same at 100, but the truth is they do expand. I can, and I would like to say "easily" maintain a 4" group with several shots, but it really is not that easy it takes a lot of concentration for me.
I have always considered myself a decent shot, actually pretty lucky shot, but I could not honestly tell anyone with open sights off a portable bench and bags I could consistently get 3" groups, with a volume powder hunting load (not weighed)in the barrel. Now if I loaded down just for targets and the wind gods would stop all wind when I was shooting - then maybe...
There are just so many different forces acting upon a bullet that I really can not control @ 100 I feel really comfortable with a 4" group @ 100 with open sights on a ML. Gees even just how you breath or don't breath can make a difference, but the biggest factor still remains inconsistentx-winds and drafts especially on the slower conicals.
I guess I just ain't that good after all...
Shudup Cdad...
Chap Gleason
#44
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Pine Hill Alabama USA
Posts: 1,280
RE: 100 yard accuracy
outdoorslover, if I had a muzzleloader that wouldn't do better than a 6" group at 100 yards -it would not be mine long.
#45
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location:
Posts: 3,246
RE: 100 yard accuracy
ORIGINAL: Todd1700
Amen. 1 inch groups may not be possible with every muzzleloader but 6 inch groups are not the norm with a scoped muzzleloader and it sure as heck isn't acceptable accuracy to me. A scoped inline muzzleloader that won't keep 3 bullets inside a 6 inch circle at 100 yards is a gun that youcouldn't even take a 150 yard shot with. Hell, 125 yards would be dicey with that weapon. 150 yards with my T/C Omega isn't just possible from a rested position it's a slam dunk. 2 1/2 to 3 inches is an acceptable muzzleloader I guess. A muzzleloader that shoots 6 inch groups at 100 yards would be used as either a boat anchor or a stake for a tomato bush at my house.
outdoorslover, if I had a muzzleloader that wouldn't do better than a 6" group at 100 yards -it would not be mine long.
#46
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 3,092
RE: 100 yard accuracy
Without a scope Iwould do well tokeep them ona largebackboard at 100 yards - eyes justwill notwork correctly with irons, so I don't use irons.
My comments are based upon a rifle's accuracyas best I can shoot said rifle. For that effort, Ishoot from a bench and definitely use a scope. 3 shots at 100 that have a spread of more than 1.5" is likely going to have me looking for a way to improve things - certainly anything over 2" wouldfind me tweaking. If a rifle won't do at least that well, it isn't going to stay in my cabinet.
30 years ago I could easily keep 3 shots inside 2" at 100 yards with a .45 T/C Hawken using the factory sights (from a bench)... but those days are just a memory. I was also an excellent shot offhand back in those days, now I would lose an animal rather than shoot without some sort of rest (unless VERY close range).
My comments are based upon a rifle's accuracyas best I can shoot said rifle. For that effort, Ishoot from a bench and definitely use a scope. 3 shots at 100 that have a spread of more than 1.5" is likely going to have me looking for a way to improve things - certainly anything over 2" wouldfind me tweaking. If a rifle won't do at least that well, it isn't going to stay in my cabinet.
30 years ago I could easily keep 3 shots inside 2" at 100 yards with a .45 T/C Hawken using the factory sights (from a bench)... but those days are just a memory. I was also an excellent shot offhand back in those days, now I would lose an animal rather than shoot without some sort of rest (unless VERY close range).
#47
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location:
Posts: 1,149
RE: 100 yard accuracy
I did not say that 6 inch groups were GOOD but rather ACCEPTABLE. I am referring to hunting applications.
With open sights, a decent rest and the perfect load, you should do much better. I can now get 3 inch groups at 100 but I don't beat myself up for any 6 inch groups I get. I shot 6 inch groups before this last hunting season and felt perfectly confident and knew my limitations. I shot a doe and had no trouble at all with the kill.
Let everyone decide for themselves what groups they should shoot. Everyone just needs to know their limitations. Don't tell people how they should be able to shoot. There is no set standard so don't try to name one.
My uncle shoots about as good as me and heraraely misses nor wounds deer. He feels confident with his gun and knows what he can do with it. That's the only crucial element.
With open sights, a decent rest and the perfect load, you should do much better. I can now get 3 inch groups at 100 but I don't beat myself up for any 6 inch groups I get. I shot 6 inch groups before this last hunting season and felt perfectly confident and knew my limitations. I shot a doe and had no trouble at all with the kill.
Let everyone decide for themselves what groups they should shoot. Everyone just needs to know their limitations. Don't tell people how they should be able to shoot. There is no set standard so don't try to name one.
My uncle shoots about as good as me and heraraely misses nor wounds deer. He feels confident with his gun and knows what he can do with it. That's the only crucial element.
#48
Fork Horn
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Saint Robert, MO
Posts: 496
RE: 100 yard accuracy
2. There really is not a lot that can be done to those triggers. They can polished and honed and that will help some - but you do not have and adjustable trigger - nor do I in my Omega
While CVA had my Kodiak I asked them to get the trigger as light as possible. I know my trigger is VERY light since I got it back...I have not measured it but it is better than my Omega's by a long shot. I am not sure if they can do the same work to the Optima but I would give them a call if you won't need the gun for 2 or 3 weeks and can fork over a few bucks for shipping.
Edit- My trigger is well under 3lbs. I measured it with a 3lb weight and loop of string and it drops well before the full 3lbs of the weight is on it. I would have to guess it is somewhere around 2.5lbs. Give CVA a call and ask them. They are very helpful and have great customer service.
While CVA had my Kodiak I asked them to get the trigger as light as possible. I know my trigger is VERY light since I got it back...I have not measured it but it is better than my Omega's by a long shot. I am not sure if they can do the same work to the Optima but I would give them a call if you won't need the gun for 2 or 3 weeks and can fork over a few bucks for shipping.
Edit- My trigger is well under 3lbs. I measured it with a 3lb weight and loop of string and it drops well before the full 3lbs of the weight is on it. I would have to guess it is somewhere around 2.5lbs. Give CVA a call and ask them. They are very helpful and have great customer service.
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idahoelkinstructor
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05-27-2005 07:35 AM