Frustrated with CVA Optima LR I have a question

[ncogneet0]

Hello, I have owned 5 muzzle loader including three CVA Optima's. This year I drew a tag for a Bull Elk. For the live of me I have tried magnum pellets/triple 7 pellets and white hots and many different bullets. I cannot get this new gun to shoot consistent like my older optima. I hit the center of the target then the next shot will be 5 inches away from the first then the third shot sometime is 10 inches away from th other two and is all over the target. Any suggestions? Ive had non stop problems with this particular CVA product including a ramrod that came apart and went through my hand. Any suggestions as to how to make this thing shoot. I dont feel good about hunting an elk or anything else with it.

 

[deermanok]

You should try loose powder.
It's possible to refine your loads. Maybe a precise measure of powder, either weighed or by volume could make the gun shoot better.

 

[illinoishunter]

Listening intently to this. I've got an Optima LR showing up this week.

 

[MrTom]

If this gun is a .50 caliber:

First thing is to back up and re-check every screw that holds either a sight or scope on the gun to be certain they are tight and loc-tited. Check the forearm screw to be certain that this is not loose.

Second, pick up and use some FFg or FFFg T-7 granular and a volume measure and start with 90 grains, a 300 grain bullet with a black sabot. Many, if not most, people will find 110 grains of powder with a bullet of that weight and a regular black sabot to be the most accurate. Hornady XTP, non-magnum, .451/.452 bullets are just about a standard and very adequate for elk. Harvester's plain black [short style for up to a 300 grain bullet] sabots. If needed due to real tight loading, a black crush rib with that same bullet.

Third, deal with the crud ring by running a damp patch thru the barrel after each shot.

And fourth, be sure to clean the flash channel in the plug behind the primer pocket after every ten shots or so.

If the gun is a .45 caliber:

You'll have to settle on using the high tech powerbelts or,

get a different gun.

 

[Harley469]

Are you letting the barrel cool between shots? I don't even shoot my MLs usually at this time if year due to the heat. That being said, I wouldn't expect that type of deviation. If using a scope, make sure everything is tight. Try some powerbelt platinum. They have always shot great for me with CVA'S (150grs of triple seven). I run a couple patches after each shot (front and back, licking one side of the patch). Good luck.

 

[ncogneet0]

I was letting the Muzzleloader cool about 10 minutes between shots I checked all the screws they were tight, I think ill try loose powder next.

 

[smokeeter]

swap out the scope

 

[illinoishunter]

Did the optima lr come with the scope? What scope do you have?

 

[BlackPowderGuy (AJHS)]

Is this a recent purchase? I had an Optima V2 that I recently got rid of because I just could not get it to work the way I wanted. Based on what I read on here, and now my own experience, CVA can be hit or miss. I have a Wolf which is a tack driver and the Optima which was all over the place. I’d love to know how they QC their barrels and breech plugs…Because on both Wolf and Optima, I had the BH209 breech plug…the one on the wolf functions flawlessly and the one on the Optima had tons of blowback and primer extraction problems. Very frustrating.

 

[Chundoo]

My son had the same issues as you're having. Switched the scope and it was greatly improved. Scopes fail so make sure that's all it is before chasing other solutions.

 

[illinoishunter]

So this may or may not help. But this guy does a bunch of testing of powders, pellets, ammo and primers on his CVA Optima LR.

 

[ram2]

If the gun is a .45 caliber:

You'll have to settle on using the high tech powerbelts or,

get a different gun.

You can get Hornady XTP in .45 caliber. Look at Muzzle-Loaders.Com website.

 

[bronko220002]

If the rifle has open sights take the scope off and shoot a few at 50 yards to see if the rifle shoots decently. If it does the its likely the scope. If it doesn't call CVA.

 

[phalanx]

OP never did say if this was a 50 or 45 cal. i am assuming 50 cal bassd on title saying Optima LR and not LR-X. It would be good to know as I have both and they both need to be sighted in.

 

[ncogneet0]

OP never did say if this was a 50 or 45 cal. i am assuming 50 cal bassd on title saying Optima LR and not LR-X. It would be good to know as I have both and they both need to be sighted in.

Im sorry its a 50

 

[Shorty]

Check the concentricity of the bore, there known to be overbored.

 

[rangerod]

If you check the scope and mount and know that the forearm screws and such are properly tightened then I'd send it back. I wouldn't think any gun should shoot the same bullet that inconsistently.Just my 2¢ worth. I'm sure others will disagree.

 

[ncogneet0]

I think I found the problem. After wasting more than 300 bullets and ruining two scopes I was asked if I was using a lead sled to sight in my gun. I was using one. Apparently the lead sled "Cup" where you set the butt stock of your gun has a thinly padded area then a metal rear plate. When you shoot the muzzleloader the gun kicks back against the metal plate then onto your shoulder (two movements). This is the equivalent of hitting the buttstock of your gun with a hammer. I put on a third scope and sighted it in with no lead sled and it sighted in and works great. 1.5 group at 100 yards compared to missing the target by many feet. Thank goodness that Burris is sending me a replacement scope. Apparently many gunsmiths hate lead sleds for exactly this reason (Google it).

 

[illinoishunter]

Wow. Well glad you got it figured out. I'm sure it was beyond frustrating.

 

[phalanx]

Thanks for the update ncogneet0. I often use a lead sled but with no weight in it because I heard they can destroy a scope when weighted down. Was yours weighted down? Glad you got it figured out.