Anyone have data on a certain load?

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I’ve been considering buying another chrono to learn the answers myself , but hate to spend the money for a one time thing!

I have a CVA Optima 50 cal and a CVA Optima V2 50 cal.
I’ve been shooting the same 245 Powerbelt bullet so many use and are available at Wally World.
I’ve been putting it on top of 3 -777 pellets.
It not only kicks the crap out of you, but the groups are not great.
I have lost 2 deer using this setup and decided on a change.
I changed the bullet to A Powerbelt 330 grain ELR in my V2 and got great results with 3 pellets of 777.
I then tried out 95 grains by weight of Blackhorn 209 and got even better results with a small reduction in recoil.

I want to try out the 330 grain ELRs with White Hots now, because I’ve gone through 2 cans of Blackhorn and now it’s hard to find. At $75 per can that’s $150 just in powder!

Has anyone done any testing on the 330 grain ELR and 2 white hots pellets?
I want a devastating round at 100 yards.
I’ve shot several of these loads at paper and they look great!
Now all I want to know is if they have the speed to make the bullet mushroom correctly and the kinetic energy I need.

I understand that some of you guys are far more knowledgeable than me and are load testing junkies.
I don’t need the science and info on what I should use instead, I just need the data on this load if you have it.
I don’t mean to sound like a smarty pants, because that’s not how I mean it.

I know you guys are far more knowledgeable than me on the subject .
Thank you!
 
I’ve been considering buying another chrono to learn the answers myself , but hate to spend the money for a one time thing!

I have a CVA Optima 50 cal and a CVA Optima V2 50 cal.
I’ve been shooting the same 245 Powerbelt bullet so many use and are available at Wally World.
I’ve been putting it on top of 3 -777 pellets.
It not only kicks the crap out of you, but the groups are not great.
I have lost 2 deer using this setup and decided on a change.
I changed the bullet to A Powerbelt 330 grain ELR in my V2 and got great results with 3 pellets of 777.
I then tried out 95 grains by weight of Blackhorn 209 and got even better results with a small reduction in recoil.

I want to try out the 330 grain ELRs with White Hots now, because I’ve gone through 2 cans of Blackhorn and now it’s hard to find. At $75 per can that’s $150 just in powder!

Has anyone done any testing on the 330 grain ELR and 2 white hots pellets?
I want a devastating round at 100 yards.
I’ve shot several of these loads at paper and they look great!
Now all I want to know is if they have the speed to make the bullet mushroom correctly and the kinetic energy I need.

I understand that some of you guys are far more knowledgeable than me and are load testing junkies.
I don’t need the science and info on what I should use instead, I just need the data on this load if you have it.
I don’t mean to sound like a smarty pants, because that’s not how I mean it.

I know you guys are far more knowledgeable than me on the subject .
Thank you!
Just my opinion....
I think you're gonna have a hard time finding info on those loads.
 
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I'll see if I can offer you some relief by using what I consider to be fact instead of science....

#1. Find some help from a professional for your apparent magnumitis. All it will do is kick the crap out of you unless you get it resolved.

#2. Trash those pellets so you can realize some true flexibility in finding accurate loads with bullets proven to function on animals. Granular Triple seVen and BH209 are excellent choices of granular powders, however if you choose to re-acquaint yourself with the Blackhorn you need to thoroughly read the product use description and understand fully that the 95 grains by weight charge you shot in those two guns is about 11 grains OVER the maximum recommended charge by weight. With the BH209 powder, which I would recommend for hunting, I think you'll find, and enjoy, that loads using between 63 and 77 grains by weight, or 90 to 110 grains by volume, using bullets between 240 grains and 300 grains are going to show you your sweet spot. I'd bet its somewhere between those weight parameters. The Triple seVen granular powder using those same charge weights and bullets will almost exactly mirror those results both in accuracy and in bullet function if a decent bullet is used.

#3. Unless you are going to do nothing but shoot paper or groundhogs, understand that Power Belts have a notoriously bad track record when used on anything much larger than a coyote. You mention deer, so I'll assume they are your target animal. XTPs, Deep Curls, Barnes, Swift A-Frames, and a host of other great pistol bullets and some rifle bullets have set the standard for most muzzleloaders when it comes to collecting game up to and including elk and moose. Many find favor with heavy lead conicals for the larger animals. My suggestion is to find GOOD, PROVEN bullets within the weight range you want and buy some sabots for them. In unison with the granular powder, you'll find not only better accuracy, but the bullets will be doing what they are intended to do.

#4. This is important if you are serious about getting the most bang for your buck. Don't fall for advertising from CVA. That's the easy street. They want you to think that pellets are the charm and that those power belts are the cat's meow to use in their magnum guns. Pellets limit you and your gun. Severely. Granular powder offers so much more and for less money. CVA makes the power belts so of course they are going to try to ram them down your throat. This tactic is finally coming to a head for CVA so that gig is over. The other bullets I mentioned offer way more than any of the power belt bullets. And so you know, power belt bullets seem to like blowing up o impact on deer sized and larger animals when pushed as hard as what you were pushing those things resulting in wounded and lost game. Since America's Trash Can, Walmart, is selling largely CVA products, power belts and pellets, the easy street is easy to get on and easy to stay on. Take your searching beyond Walmart. Stores that have good gun displays with reloading supplies, or gun shops that cater to muzzleloaders and reloaders are so much the better. On-line shopping is your buddy. The two Optimas you have are simply nice 200 yard or less guns capable of superb accuracy when used with components that have better track records than what CVA and Walmart want you to settle for because it's easy to use.

Muzzleloading may appear to be simple, but like most here have found out, it is far from simple and understanding the mechanics of how they work takes time and investment of money and in things proven to work well. Muzzleloading is not cheap. And it's not likely something that anyone willing to settle for easy will really enjoy much.

Hope this helps.
 
I'll see if I can offer you some relief by using what I consider to be fact instead of science....

#1. Find some help from a professional for your apparent magnumitis. All it will do is kick the crap out of you unless you get it resolved.

#2. Trash those pellets so you can realize some true flexibility in finding accurate loads with bullets proven to function on animals. Granular Triple seVen and BH209 are excellent choices of granular powders, however if you choose to re-acquaint yourself with the Blackhorn you need to thoroughly read the product use description and understand fully that the 95 grains by weight charge you shot in those two guns is about 11 grains OVER the maximum recommended charge by weight. With the BH209 powder, which I would recommend for hunting, I think you'll find, and enjoy, that loads using between 63 and 77 grains by weight, or 90 to 110 grains by volume, using bullets between 240 grains and 300 grains are going to show you your sweet spot. I'd bet its somewhere between those weight parameters. The Triple seVen granular powder using those same charge weights and bullets will almost exactly mirror those results both in accuracy and in bullet function if a decent bullet is used.

#3. Unless you are going to do nothing but shoot paper or groundhogs, understand that Power Belts have a notoriously bad track record when used on anything much larger than a coyote. You mention deer, so I'll assume they are your target animal. XTPs, Deep Curls, Barnes, Swift A-Frames, and a host of other great pistol bullets and some rifle bullets have set the standard for most muzzleloaders when it comes to collecting game up to and including elk and moose. Many find favor with heavy lead conicals for the larger animals. My suggestion is to find GOOD, PROVEN bullets within the weight range you want and buy some sabots for them. In unison with the granular powder, you'll find not only better accuracy, but the bullets will be doing what they are intended to do.

#4. This is important if you are serious about getting the most bang for your buck. Don't fall for advertising from CVA. That's the easy street. They want you to think that pellets are the charm and that those power belts are the cat's meow to use in their magnum guns. Pellets limit you and your gun. Severely. Granular powder offers so much more and for less money. CVA makes the power belts so of course they are going to try to ram them down your throat. This tactic is finally coming to a head for CVA so that gig is over. The other bullets I mentioned offer way more than any of the power belt bullets. And so you know, power belt bullets seem to like blowing up o impact on deer sized and larger animals when pushed as hard as what you were pushing those things resulting in wounded and lost game. Since America's Trash Can, Walmart, is selling largely CVA products, power belts and pellets, the easy street is easy to get on and easy to stay on. Take your searching beyond Walmart. Stores that have good gun displays with reloading supplies, or gun shops that cater to muzzleloaders and reloaders are so much the better. On-line shopping is your buddy. The two Optimas you have are simply nice 200 yard or less guns capable of superb accuracy when used with components that have better track records than what CVA and Walmart want you to settle for because it's easy to use.

Muzzleloading may appear to be simple, but like most here have found out, it is far from simple and understanding the mechanics of how they work takes time and investment of money and in things proven to work well. Muzzleloading is not cheap. And it's not likely something that anyone willing to settle for easy will really enjoy much.

Hope this helps.

True words of wisdom from Mr. Tom!

Also muzzleloading is certainly not cheap, it’s the most expensive shooting you can do now days.
 
What I don't get is why some would use pistol bullets in a rifle.
I keep reading things like blew the off side shoulder off my deer with a XTP or some similar bullet, well no kidding using a handgun bullet at rifle velocities is asking for trouble
just make no sense when there are some many good 45 cal rifle bullets one could use in a sabot
 
I've shot deer with all of the four of the pistol bullets I mentioned in paragraph #3 and have never had a huge amount of blood or bullets related damage. I have, however, kept the loads at a respectable, but accurate, level. Most loads have been in the 63 to 77 weighed grains of BH209 area. Never over 77 weighed grains. Every one of those bullets functioned just fine. The deer that fell to those bullets were anywhere from 12 yards to 172/176 yards that was ranged twice with different finders. The only issues I have ever heard have been from those who are shooting huge charges of powder thinking that another 150 fps of velocity is going to make a difference. It doesn't.

What, to me, makes no sense is farting around with rifle bullets when the pistol bullets are cheaper and very accurate and do as much of killing as a rifle bullet.

I'm getting set up for smokeless and had every intention of poking XTPs down range but I think the increased velocity [rifle velocity] will take the XTP out of the hunting arena so I have plans set to get bonded semi-custom bullets to handle the increase in speed and that will hold together on deer sized game without things gernading, meaning you are partially right. People need to ask questions and think a little before they run out and buy just anything for a bullet. Sensible loading and using those 4 bullets go hand in hand. Some people just are not sensible though.
 
I'll see if I can offer you some relief by using what I consider to be fact instead of science....

#1. Find some help from a professional for your apparent magnumitis. All it will do is kick the crap out of you unless you get it resolved.

#2. Trash those pellets so you can realize some true flexibility in finding accurate loads with bullets proven to function on animals. Granular Triple seVen and BH209 are excellent choices of granular powders, however if you choose to re-acquaint yourself with the Blackhorn you need to thoroughly read the product use description and understand fully that the 95 grains by weight charge you shot in those two guns is about 11 grains OVER the maximum recommended charge by weight. With the BH209 powder, which I would recommend for hunting, I think you'll find, and enjoy, that loads using between 63 and 77 grains by weight, or 90 to 110 grains by volume, using bullets between 240 grains and 300 grains are going to show you your sweet spot. I'd bet its somewhere between those weight parameters. The Triple seVen granular powder using those same charge weights and bullets will almost exactly mirror those results both in accuracy and in bullet function if a decent bullet is used.

#3. Unless you are going to do nothing but shoot paper or groundhogs, understand that Power Belts have a notoriously bad track record when used on anything much larger than a coyote. You mention deer, so I'll assume they are your target animal. XTPs, Deep Curls, Barnes, Swift A-Frames, and a host of other great pistol bullets and some rifle bullets have set the standard for most muzzleloaders when it comes to collecting game up to and including elk and moose. Many find favor with heavy lead conicals for the larger animals. My suggestion is to find GOOD, PROVEN bullets within the weight range you want and buy some sabots for them. In unison with the granular powder, you'll find not only better accuracy, but the bullets will be doing what they are intended to do.

#4. This is important if you are serious about getting the most bang for your buck. Don't fall for advertising from CVA. That's the easy street. They want you to think that pellets are the charm and that those power belts are the cat's meow to use in their magnum guns. Pellets limit you and your gun. Severely. Granular powder offers so much more and for less money. CVA makes the power belts so of course they are going to try to ram them down your throat. This tactic is finally coming to a head for CVA so that gig is over. The other bullets I mentioned offer way more than any of the power belt bullets. And so you know, power belt bullets seem to like blowing up o impact on deer sized and larger animals when pushed as hard as what you were pushing those things resulting in wounded and lost game. Since America's Trash Can, Walmart, is selling largely CVA products, power belts and pellets, the easy street is easy to get on and easy to stay on. Take your searching beyond Walmart. Stores that have good gun displays with reloading supplies, or gun shops that cater to muzzleloaders and reloaders are so much the better. On-line shopping is your buddy. The two Optimas you have are simply nice 200 yard or less guns capable of superb accuracy when used with components that have better track records than what CVA and Walmart want you to settle for because it's easy to use.

Muzzleloading may appear to be simple, but like most here have found out, it is far from simple and understanding the mechanics of how they work takes time and investment of money and in things proven to work well. Muzzleloading is not cheap. And it's not likely something that anyone willing to settle for easy will really enjoy much.

Hope this helps.
Well said....
 
I use a pistol bullet. It's a resized Barnes 41mag 180gr in a conversion.
A good load for the Optima V2 50 is with the BH209 breech plug installed. Usually between 100gr(V) and 110gr(V) is where accuracy is at. Fed 209A primers, MMP black sabot and Barnes 250 Expanders or TEZ (if that's the flat base one). When I first got my CVA Optima V2 50 that's what Carlos recommended when I called him.
 
What I don't get is why some would use pistol bullets in a rifle.
I keep reading things like blew the off side shoulder off my deer with a XTP or some similar bullet, well no kidding using a handgun bullet at rifle velocities is asking for trouble
just make no sense when there are some many good 45 cal rifle bullets one could use in a sabot

Those of us who have spent hours looking for a deer and never found it, know the sick on your stomach feeling it gives you.

A wasted animal and a wasted hunt push us to do everything possible to make sure it never happens again.

I would rather lose a shoulder than the whole deer. I also want a quick, humane kill to lessen the suffering of the animal.
 
Those of us who have spent hours looking for a deer and never found it, know the sick on your stomach feeling it gives you.

A wasted animal and a wasted hunt push us to do everything possible to make sure it never happens again.

I would rather lose a shoulder than the whole deer. I also want a quick, humane kill to lessen the suffering of the animal.
I've successfully taken deer with saboted pistol bullets... but reserve then now for range practice because they are cheap to shoot. There are however several pistol bullets that perform well on big game with the right load.
 
My favorite is hornady 300 gr xtp .458 in orange sabot. Every whitetail or hog has been dead standing or within 20 yards. 1/2" hole going in about 2 " going out always neck or behind shoulder. Almost forgot 90gr volume bh209
 
I’ve been considering buying another chrono to learn the answers myself , but hate to spend the money for a one time thing!

I have a CVA Optima 50 cal and a CVA Optima V2 50 cal.
I’ve been shooting the same 245 Powerbelt bullet so many use and are available at Wally World.
I’ve been putting it on top of 3 -777 pellets.
It not only kicks the crap out of you, but the groups are not great.
I have lost 2 deer using this setup and decided on a change.
I changed the bullet to A Powerbelt 330 grain ELR in my V2 and got great results with 3 pellets of 777.
I then tried out 95 grains by weight of Blackhorn 209 and got even better results with a small reduction in recoil.

I want to try out the 330 grain ELRs with White Hots now, because I’ve gone through 2 cans of Blackhorn and now it’s hard to find. At $75 per can that’s $150 just in powder!

Has anyone done any testing on the 330 grain ELR and 2 white hots pellets?
I want a devastating round at 100 yards.
I’ve shot several of these loads at paper and they look great!
Now all I want to know is if they have the speed to make the bullet mushroom correctly and the kinetic energy I need.

I understand that some of you guys are far more knowledgeable than me and are load testing junkies.
I don’t need the science and info on what I should use instead, I just need the data on this load if you have it.
I don’t mean to sound like a smarty pants, because that’s not how I mean it.

I know you guys are far more knowledgeable than me on the subject .
Thank you!
Mr. Tom shot you straight. Let me add this. I've tried sabots and bullets and I've gone bullet to bore with smooth sized bullets like Parker and Fury. What I use now are the Hornady Bore Driver FTX 290 gr over 80gr weighed of BH209 in my CVA Accura V2 Plains Rifle and it shoots one hole groups at 100 yards and a touch over 1" at 200 if I do my part. They have a good jacket that holds together well and penetration isn't an issue. Those ELR bullets you talked about shoot accurately but because the jacket is gilded rather than extruded they blow up bad when they hit bone like a shoulder but a heart lung area shot they are devastating...blow big holes. Personally I don't care for 777 powder...loose or pellets. As pellets go I've gotten better results from the White Hots. They're cleaner. But as I said before, I'm a Blackhorn 209 guy. And I'm no Power Belt fan beyond paper punching or varmint hunting. This all is a process we all go through and we learn as we go. You definitely came to the right place...by and large these guys here know their stuff and share freely.
 
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