Optima pistol

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Since owning my pistol, I've kept the bullet/powder charge on the mild side.
200 grain bullet, 70 to 75 grains of powder.
I recently bought a pack of hornady xtp bullets, 240 grain hollow points.
For me personally, I don't think I want to power up the gun much more than it is now.
 
You may have to jump it up some to get the XTPs to expand on deer sized game. Especially if you are using other than 209 powder or that corrosive T7 stuff. I do 63 grains weighed of 209 powder [90 by volume] with both the 240 grain .44 cal XTP's and the .44 cal 225 grain Barnes XPB. I now first hand that the 240 grain XTP drops deer hard at 63 grains weighed. Recoil is very manageable with both bullets.
 
You may have to jump it up some to get the XTPs to expand on deer sized game. Especially if you are using other than 209 powder or that corrosive T7 stuff. I do 63 grains weighed of 209 powder [90 by volume] with both the 240 grain .44 cal XTP's and the .44 cal 225 grain Barnes XPB. I now first hand that the 240 grain XTP drops deer hard at 63 grains weighed. Recoil is very manageable with both bullets.
Until I can get some proper primers, I'm using pyrodex. However, I recently bought some Swiss 3f powder and want to try it next time out.
I think I'll go up to 80 grains volume to see how it is.
I definitely want to wear a glove on my gun hand. I noticed that after about 8 shots, the palm of my hand was getting a bit of a sore spot.
 
The Leapers I mentioned does have the long eye relief. At about $125.00 coming with super heavy duty rings it is a great scope. I shot this gun with a 325 grain bullet/sabot and a 90 grain by volume charge of 209 powder with this scope on it. Actually I shot 10 rounds at one sitting. Palm was bruised big time but the scope stayed where it was supposed to. Another fella made a comment comparing a heavy load in this gun to a 500 S/W, I think was the gun, and said the recoil in the revolver was equal to or even less than the Optima pistol. I've shot 454 Casul, 460 and 480 and none compared to the recoil in this gun with the 325/90 grain charge. All are heavy recoilers. But this Leapers stood up to the Optima nicely. I think you'd be happy with one.
I enjoy hunting with the CVA Optima V2 pistol as it is very accurate and carries a real punch. I've had great success with 53 grains by weight of Blackhorn 209 pushing a 250 gr. T/C Shock Wave . My record distance kill on a very large buck ranged 67 yards with the old Nikon range finder. Liver shot took him down three times in 60 yards of death run. The recoil is very light compared to the 460 but that's comparing apples to oranges with the load I use in the 460. The recoil response I get with the CVA is more like a 44 magnum. The CVA has a Burris 2x on top and has been handling the recoil just fine. Not a very expensive scope and very clear with great eye relief.
 
In recent years I have shot as many if not more of my deer with the pistol than my Accura. Still using the 63 grain weighed charge of BH209 and the 225 grain Barnes .44 cal XPB. The gun bucks, but when hunting it's only the one shot. During the warmer weather at the club, I spread 10 shots out over a couple hours of range time and mixed in with rifle time.
 

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