Should maybe contact CVA to see if there is a maximum bullet weight for the pistol before larding up on heavy bullets. And honestly, I think you'll be shooting the 250's in no time after a couple big brutes.
If the Optima could be equiped with grips like Ruger Super Redhawk or S&W X frame revolvers, I dont see any reason the Optima could be easily fired with any heavy load mentioned here. No new design needed, copy what works. I have no idea how to make the happen. It would sure take this platform to the next level.
Like MrTom, I shoot the 225 gr Barnes XPB but with a harvester crush rib sabot and 90 gr of BH209 by volume. I use the .429 version of the bullet. Recoil is very manageable and no worse than any 44 mag pistol I've ever shot. Of course, heavier bullets will give more recoil. Tried a 300 gr xtp with 90 gr of bh209 a few times. It was pretty stout. Ive found bullets in the 200-250 gr weight seem to be the best mix of performance with tolerable recoil.Ruger and S&W have very good grips on those big revolvers. Hard plastic is not forgiving for the shooter. With the Optima we are lucky if they even sell them. I wont complain about the grips. On the other and, I am a little sorry to get the preview on recoil. Lighter bullets maybe fine.
Bruce, these pistols were designed to be chucking big lead. When they were developed I'm sure sabot loaders were the target shooter base. I don't care what kind of handles on the gun one might have big lead will be uncomfortable with a heavy powder charge. There's no design flaw in the guns as they come. Simply because they are 100 grain of powder [volume] capable certainly doesn't imply that they need to be loaded thusly to perform very nicely. I've shot a lot of todays heavy magnum handguns and those with the fancy grips don't do much as far as making the recoil any more comfortable. And I don't give a rip who one is that thinks they're going to shoot one of the CVA guns with a scope one handed accurately so the fancy grips are just that, fancy. The Optima pistols are supposed to be a well-rounded hunting handgun and the design and over-all functionality of the guns makes them just that. Loaded with hunting loads and bullets the guns and recoil are very manageable.... there are hundreds of Optima pistol owners who will attest to that. That said, I don't know one of them that has trotted out with a box of 400 grain leads to either just shoot of hunt. Why would they? 400 grain bullets aren't needed to take a decent sized big game animal since ethical shots are generally going to under 100 yards.
I currently own a V2 model Optima Pistol and have owned one of the original pistols. Never have I thought there was any design issues with the grips. The bottom line is that heavily loaded with a powder charge of 90 [volume] and a 33 grain XTP you're going to get some significant recoil and the grips that come with the guns manage it just fine. I'm will to be you'll be saying similar things when you start chucking those 400 grain pills with fancy handles too.
Are these sold out already !?!
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