Searching for .50 cal bp pistol

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Found a nice scope for mine Hi Lux 2x7x32, this is about 18" from camera.
 

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Yeah they do. What load are you shooting?

I shoot a 70 weighed grain load of BH209 powder under a green crush rib and a 225 grain, .44 cal XPB Barnes. I can shoot a 240 grain, .44 cal XTP in the same crush rib with the same charge and not give up anything. 50 yard accuracy is about an inch/three shots with either bullet. I hold myself to shots inside 25 yards though. Recoil with these two loads in plenty but manageable. I have shot the full 70 weighed grains of powder with a 300 grain, .44 cal XTP and green crush rib but find not so much enjoyment in shooting the heavy load. In fact I shot the load 11 times one morning at the club and had bruised the whole inside of my holding hand. I can shoot the lighter load mentioned all morning without the punishment and enjoy it, so there is a threshold that might be encountered. Everyone is different and I think I met mine with the full load. I've killed several deer with the lessor load so I stay with it. I think anyone shooting one of these pistols should shoot enough to become accurate...comfortably. Remember that in actual hunting scenarios things will likely not be as handy as a range bench loaded like a cannon one of these guns can get out of control and one's face is the first thing in line with the recoil. I have 2 scars on my forehead to prove it.

Beyond the loading, my best piece of advice lies in the bases and rings when mounting the scopes or sights. Use loc-tite on the screws and be darned sure to use a q-tip dipped in solvent or alcohol the clean ALL of the screw holes and threads before using the loc-tite, then use a torque screw driver to set the screws. I use the blue formula loc-tite and have never had a screw shoot loose, however I have had them shoot loose when simply tightened without the thread locker. I tried the open sights on the first Optima pistol I owned and they shot loose if loc-tite wasn't used. On my second Optima pistol, the V2, I neglected to seal the base screws and had to go back and deal with them. Don't trust factory torqueing on the sights/bases to hold fast! Loc-tite and re-torque and allow at least a full day for the loc-tite to cure. The new guns come with a base for scope hanging but open sights can be gotten that will slap right on. Personally I need the scope due to my eyes but the open sights for these guns are solid too, just be sure to loc-tite the mounting screws.

On powders....I shot Pyrodex pellets, T7 granulated and T7 pellets in my first Optima pistol. The Pyro was miserable dirty as was the granulated T7. The T7 pellets shot a bit cleaner BUT field loading after the first shot was a joke. When the V2 model came out I sold the original pistol and got the V2. Right off I bought a half dozen of the regular breech plugs, seated them all and shot BH209 to see how each was for clean primers and blow-by on the threading. I had three that shot very clean with the 70 weighed grains of 209 and 300 grain bullet load and converted those three to vent liners use and have never looked back. I carry all three plugs in my pistol hard case just in case. The current pistol has seen nothing but BH209 powder and I have zero regrets and I would strongly recommend using 209 powder. I know there are some who have found favor with other powders, I found mine in the 209 powder.

With the load I currently shoot using the Barnes XPB bullets I am seeing velocities in the 1485 to 1500 fps range. I personally haven't got a chronograph but shoot with several persons who each own one and the velocities are pretty consistent regardless of chrono make or model. 50 yard accuracy is pretty much one ragged hole of an inch at 50 yards. Deer don't venture far with a well placed shot in the boiler room, if they go anywhere.
 
Funny that ML (firearms too?) factories cant be trusted to loctite screws in place. As a mechanic at a boat and power sports dealer the factories could all be relied on to torque and loctite everything. No matter how small or seemingly inconsequential. I always clean a new gun and resecure screws with red or blue loctite.
 
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