Muzzle loaders

[speedytriple]

So never even shot one before, but looked and it will add an extra 6 days in Ohio to gun hunt. I have been looking at the cva optima wildgame model with scope combo at Dick's. I like the model's features with the breech break action and the plug that comes out the back to clean it quicker. Are these decent entry level muzzle loaders? Not looking to break the bank for a gun that would be used a few weeks a year. 

Edited December 7, 2013 by speedytriple

[BeauCrawzy]

I've been muzzleloading for years. CVA makes good products all the way around. I actually just bought a .50 caliber Optima V2 to replace an older CVA .54 caliber model. The kick will be similar to a 12 gauge but the gun is a few pounds heavier. When shooting with a scope make sure you keep your eye back a bit...trust me. Clean and oil the gun very thoroughly after shooting. You'll enjoy it and they are relatively inexpensive for a rifle.

[speedytriple]

Dick's has the optima with a camo stock and blued barrel with a scope on it for $369. Just wondering what scope it is, and if it would be better to buy it with just the rings and put a better scope on it. 

[mango_sv]

Walmart carries CVA for cheap and Thompson Center Scope mounts for them. I walked out last year with a CVA Wolf and rings for $200, both on clearance.

[speedytriple]

If only the walmarts by me had guns, i think the one in medina does.

[C-bus]

Seems to be quite a bit for the scope. Vance's has the Optuma with scope mount for $219. I know that's a drive, but FFF prices are usually right with Vances. Download Vances current flier for comps. Personally, I love hunting with my traditional muzzleloader. It's a .50 caliber Hawken under the Cabelas label. Very accurate and tons of fun to shoot and hunt with. The key to muzzleloader hunting is proper cleaning after. That powder residue attracts moisture like a mo-fo.

[smashweights]

consider going scopeless for your muzzleloader hunting. $0.02

[speedytriple]

Why go scope less?

[smashweights]

more traditional, for some the fun of muzzleloader hunting is going more "old-school."  FWIW, it's how I use mine.

[ZxHooligan]

I no scope everything in ohio as far as deer go cause the likelihood of me seeing something far enough to use a scope is slim where I hunt. And I only use a muzzle loader in ohio. I have a knight in line I use

Edited December 7, 2013 by ZxHooligan

[speedytriple]

Fin has the optima v2 in black for $229, stainless and camo for $279 with the irons and scope mount. Might pick up the stainless one and add a scope to it. Who wants to go shoot this next weekend to help me get this sighted in and show me ropes of muzzle loaders?

[smashweights]

Fin has the optima v2 in black for $229, stainless and camo for $279 with the irons and scope mount. Might pick up the stainless one and add a scope to it. Who wants to go shoot this next weekend to help me get this sighted in and show me ropes of muzzle loaders?

Muzzies aren't hard, just remember powder before bullets and bring a lot of cleaner and wipes if you're going to the range as you will have to clean the barrel every 5-10 rounds.  Personally, I use T/C Shockwave 250gr bullets with two White Hot pellets.  My last deer was DRT from 60 yards

Other tip I heard was leave your gun in the car the night before you go out to hunt so it's cold when you load it and doesn't develop condensation from going from warm to cold

[speedytriple]

I heard the same thing about the leave it cold. My camper windows had water on them so it would be bad to keep it in the camper.

[rsvRidr]

Did you happen to see what their price was for the Accura models?

Thinking I want to pick one of them up this week.

sent from a treestand on the back forty

[speedytriple]

You talking the one with the thumb hole stock and better barrel? Think it was $ 429. I will check when i go up there this week to buy mine.

[ohiomike]

I've got a Knight inline.  I have never had a problem with taking it out of the warm house out into the Michigan cold on out to the deerstand.  And I have sat in snowstorms and fullblown rain.

 

I use a Leupold variable scope on mine.  First gun I ever 'scoped', and I love it.  The scope cost me about 3 times what the rifle did, but it was worth the investment.  No more rifle sights for me if I can help it.  I went with the blued barrel and receiver instead of stainless, figure stainless might reflect light.  I have never actually had to shoot twice, been lucky to down a deer with every shot with the muzzy.  One was about 175 yds out.  Hit the doe in the head and she did a flip and went down dead.  I do not shoot at running deer either, not with my muzzy.  I have with the old 12 ga., but here in Ohio you are limited to just 3 shells in the gun......crazy...lol.

 

I have learned to go with 80 gr of pyradex pellets and a .45 lead, shoots longer and flatter, at least in my experience.

 

Well gun season is over, never saw a hair in the field.  Nothing.  But come muzzleloader season I'll try again, just need to find a better spot to hunt.  A feild or two over, they cleared the field down to the dirt and that's where the deer ran, so I think they changed their runs and haunts because there weren't even any tracks where there used to be.  The runs that used to be deep in the mud and dirt were all grown over.  I think I heard maybe 3 or 4 shots around me while in the field this year.  Not good.

 

Hope others here had better luck.....

[speedytriple]

My luck was crap after monday. I went to private for the first half of today, then went public and stalk hunted. Got a good workout today but saw nothing. Funny when it is 20 out and you are sweating from stalking in heavy brush.

Edited December 8, 2013 by speedytriple

[ohiomike]

Yesterday evening I was getting into some really think stuff, and tripped over some tree roots after I sunk down in the mud beside a creek.  Fell into the creek face first, gun at port arms.  Lucky enough my suit, gloves and boots were gore tex so I never got wet inside.  But my ditty bags were drenched.  The reload sleeves in carry tho remained high and dry...guess I wasn't submerged long enough....lol. I dropped several feet before hitting the water....sore all over now, my bad arm going numb right down to the bone.  But man I love the hunt.

[rsvRidr]

You talking the one with the thumb hole stock and better barrel? Think it was $ 429. I will check when i go up there this week to buy mine.

Yes, I believe it does come with either an ambi thumbhole or a regular stock.

The reviews for the accura w/ the bergara barrel seem to be really good.

My buddy has an optima and really likes it.

I just can not decide if the Accura is worth the extra $$$. I have read that the regular cva barrels and the 416 ss bergara are made in the same plant and the accuracy difference between them is hardly noticeably

sent from a treestand on the back forty

[speedytriple]

Most my shots in the last two years have been under 70 yrds i think the standard barrel would be fine for me. The extra money will be put toward my scope.

[Coyote]

Forgot about this one until now

 

http://ohioriders.net/index.php?/topic/87301-50-cal-plains-hunter/?hl=plains

 

Still have.

[ohiomike]

speedy, did you get one?

[speedytriple]

Picking it up on friday or saturday. Going with the cva optima v2 in stainless with the camo stock. Fin has them for $279, i just have to decide on a scope for it. It comes with fiber optic iron sights and the scope mount, but no scope.

[bowdog]

You cant go wrong with that Speedy. Just make sure you always use the same powder pellet and sabot and make sure it is seated the same in the barrel EVERY time, if not you will notice difference in accuracy. And that is the same for all in lines.

[smashweights]

Yep, etch your ramrod when you load the bullet in a clean barrel so you always know how far to press subsequent loads. It gets harder to load as junk builds up in the barrel.