New to Me Muzzleloader

This is my new-to-me CVA Accura with a Leupold 3-9x40.
Neighborhoods surround most of my hunting areas now and I think I feel better about touching this off rather than a high powered rifle.
I may be strictly a bow and ML hunter the upcoming season.



It was purchased before I was put on 6-months buying probation by the wife incidentally.

Nice, I think you'll love hunting with it

I had a CVA Optima like this--it shouldered great & shot great. I don't know much about ML's, but mine grouped best with 100gr 777 & 250gr TC shockwaves.

Good looking ML. Never owned a CVA but like the looks of that ML.
I shoot Traditions and Knight ML's and am pleased but would you post what load works best in this ML? I may be in the market for another one before season roll around

Still working on load but I'll post.
Shot for first time this weekend just playing around with T/C Cheap Shots and a pellet of Triple 7. I'm going to buy some Blackhorn 209.

Have an Optima also. I think you will be happy with it. Mine likes 100 grains of 777 pellets with a 250gr Powerbelt. Not a big fan of Powerbelts, but the gun likes em...

Thanks quailman. May have to try em.

I hunt a small property with houses around it with a muzzleloader also, killed my best buck ever this past season there. Before it was stolen my Knight loved powerbelts. You just have to remember that they are a soft lead hollow point, don't push them too fast. Some people love them, some hate them. I went 5 for 5 using them so I know they kill deer real well. My current load is 80 grains (volume) BH209, crush rib sabot and hornady 300gr xtp, that's through an Omega. It's a real deadly combo and I buy everything in bulk. My CVA Apex likes 110 grains BH209, crush rib sabot and 250 grain Hornady FTX. The Omega goes to the small property and the Apex goes to the lease.

I was thinking of using 70-80 grains of BH209. I been shooting the various T/C bullets. What primers you like for the BH209?

I would recommend Fed 209A or the Winchester 209 (Blue Box - regular, not magnum).

I use CCI 209M primers, have used the federal 209A with good results also. I almost ran out of primers during the shortage days and ended up buying a brick of the CCIs, so I will be using them from now on.

The 80 grains of BH209 gets the xtp to a good velocity for expansion and penetration. If you want to pust an xtp fast you need to get the xtp magnums, they are designed for a faster velocity.

Do you have to change breech plugs for the blackthorn/shotgun primer combo's? I have a new Traditions Strikefire, 209M CCI shotgun primers, new jug of black horn, hornady SST 250gr...but haven't tried it yet. Let me know if I have to change something. Planning to weigh each test load b/c I'm finding the volume measurements haveva big weight variation.

AC
I use 100gns of BH209 to push a 300gn harvester scorpion in my ML's with deadly accuracy.
I did a head shot on a hog at 150 yds with that load combination

Stopped at Academy in Gadsden tonight. No Blackhorn. No primers. Guess I may have to order it.
Cullbuck, CVA encourages a Blackhorn breech plug. Not sure about Traditions. Really appreciate all the suggestions.
Didn't know we had a muzzleloader Army on here. Very cool.

AC - the haz-mat charge for ordering primers and powder makes it cheaper to buy at Cabelas or even Gander. I saw BH209 on sale last year from Widners or Midway or somewhere and they waived the haz-mat fee and free shipping if the purchase was over $150, I thought about trying to put together a group buy but didn't have the time.

I do really enjoy shooting muzzleloaders, some of my fondest memories are from back in the day when Thomas (now Freedom Hills) and Lauderdale WMAs would have the either sex muzzleloader hunts. I was shooting a Thompson Hawken I built from a kit, I've killed many a deer with patched round balls and hand poured maxi's. I need to get that Hawken back out and see if I can still shoot with open sights, all I would need then is a coon skin cap!

Going to be down towards Bham this weekend. Going to call Grabow and see if they got it.

6 months? Dang dude - you made her mad.

Nice gun - looks like I'm going to Xbow next year. Lost my hunting areas locally.

Blackhorn209--I'd say save your money. I called my new ML manufacturer to see if I needed a different breechplug for BH & shotshell 209 primers. They said no. Bought CCI 209M primers. Tested 4 BH209 loads--14 shots total. Had two hangfires and one FTF. Never had either in years of using 777/ML primers of different brands. None of the tested BH groups were very accurate. Only positive things about BH: velocities were consistent (but less velocity per grains than advertised), and cleanup was easier (but still fairly dirty after 3 shots). Best barrel cleaner for BH seemed to be good ol Hoppe's # 9

Cull, what gun you shooting?

Traditions Vortek Strikerfire

I don't have any experience with the Traditions guns, the BH209 is harder to get going. Do you loads fit loose in the barrel? I've read where some people went with a tighter fit and that fixed it. Nothing wrong with 777, used it for years, but I do like the BH better.

I don't believe its loose. I'm pouring the BH down barrel, and then placing a tight fitting Hornady SST with sabot down to powder with good force (until it stops/doesn't pack down farther). Then CCI209M, fire. or delayed fire.

Has anyone else had hang-fires with BH209 when using the correct primer (non-ML primer)?

I've now cleaned my breech plug with drill bits and small files using solvent. Before, it was breech plug chemical cleaner only with minimal mechanical cleaning.

I clean my breech plug in the CVA and Thompson guns with a drill bit every three rounds. Just twirl it with my fingers while holding the barrel pointed up. Lots of crud can come out of it.

this might just be my problem. I was just soaking in TC Breech Plug Cleaner every 3 shots for 1 min, minimal mechanical cleaning (just wiping down the outside).

I'll start cleaning with bits every 3 shots & let yall know. I just really don't want to be sitting in the Midwest and have a problem while trying to shoot a buck of a lifetime.

I use a torch tip cleaner for cleaning my breech plugs and have never had an issue with BH209

Looks like I may shoot 777 pellets. All I've found so far and they are convenient.

I shot 777 pellets for many years, they are extremely easy to use for sure. They did build a "crud ring" just above where the bullet seated. Could shoot 3-4 times then would have to clean it out or bullet would not seat. No problem when hunting, always hunted with clean barrel and could get the second load in without swabbing. I did make a batch of swab solution out of windex and a industrial solvent we use at work, was some good stuff as long as I didn't get it on me

Update--cleaned breech plug well...first shot Blackhorn209 & CCI209M....hangfire. Switched to Winchester 209 standard shotgun primers (blue box) next two shots --fired fine. I only had 3 charges made up (77grains weight, same as 110gr volume).... I plan to step up near the max (83grains weighed charges....About 118 volume) and see how she groups. I'll keep y'all posted if any hang fires with Win primers.

For what it's worth, Traditions tech support suggested trying different primers with the blackhorn to see what worked best in my gun. Blackhorn tech support--never responded, but their site says CCI209M & Federal209 have been the best primers for that powder.

Interesting, thanks for the update.

Last update:
12 more rounds fired Win209 shotshell primers + Blackhorn209 powder, zero misfires or hangfires.
Blackhorn 110-120grain volume with 250gr SST ....poor groups, 3-4.5" 3 shot groups @100 yards.

BUT....100 grain volume load....1.2" 3-shot group center-to-center, last two shots basically same hole with fouled barrel. The blackhorn powder was still super easy to clean with Hoppes#9 only. Shot 4th time with this load, fouled barrel, same result--dead on.

So, finally, I found a good Blackhorn load. As I reload centerfires and shoot more rifles & MLs, I'm finding that NOT starting near max loads often yields the best accuracy.

Hope this helps.

Good deal, I have had good results with those 250 gr SSTs.

Terminal performance of the SST-ML? I was thinking of going to the Hornady monolithic bullet for more penetration/weight retention. Anyone had SST-ML real world experience on big mature whitetails?

I use the SST's for zero and practice, then switch to a bonded shockwave for hunting. A lot of our club is crop land so I end up hunting edges/boundaries and I need to be able to break shoulders. Out of about 10 deer with the bonded shockwave I have not recovered a bullet. If I slip it behind the shoulder it will make lung soup. From what I understand the shockwave and SST are the same bullet.