Newbie Powder Question

[Charybdis69]

I'm looking at a CVA for next venison season, and my newbie question is - what are people doing for powder? Ordering online, or going local? Using pellets or loose?

Thanks

 

[StantonCree]

.

 

[iH8DemLibz]

If you have an in-line ignition system, pellets are the way to go. Just put them in correctly. One end of the pellet is designed to go towards the ignition primer. It's some kind of material that promotes better ignition. I like Triple Seven pellets. And CCI 209 magnum primers.

I buy locally if I can. Local Gun Shops, including Bass Pro, need the money.

And you don't need 150 grains of powder to get the job done. 100 grains is more than sufficient. 240-250 grain bullets are good choices for .50 caliber muzzle stuffers. I use Hornady XTP bullets. They will put Bambi down. The Harvester Company makes great sabots.

Last but not least: STAY AWAY FROM CVA POWER-BELT BULLETS. Gimmicky garbage.

 

[outrider58]

Only place local to you AFAIK, is Atlantic Guns for black powder. Bass Pro carries it too. For moder ML s, you can't beat the pellets.

 

[Charybdis69]

Thanks for the feedback guys - very helpful!

 

[tallen702]

I use IMR White Hots for my pellets. I run a Traditions Durango (basically a buck stalker in a better stock) with 100grn of white hots pushing a 250grn Smackdown SST. Dead-on accurate at any range. I took it to the range back home in WV this past weekend and was busting stationary clays at 100yds dead-center every shot. They burn clean enough you can usually get 3 shots before having to run a patch down the barrel in my experience.

I got my most recent pack of White Hots at Walmart in Mt. Airy.

 

[Doco Overboard]

I would suggest trying a couple different powder types in your rifle. One selection will generally outperform the other. From there you can determine what suits your needs best for how you like to load your rifle. I could never determine the amount of crush needed with pellets when seating the bullet for the best repeatably so I like loose powder. The flash channel in pellets does away with that by supposedly allowing a greater flame front during ignition to get the pellet in front to light at the same time, Idk your rifle and load chain will be the judge.

 

[Melnic]

I have a CVA wolf. So does my dad. We also both have CVA optimas (mine is for my 18 year old).
My current load is 100g BH209 with the special breech plug and a 250g Traditions smackdown (I found these equivilant to TC shockwaves).


A default load that has proven to be good to go and accurate in all 4 has been:
2 white hots 1 Traditions 250g Smackdown.
when shooting at the range for most accuracy and emulating the clean cold bore shot, clean between shots (one wet and 1 dry patch) and let sit 15 minutes to cool down.
1" high at 50 yards gets you dead on at 100.
200 yards and there is about a 12" drop. Neither of us have had to take a shot at a deer more than 60 yards though.

I found with BH209, If I cleaned between shots, I really did not have to let it cool down more than 5 minutes.

 

[Mike OTDP]

I use either Goex or Swiss black powder. There's a major distributor, Back Creek Gun Shop, in Winchester, VA.

 

[Don H]

Village Arms in Gap, PA sells black powder.

http://www.thevillagearms.com

 

[Blacksmith101]

Village Arms in Gap, PA sells black powder.

http://www.thevillagearms.com

Also Cameron's Hardware and Supply in Oxford PA
http://www.cameronshardware.com/

 

[Todd S]

W.E. Sell Sporting Goods in Hanover PA also sells blackpowder

 

[K31]

As previously mentioned, your use of pellets vs. powder is going to depend on whether you have an inline or not.

As to BP or BP substitute, BP substitutes are generally harder to set off so you should use magnum caps/primers. BP burn products are corrosive so the use of them mandates cleaning after each use. Some BP substitutes also leave behind potentially harmful (to metal) byproducts that should be removed after each use. Triple Seven gives you the most leeway in terms of how soon you need to clean your firearm of any BP substitute I'm aware of.

 

[Charybdis69]

As previously mentioned, your use of pellets vs. powder is going to depend on whether you have an inline or not.

As to BP or BP substitute, BP substitutes are generally harder to set off so you should use magnum caps/primers. BP burn products are corrosive so the use of them mandates cleaning after each use. Some BP substitutes also leave behind potentially harmful (to metal) byproducts that should be removed after each use. Triple Seven gives you the most leeway in terms of how soon you need to clean your firearm of any BP substitute I'm aware of.

Thanks again for the info. What's an example of something that's not inline? I'm looking at a CVA rifle, and I'll be using exclusively for hunting - which means I'll likely not be cleaning after each shot.

 

[tallen702]

Thanks again for the info. What's an example of something that's not inline? I'm looking at a CVA rifle, and I'll be using exclusively for hunting - which means I'll likely not be cleaning after each shot.

Easy enough to figure out. If it has a break-action like an old shotgun (barrel tips forward) for you to put the 209 primer in or a bolt-action, it's an inline. If the cap or priming powder sits to the side of the barrel/chamber, it's not.

Inline eg.

or

Side-locks:

or

 

[K31]

Thanks again for the info. What's an example of something that's not inline? I'm looking at a CVA rifle, and I'll be using exclusively for hunting - which means I'll likely not be cleaning after each shot.

Yes, as the pictures show if it has a side hammer, side lock, under hammer it probably is not inline.

If the cap or primer gets installed directly behind and inline with the barrel, it's probably an inline.

Most original and replica muzzleloaders are side locks or under hammer, most "modern" muzzleloaders are inline.

 

[Blacksmith101]

Thanks again for the info. What's an example of something that's not inline? I'm looking at a CVA rifle, and I'll be using exclusively for hunting - which means I'll likely not be cleaning after each shot.

If you are using black powder or BP substitutes you don't need to clean after every shot but you should not leave a charge in the gun when you finish hunting. And if you shot even once you need to thoroughly clean the powder residue out because even sitting overnight will start rusting the bore.

 

[K31]

Thanks again for the info. What's an example of something that's not inline? I'm looking at a CVA rifle, and I'll be using exclusively for hunting - which means I'll likely not be cleaning after each shot.

Sorry, missed the "clean after every shot" part.

What I meant was you clean at the end of the day, or no latter than the next morning with BP. With BP substitutes you can hold off on cleaning longer but ones like original Pyrodex you don't want to leave uncleaned for very long because they have compounds harmful to metal.

If you're firing shot after shot, like at the range, you may have to swab the bore using a cleaning product or even plain water run dry patches just to clear out fouling. As opposed to a complete cleaning.

I could shoot my rifle five times or so before loading got difficult.

Also remember to clean all the areas where residue appears, not just the bore or you'll eventually see corrosion there.