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- Oct 27, 2022
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Guys I’m a bit perplexed here and am hoping you guys have some ideas. I am new to muzzleloaders but not new to rifles.
I took advantage of the gorgeous December day to try and do some load testing for the first time.
Some background:
I am shooting an old pre 2009 CVA Optima with a Nikon 3-9.
Primers are coming out blackened so I’m probably getting some blowback and the action was sticky a couple times until I went to half cock after shooting. I’m not noticing any gases in my face while shooting.
On to the real problem, on the third and subsequent shots they were not any where close to the first two shots. This happened with every bullet and powder I tried today. For the most part shots one and two are grouping nicely.
Every shot was the same all day, alcohol patch swab and then a dry patch. Load and shoot. I tried for as much consistency as I could.
Here are the targets and explanations. Shots A1, A2 and D4, D5 are the only ones to pay attention to the target, everything else just look at groups.
A group: 300 gr XTP/green crush rib sabot
A1 was first shot of the day and first shot ever at 100 yards with this rifle after zeroing at 25 yards in mid October
I made a small scope adjustment for A2. A3 and A4 were next and then I made a big adjustment for A5. After A5 I didn’t touch the scope until D4.
B group: 290 gr Bore Driver
B1 and B2 were touching and got me excited. B3 and B4 were not.
C group: 270 gr BOR Lock
C1 and C2 were about an inch and then C3 and C4 fall apart.
D group: 240 gr XTP/ Hornady sabots
D1 and D2 have same windage but some elevation differences. D3 is a flyer. I adjusted the scope based and D1/D2 and D4 was good but D5 was way off and I’m not sure where D6 landed.
I was shooting off of a bipod and all of the shots felt good on the break with no callable flyers.
Mount is a DZN Game Reaper but I think it is for a post 2009 Optima. It is torqued down to spec and doesn’t feel loose.
Not sure where to go next.
View attachment IMG_2030.jpeg
View attachment IMG_2031.jpeg
I took advantage of the gorgeous December day to try and do some load testing for the first time.
Some background:
I am shooting an old pre 2009 CVA Optima with a Nikon 3-9.
Primers are coming out blackened so I’m probably getting some blowback and the action was sticky a couple times until I went to half cock after shooting. I’m not noticing any gases in my face while shooting.
On to the real problem, on the third and subsequent shots they were not any where close to the first two shots. This happened with every bullet and powder I tried today. For the most part shots one and two are grouping nicely.
Every shot was the same all day, alcohol patch swab and then a dry patch. Load and shoot. I tried for as much consistency as I could.
Here are the targets and explanations. Shots A1, A2 and D4, D5 are the only ones to pay attention to the target, everything else just look at groups.
A group: 300 gr XTP/green crush rib sabot
A1 was first shot of the day and first shot ever at 100 yards with this rifle after zeroing at 25 yards in mid October
I made a small scope adjustment for A2. A3 and A4 were next and then I made a big adjustment for A5. After A5 I didn’t touch the scope until D4.
B group: 290 gr Bore Driver
B1 and B2 were touching and got me excited. B3 and B4 were not.
C group: 270 gr BOR Lock
C1 and C2 were about an inch and then C3 and C4 fall apart.
D group: 240 gr XTP/ Hornady sabots
D1 and D2 have same windage but some elevation differences. D3 is a flyer. I adjusted the scope based and D1/D2 and D4 was good but D5 was way off and I’m not sure where D6 landed.
I was shooting off of a bipod and all of the shots felt good on the break with no callable flyers.
Mount is a DZN Game Reaper but I think it is for a post 2009 Optima. It is torqued down to spec and doesn’t feel loose.
Not sure where to go next.
View attachment IMG_2030.jpeg
View attachment IMG_2031.jpeg
Last edited: