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Klondike Jim

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I am new to the Muzzleloader World.  Waiting on my new CVA Accura V2 to arrive from CVA.  I am in need of advice on projectiles and loads for Moose and Bear. I am guessing  most shots will be in the 30 to 70 yard range.   Also what bullets do you use for just range shooting/sighting in?  Really hate the idea of $1.40 a round bullet at a piece of paper.   People in Alaska seem to be lost when it comes to muzzleloaders.  Have messages into Carlos about this and more, but looking for others ideas.
 
:hats off:
First off welcome to the forum. I'm sure you'll get all kinds of answers to your question concerning the loads for bear and moose.
My first thought is, do you have a sporting goods or gun shop that has a lot of ML'er supplies on hand :?: If you do there's a lot of bullets, powders and primers out there. You might want to talk to Carlos for all your supplies because he has everything you need to get the right loads for that size game.
As far as powder goes, you can't beat Black horn 209. It's very consistent and accuracy is second to none. THERE'S NO SWABBING NECESSARY BETWEEN SHOTS and cleaning is really easy.
I would stay in the 300 grain range for that game. The BARNES line of bullets, I like the BARNES SPIT FIRE T-EZ's with the blue sabot that come with it. Opens up like a banana.
There's also some XP's and subsonic' s out there that look pretty mean. Carlos, Dave and Greg can tell you a lot more about them. They have been doing a lot of testing with those bullets.
I personally use Fiocchi Primers. 
Everything I've mentioned I get from Carlos. 
My loads would be 110 grains Black horn (by volume) either a 290 gr Barnes T-EZ or a Harvester PT GOLD 300 GR or a 300 grain 
Power belt AERO LITE or the .458-300 grain subsonic w/ orange sabot.
That's just a few ideas that I would consider using. Those bullets with perfect shot placement means meat in the freezer.
GOOD LUCK.

Ray........... :Red tup:
 
For paper punching, I'd easily look at the 300gr harvester scorpion PT Gold. Hell, I'd use it for moose and brown bear as well, its a hard solid hitting bullet without the price tag following it.

Barnes TEZ in 300 grain would be great as well.
 
Hawgslayer, we have Calelas, Bass Pro and Sportsman's Warehouse here.  Cabelas has the Mose ML stuff but no one there knows anything about them. Bass Pro has almost nothing and know nothing about them and found a few guys at Sportsman's that know a bit about them but not much for stock.  Local gun shop don't carry ML stuff.  Was told by one Sporting Good store that Muzzleloaders were a novelty item so they don't carry them, only real guns.   Waiting on Carlos to send me a list of what I need to order from him, to include the BH209 Breech Plug.  I was looking at and reading about the Harvester PT Gold bullets.  Found where Jon, was writing articles where he liked them I think with the crushed sabot.  The price of the PT's seem to be better that the rest.

Miley, yes Brown/Grizzly bear but Black bear also.  But Moose would be the main thing to be hunting up here.  Grizz would be a shot of opportunity. Black bear on the other hand I do hunt for with Bow, Rifle or now ML.  Just seems like a lot of difference between CF & ML's as far as how heavy grain bullet and all.  

Just glad I have an understanding wife with what it is costing me you get into this sport.  Once I told her I was thinking about it she said buy it, then teach me after you learn.  

Jim
 
I'd use the hard cast 400gr I showed you for grizz. I wouldn't take chances with those guys.
 
Jon,  You like the Harvesters with the crushed sabots?  And does the color of sabots mean anything?
 
some colors of sabots indicate what they are and how they load. The black crush rib is perfect for CVA, While the red crush rib sabot is for looser smokeless muzzleloaders.

The black CR with 110gr BH209 and a 300gr PT Gold will plant anything you hit. Especially the ranges you are shooting.

The world record grizzly was taken with a powerbelt, so if they can be killed with a powerbelt, the PT Gold will do it even easier LOL.
 
That bear was taken with the biggest flat point all lead Powerbelt Jon. The 300gr hollow point PT Gold can't compare.
 
its a much harder lead than a powerbelt, so yes, it can afford to have a HP. I've tested the lead series powerbelts and they are butter soft.
 
If you're wrong he doesn't stop a charging grizzly. He's not hunting them, and probably won't have the perfect shot. He needs a bullet that will bust through any bone, and keep on penetrating. That's not a PT Gold.

You really want to take the responsibility of recommending a bullet that might fail? When I was in Alaska the guides used .458 mags as bear stoppers.
 
Muley, I have seen them dropped with a 180 grain from a 30-06.  I dropped one with 220gn from my .338wm and the bear didn't take a step.
 
Compare the energy of a 30-06 to any muzzleloader, and you'll be shocked at the difference. Were those bears being hunted, or charging?

It's your life. You're free to shoot any bullet. I'm just trying to be safe with what I recommend.
 
I understand, and appreciate all this.  Makes me think too.  I have been charge by a Brownie with a cub and I had my .06 with me with 180's.  I did not shoot and she stopped about 20 yards from me, stood up snapping her teeth and all.  We backed away from each other and all was good.  That was the only time in 30 years living here I have been charged.  When Carlos gets back with me I am sure he will have his input too as he lived here and shot Grizzlies before.
 
Do me a favor. Call up Harvester, and ask them what bullet they recommend for a charging grzz/brown.

I'll be shocked if they don't say the hard cast they sell. It's a flat nose with a wide meplat. It doesn't need to expand to cause a wide wound channel, and it loses no weight, so penetration is all you can ask for.
 
Well Carlos got back with me last night and told me to use Barnes TEZ's in 250 gr. and since everyone here says he is the MAN, that is what I will be shooting.  And Pete, if I get eaten by a big Brown thig we can say Carlos and Jon were wrong and you were right :blah:  Bought BH209 and suggested primers today.  Got Lane's tubes coming and hopefully a package coming from Carlos soon.  Then I will learn how to load and shoot one of these things..

Jim
 
Remember, keep adding powder until you have JUST enough room for the bullet! :joker:

All kidding aside, I am very surprised the 250 over the 290 barnes.
 
Me too.  Maybe I will double check with him before he ships.  And he said the Harvester PT Gold 260's for range.
 
Received my package from Carlos today.  WP BP209 breech plug and 260 gr PT Golds and Sabots.  Ready to go to the range and figure out how to load and shoot this ML.  Of course the temps finally got cold.  Temps just below zero, so I will wait a few days till it warms up a little. Looking forward to it.
 

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