# still need help with sighting in CVA Optima Pro



## aaronward9 (Oct 3, 2009)

I got my CVA Optima Pro today and went to sight it in.  I had it bore-sighted and dead on at 25 yards.  I backed the target up to 100 yards and adjusted accordingly. My last shot of the sighting in process hit dead center, 2" high at 100 yards. I put it away!  I zeroed my rifle and shot a few clays with my buddies then decided to shoot another shot with the ML. I swabbed the barrel with a dry patch, loaded, and fired.  It hit almost 9" high, 7" to the left (I'm shooting out of a vise so I know I couldn't cause it to be off so much).  I cleaned the barrel with a wet patch, then dry patched it a few times, cleaned the breach plug, etc. and loaded it again.  This time, it hit dead high, but about 8" to the left.  I dry swabbed and loaded again, and the final shot I made was about 2" high, 3" left.  

The gun has a brand new Bushnell Banner muzzleloading scope and was installed today with all screws getting lock tite.  I am shooting 100 gr. Pyrodex powder and a 295 gr. Powerbelt. 

Any suggestions as to what I can do to improve my accuracy??


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## lagrangedave (Oct 3, 2009)

Let the locktite dry?


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## ellaville hunter (Oct 3, 2009)

keep changing bullets til you find the one that works.my optima does not shoot powerbelts worth a flip


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## tcward (Oct 3, 2009)

By all means, ditch the power belts!


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## aaronward9 (Oct 3, 2009)

lagrangedave said:


> Let the locktite dry?



the fella at the sporting goods store told me to wait 30-45 mins to let it set..   i waited 1.5 hrs...


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## aaronward9 (Oct 3, 2009)

ellaville hunter said:


> keep changing bullets til you find the one that works.my optima does not shoot powerbelts worth a flip



what does it shoot well??  shockwaves??


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## ellaville hunter (Oct 3, 2009)

tc sure fire sabots 230 gr hollow point


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## Fortenberry (Oct 3, 2009)

IT may be also getting heated up to much and that can throw it off some. My old one used to do that.


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## aaronward9 (Oct 3, 2009)

ellaville hunter said:


> tc sure fire sabots 230 gr hollow point



how much powder is pushing it?


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## ellaville hunter (Oct 3, 2009)

100 gr


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## aaronward9 (Oct 3, 2009)

ellaville hunter said:


> 100 gr



Thanks for the help!


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## long_range_stick (Oct 3, 2009)

QUIT FREAKING CLEANING 

Let the barrel foul up a little bit and it will settle out.

I clean my front stuffer at the end of the season, then put it away.  Before I get ready to hunt with it, it gets 5 rounds down it to foul the barrel and I do not shoot a sabotted slug, I shoot a straight lead ashcan.


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## Bernard goldsmith (Oct 4, 2009)

I'll take it !! Sounds like a nice project to work on.


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## Slayer (Oct 4, 2009)

stop!!!!!....clean your gun spotless....just like new, go find some Blackhorn 209 powder and some 250 gr shockwave bullets(if possible get the Harvester short black sabots to replace stock ones)..

starting with a clean gun, pop 2 209 primers to clear the breech of any oil or moisture,  sight the rifle in, after every 3-5 shots run a dry patch down the barrel ( I only do this during sight-in) once you have your zero, clean gun, wait 30-45 min, and start over.....first shot from a clean gun while using BH-209 is your money shot...the BH-209 is the key here....its consistancy, and clean burn reduces the amount of rounds "wandering" all over the target...and the shockwave is a great projectile....made for the modern ML.....

Sub MOA is possible with your gun....but highly unlikely with your powder/bullet combo.....pellets are extremely easy to use, but are the least consistent .......powerbelts are a whole differnt story, one that will have to be taken up at a latter time.....


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## aaronward9 (Oct 4, 2009)

Slayer said:


> stop!!!!!....clean your gun spotless....just like new, go find some Blackhorn 209 powder and some 250 gr shockwave bullets(if possible get the Harvester short black sabots to replace stock ones)..
> 
> starting with a clean gun, pop 2 209 primers to clear the breech of any oil or moisture,  sight the rifle in, after every 3-5 shots run a dry patch down the barrel ( I only do this during sight-in) once you have your zero, clean gun, wait 30-45 min, and start over.....first shot from a clean gun while using BH-209 is your money shot...the BH-209 is the key here....its consistancy, and clean burn reduces the amount of rounds "wandering" all over the target...and the shockwave is a great projectile....made for the modern ML.....
> 
> Sub MOA is possible with your gun....but highly unlikely with your powder/bullet combo.....pellets are extremely easy to use, but are the least consistent .......powerbelts are a whole differnt story, one that will have to be taken up at a latter time.....



atta boy!! that's the info I need! Thanks!


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## Jim Thompson (Oct 5, 2009)

aaron, IF you stick with the pellets (I prefer the bh209 though) pick up some 250gr bonded shockwaves.

get to the range with a spotless and dry gun.  pop a cap or 2.

back up to 25 yards again.  drop 2 pellets and a shockwave (mark your ramrod btw) and shoot and see where you are.  if close then back to 100 yards.

LEAVE the breech in.  run one windex patch down the barrel and then a couple of dry patches.  no reason for full cleaning at range.

shoot at 100 yards in groups of three following same swab cycle.  adjust scope accordingly.  almost all inlines will group ok with this load...although ok can be from 2"-5"


if this fails follow slayers advice...I did sometimes last year


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## FERAL ONE (Oct 6, 2009)

i did not like the consistency with pellets in mine aaron,   loose powder was the ticket for me. i shoot 120 grains for my hunting load.

sorry !!! just saw your post about the 209, congrats !!!


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## formula1 (Oct 6, 2009)

*Re:*

My rifle is a T/C Encore with a 2 lb. trigger.

I prefer a heavier bullet and that's what I use.  I use a 300 grain T/C Shockwave with stock yellow sabot to sight in because they are cheaper to shoot.  I haven't hunted with one yet, but they are accurate enough to.

My hunting load is 110 gr of BH 209, a .458 caliber Nosler Partition (expensive but worth it), an orange MMC sabot, and a Winchester 209 primer.  It's so accurate I don't even hunt with a centerfire anymore.  I took 3 deer with it last year at 20, 90 and 184 yds and all were DRT.

Now I won't say it will work for you and it's just a suggestion, but try some different things and have fun with it.


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## shortround1 (Oct 6, 2009)

aaronward9 said:


> I got my CVA Optima Pro today and went to sight it in.  I had it bore-sighted and dead on at 25 yards.  I backed the target up to 100 yards and adjusted accordingly. My last shot of the sighting in process hit dead center, 2" high at 100 yards. I put it away!  I zeroed my rifle and shot a few clays with my buddies then decided to shoot another shot with the ML. I swabbed the barrel with a dry patch, loaded, and fired.  It hit almost 9" high, 7" to the left (I'm shooting out of a vise so I know I couldn't cause it to be off so much).  I cleaned the barrel with a wet patch, then dry patched it a few times, cleaned the breach plug, etc. and loaded it again.  This time, it hit dead high, but about 8" to the left.  I dry swabbed and loaded again, and the final shot I made was about 2" high, 3" left.
> 
> The gun has a brand new Bushnell Banner muzzleloading scope and was installed today with all screws getting lock tite.  I am shooting 100 gr. Pyrodex powder and a 295 gr. Powerbelt.
> 
> Any suggestions as to what I can do to improve my accuracy??


once sighted in do not oil the barrel, any firearm will shoot high after oiling the barrel. don't know about your optimum but mine will start to rust with barrel butter and a good cleaning. i have a t/c senica that is 30 years old and never rust, just the quality of steel.


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