# CVA Optima



## scout8140 (Mar 22, 2011)

Alright so I’m planning on getting a muzzleloader this year.  I’ve never used one, never shot one and don't know much about them.  A place I hang out at has a CVA Optima for sale and is asking 175.00.  I know the guy that runs the store and have been friends with him for a few years and he said a guy traded the gun in for a centerfire rifle but never shot it.  So first for those that have had experience with muzzleloaders what do you think about the Optima and muzzleloaders in general? Second is it a good price?  I've gone to gunbroker to compare and as far as I can tell it is but just trying to get some input from you guys.


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## georgia_home (Mar 22, 2011)

I have 2 ml's

Rem 700ml 54 cal
Cva optima elite, 243 and 50 cal

I had the rem before I moved to GA where you had 2 extra weeks of deer season, 5 weeks instead of 3. It really was nice to have extra time. I really like this gun, accurate but a pain to clean.

You get 1 extra deer week here in ga. In and of itself not enough of a reason to get an ml.

I got the cva after moving to ga, to have the 50 cal, and I was interested in the 243 too. Both barrels shoot well.

I shoot open sights on the ml, mainly because I hunt tight places. Most shot lanes are 100 yards or less. I sighted it at about 70 yards using an atv as a bench. I shot a group about 2 inches. The margin was just my moving. With a scope, I think you can do much better and much longer ranges. May add a scope at some point, just not now.

The cva cleans easily, 50 cal loads of all types are easy to find. If your gonna ml, with commercial loads, 50 is the way to go.

I don't know about the price, but it doesn't sound too bad. Check the gun section.

If you need any more info, drop a line.
GH


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## sandhillmike (Mar 22, 2011)

Sounds like a pretty good price, if it's in good shape. New they are $225 to $300 or so.


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## Marlin_444 (Mar 23, 2011)

Great gun... Get it!

Ron


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## patterstdeer (Mar 23, 2011)

wish you were around central Fl. i have a very nice Optima Pro I was going to sell for just slightly more. It's 28" instead of 26" and has fluted barrell.


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## scout8140 (Apr 5, 2011)

Alright well I went ahead and picked it up...got him down to 150.  For the guys with the Optima's any advice on loads you've had success with?


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## Deerhead (Apr 6, 2011)

There are a couple of very good and popular combinations IMO the best is 90gn to 110 gn of BlackHorn loose powder CCI M primers with a 240 PowerBelt Bullet.  Blackhorn is a fairly new powder that has been on the market for a few years.  I have actually had some 1” groups at 100yds.  Do a search hear and you will see others who have used BH with good success.  They have also posted pictures of their results.  If you want accuracy stay with loose powder.  Remember loose powder is not hard to handle.  However others like premeasured charges such as 777 pellets.  But to me the whole purpose of buying a modern day smoke pole is to have the most accurate rifle you can afford.  Have fun and enjoy the smoke…


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## PWalls (Apr 6, 2011)

Mine likes 2-50gr pellets of Pyrodex and a 295gr PowerBelt Aerotip. Have killed at least one or two deer with that combination for the past several years. They don't run. DRT.

The trick in accuracy is how you clean it. The first year I had it, I was a stickler for cleanliness. Broke it down and did a solvent clean after every other shot. Accuracy suffered. Couldn't hold a tight group. Talked to some people and just started using a spit patch after every shot for 5-6 shots before I cleaned it. Turns out the slight fouling that the spit patch leaves makes that Powerbelt grip the rifling better and impart more spin. After I clean it real good, to put it up and before I go hunting  make sure and shoot it at least once and do the spit patch to get me back to a "dirty" condition. Now I get excellent groups. That is just my experience.


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## FrontierGander (Apr 7, 2011)

you can buy the brand new optima with QRBP for $225 and it comes with a stainless steel barrel.


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## the r.o.c. (Apr 24, 2011)

i like mine, gonna update the scope and put a better quility one on it. then it wont be so primative.


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## scout8140 (Jul 21, 2011)

Hey what kind of scopes are you guys using on your ML?


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## hambone76 (Jul 21, 2011)

My Optima Elite is a .45 with a 28" fluted barrell. I use 150 grains of triple 7 and a 200 gr TC shockwave. It dropped the two I shot with it last year. You will love that gun and that was a good deal for you. I use the TC Gorilla bases and a Red Head 3x9x40 scope.


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