my new CVA

[Str8shooter]

Hi folks -

I'm here to tell you I have joined the Muzzleloaders' community. Last night I went into our local Gander Mountain store and purchased a .50 caliber, pivot break, CVA Kodiak Magnum. The gun and accessories came in a package deal for less than $230.00 and the salesman threw in a box of 209 primers free. Today I picked up 2 boxes (one each in 30 and 50 grain) of Pyrodex pellets, a range rod, and some cleaning supplies. This weekend is tied up so next week I am hitting the range to see how this baby shoots. I am hoping to replace the use of my slug gun during shotgun deer season here in the NY Southern Zone where regular rifles aren't allowed. I would be interested in hearing from you folks who shoot black powder already for some tips, please.

Thank you.
Rob

[gregarat]

Welcome aboard!!

I am new to Muzzle loading myself. I own a Black Dimond, wich has been fired only a handfull of times. If I were you I would pick up some 777's pellets. They are much more clean than Pyrodex. 777"s propelent is also much easier to clean out of your firearm.

I am hoping to replace the use of my slug gun during shotgun deer season here in the NY Southern Zone where regular rifles aren't allowed.

I use a Inline, as opose to a slug gun in NYS sothernt zone. For the same reason you do. Also I know if you miss on the first shot, odds are you dont have a second. I do the majority of my hunting in the Northern tier, anyhow. Ill be back up north on the 17th.

[Str8shooter]

Hi Greg -

Thanks for the reply with the tips.

I decided to mount on a scope before going to the range to test fire it for the first time. The improved (scope vs. natural vision)optics should give me the edge I'll need to make just one shot count. In the past, all I took with my slug gun was one shot anyway.

Hey, get out there and have some fun.
Rob

[gregarat]

Yup, no need for a slug gun. Now ya have a longer season, and another buck tag .

I just bore sighted my scope, hopfully I can hit paper at 50y. If not, definatly 25y.

[trex]

IMO...save yourself some money and buy the 777 in loose powder form. You can buy yourself a couple of speed loaders that will save you enough time in case you do have to reload to take another shot. I hear really good things about Black Magic powder as well. Supposedly cleaner than 777 and even hotter. 80 grains is supposed to be about tops in most guns. 100 grains was making bad things happen to guns supposedly. I'll be trying some next year after I shoot the rest of the 777 canister I have. Another benefit is that you can critique your loads alot better with the loose stuff vs. the pellets. Pellets have a margin of +/- 5-10 grains per 50gr pellet. So if your shooting 2 of them you could be shooting 120gr one shot and 80 the next. Good luck with whatever you use!

[moneychanger]

i'd try about 25 roundball loads first just to season the barrel
don't worry about accucarcy, you just want to try and smooth the bore a bit. After seasoning the bore a bit then try your normal hunting load.

[Str8shooter]

..hey..........great feedback.....thanks a lot all

[rattus58]

I'n not sure what seasoning the bore really means... everyone it seems has a different slant on it nowadays, but to smooth out any rough edges in the bore, shooting is a great remedy.. though I don't know that I'd waste any round balls on it. I'd waste whatever I was gonna be hunting with.

You might want to take your range rod and wrap some steel wool over the jag and just run through your barrel 50 or 100 times, making sure that as much as possible, try to get the whole bore evenly. You could finish up with some really fine steel wool or some rouge on a patch.

You're gonna love black powder hunting if your guns shoot straight, and this is why practice on the range and trying different bullets will go a long way to building your confidence.

aloha...

[fishdoggydog]

Some thoughts on the bore seasoning. A guy at work bought a Browning 25-06 and had some accuracy issues and called the help line. They said copper fouling was his problem in their opinion, to fire one round and clean it it, and do that about 20 times, then 2 rounds and clean it, again a box of shells. He got his rifle to shoot the sub inch groups he wanted. For the muzzleloader lets avoid the copper plated bullets for the break-in period, and make sure we get lead fouling out between shots if shooting that style bullet. For any steel wool used to clean up the bore use the fine stuff right away, your trying to take burrs off, and that will do that. The rouge on a patch can be a chrome polish or even tooth paste, make sure it gets cleaned out good. Also a bore protector on the rod, a little brass cone at the muzzle, is VERY, VERY important when running the cleaning rod up and down for these steps. I think a lower powder charge helps in the break-in period, less residue to deal with and easier to shoot for a long time.