# CVA muzzle loader



## comanche180 (Oct 26, 2006)

I have a CVA Otima Pro. in .45 caliber. I have been shooting 100gr 777 pellets with Power belt 225gr bullets. I have shot 3 deer and have not been impressed with the overall performance. I was thinking of changing to 150grm 777. I have now heard rumor of numerous barrel and or breach pug explosions and or failures. Has anyone here heard of the same?:yikes:


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## Sib (Jan 8, 2003)

Use the search tool on the site for powerbelts, there have been a number of dissatisfied members on their performance if I recall.


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## steveh27 (Oct 23, 2000)

In Outdoor Life, Aug, 2006, there was an article "Long Range Muzzleloaders". They covered two guns one of which was the CVA .45 Optima Elite. I'm not sure how different that is from your model. Chad Schearer, CVA's director of media relations, used 150 grains of Pyrodex (3 50 gr pellets), 777 Winchester primer and a 275 gr Power Belt Aerotip bullet. He shoots very well over 200 yds. 

I kept this article out as I was thinking about getting this setup.


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## comanche180 (Oct 26, 2006)

The only difference to the Elite and mine is the Elite allows you to change barrels. I am more concerned over the alleged barrel and breach plug issue as I would be required to move up the magnum charge. I guess I could just change bullets.


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## yooperkenny (Jul 13, 2004)

comanche180 said:


> ... I have now heard rumor of numerous barrel and or breach pug explosions and or failures. Has anyone here heard of the same?:yikes:


Yes, I've heard of this. CVA's barrels are made in Spain, I believe. They did have some issues with some bad steel a while back but my understanding is that there was a recall and it's no longer a problem. I've used a CVA Plainshunter .50 cal for years with no issues (and killed several deer with it).

Sorry for the sketchy info; I sure you can learn more about this by searching this or other firearms sites or maybe on CVA's website. Good Luck...


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## malainse (Sep 2, 2002)

comanche180 said:


> I have shot 3 deer and have not been impressed with the overall performance.


You shot or killed 3 deer ?? What is the problem with the performance ? I would first swich to another bullet.


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## comanche180 (Oct 26, 2006)

I have killed 3 deer the trouble I had to chase 2 of them a considerable distance with having shot them in the kill ring each time. the damage was minimal and the bullet never passed thru.
Thanks for the infor I will check othe threads and web sites.


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## wintrrun (Jun 11, 2008)

As for jumping up to a 150gr. load?
I would contact CVA directly on their site and pose the question. 
Give them your gun info including the serial #. 
They should be able to answer wether your gun barrel is good for a 150gr load.
As for the powerbelts?
Out of the 3 i recovered out of deer, not one expanded. You might as well be shooting a stainless steel ball bearing.
Try shooting a few different brands thru it. I have had great luck with Barnes in my .50 Optima Elite and also with Hornady's in a .45 Optima Elite and they both have penetrated, expanded and done their job.
Both guns are reliable out to 200yd's using 100gr of 777.


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## BR549 (Feb 5, 2006)

malainse said:


> You shot or killed 3 deer ?? What is the problem with the performance ? I would first swich to another bullet.


 
A friend was using (key words - was using) .45 Powerbelts on deer. Simply put, they expanded too much and lacked penetration. I'd go to a heavier, more conventional type bullet. Light bullets simply fall on their face over a distance. A heavy bullet will penetrate more.


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## Steve (Jan 15, 2000)

What bullets would you guys recommend for this gun. I'd be a little reluctant to change since this is the recommended CVA load.


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## houlihoop_ (Feb 25, 2005)

I am shooting 100 grs pyrodex pellets with barnes expander mx 245gr awesome performance in my cva.


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## malainse (Sep 2, 2002)

Steve said:


> What bullets would you guys recommend for this gun. .


Steve, did you buy the .45 or the .50 cal ?


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## Doeboy (Oct 20, 2005)

If it ain't broke don't fix it. I 2 have a CVA and love it, the only prob is that the bullet expanded to fast. Just switch bullet, or keep the speed down.


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## jacobs357 (Jan 11, 2009)

I have just ordered a .50 Cal CVA Acura muzzleloader and wanted to know what is the best bullet, size and type to use with this gun.


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## sniper's mojo (Nov 29, 2005)

comanche180 said:


> I have killed 3 deer the trouble I had to chase 2 of them a considerable distance with having shot them in the kill ring each time. the damage was minimal and the bullet never passed thru.
> Thanks for the infor I will check othe threads and web sites.


 
What, bad bullet perfomance from a powerbelt????:lol::lol::lol: Par for the course! Of course CVA recommends them, they also sell them.:rant: Hornady xtp's, hornady sst/ml, barnes expanderz, barnes mxz, and any other bullet under the sun besides those pieces of shi% will make you happy out of that gun.


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## mudvr1212 (Nov 3, 2008)

http://www.prbullet.com/

I bought these two years ago and shoot 100 gr. of 777 pellets with a 240 gr. Dead Center .40 out of my Optima Elite .50. I'm zeroed at 125 with 3 bullets inside of 1.5 inches!!! NOT BAD!!!

I'm also going to try their Breech Plug conversion kit. It lets you shoot a SMALL rifle primer instead of the 209's!!! You just put the primer in an ACTUAL shell from a .25 ACP. Pretty sweet.

I'm sticking with these. I dropped a doe at 125 yards double lung complete pass through. Total destruction.


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## Jet08 (Aug 21, 2007)

The first thing I would do is loose the powerbelts. I used to shoot them and the people I hunted agreed with me, poor performance. If it was not for the snow in most instances when a muzzleloader is being used, a lot of my deer would not have been found when I was using powerbelts, with kill shots. Now that I have switched bullets it has been great. I had a 245 grain bullet, with 115 grains of loose powder pass through a deer length wise! I had never seen anything like that until then. 

IMO I would switch to barnes expanders. I have been impressed time and time again with their ML bullet as well as their Federal Ammunition slugs.


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## glockman55 (Mar 9, 2006)

sniper's mojo said:


> What, bad bullet perfomance from a powerbelt????:lol::lol::lol: Par for the course! Of course CVA recommends them, they also sell them.:rant: Hornady xtp's, hornady sst/ml, barnes expanderz, barnes mxz, and any other bullet under the sun besides those pieces of shi% will make you happy out of that gun.


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## inkwithattitude (Aug 12, 2010)

jacobs357 said:


> I have just ordered a .50 Cal CVA Acura muzzleloader and wanted to know what is the best bullet, size and type to use with this gun.


 hello all i also own a cva accura stainless barrel running a 200gr saboted T/C aftershock in 50 cal being pushed by 90 gr of 777 loose ffg (burns way better than any pellet) and a winchester 777 primer and pushing 250 yds accurately and with enough punch to dump them in there tracks, with a suprising 8 in of drop from 150 (zeroed) the same load with a barnes mz was average of 12 in drop


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## rugertough (Aug 7, 2006)

I use hornady xtp in 240 grain with 100 grains of pyrodex in my cva Kodiak and there are very accurate.


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