Powder or Pellets

[jkoegel]

Pellets are quick and easy. I started shooting with them last year. 3 50gr pellets is just plain overkill, ruins your accuracy and they don't burn completely. To illustrate my point, most modern inlines are rated for up to 150gr or 3 pellets. If using powder, the majority of the rifles say DO NOT EXCEED 100gr loose powder. I Dropped down to 100 gr/2 pellets and my accuracy improved greatly.
BUT.......
This year I started shooting FF 777 loose powder. Shot groups shrank again and are a lot more consistent, gun barrel is a LOT cleaner too. I'll never go back, for quick reloading I carry 3 speed loaders in my pocket with 95gr of powder in them. I can reload just as fast as when I was shooting pellets.
.452 300gr Hornady XTP sabot. 100gr FF 777. Yields about 1800-1900fps. My CVA Optima will shoot 1 1/4"groups at 100yds with this load.
awesome info here. I learned a lot on this site.
http://www.chuckhawks.com/index2h.muzzleloader.htm
Read what this site has to say about the overpriced POWERBELTS and you'll never shoot them again.

[Chucker]

If you read chuckhawks closely, they've got plenty to say about the CVAs too, none of it good.

[jkoegel]

CVA has come a loong way since the days chuck hawks was talking about in his articles. In 95 and 96 they had the voluntary recalls on their barrels. I'm not saying they are better than a TC but the new models of the optima and the optima PRO are really nice guns, Very accurate for the money. The begera barrells are key to the improved accuracy.

[mooseslayer71]

i just bought a cva accura .50cal. i shoot 1 1/2in. groups at 100yrds. all day w/ 90 grns. of loose triple 7 and power belts. i too dislike the pellets. ive had misfires w/ them w/ my old knight even w/ the hot 209 primers. never w/ loose powder no matter what brand.