Muzzleloader best practices?

[Farmingdales Finest]

What is your process when shooting an in-line muzzleloader?

I won a CVA Optima in October at a NWTF dinner.   Finally was able to get it sighted in this morning.

 It is set up as follows: Scope Burris Fullfield E1 3-9x40, Ammo Hornady XTP 240 grain .44 caliber bullet in green sabot being propelled by two T7 pellets.  

So everyone I spoke to and almost all forum threads say you should swab the barrel after your third shot.  After two shots I couldn’t get the bullet seated all the way down. It would stop about 1/4” above the pellets based upon my tape mark on my range rod.  No matter how hard I pushed I couldn’t get it fully seated. I then took the breach out and tried to push it forward so I could run a swab and that didn’t work so I put the plug back in and shot it.  This caused my three farthest impacts from my group in the picture below. One very high and the other two right of the group.  I then swabbed with a solvent soaked patch after two shots and it was still hard to get fully seated. Next I took the plug out and used a brass brush followed by a swab.  The next group I used the brush with the patch and that worked the best but still at no time could I get past two shots.  
 

The bottom 3 are my first shots to get a baseline and figure out where I needed to move the scope.  As said the far right was with a not fully seated bullet.  I turned my turret 1/2 a turn and the next three were the two touching at the bottom of the bull and one slightly high right in the black which is the farthest right. 
 

I think the rest is ok for the first time shooting a muzzleloader and only the second time shooting a rifle since 1991.  All shots were at 50 yards. Where I hunt I expect all shots at 40 and under.  There was another shot I didn’t take that was high right in the yellow. 
 

Looking forward to your suggestions. Thanks in advance! 

Edited November 24, 2023 by Farmingdales Finest

[mazzgolf]

You could get 2 shots off without re-swabbing? That's pretty good  

I also have a CVA Optima and after only one shot I cannot load a second. I have to swab the barrel before I can get a second bullet down.

My process at the range (and I do this for two reasons : (1) because I have to swab that barrel to get a second bullet down and (2) I prepare for hunting... and when I hunt, I will be going out with a clean barrel after the gun comes out of the safe. So I want the barrel how it will be during my hunting scenarios - which means a clean barrel with one cap popped):

1. Start with clean barrel (gun-out-of-safe-clean)

2. "Pop a cap" - I only use up one primer, that seems to prep my barrel pretty good. (I get flyers if I shoot out of clean barrel)

3. Load 2 pellets, bullet, primer - shoot

4. Take out the plug, run 2 or 3 wet patches down the barrel (wet it with that Windex+Vinegar product)

5. Run 3 or 4 dry patches down the barrel, each patch I run through twice (I flip it over the second time)

6. Inspect the pin hole in the breech plug and make sure it is 100% clear. If not, run a pick through it to clean it out. Do NOT get the plug wet with solvent.

7. Replace plug

8. Start all over with step number 1.

I'm not crazy about having to zero my muzzleloader  Takes alot of time and alot of patches. People will tell you "Switch to BH209" but of course (1) finding some to even buy isn't trivial and (2) it is ridiculously expensive for the amount you get. So for now I'm OK shooting Triple 7 pellets... drawback is, yeah, I need to swab out the barrel after each shot (but I'm going to do that anyway because I'm practicing for the field - and I'm going to be shooting out of a clean barrel when out in the field, so I want my practice to be the same as when I'm hunting). The main issue is that I do have to worry about needing to take a second shot out in the field. I'll be carrying some patches with me in case I need to swab out the barrel after shooting the first time and need to shoot a second.

[Farmingdales Finest]

7 minutes ago, mazzgolf said:

You could get 2 shots off without re-swabbing? That's pretty good  

I also have a CVA Optima and after only one shot I cannot load a second. I have to swab the barrel before I can get a second bullet down.

My process at the range (and I do this for two reasons : (1) because I have to swab that barrel to get a second bullet down and (2) I prepare for hunting... and when I hunt, I will be going out with a clean barrel after the gun comes out of the safe. So I want the barrel how it will be during my hunting scenarios - which means a clean barrel with one cap popped):

1. Start with clean barrel (gun-out-of-safe-clean)

2. "Pop a cap" - I only use up one primer, that seems to prep my barrel pretty good. (I get flyers if I shoot out of clean barrel)

3. Load 2 pellets, bullet, primer - shoot

4. Take out the plug, run 2 or 3 wet patches down the barrel (wet it with that Windex+Vinegar product)

5. Run 3 or 4 dry patches down the barrel, each patch I run through twice (I flip it over the second time)

6. Inspect the pin hole in the breech plug and make sure it is 100% clear. If not, run a pick through it to clean it out. Do NOT get the plug wet with solvent.

7. Replace plug

8. Start all over with step number 1.

I'm not crazy about having to zero my muzzleloader  Takes alot of time and alot of patches. People will tell you "Switch to BH209" but of course (1) finding some to even buy isn't trivial and (2) it is ridiculously expensive for the amount you get. So for now I'm OK shooting Triple 7 pellets... drawback is, yeah, I need to swab out the barrel after each shot (but I'm going to do that anyway because I'm practicing for the field - and I'm going to be shooting out of a clean barrel when out in the field, so I want my practice to be the same as when I'm hunting). The main issue is that I do have to worry about needing to take a second shot out in the field. I'll be carrying some patches with me in case I need to swab out the barrel after shooting the first time and need to shoot a second.

Ok so I guess I am glad I am not alone but was also hoping to hear I was doing something wrong that would allow an easier second shot. I don't mind having to swab it down for the third because I really can't see a typical scenario that would require or allow in most cases a third shot. But unlike you I can get the second seated but not very easily.

I am wondering since I keep reading conflicting info about using bore butter. A friend swears by it in his CVA but it seems that's more for a percussion or flintlock than an inline?

[mazzgolf]

29 minutes ago, Farmingdales Finest said:

But unlike you I can get the second seated but not very easily.

I actually am not sure - MAYBE I could get a second down if I tried hard enough. The one (and only time) I tried to get a second bullet down, it stopped like yours did - not quite all the way there. I did NOT try to force it because I feared I would damage the polymer tip of the bullet. So I took out the plug, dropped out the pellets, then pushed out the bullet. I was afraid even if I WAS able to get the bullet down and seated, I would have messed up the tip and who knows where the bullet would have gone.

As for bore butter - I don't use it. I'm new at muzzies too so I wouldn't know the pros and cons of it.

[Farmingdales Finest]

7 minutes ago, mazzgolf said:

I actually am not sure - MAYBE I could get a second down if I tried hard enough. The one (and only time) I tried to get a second bullet down, it stopped like yours did - not quite all the way there. I did NOT try to force it because I feared I would damage the polymer tip of the bullet. So I took out the plug, dropped out the pellets, then pushed out the bullet. I was afraid even if I WAS able to get the bullet down and seated, I would have messed up the tip and who knows where the bullet would have gone.

As for bore butter - I don't use it. I'm new at muzzies too so I wouldn't know the pros and cons of it.

I was able to get the bullet down with a little extra force on the second shot  but I also am using a hollow point bullet which is easier to have the jag fit without distorting the bullet. On the third shot there was no pushing the bullet in either direction even with the plug pulled. 

[archer36]

If you used the green sabots that came with them, they suck. I use the same bullet but with the green Crush Rib sabots. Can load easily three times (I'm using White Hots but I don't think that natters). Then I remove the breech plug and run a bore snake through and can get another 3. Run the snake from the breech out. 

[Farmingdales Finest]

1 minute ago, archer36 said:

If you used the green sabots that came with them, they suck. I use the same bullet but with the green Crush Rib sabots. Can load easily three times (I'm using White Hots but I don't think that natters). Then I remove the breech plug and run a bore snake through and can get another 3. Run the snake from the breech out. 

Yes they were the green ones that came in the package. I was told after I bought them that they flew horrible compared to the 250 grain .45 caliber XTP with the black harvester sabot. That was only after everyone said get the lighter XTP bullet but they always said the black sabot but when I went to Cheyenne and since looking online they all show what I bought so have no idea how I could have done anything different.  That being said I am contemplating buying the individual .45 cal XTP bullets and the Harvester Sabot from Natchez's and I will be able to get 100 bullets for only about 50% more than what I paid for two packages of 20. But probably not until after the new year since this will get me through this season. I also am thinking about getting the 777 powder and a 209 breech plug once I have some time to experiment but this is accurate enough for the distance I expect to be able to shoot this season.

[archer36]

5 minutes ago, Farmingdales Finest said:

Yes they were the green ones that came in the package. I was told after I bought them that they flew horrible compared to the 250 grain .45 caliber XTP with the black harvester sabot. That was only after everyone said get the lighter XTP bullet but they always said the black sabot but when I went to Cheyenne and since looking online they all show what I bought so have no idea how I could have done anything different.  That being said I am contemplating buying the individual .45 cal XTP bullets and the Harvester Sabot from Natchez's and I will be able to get 100 bullets for only about 50% more than what I paid for two packages of 20. But probably not until after the new year since this will get me through this season. I also am thinking about getting the 777 powder and a 209 breech plug once I have some time to experiment but this is accurate enough for the distance I expect to be able to shoot this season.

Be careful. 240 gr XTP's take green sabots. 240 gr XTP Mags use black sabot. If you don't want any guesswork, order from here. 

Hornady XTP — Harvester Muzzleloading

[FDhunt1213]

Or shoot BH 209…. And shoot 50+ shots without cleaning 

[Farmingdales Finest]

Just now, FDhunt1213 said:

Or shoot BH 209…. And shoot 50+ shots without cleaning 

It wasn't available at Cheyenne or online when I was getting everything I needed last month. From what I have seen it's still not available.

[FDhunt1213]

1 minute ago, Farmingdales Finest said:

It wasn't available at Cheyenne or online when I was getting everything I needed last month. From what I have seen it's still not available.

Definitely not this close to season, but keep an eye out in the off season and grab a tub it’ll last you 5-7 seasons easily. And can’t beat how clean it is 

[Farmingdales Finest]

Several people have told me to use the Harvester sabot's.  Would it make sense to buy the Harvester Crushed Rib Sabot's and replace them for the ones that came with my .44 cal Hornady XTP's

• A moment ago

• New
• Add bookmark
• #1oment ago

• New
• Add bookmark
• #18

[archer36]

5 minutes ago, Farmingdales Finest said:

Several people have told me to use the Harvester sabot's.  Would it make sense to buy the Harvester Crushed Rib Sabot's and replace them for the ones that came with my .44 cal Hornady XTP's

• A moment ago

• New
• Add bookmark
• #1oment ago

• New
• Add bookmark
• #18

That's what I did. Big difference. 

[Farmingdales Finest]

1 minute ago, archer36 said:

That's what I did. Big difference. 

Where did you buy them?

[archer36]

5 minutes ago, Farmingdales Finest said:

Where did you buy them?

You can buy them at Harvester Bullets (gave you a link before) or Midway USA.  I bought mine at Midway USA because they were on sale, and I got free shipping at the time. 

Edited November 25, 2023 by archer36