I am getting ready to finally buy a smoke pole. I have been doing allot of research and I think I have it narrowed down to the one I want. I am thinking about going with the CVA Accura MR and was wondering if any of you guys shoot this gun. Or does anyone have an opinion on any other guns. I deer hunt in South Central Iowa and will be going to NW Colorado hunting Elk as well. Your thoughts??
bigbuckhunter88
PMA Member
CVA Accura V2 is what I shoot. My younger brother just bought am CVA Optima V2 and that is a tack driver also. We shot them both Sunday and they both can get Cloverleaf groups at 100 with Blackhorn 209 and a Barnes TMZ.
capehunter1
New Member
CVA Optima V2, Blackhorn 209, and Barnes MZ Expanders will shoot better than me. 90 grains is my sweet spot. You will need to experiment with any ML as they are all unique in what they want to digest properly. I could not get any other bullet to shoot well out of mine though and most everyone I checked with said the Barnes line is the way to go. My son's TC Omega likes the Hornady SST line though.
The keys to accuracy, which are more important than your choice of a specific brand of ML, are consistent pressure/loading depth on the bullet when loading, consistent trigger pull, properly tightened and loc-tighted scope mount/base screws, a properly leveled scope so the windage and elevation move correctly during scope adjustments, use of proper loading tool for your bullet (I use the Barnes one for MZ Expanders so the bullet is not deformed during loading process), consistent powder charges (find the conversion chart at the Blackhorn website and weigh your charges), a stable bench, a clean breech plug (use a drill to clean the back end of it every five to ten shots) and LOTS of experimenting to find the proper load. Start at 25 yards to prevent some major headaches.........
The keys to accuracy, which are more important than your choice of a specific brand of ML, are consistent pressure/loading depth on the bullet when loading, consistent trigger pull, properly tightened and loc-tighted scope mount/base screws, a properly leveled scope so the windage and elevation move correctly during scope adjustments, use of proper loading tool for your bullet (I use the Barnes one for MZ Expanders so the bullet is not deformed during loading process), consistent powder charges (find the conversion chart at the Blackhorn website and weigh your charges), a stable bench, a clean breech plug (use a drill to clean the back end of it every five to ten shots) and LOTS of experimenting to find the proper load. Start at 25 yards to prevent some major headaches.........
capehunter1
New Member
I had the exact opposite experience with Knight that bkcrrtnps had. I could not get mine to shoot no matter the load. Plus, the cleaning is SO MUCH easier with a break action ML or Omega design. The Knight was a royal pain to clean and I could not use Blackhorn in it. I know they have a good reputation but I just could not get mine right.
LYON
PMA Member
Blackhorn 209. The stuff is amazing! After switching to it, I would not go any other route.
As for gun. I just bought a CVA Accura V2 this summer and can't wait to use it. The past 15 years have been using a Knight American knight. It's a great gun and has done well for me although I don't like the short barrel much. I will venture to say the Knights are probably among the best made muzzleloaders, but you will sacrifice some ease of use amenities such as the break action and quick release breech plugs which greatly aid in cleaning. I would have stuck with Knight but wanted to do something a little different.
bigbuckhunter88
PMA Member
I won't switch back after using Blackhorn 209.
cvadave
Member
I have 2 of the CVA MR rifles, both are great shooters, they will shoot just about anything that you want to stuff down the barrel. very accurate, 1 of them I will be using it sabotless this year. They are nice to carry, light weight and being shorter they workout real nice in the blind when moving around, or in a tree stand. I use BH 209 110 gr by volume. Have the BH 209 breech plug.
hunthoyt
Member
CVA Accura V2 shooting 110 grains of Blackhorn 209 with cci primers and 250gr Barnes TMZ. I put in the shim kit CVA sells for the firing pin to put a tighter crimp on the primer and have absolutely no blowback. My primers come out clean as a whistle with no blowback residue on them. The gun is a tack driver!
AIRASSAULT
PMA Member
I went with the Traditions Vortek. A little cheaper but a great shooter. Topped it with the Nikon BDC250 scope. I started out with the Triple7 pellets and then switched to Blackhorn209 because I heard a lot of good things about it. Got a lot of hang fires. Figured out I was using muzzleloading 209 primers instead of the hotter shotgun ones. Had a little better luck with the shotgun primers but still had a hang fire every once in a while. Went back to Triple7 (never really had a reason to leave it anyway) and have never had problems with it. I just cant trust the Blackhorn stuff. I use 150gr Triple7.
Hanyak
Active Member
If you are thinking of using it next year, my suggestion would be to look into a smokeless muzzleloader built by Luke Horak of ASG LLC out of Mt. Vernon. You can't go wrong with his builds. Still a muzzle stuffer, but uses smokeless powder so its extremely clean and extremely accurate out a long long way.
southcentral
Member
In my opinion u can not beat the tc encore. I have an original and the pro hunter fx. Both are lights out accurate. I'm talking 1/2 dollar at 200 yards off a bench. I've also got an omega in the safe that shoots great. Like some others have said I can not attest to the other rifles because I've never shot or owned them or ever will.
bkcrrtnps
Well-Known Member
White hots for me with no complaints
110 grains of blackhorn behind a 250 grain barnes t-ez out of my encore is more accurate than I can shoot it.
One ragged hole at 100 yards and a small as a 4" 4 shot group at 250. Shooting from a bench.
Bushnell doa 250 scope is within 1.5"s from 100-250 yards so that makes it pretty easy to shoot. I have yet to kill a buck past 60 yards and id like to keep it that way.
One ragged hole at 100 yards and a small as a 4" 4 shot group at 250. Shooting from a bench.
Bushnell doa 250 scope is within 1.5"s from 100-250 yards so that makes it pretty easy to shoot. I have yet to kill a buck past 60 yards and id like to keep it that way.