New to Muzzleloading - just bought a CVA Wolf

Just bought my first muzzleloader. CVA wolf with iron sights. Picked the Wolf after reading a lot of positive reviews on this forum.

Now my plan is to use White Hots as propellant.

Looking to see what bullets forum Wolf owners are using/recommend & what primers also?

I was watching a few videos on the powerbelt and I don't really understand how if they load so easily - yet the company claims the "bullet" fully engages the rifling when fired? It seems to me that the only thing that would engage is the expanding cup at the back? I was also watching some Barnes marketing vids where they seem to go pretty hard at the Powerbelt for not seating consistently and lack of expansion. Anyone using powerbelts have any issues with inconsistent seating or pass through issues?

Cheers

I'm relatively new to the sport so I'm interested in the answer as well. I've shot my Pursuits 20 times. I'm using Triple Seven and Powerbelts. I have found the loads consistent and accurate. The only problem I had with the gun was cleaning it properly so that the barrel doesn't rust. I finally used some MikePal advise and cleaned the barrel using hot water then applied G96 as a rust inhibitor.

I had no issues with Powerbelts but they certainly get criticized on other boards.

Not sure about pass through issues because I haven't used it to hunt yet.

I know guys that have had issues. Not all bores are same diameter so you are apt to get good results on some and not so good with others.

If your guns are compatible with BH209 you might want to try that. That stuff is great but make sure your manufacturer has posted acceptable loads for your gun.

I own a wolf and use 2 triple 7 pellets, a 300gr SST bullet and Winchester or CCI 209 primers with good results.

I've had mixed results with Powerbelts. Some have held together and some have fragmented. Currently using the 270 grain platinum but I think I'm going to go up to the heavier (330 grain?) to shed some velocity. Accuracy has always been good with them.

I use 2 x 50 grain Triple Seven pellets.

I'll say one thing as a newcomer to ML, I find the weapon and technique high maintenance. I'm a little uncomfortable with the number of variables involved in this weapon. I forgot to swab the gun and fire a primer to prepare the barrel after a few months of storage. My first shot wasn't even on the 4'X4' page. It's a great weapon if you like to doink around in the off season but I'm afraid I ain't one of those guys. I long for my HR single shot slug gun I traded for this ML.

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Originally Posted by DanO

I'll say one thing as a newcomer to ML, I find the weapon and technique high maintenance. I'm a little uncomfortable with the number of variables involved in this weapon. I forgot to swab the gun and fire a primer to prepare the barrel after a few months of storage. My first shot wasn't even on the 4'X4' page. It's a great weapon if you like to doink around in the off season but I'm afraid I ain't one of those guys. I long for my HR single shot slug gun I traded for this ML.

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I used to be a 'doinker' until our daughter was born. Hahahaha. I've turned into the opposite now (I'll hit the range a few times before hunting season), which is partially why I didn't want to put big $$ down on a rifle to give muzzleloading a try. I'm looking for the KISS components and process to get the job done.

Dumb question ... can you use a 28ga bore snake to run through your ML for cleaning?

Dumb question 2 .... what's the theory on firing off a primer before use? Cleaning out the barrel of any oils?

With property in muzzle loader only wmu I have a couple tradition pursuits get some T17 foaming bore cleaner it makes life much easier spray in the barrel let it sit 10-15 minutes swab it out then oil swab
Get some wonderlube/butter for breech plug threads good to go

I use cotton mop to oil
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Bullets: I buy exclusively from PR bullets (https://www.prbullet.com/escn.htm)..an award winning Canadian company (Anola, MB) that sells some of the best bullets on the market. I use their Keith Nose myself, but I hunt sub 100yd ranges. If your into longer distances their Dead Center is a great bullet. They have a few sales thru the year to stock up.

Shooting; shooting an ML is basically like re-loading on the fly. You have to follow procedures, a recipe for each shot. It's just a matter of getting into a routine. The 'swabing' is just another step, becomes part for load procedure.

I like the variables, they enhance the whole experience, makes the 'gun' far more part of the hunt. Wait till you experience a re-load while in the stand with a Buck staring at you ...thrill of a life time ..LOL...

Pre-load primer shot ....basically to remove any condensation, but also a good safety step to ensure you didn't leave a load in the barrel the last time to had the gun out.

I have pretty much converted to ML hunting. It's become my favorite season, easily the best weather, most of the time snow is down by then and the deer are still rutting.

I think firing a primer before loading is also to make sure the flash hole is clear. I used to point the muzzle at the ground and make sure the leaves would move when the primer went off. The problem was that I found the gun even harder to get clean after firing a primer than when actually firing a full load. Now I just make sure I can see light through the flash hole before I load it up and don't bother with shooting the primer. It doesn't seem to affect accuracy, at least in my gun anyway. I'm shooting an older CVA Optima Pro.

Dan-O... I own an H & R single shot slug gun as well and I agree, I would not trade its simplicity for a muzzle loader if given the choice between using the two in a particular season. But I will say that I absolutely love the other opportunities that owning a muzzle loader has opened up. An extra late-season hunt for one and I've also traveled to NW Ontario to take advantage of an early ML-only season and additional tags. Well worth the hassle of tinkering with loads and the extra cleanup time after shooting.

Thanks for all the feedback. Some good discussion so far.

For the PR bullets do you need a special breech plug? I was browsing the web site, and noticed some references to breech plugs.

I think Mike & GW11 have alluded to the reason why I am looking to get into ML season. Each November seems to be getting warmer and warmer, and i saw more hunters in the area of crown we hunt & no deer last year. I think the ML season may be my solution to both deer & crowding. Hopefully this year we'll test that theory.

PR Bullets do some custom gunsmith work and after market manufacturing...they have created some great work around solutions to OEM problems..ie: Savage 10ML issues and 209 primers and powder.

Their web page has all the info, but it's just not very well done, it takes some digging.

Was just doing some reading online & noticed Randy Wakeman really has a hate on for the Powerbelt bullets & not much love for CVA ML's either. The general reviews and videos of Powerbelt performance seems relatively positive re:accuracy and mixed on knockdown power. I must admit my interest in them is in removing the sabot & fouling out of the equation & relative ease of loading.

RTRand GW you got a ML for the same reason I did. The early season makes me nervous in crown land. I moved to an area with a late season ML hunt but no slug hunt so I traded the shotgun. I'm learning as I read this thread. Unfortunately I don't have good land for doinking around. I need to travel to avoid disturbing the neighbours. I live in the country but I'm timid about upsetting others target practicing so I wait until I get up to the big bush.

Thanks for the hints on cleaning.JS4 I know a 20 gauge snake bore doesn't do the trick easily.

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Originally Posted by RTRonthefly

Was just doing some reading online & noticed Randy Wakeman really has a hate on for the Powerbelt bullets & not much love for CVA ML's either. The general reviews and videos of Powerbelt performance seems relatively positive re:accuracy and mixed on knockdown power. I must admit my interest in them is in removing the sabot & fouling out of the equation & relative ease of loading.

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I'm not sure if you'll be able to see this pic or not. I don't post pictures through Tapatalk normally. Here are a couple of Powerbelts that I have recovered from deer. One did a great job, the other not so much. The fragmented one was a quartering towards shot that hit bone. It might have made contact with a little twig before hitting the deer also. The mushroom did not hit bone.

As to your bullet seating/loading questions. You can just faintly make out the rifling grooves on the bottom portion of the middle bullet. I pushed that one out the breech end to unload it. That should give you a visual on how well they fit/seal. They load really easily in my Optima. My buddy has a Wolf and uses the same load and they load easily for his as well.

My only gripe with them whatsoever is that they've fragmented on me as often as they haven't, but I haven't tried the heavier bullets on game yet. I suspect that two Triple Seven pellets are pushing the 270 grain bullet too fast.

Cleanup with a bit of dish soap and hot water works great. A bit of sabot solvent, oil and breech plug lube before storage and it's ready for the next hunt.
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GW,
Have you tried the copper coated powerbelts? I was thinking of trying the 295grn Copper coated. They seem to have good reviews on Cabelas.com

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Originally Posted by RTRonthefly

GW,
Have you tried the copper coated powerbelts? I was thinking of trying the 295grn Copper coated. They seem to have good reviews on Cabelas.com

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I started with copper and went to the platinum because they shot a little flatter and were a bit faster in 270 grain. Looking back on that decision I think slower is better for Powerbelts, especially at the ranges I normally hunt at (100 yards or less). I never got the chance to shoot any live game with the copper but I found a couple in blocks of wood that I was using as a backstop and they held together fine.

I'm planning to switch back to copper this year, probably in the 300+ grain range.

Edit: I should add there are far more knowledgeable folks than I on this site when it comes to muzzle loaders, just giving you a bit of information on my experiences with Powerbelts.

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Had the Wolf out to the range for the first time yesterday. 295grn Powerbelt Copper aero tips, 2 white hots and Winchester 209 primers had me zero’d at 50yd with 4 shots using iron sights. Need some work to figure out 100 yds next.

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Originally Posted by RTRonthefly

Had the Wolf out to the range for the first time yesterday. 295grn Powerbelt Copper aero tips, 2 white hots and Winchester 209 primers had me zero’d at 50yd with 4 shots using iron sights. Need some work to figure out 100 yds next.

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In this day and age, any of the in-lines will shot a good grouping out of the box at 50 yds no matter what bullet or powder you use .....It's a no brainer, which is all a lot of guys want, nothing wrong with that.

But once your seek out 100 yds; then you start to see the problem with using powder sticks/pellets. You begin to loose control of the bullet if you aren't controlling the amount of powder your using. Guys like them for the ease of loading and are willing to sacrifice accuracy. And since pie plate accuracy is 'good enough' for a center of mass shot , it really doesn't affect the ability to kill a deer at 100 yds.

If you want to be more precise (accurate) in your shooting, you'll have to go to a loose powder and start to find the sweet spot for the bullet/gun. Most guys find 80-85 grs of loose T7 is a great load for most of the MLs to give you a consistent tight group. I know if I increase my loads to 100 grs, the same bullets giving me 1" groupings with the lighter loads, are now all over the place.

Then there are the guys who start to push for great velocity, to try an flatten out the trajectory of a 300 gr bullet fighting gravity. Then the hunt is on to find the better bullet and powder combination with loads greater than 100 grs. Then you're hooked and start looking at $1,000 ML's to achieve those elusive but attainable 300 yd 'bull' shots.

Have fun, it's contagious and it's addictive..but in a good way..LOL..



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