Hornady SST-ML High Speed/Low Drag Sabot

[sharps4570]

3 of us tried that bullet in our smokeless Savages and they tumbled badly and didn't group worth a damn. They did great in front of 777 in a conventional BP gun though.

I use pre-meaured fast loaders for hunting , so it's a moot point, I just pour my 80gr T7 (loose powder) and push bullet with the ball starter in a single motion, never see/handle the powder in the stand for a fast load.

We tried same bullet in same gun with white hots and found that we could only shoot 2 shots before swabbing. The third shot was nearly impossible to load.

Given my initial/limited exposure to 777 powder (pellets and TC Shockwaves in my Triumph), I was skeptical as to how that would perform in my friend's CVA and I persuaded him to spend on a bottle of BH209 as well.

In view of the results with his new rifle, my friend is pleased that he would neither have to bother with loose powder nor have to further invest in a separate CVA breech plug (compatible with BH209). I'm happy that I can now relieve him off that unopened bottle since personally I intend to use loose powder only moving forward.

I've ordered some of the BH209 plastic tubes sold by Cabelas that would assist with rapid loading with pre-measured charges of loose powder particularly at the range. Carrying a couple in the field will be convenient too.

[crtech22]

I've only been using a muzzleloader a few years but, I've always been using the 250 grain Hornady sabots and have had fairly good luck with the grouping on them.

[DJB]

I have been using 250 SST's for several years. Out of my Kodiak, they liked 80 gr. of BH209. Out of my Accura, They keep a tight group with 100 gr. BH209. With the 80 gr. load, they left the same size entry and exit holes in my lung shot deer. With the 100 gr. load, the exit holes are the size of a toonie and the deer have dropped a lot sooner on the lung shots. Seems that they need more energy to perform.

[twostroke]

I use 100 gr white hots and 250 gr sst with fusion primers out of the wolf ....shot well. This yr I acquired a optima I am going to try the same setup and then also going to try usinf 777 pellets with the new powerbelts and see what happens.


Cva reccomends using white hot powder and powerbelts I am sure its marketing reasons but thought I would fire a few different loads this yr and see what works best out of the optima.


ANyone else tried this and what works best for you with the optima....love the gun just gotta do some shooting now.

[tracker]

I use 100 gr white hots and 250 gr sst with fusion primers out of the wolf ....shot well. This yr I acquired a optima I am going to try the same setup and then also going to try usinf 777 pellets with the new powerbelts and see what happens.


Cva reccomends using white hot powder and powerbelts I am sure its marketing reasons but thought I would fire a few different loads this yr and see what works best out of the optima.


ANyone else tried this and what works best for you with the optima....love the gun just gotta do some shooting now.

Our group bought 3 Optima and maybe 4 if one guy sells his Savage. We are going to try Blackhorn 209 but will try other powders as will when weather warms up. Too busy with yotes now.

[pbonura]

Our group bought 3 Optima and maybe 4 if one guy sells his Savage. We are going to try Blackhorn 209 but will try other powders as will when weather warms up. Too busy with yotes now.

Have a cva optima and found you need to buy a separate plug if you want to shoot blackhorn 209.

[twostroke]

What do you use for projectile and primers out of the optima???

Have a cva optima and found you need to buy a separate plug if you want to shoot blackhorn 209.

[MikePal]

The more I hear/read about this BH209 the more leery I am of trying it out. It costs more than T7, I may have to go back to using a 209 shotgun primers and/or getting a new plug.....

I'm happy with T7 loose powder...maybe I will just stick with it

[sharps4570]

The more I hear/read about this BH209 the more leery I am of trying it out. It costs more than T7, I may have to go back to using a 209 shotgun primers and/or getting a new plug.....

I'm happy with T7 loose powder...maybe I will just stick with it

I don't understand the motive behind CVA's providing a plug in the first place that isn't also compatible with loose propellant (BH209 etc). The breech plug provided in TC muzzle loaders is similar to the CVA BH209 plug design and work fine for both loose powder and pellets.

True, BH209 powder appear to be the most expensive in the market. A 10oz bottle cost me $52 at Epps and my friend paid $60 @ Cabelas before taxes. Primer wise, BH209 recommends using the stronger primers i.e. CCI 209M (Magnum) or Federal 209A only. I found both to be quite clean burning in my TC rifle.

[MikePal]

Primer wise, BH209 recommends using the stronger primers i.e. CCI 209M (Magnum) or Federal 209A only. I found both to be quite clean burning in my TC rifle.

I used up the last of my old shotgun 209 primers this past fall on the range...what a mess they make in my Traditions Pursuit, the bypass blow back makes a huge mess and the plug is caked with crap after only a few shots. When I switched back to the Remington Klean Bore primers, all that goes away, but from what I'm hearing they may not be sufficient for good ignition for the BH209.

Sort of defeats the purpose of using a cleaner powder if you have to use a dirty primer