cva optima muzzleloader rifling.

[krallstar]

Quick question for those who know. This is our first muzzleloader. Do cva optima muzzleloader barrels have shallow grooves. We got this used. Also got a new Traditions Vortek for Christmas. Reason i ask is the Vortek has very pronounced rifling. The Optima seems very shallow. At the end of the barrel i don't see the sharp edge of the rifling. Have done a very thorough cleaning and the barrel doesn't really get mirror shiney. Was wondering if maybe sabots have filled the grooves. And what might i use to get this plastic out.

[FrontierMuzzleloading]

Yes, shallow rifling indeed. The Optima also has a false muzzle while traditions did away with it.

[triggerhappy243]

shoot some paper patch thru it and it will polish up nice.

[charlie b]

FYI, the false muzzle on the Optima means the last 1/2 to 1" of barrel has no rifling. Made so your bullet will slip in straight before engaging the rifling. Some consider this a requirement for muzzleloaders when firing sabots.

So, when you look in the front of an Optima barrel you won't see rifling. What you might see is the marks made by the rifling button before the lands were machined away.

Some seem to have bad accuracy when firing full caliber bullets with the false muzzles. I've never conclusively figured out why that is. I suspect the grooves made on the bullet by the rifling allow quite a bit of blowby at the muzzle, upsetting the bullet at the most critical time of it's travel. If you do shoot full caliber I'd suggest something like Powerbelts or other bullet with a large plastic skirt/wad.

[ikarus1]

dunno. I only shoot lead with sabots out of my Optima v1 and it's a 1.5" group if I do my part at 100 yards.

[dondiego]

dunno. I only shoot lead with sabots out of my Optima v1 and it's a 1.5" group if I do my part at 100 yards.

With sabots you are not using a "full caliber" boolit though.

[ikarus1]

With sabots you are not using a "full caliber" boolit though.

I promise you that a .429 300gr lead slug moving at around 1700fps will take care of everything that a .50 cal one will

[FrontierMuzzleloading]

The false muzzle on a CVA is only 3/8" long. TC uses a false muzzle thats around 5/8" - 3/4" long.

[dondiego]

I promise you that a .429 300gr lead slug moving at around 1700fps will take care of everything that a .50 cal one will

True, that was never in question. Doesn't even need 1700 fps. I am thinking 45-70. They were talking about full bore projectiles though.

[krallstar]

Both the Optima and the Vortek have the first 1/2" or so smooth. The Vortek when you look past that has very squared rifling where the Optima i can see the rifling but at the end it kind of blends in to the bore.

[charlie b]

I only mentioned full caliber bullets because that's what I like to shoot. Never liked sabots.

[krallstar]

I do plan on full bore boolits. Just need to decide on what type of mold.