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Tb54

Pilgrim
Joined
Jul 6, 2017
Messages
228
Reaction score
102
Location
Ma’as cow, Idaho
Muzzelloading elk season opens Sunday, and for the first time in 10-12 years I got my cva .54 ready to go. Had to file a notch on the tumbler to hold the serpentine cocked, ( it busted off) and that took some doing, installed some True-glo sights on it so I can see them again, cleaned and oiled moving parts, and found my possibles that have been scattered over the years. Tomorrow I’m gonna go work up a load, and finish the day looking for a buck...then it’s cow season!
 
Wow, sounds like your prepared. Good job slamming those fixes on the gun and good luck with your load development the day before season opens.
Make some meat!!
 
I have a CVA .54 with a 1:60 barrel 15/16th. It is from 1987 based on serial #. Mine has an absolute preference for 3F and for 100 grains with a .018 patched round ball. I don't know what your specs are but I though I'd offer this reference to give you some foundation if you're cooking up a new load. Good luck and let us know the results!
 
Muzzelloading elk season opens Sunday, and for the first time in 10-12 years I got my cva .54 ready to go. Had to file a notch on the tumbler to hold the serpentine cocked, ( it busted off) and that took some doing, installed some True-glo sights on it so I can see them again, cleaned and oiled moving parts, and found my possibles that have been scattered over the years. Tomorrow I’m gonna go work up a load, and finish the day looking for a buck...then it’s cow season!

Well... How did it go?
 
Well. Shoot. Had a bit of problem sighting in. The gun failed to hold the cocked position after a dozen shots or so. The sear still caught the tumbler notch I made, but the change in notch depth made the other side of the sear rock higher and the trigger assy was in the way. A little heat with the torch, and a little tweaking (of the sear, not me) and I got it working. Found a box of .535 balls in the closet, so I tried them this morning as I finished sighting in. Went back to the .530 balls, .015 patches, and 100 gr. Pyrodex FFg—-cause that’s what I had. Got a couple bullet holes touching, and a couple 2” from the other group, also pretty close to each other, at 50yds. I ain’t satisfied with that, but for now I can live with it.

That brings me to two questions.
1) will a .535 ball with a .010 patch shoot the same as a .530 ball with a .015 patch?

2) at 100 gr, the hammer would bounce back to cocked position occasionally. That’s how I broke the sear notch in the first place. I was having ignition problems so I drilled out the flash hole just a hare bigger. I had a brand new nipple on it today. I dropped the charge to 85 gr and didn’t get the hammer bounce as often, but still did occasionally. Is 85 gr too much? Or might there be another issue. I swabbed the bore twice between each shot with a dry patch.

We seen tracks today, and my boy almost got a shot, ( would have if a 6x6 was legal). We jumped another group in the noisy snow, but didn’t get to see them. Going back in the morning.
 
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That brings me to two questions.
1) will a .535 ball with a .010 patch shoot the same as a .530 ball with a .015 patch?

2) Or might there be another issue. I swabbed the bore twice between each shot with a dry patch.

We seen tracks today, and my boy almost got a shot, ( would have if a 6x6 was legal). We jumped another group in the noisy snow, but didn’t get to see them. Going back in the morning.
1). No
2). Yes

Sorry, but reality dictates that trying to hurry, rifle modifications, load development or sight adjustment just prior to hunting tends to lend poor results.
There is no "magic" fix that anyone here can help with at this late stage in your quest for rifle accuracy.
I'm sure you will report back in a few days or weeks that both you and your son have successfully harvested Elk during your hunt and will thank the members of the forum that have helped.

Otherwise, check in next spring when shooting weather is good,, we'll walk ya through the process to prepare for next year.
 
Yup. My bad. Kind of a last minuit decision to get my muzzleloader ready for the season. I also wonder if it would be better to work up a cold weather load, in cold weather.
 
Well. Shoot. Had a bit of problem sighting in. The gun failed to hold the cocked position after a dozen shots or so. The sear still caught the tumbler notch I made, but the change in notch depth made the other side of the sear rock higher and the trigger assy was in the way. A little heat with the torch, and a little tweaking (of the sear, not me) and I got it working. Found a box of .535 balls in the closet, so I tried them this morning as I finished sighting in. Went back to the .530 balls, .015 patches, and 100 gr. Pyrodex FFg—-cause that’s what I had. Got a couple bullet holes touching, and a couple 2” from the other group, also pretty close to each other, at 50yds. I ain’t satisfied with that, but for now I can live with it.

That brings me to two questions.
1) will a .535 ball with a .010 patch shoot the same as a .530 ball with a .015 patch?

2) at 100 gr, the hammer would bounce back to cocked position occasionally. That’s how I broke the sear notch in the first place. I was having ignition problems so I drilled out the flash hole just a hare bigger. I had a brand new nipple on it today. I dropped the charge to 85 gr and didn’t get the hammer bounce as often, but still did occasionally. Is 85 gr too much? Or might there be another issue. I swabbed the bore twice between each shot with a dry patch.

We seen tracks today, and my boy almost got a shot, ( would have if a 6x6 was legal). We jumped another group in the noisy snow, but didn’t get to see them. Going back in the morning.
Seems you've got some work to do as @necchi says.

The load you mention is pretty typical for many on this forum for "hunting loads" and, considering the rushed prep for this hunt, it seems to be working about as well as could expected based on your report.

The hammer blowing back to the half cock position would be expected from drilling out the nipple (would not recommend doing this) and probably would negatively affect your accuracy. If that continued with a brand new nipple and 85gr of powder, then something else is probably going on (weak spring?).

Good luck out there. Be safe and don't take any shots you don't have great confidence in taking based on your results at the range.
 

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