dawsonscreek

2 hours ago, GAMBLER said:

If you shoot Blackhorn 209 powder, It is not affected by temp change of humidity.  This is right from their site.  This is one of the reasons I went with Blackhorn.  http://www.blackhorn209.com/specs/advantages/

Probably will be switching to Blackhorn for next year, want to work on distance and grouping this spring and then will hunt with it all during gun season next year. 

2 minutes ago, stoneam2006 said:

Personally I wouldnt....the accuracy and safety (as far as I know) is dependant on the powder and bullet seating the same every time.

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Gotchya, thanks!

Would removing just the powder and primer be fine if I bring the gun inside, then just load the powder back against the bullet in through the breech end? (can't have a gun in the vehicle where I work)

Another question for you more experienced ML guys: Between hunts if you have not fired a shot, how do you store the gun? Do you just take the primer out and leave the powder and bullet in, or do you completely unload?

9 hours ago, whaler1 said:

Hope you have more time to get out and that you get a shot.


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6-2:30 is my normal work schedule so I’ve got 5 afternoons and the weekend to get it done. First accumulating snow in my area is falling now so this afternoon should be nice (apart form the wind)

Cold sit this evening. Damn that wind was brutal. Lots of squirrels, no deer. First hunt with my CVA optima

Thank you to everybody who took the time to relpy, I love the hunting section of this forum! Was able to sight in at 60 yards in my side yard after work after a getting the scope mounted. Dead center shot was the last one I took after adjusting, I’ll take it. I think I’ll like this gun. Hang fires were no issue today, switched to cci primers and “popping a cap” after swabbing. 100 grains of 777 pellets, and a 250 TC shockwave. The weather is shaping up nicely and working 6-2:30 doesn’t hurt 

29 minutes ago, NymphO said:

Muzzy's can be a royal pain in the ars. There's a bunch of factors that can effect shooting and accuracy. They best thing to do is start with all NEW caps, powder and sabots. Try and shoot 2 each round then swab the barrel with a wet patch (breech out) and then make sure it's dry with a dry patch.

I learned this the hard way. I spent hundreds on all combos of powder and sabots and only had accuracy out to about 70 yrds, even bought a new scope and rings. I had fliers at 100 and couldn't group. Ended up missing a few good deer too. I heard time after time a magnum charge was a waste as all the powder isn't burned off, yet I met a guy who thought I was nuts for not using 3 pellets. I dialed in at 50 w/3 and long story short I'm grouping at 200 now.... Even shot a nice buck last year at 150. I can also shoot a few different sabots and maintain accuracy. These guns are finiky, and also really really fun to clean.... I think you will be ok and I hope you don't have to experiment like I did. It's costly.
 

Several years ago I bought a used ML off a friend and had the same issues you mentioned. Couldn't get groups to save my life. Got impatient and sold that gun. Well, I got interested again and bought this gun hoping I would have better results. Gonna play with it today after work and see what I can do. All is not lost, if I do not get it dialed in I will hunt either with the bow or my dad's TC that is dead nuts.

9 hours ago, NymphO said:

Don't be afraid to "pop a cap" in between shots. Sometimes just popping the cap can burn out any leftovers from a loaded shot.

I will try this too

I don’t even remember to be honest, they are old, my dad has some CCIs I will yoink. Field of dreams didn’t have Except for their 209 shotgun primers in the reloading section 

Tried with 100grns of 777 and a 250 TC shockwave today. For some reason I was experiencing hangfires after the second shot even after cleaning the breech hole out. Was trying to get the open sights dialed in but the shots were all over, back to the drawing board tomorrow. A local Wallyworld is out of black powder stuffs so I’ll have to make a trip back to field of dreams.

Thanks guys. Since my dad gave me a bunch of shockwaves, I’ll try them first, just gotta pick up some primers, powder, and cleaning supplies! 

So I just picked up a CVA optima v2 from the local shop for a great price. Wondering if anybody has this gun and what their load/bullet preference is. I’d like to get it sighted in for the late season, but will be bowhunting if I can’t get it shooting nice groups at 100. Any suggestions or tips are appreciated. Thanks!

Tough hunting in the Southern Tier. Not many birds around on my scouting and the majority of them seem to be in spots where permission will not be granted. Hoping for a freeze up for the late season to get the birds on the rivers I hunt!

That is awesome LongSpurs!! I would love to find a flooded field some day, don't get much flooding here in the hills though. Lots of corn in my river valley so ill just hope it keeps raining

I've already got one on the wall, but my good buddy is trying to get his mounter woody. I'll send him your way when he connects!

I don't really care for Tim Wells as a person. He just seems to be too fascinated by the act of killing and just a little "out there" so to speak. But he is damn good shot....

4 minutes ago, bondouley said:

Wow your adventurous plucking both of them. Lol

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It is rather tedious, I use a propane torch to get the stubborn feathers and the hair-like ones. Hank Shaw is a great wild game chef and has a method I will try next time (hopefully next weekend). He boils water and melts a hunk of paraffin wax in it, dips the roughly plucked duck in that and then cools it in cold water. The wax hardens and peels off like a scab taking all feathers with it.

I wish I could get the day off for weather, especially when said weather is good for ducks. Nice shoot! Can't wait to get back out there myself. Got a beautiful mallard and a HY drake woodie on opening day.

9 minutes ago, suttontroller94 said:

Good luck to all western zone hunters this weekend!

Beat me to it! Good luck all, stay safe and have fun. Looking forward to seeing some pictures.

Looks like things are starting to heat up. Saw 3 does and two fawns last night, heard a buck grunting and chasing as I was walking out in the dark. Will be in the blind in about 3 hours. The work day drags on.....

Slow weekend for me. Hunted both mornings till around 11 with no deer sightings. However, on Saturday morning right at first light I had a nice bear come through right under my stand and actually sniff my ladder steps. Too dark for the phone to record and I have no interest in killing a bear. Was a cool experience though!

Woops, I meant to say Western Zone...musta had geese on my mind  Been seeing lots of woodies, just gotta get permission on the spot I find them or do some hoof work on public land...

As a new waterfowl addict I guess I will have to make this Northern trek sometime, by the time the Southern Zone opens I feel like a good majority of the woodies are gone, yet no mallards have moved in yet.