Author Topic: First Shots  (Read 1679 times)

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Offline Mac11700

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First Shots
« on: February 19, 2007, 08:41:33 AM »
Well...to say the least I am truly impressed with the new 50 cal Optima Elite MZ... Jessica of Barnes Bullets was kind enough to send me some of the new 250 grain TMZ bullets/sabots and the correct tip for my rod to try out...and even with the near gale wind storm we were having...that had blown over my 75lb target stand 3 times...All I can say right now is WOW...I will post more later...but here's the pic of the first group..



Shot #1 after rough bore sighting it at 25yards...moved scope...Shot #2 at 25yards moved scope to cover bullet hole and moved the target out to 100 yards...shots 3-4&5..was at 100 yards and measure .885" outside to outside...subtract the bullet diameter of .449" not .459"....gives a 3 shot group of .436"...not .426"...my bad on arithmetic.. :-[...I'm posting a picture next to the first one with the corrected math on it..It should make it easier to read.....Sorry about that..

Not bad for a first time ehh...Now...if I can get to shoot with out all that durn wind...The 243 did good...and so did my 270 Ultra...both of them came in right at 1" groups when the wind cooperated...

Mac

You can cry me a river... but...build me a bridge and then get over it...

Offline quickdtoo

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Re: First Shots
« Reply #1 on: February 19, 2007, 08:45:36 AM »
Lookin good Mac!!  ;)

Tim
"Always do right, this will gratify some and astonish the rest" -  Mark Twain

Offline nomosendero

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Re: First Shots
« Reply #2 on: February 19, 2007, 09:11:06 AM »
Outstanding!!! To do this right off with no experimentation shows this barrel is a real shooter!
You will not make peace with the Bluecoats, you are free to go.

Offline ken2222

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Re: First Shots
« Reply #3 on: February 19, 2007, 07:59:26 PM »
Mighty nice targets Mac!  What'd you say about the .270?  ;D

Offline mangulator

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Re: First Shots
« Reply #4 on: February 20, 2007, 04:25:52 AM »
All I can say is WOW!!!!!!!!!!! ;D

Offline Mac11700

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Re: First Shots
« Reply #5 on: February 20, 2007, 08:19:06 AM »

Yup...I agree...For a complete newbie for muzzle loaders...I would say it is pretty darn good...Thanks to some of you guys here..and at Barnes & Hodgdons..I got some great info on how to start out...I can now understand what all of you have been saying about muzzle loaders...It's still not as easy as center fire rifles...but..it certainly is worth the extra effort when you get results like this...The way I figure is... if I can get groups like this on the first time shooting one..I am quite sure many others who have never shot a muzzle loader can too...and really....there's no reason to not shoot one...It's not as hard as I thought it would be...With this Optima Elite..it is a easy gun to shoot...and there's hardly any recoil with it at all...not like I thought there would be...and with these new Barnes TMZ bullets...well the accuracy I got speaks for itself.. ;)

As soon as the weather cooperates and I don't have to shoot in high winds...I will be shooting these again...I'll play around with the powder charge some...and might even try out one of those 25acp conversions to see if it really makes any difference...and I'll be putting them across a chronograph to check the velocity I'm getting with this longer barrel ...I couldn't with the wind...it was blowing everything over and off the benches....

So...any words of wisdom to this newbie from all of you will be appreciated...

Mac
You can cry me a river... but...build me a bridge and then get over it...

Offline mangulator

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Re: First Shots
« Reply #6 on: February 20, 2007, 11:14:59 AM »
Mac11700, don't forget its is fun to shoot a muzzleloaders. ;D I found with mine this weekend that it likes the Power-Belt Platinums with 100 grains of lose Pyrodex powder. Its is amazing the accuracy of the CVA muzzleloaders.  :o

Offline myarmor

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Re: First Shots
« Reply #7 on: February 20, 2007, 11:55:37 AM »
Thats seems to be a great shooting ML there Mac. And as said with your first loadings.....a 3 shot group from a Muzzleloader under 1/2"... darn right. Though most people don't have such a nice large scope on theirs either, but it's nice to have a good one on hand when you really want to see what a rifle can do.
Keep us posted on the other barrels you have, and how they are shaping up.


-Aaron