Author Topic: 45-70 Optima Elite range results  (Read 2502 times)

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Offline Mac11700

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45-70 Optima Elite range results
« on: March 27, 2007, 08:30:08 PM »
I had a wonderful day...with my CVA today :D :D

I made it to the range Tuesday morning with the as yet unreleased 45-70 barrel Mark of CVA was kind enough to send me...I want to thank him for the opportunity to get to preview one for you guys...It was well worth the wait...The temps were a little cool starting out at 8am right at 55'...but warmed up nicely as the morning progressed..up to 78' when I stopped at 11am..There was no wind at all till I started shooting at the 200 yard range..but even then they were very light...between 5-7 mph...It was enough to move the bullets a 6"..but still allowed some darn impressive groups.

I shot all my handloads today..and hopefully will get to put some factory fodder thru it this weekend..weather permitting..We will be getting in on all the rain the southern states have been inundated with this past week..

This barrel is a awesome shooter..and with the Elites stock design and great recoil pad made shooting my heavy hand loads very tolerable...I haven't added any lead to the stock..nor added any soft cheek piece to it..I put 75 rounds thru it this morning...shooting free recoil for the first 40 rounds in a short sleeve shirt without the aid of any extra pads or padding...I'm a little sore to say the least...but nothing as compared to what I would be shooting my Handi's in the same configuration. Comparing it to my 45-70 XLR which is a few pounds heavier set up as it is..it does recoil more than it...As best as I can compare it..I would rate my heaviest reload as the equivalent to shooting a Federal 12ga Baby magnum 2-3/4" shot shell.. Muzzle climb was as bad as I had thought it would be...with my heaviest load..it climbed approximately 3"-5"...and on just 1 shot(my first) of my heavy Cast Performance load barely touch the bill of my cap with my 4-12 VX-1 Leupold scope set at 9 power.. I shot in 3 shot groups today for expediency at 100 yards..I had an mandatory meeting to attend at work in the afternoon and had to leave an hour earlier than anticipated

Well that's the preliminaries...now on with the good stuff...

First up was the Barnes 250 grain TSX...Group size is .360"...2345fps



Somewhere between the range and home..I lost my 100 yard group for the 300 grain TSX..I did record the group in my log book at the range..it was .375"...and clocked at 2250 fps...I'll re-load some and shoot again this weekend and post that group along with those for the factory ammo...sorry..

Next is my 300 grain Nosler load...group size is .382"...this one clocks at 2400fps



Here's some of those perinial favorites...some Remington 405grain SP...group size is .690"...it is going 1975 fps...



For those cast bullet lovers...my brusier 405 grain Cast Performance 405 grain WLNGC...group size is .672"...this one rocks...2115fps...I stopped shooting free recoil after shooting one time for this group..



Here's were I moved out to the 200 yard mark...The first picture is shooting both the 250 & 300 grain TSX on it..

I was getting a bit tired by this time...but..the 250 grain TSX 5 shot group m,easure 3.4" and the core 3 shots measure 1.580"...The 300's did a little better measuring 2.7" for the 5 shot group...with the core 3 shot group coming in at 1.10"

Lastly...the 300 grain Partition loads..This load is just amazing..the 5shot group measures 1.573" and the core 3 shot group measures .850"...It has never disappointed me..or anyone else I have loaded this for...




All in all...this is the most accurate 45-70 rifle I have ever shot...and I can't wait to own one of these barrels...The triple shocks loads will get refined some..and bullet depth will be adjusted to see if I can shrink the groups down even further...They do like to be shot in a clean barrel..and I simply used a bore snake between different bullets and the 2 weights..This is also with just 1 powder type and in 1 grain increments ...with the bullet seated .050" off the lands..There is no short throat in this barrel and allowed plenty of room to seat them out long...The Cast Performance load and the Nosler load was held to 2.550"

Mac





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

Offline quickdtoo

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Re: 45-70 Optima Elite range results
« Reply #1 on: March 27, 2007, 08:39:12 PM »
Impressive shooting Mac, thanks for the report! ;)

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

Offline myarmor

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Re: 45-70 Optima Elite range results
« Reply #2 on: March 27, 2007, 08:48:04 PM »
Wow, my friend you have found one awesome shooting 45-70! Great report Mac, and an excellent barrel. Another notch in the CVA belt 8)


-Aaron

Offline Ditchdigger

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Re: 45-70 Optima Elite range results
« Reply #3 on: March 28, 2007, 08:31:13 AM »
Great report,and even better shooting Mac. It makes you wonder if the groups can get any better with more load development. For the first time on the range it done a very good job.     Digger
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Offline lik2hunt

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Re: 45-70 Optima Elite range results
« Reply #4 on: March 28, 2007, 02:48:03 PM »


Looks like this might have to be the next hog gun......whatdya think Digger?
lik2hunt------>in OK





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Offline Ditchdigger

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Re: 45-70 Optima Elite range results
« Reply #5 on: March 28, 2007, 04:27:26 PM »
You're right Lik2hunt,look's like we need this barrel,and a 300 Win,and a 22 250 and the list goes on.  Digger
Rest in Peace Old Friend July 2017

Offline quickdtoo

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Re: 45-70 Optima Elite range results
« Reply #6 on: March 28, 2007, 04:55:06 PM »
I already have .300 Win Mag brass and dies if that gives you any hints!! ;D

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

Offline Mac11700

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Re: 45-70 Optima Elite range results
« Reply #7 on: March 28, 2007, 06:38:20 PM »

Digger...I would love to play around with this barrel some more and see if I could shrink the groups...but..it has to head back to CVA this week to get ready for a hunt over in Africa next month... I really hate turning loose of it...but..hopefully we will find out how it does against some big critters...I wonder if they would like some of my 300 grain Nosler partition loads to take along... ;) Maybe I'll send a box or 2 back with it and see if they will use them...Wouldn't that be a hoot...

 These 45-70 barrels is my #1 choice right now...and as soon as the 300 Win Mag barrels become available..will be #2...and I'll get a 222 at the same time...I'm a little disturb at what I read over on the single shot forum tonite...I honestly wonder why some folks like to call these rifles garbage..They are accurate as can be..pleasurable to shoot....your getting a-lot of gun for the money....and the folks at CVA are all great bunch of guys to deal with...from the top down...I can only guess they have a personal grudge against them for some reason...or they just like to run off at the mouth about them...I guess some folks aren't happy with this kind of performance without spending a few hundred more to get it... ??? Duuuuuuuh...go figure ;D

Mac
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Offline oldrookie

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Re: 45-70 Optima Elite range results
« Reply #8 on: March 29, 2007, 07:44:13 AM »
Thanks MAC for your findings. I always find info here both informative and entertaining. As far as bad mouthing goes, I found along time ago there are folks out there that find it necessary to bad mouth to justify their own purchases, choices or even existence!

Thanks again for the info!

 

Offline lik2hunt

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Re: 45-70 Optima Elite range results
« Reply #9 on: March 29, 2007, 11:33:12 AM »
Quote
You're right Lik2hunt,look's like we need this barrel,and a 300 Win,and a 22 250 and the list goes on.  Digger

My list.......308, 45-70, 300 WM, 50 cal., .222, maybe .243. If they come out with a 26" 30-30 or a standard size .44 mag then they're on my list too. I'll update as the wind changes direction..........about how often I change my mind about guns I need...........want.
lik2hunt------>in OK





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Offline Cknerr

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Re: 45-70 Optima Elite range results
« Reply #10 on: March 29, 2007, 05:49:11 PM »
Good shooting Mac!

You didn't mention what powder you used. I imagine it was not BP?

I too had some surprising muzzle rise on the 270 Elite I shot this afternoon. If I didn't use shooting glasses, I would be a bloody mess. Is this because of the stock design? If it is, that is the only complaint I have about it...and I can move around so it won't bang me in the nose anymore.

45-70....and I have 5 boxes of never used brass in the shop. I can't wait until the new barrels come out. The 45-70 and 222 have my attention. If you get the 45-70, then your shoulder will hurt (instead of mine) doing the initial dialing in. hmmmm, what kind of bribery do you accept for giving out that info? :-)


Good going dude!
Chris
Chris K'nerr
Atlanta Woodwright's Studio, Inc.
Acworth, Ga. 30101
678-770-4274
678-574-5522 (h)

Offline Mac11700

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Re: 45-70 Optima Elite range results
« Reply #11 on: March 29, 2007, 07:24:07 PM »


I was using H4198 for all the jacket bullets...and BL-C2 for the Cast Performance..

As to your scope issue..I can't explain it..unless you were coming over the top crawling towards the scope too much..I used a 4x12 with my heavy 45-70 loads and only touched the brim of my hat 1 time with the Cast Performance load..

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

Offline nomosendero

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Re: 45-70 Optima Elite range results
« Reply #12 on: April 01, 2007, 09:00:38 AM »
Mac, good shooting, both your shooting & the quality of the gun/barrel. It look's like the 45-70 is another "must have" for a CVA owner.

This Forum may get expensive for me!  ;D
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Offline Buckskins & Black Powder

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Re: 45-70 Optima Elite range results
« Reply #13 on: April 01, 2007, 01:54:57 PM »
 Bunch of cry baby TC owners. I once inspected an omega at the store and wrote up my likes and dislikes, After that thread ended  i think it was on page 9. Break out the tissues for the tc boys when you give your opinion oh the cheap omega stock and the encore that wont shoulder. I get a giggle every now and then when i see the tc guys with 6-700$ rifles shooting 1 1/2" groups with a sabot and scoped rifle. Of course whenever i make a thread on my rifle on other forums noone ever pays attention or they dont believe what it shoots. I love being an underdog ;D



I'm a little disturb at what I read over on the single shot forum tonite...I honestly wonder why some folks like to call these rifles garbage..They are accurate as can be..pleasurable to shoot....your getting a-lot of gun for the money....and the folks at CVA are all great bunch of guys to deal with...from the top down...I can only guess they have a personal grudge against them for some reason...or they just like to run off at the mouth about them...I guess some folks aren't happy with this kind of performance without spending a few hundred more to get it... ??? Duuuuuuuh...go figure ;D

Mac

Offline Mac11700

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Re: 45-70 Optima Elite range results
« Reply #14 on: April 01, 2007, 07:07:42 PM »


Well...I know some of them have some fine shooting Encores...but...I wouldn't pay near as much for one as what they are asking around here...even before I heard of the Elite's...I'm not locked into any one brand anymore as what I once was...but...I am liking these Elite's more and more I shoot them...and am looking forward to getting a few more barrels for them...

Mac
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Offline Buckskins & Black Powder

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Re: 45-70 Optima Elite range results
« Reply #15 on: April 02, 2007, 07:08:15 AM »
Ive never really been into one brand either. Even centerfires ive never been into much. But i really like that 45-70 you were shooting. Any idea on what a total package would cost? May also want to give CVA some tips and have these in stainless steel.

Offline Mac11700

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Re: 45-70 Optima Elite range results
« Reply #16 on: April 02, 2007, 07:18:36 AM »


They will be the same price as any other center fire barrels & package...I believe the first shipment will be the blued barrels only this time around...We will have to wait till the later shipments of barrels come in this year for the stainless...

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