purchased a new cva .50 cal 209 elkhorn mag, have tried triple 7 pellets, gran, powder, different gran bullets and brands, shoots all over a paper plate at 100 yds, useing a gun bench, have a new 2-7-32mm bushnell legend scope , also seems fairly easy to shove bullet thru barrel, could this be a bad gun? , friend of mine has a cva hunterbolt his seems alot harder to shove bullet home , his has a 3 inch grouping at 100 yds all day long , new to muzzleloading need a lil help, should i send gun back for a new one, if anyone can help would be greatly apprec, Thanks:confused: im trying to use 150 grains of triple 7 pells, think i need to back off the powder to about 100 grains work my way up, is it possible that im shooting the bullet out of there so fast with so much force that the sabot is just stiping thr the rifleing in the barrel? the auto ejecter is sticking to , is it possible that all the blow back from all the powder i am useing is gumming that up causeing it to stick, maybe the safity sticking problem is the recoil and the blow back ????? any info would be apprec, Thanks

the auto ejector sticks out, doesn't remove primer, the safe sticks sometimes too, think i have got a lemon , lol Thanks

Finding a load that shoots well in a muzzle stuffer can be a job. Many different brands have slightly different bore diameters and you need to match the projectile to the bore diameter. I spent a whole summer with one CVA before I found the right combination. In it's case it was one of the Lee REAL bullets that shot well.

I'm not familiar with that particular gun so can't help you with machanical problems. Did you dissenble it and make sure everything was cleaned and oiled? I've had several different CVA's and had both good and bad luck with them, but no more than some other brands of muzzle loaders.

well said faucettb. not uncommon to have two m/l`s of the same kind require different loads. one more thing worth mentioning is double check scope and mounts to make sure everything is tight. also, whats your loading sequence and out of different loads which one groups best?

im trying to use 150 grains of triple 7 pells, think i need to back off the powder to about 100 grains work my way up, is it possible that im shooting the bullet out of there so fast with so much force that the sabot is just stiping thr the rifleing in the barrel? the auto ejecter is sticking to , is it possible that all the blow back from all the powder i am useing is gumming that up causeing it to stick, maybe the safity sticking problem is the recoil and the blow back ????? any info would be apprec, Thanks

Get some loose powder, disassemble the gun and clean/oil the problem parts. Play around with it and I think you'll be fine after you find the rifle's favored load.

I would definately step back on the powder, i have found that (at least for me and my Bro) anything over 100 grains is just wasting powder, make flight erattic, and generally doesn't perform as well as a lower charge. BTW, Check you PM

Rarely do muzzleloaders shoot 150 grain loads well, 100-120 grains is more than enough, loose powder can help you find the sweet spot. I have one gun that goes from 3/4" to 3"+ groups with any load 10 grains higher or lower than 120 grains. Make sure you seat the bullet with exactly the same pressure each time and try cleaning with a spitpatch each shot.

called the company sending the gun back, for repair or replacement, thank you all for your help , will let you know how it goes

doesn't seem to be very many people heard of this gun , why is that ? unpopular gun ? what????? , im just getting into muzzleloading, friend of mine has a cva hunterbolt , its a good shooting gun , wanted one of them they were out of stock , the elkhorn seems to be a step above the hunterbolt.

fullthrottle, if your shooting 150grns of 777 your shooting way to much powder. 777 is approx. 20% hotter than reg b/p or most substitutes. if you want to shoot mag load with loose 777 powder back off to 120 grns. with sabots. if i were shooting powerbelts i`d back off to about 70 grns. and go up in 5grn increment from there. 120grns loose 777 =`s 150grns. i`d back off 777. 150grns.loose 777 =`s 180grns. other b/p`s

PM sent FT275.

Like several others have written ... cut back on the powder. If you don't believe me then go to the range and take a shot out over fresh snow and see how much unburnt powder falls on the snow. Take some time and start shooting from the bench at 100 yards. Do 3 shot groups in 5 grain increments starting at 70 grains. Your rifle will tell you what powder charge it likes. Sub-3" should be found well below 120 grains. I personally use 85 grains of Pyrodex under a 425 grain slug in my 54 TC Hawkins. It shots right at 2 1/2" at 100 yards and that combo will shoot clean through an elk out to 75 yards. Good luck.

You have got enough powder suggestions, couple things that make it easier.
1. Tear it down and clean it, put back together after a light oil. If all that stuff is sticking I think it needs cleaned. I believe like you blowback is gumming.
2. Start shooting at 25 yards and get your groups going, then 50,75,100. Do this w/ the powder loads (I like 85 grain volume T7 -FFF)
3. If you push that gun you will never ever pattern it, I don't know what it is.
4. CVA needs cleaned religously between shots, 1 patch T7 bore cleaner both sides, 1 spit patch both sides, dry patch both sides. I also had problems w/ the breech plugs and T7 crud. HAVE to swab it, and maybe take a torch tip cleaner to the range it will help keep the hole open.
5. If you are shooting the power belts get something else, go to MAO Mart and get 250 grain shockwaves w/ easy glide (cheap) to sight the gun. I used Power Belts ( Iknow people love em') and they couldn't take a big push from a powder ;load.

Good Luck!

sent the gun back to the company, they replaced the barrel, fixed ejector, but when i got it back the repair dept, left the bolt in the gun, well needless to say it went thru both boxes and the ball on the bolt was scratched up and the blueing was wore off, sooooo i tried to trade it off for a savage smokeless powder gun , could'nt get anything out of it, so i oiled it up ,slid it under the bed, i have a new smokeless powder gun on the way

first of all drop down to 100 grains. then have someone else shoot it, to make sure its not u. if it still doesn't group, then change to hodgdon pyrodex pellets. then get yourself some powerbelt bullets . i shoot a 245 gr. bullet in mine, but u can get the grain of your choice. make sure u are loading the bullet all the way in, if u don't this will cause u to shoot all over too. i will guarantee if u follow my directions u will have it shooting the way u want. good luck. let me know how u do