Just bought a CVA Wolf

[Adkhunter1590]

I'm gonna have to go pick up some shockwaves from Walmart at that price! They have always been great shooting bullets for me

[Core]

How do you guys clean your breech plug? Specifically I'm talking about the tiny hole in it. CVA says to soak it, then shoot a primer a couple of times, but this would be loud if you're finished shooting for the day and want everything cleaned to do it in the basement (plus lead contamination). I assume since these are shotgun primers they are corrosion free, like any modern shotgun shell, but what's the best way to drive solvent through that little hole?

[turkeyfeathers]

7 minutes ago, Core said:

How do you guys clean your breech plug? Specifically I'm talking about the tiny hole in it. CVA says to soak it, then shoot a primer a couple of times, but this would be loud if you're finished shooting for the day and want everything cleaned to do it in the basement (plus lead contamination). I assume since these are shotgun primers they are corrosion free, like any modern shotgun shell, but what's the best way to drive solvent through that little hole?

Even though only water needed to clean it I wipe  the breech plug down with a patch with a little Hoppe's #9. For little hole for ignition: burn the paper off a twist tie. Run wire thru the tiny hole. It works slick. You can blow thru hole if needed

[turkeyfeathers]

On ‎12‎/‎02‎/‎2016 at 0:37 PM, Adkhunter1590 said:

I'm gonna have to go pick up some shockwaves from Walmart at that price! They have always been great shooting bullets for me

Ditto. My Winchester Apex ML loves Shockwaves. Deer, not so much

[Adkhunter1590]

How do you guys clean your breech plug? Specifically I'm talking about the tiny hole in it. CVA says to soak it, then shoot a primer a couple of times, but this would be loud if you're finished shooting for the day and want everything cleaned to do it in the basement (plus lead contamination). I assume since these are shotgun primers they are corrosion free, like any modern shotgun shell, but what's the best way to drive solvent through that little hole?

I have this little nifty thing my old man gave me that I use to clean the breech plugs. Idk what it's technically called and I don't wanna sound like a dummy calling it the wrong thing so I'll take a pic later and show ya.

I think on the CVA breech plugs you can clean out the bigger hole with a 3mm drill bit. And then basically shove something small through the flash hole to clean that up. There are solvents out there that come in little plastic tubs that you soak the breech plugs in and shake them around in there too. But since switching to BH209 I've never had to deal with real messy breech plugs.

Don't forget to add some lube to the threads on your breech plug!

[stoneam2006]

Just pick up a torch tip cleaner from any hardware store they are basically different sized wire on a nice little holder...although I will be using TF method if I get in a jam bc that's a good idea. It really doesn't take much to clean them if you keep after it

Sent from my SM-N920V using Tapatalk

[Adkhunter1590]

Just pick up a torch tip cleaner from any hardware store they are basically different sized wire on a nice little holder...although I will be using TF method if I get in a jam bc that's a good idea. It really doesn't take much to clean them if you keep after it

Sent from my SM-N920V using Tapatalk

I'm pretty sure that's what I have here


That's the thing I was talking about earlier. Just couldn't think of what the hell it was called. Works great though. I usually dip it in solvent and ream out the breech plug

[stoneam2006]

I'm pretty sure that's what I have here


That's the thing I was talking about earlier. Just couldn't think of what the hell it was called. Works great though. I usually dip it in solvent and ream out the breech plug

Yep exactly what it is. Hardly little tools

Sent from my SM-N920V using Tapatalk

[Core]

Finally got it out yesterday for 6 shots. Didn't bore-sight. First at 25 yards was off by 2 inch so I adjusted then moved out to 100. Shots 2,3 were 3" apart and 8" low so adjusted. Shots 4,5 were a bit high but only one inch from one another and 6 rounded that group out to 3-4" group size, all within 2" of the bullzeye.

I'm satisfied with that for now because I'm shooting pellets, not perfectly measured powder and this was with hornady hollow point hunters, not the plastic tip bullets, so I would expect groups to be a bit bigger (I assume...). If pellets + hollowpoint can give me a 4" group at 100 I'm optimistic that using the polymer tip and/or polymer plus powder (if I can ever find any) would get me up to 2" groups.

I was shooting 90 gr (going to move up to 120 next session to check accuracy) and found recoil to be extremely comfortable. 

Surprised how much fouling happens after each charge! I cleaned the barrel with water and ran a bunch of swabs through between each shot, not to have it shine but so most of the bunk was out. I didn't bother cleaning the breech plug between each shot. It still had a hole and the primers still kicked off the charge. Do you guys clean the breech plug between shots? I know the primer isn't providing any actual energy to the shot, but I could imagine that even if it still kicks off the explosion maybe it's a little less consistent if the primer hole is partially plugged (though I also imagine it would be so small an effect it's mostly irrelevant).

 

[stoneam2006]

I only clean the entire gun every 4 or 5 shots. Including the breech plug

Sent from my SM-N920V using Tapatalk

[Five Seasons]

I've had an optima for sometime now. It's a heavy gun and not stainless but it was free for me. I too shoot shockwaves. Was not a fan of the powerbelt groupings, even the polymer tipped just didn't do it for me. I've killed 3 deer with it, including my second biggest ever.

I really suggest buying some of these products from CVA for cleaning. Some are hard to find, but in particular you cannot oil your mz (hope all the noobs know that), so the rust preventer patches was a good find for me. Also the breech plug soaker and the nipple pick make cleaning a lot easier. Of course don't forget the anti-seize on the plug threads if you have that style. I find the wondergel does ok for cleaning between shots when siting in the gun, but the barrel blaster does a better job for storage.

 

[Core]

6 hours ago, Belo said:

Some are hard to find, but in particular you cannot oil your mz (hope all the noobs know that), so the rust preventer patches was a good find for me.

@ the range I used water but the other night when I got home a good cleaning with Hoppes 9 (I've since bought the traditions foaming bore cleaner), but then I ran some hoppes oil down the bore followed by some dry patches. What is bad about the oil? Too much of it mess with the powder if it's left in the breech...?

[stoneam2006]

Get some bore butter and run that down it instead of oil. I use old to shirt piece that I rub bore butter into and run in and out a few times

Sent from my SM-N920V using Tapatalk

[Adkhunter1590]

Got my BH209 breech plug in the mail yesterday. That was the slowest shipping I've seen in a long time. Over a week and a half. Anyways....it's here...and I plan to shoot it today and see how it goes. I'm guessing if it burns the powder better, it should hit high now. I'm gonna find out!

[Five Seasons]

14 hours ago, Core said:

@ the range I used water but the other night when I got home a good cleaning with Hoppes 9 (I've since bought the traditions foaming bore cleaner), but then I ran some hoppes oil down the bore followed by some dry patches. What is bad about the oil? Too much of it mess with the powder if it's left in the breech...?

I can't remember where I learned that. I think it has something to do with fowling of the primer or perhaps the powder? A small amount certainly wont hurt it and is fine for storage. I just know I've never read any manufacturer that recommends the traditional hoppes solvents and oils for muzzleloaders.

[Adkhunter1590]

I can't remember where I learned that. I think it has something to do with fowling of the primer or perhaps the powder? A small amount certainly wont hurt it and is fine for storage. I just know I've never read any manufacturer that recommends the traditional hoppes solvents and oils for muzzleloaders.

I've been told it fouls the powder. They say you can use a little bit if your storing the gun for awhile but to clean it out before using. Some guys say they get away with a light coating followed by a dry patch to get most of it out.

The makers of blackhorn make a bore conditioner that's supposed to be good stuff. I'm gonna give it a try

[stoneam2006]

This is stuff I use said to also condition barrel and says can put a light coat on sabot to help with loading (I dont) but seems to keep everything nice powder fouling wipes right out only spot in mine that gets any sort of extra attention is where powder sits at end of breech plug.

Sent from my SM-N920V using Tapatalk

[Core]

Went back today. Will be interesting in the future to see if that first shot high is consistent. It didn't feel different pushing the bullet down. Exempting that first shot, the next two groups--even though different bullets--both were 3".

Next time I'll also test down to 90 gr again. Interesting to me was the fact that the bullets hit the exact same vertical plane; after the first group of hornady I shifted the scope over 3 clicks, so I appear to be dialed in left/right whether I use the xtp hunter or the shockwaves.

These seem to vary more vertically than horizontally, which would hint at inconsistent charges probably due to using pellets.

Mid-shot cleaning was pouring water down the barrel and then 4-5 swabs. Not perfect but to remove the bulk of the gunk. If I owned a half dozen shotgun boresnakes and threw them in the washer after every trip it would make all this a lot easier!

Edited December 6, 2016 by Core

[Jeremy K]

I use the CVA cleaning kit ,the foam works amazing ,I'll push a brush a few times, run dry patches till they're clean and push the CVA presoaked barrel conditioner patch. They have a small container of solvent for soaking the breech plug in which loosens everything , a dab of never seize and back in business.

Edited December 6, 2016 by Jeremy K

[Adkhunter1590]

Well I overslept today and didn't get a chance to shoot. Tomorrow I'll get it done though.

[Adkhunter1590]

Alright. I slacked off big time this week. I think hunting every spare second I had and getting 3-4 hours of sleep at most a day since November 1st did more damage than I thought. I've been exhausted this week and just haven't been able to pull myself out of bed in the afternoons to shoot or hunt.

Anyways....I stayed up this morning after getting home from work and waited until the temps came up a bit and went out back to shoot. Using the new BH209 breech plug. Without a good rest it's hard to tell exactly how much of a difference the new plug makes. But I'm pretty sure it's hitting about a inch higher than before. My groupings weren't all that tight, maybe 3-4 inches at 100. But I blame that purely on not being able to get the gun settled good. I'm going to build a nice shooting bench over the winter once hunting is done with so I can do some real accurate testing. But for now I'm happy with the way it's shooting. Even though the groups weren't tight, it appears to be hitting exactly where the cross hairs were when I squeezed the trigger.

Powder appears to be getting burned much more efficiently now. Barrel and breech plug were much cleaner after every shot. It's amazing how clean the barrel gets with just a quick dry patch in between shots.

I should be all ready for Ohio now, well, as far as my gun goes at least. Still need to pick up a few things like new cold weather boots and hand warmers! It was cold as mofo last year and I got caught with my pants down lacking appropriate boots. Not gonna have that problem this year!

[Core]

16 minutes ago, Adkhunter1590 said:

pears to be hitting exactly where the cross hairs were when I squeezed the trigger.

 

Yeah, notice how many people post pics of groups online and yet these groups invariably are significantly far off from the bullseye?

 

Don't forget carbon boot warmers!

[Jeremy K]

41 minutes ago, Adkhunter1590 said:

Alright. I slacked off big time this week. I think hunting every spare second I had and getting 3-4 hours of sleep at most a day since November 1st did more damage than I thought. I've been exhausted this week and just haven't been able to pull myself out of bed in the afternoons to shoot or hunt.

Anyways....I stayed up this morning after getting home from work and waited until the temps came up a bit and went out back to shoot. Using the new BH209 breech plug. Without a good rest it's hard to tell exactly how much of a difference the new plug makes. But I'm pretty sure it's hitting about a inch higher than before. My groupings weren't all that tight, maybe 3-4 inches at 100. But I blame that purely on not being able to get the gun settled good. I'm going to build a nice shooting bench over the winter once hunting is done with so I can do some real accurate testing. But for now I'm happy with the way it's shooting. Even though the groups weren't tight, it appears to be hitting exactly where the cross hairs were when I squeezed the trigger.

Powder appears to be getting burned much more efficiently now. Barrel and breech plug were much cleaner after every shot. It's amazing how clean the barrel gets with just a quick dry patch in between shots.

I should be all ready for Ohio now, well, as far as my gun goes at least. Still need to pick up a few things like new cold weather boots and hand warmers! It was cold as mofo last year and I got caught with my pants down lacking appropriate boots. Not gonna have that problem this 

You can get alot of shots between cleanings using the BH209 . 

[Core]

For some reason these were high and right from the last group, but these were three shots today, One of the close two were off a pristine bore, and then two swaps plus water for shots 2 and 3.

Perhaps it made no difference, but I sorted some of the pellets last night and the 4 X 30 gr I used today were ones without any tiny chips on the pellet. 250 gr Shockwave @ 100 yards. Very content with this group!

 

Edited December 8, 2016 by Core

[stoneam2006]

For some reason these were high and right from the last group, but these were three shots today, One of the close two were off a pristine bore, and then two swaps plus water for shots 2 and 3.

Perhaps it made no difference, but I sorted some of the pellets last night and the 4 X 30 gr I used today were ones without any tiny chips on the pellet. 250 gr Shockwave @ 100 yards. Very content with this group!
 

Heck yea that's a good one. That will put you nice at 200 too.

Sent from my SM-N920V using Tapatalk