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  • pappyon

    Marksman
    Dec 17, 2020
    219
    43
    I am having some troubles with my CVA Optima misfiring. I shoot pellets. The 777 pyrodex. also hodgdon 777. Sometimes ( usually when a nice buck is in the scope it fizzles and the round falls to the ground. One pellet corkscrews out of the muzzle. I have read an article about different breech loaders ...one for pellet one for loose powder. I called CVA. The guy there told me absolutley not. Only 1 kind of breech plug. The one that cpomes with it will shiot either. Its a very very small holse for the spark to get thru. IF i was to go to blackhorn 209 would it help? I use 209 primers as per advise from CVA. Some pellets have a darker side for a quick ignighter,. I dont like them. Try and guess which side is which when it fairly dark out and you are 70 years old. Cant see ****. So the other 777 doesnt have the ignighter stuff. Are there 2 different breech plugs? Would drilling this tiny hole a hair bigger help? New to this....i sit with my grandsons and they are the shooters. I have bought 6 CVA optimass...and recently a TC. Any advice would be appreciated. As i said...CVA told me there are no breech plugs for powder and different ones for pellets. I just dont know because i saw the pic of 2 different ones. and there is a huge difference
     

    Crandall Crank

    Plinker
    Jul 20, 2017
    122
    28
    Southern IN
    I've never had any trouble with my Optima. I would suggest starting with NEW powder pellets, NEW primers and a thorough cleaning of the breech plug. It's POSSIBLE that a number of things are happening...partially blocked primer hole and damp powder pellets.

    The primer hole can be checked and cleaned with a welding tip cleaner.

    If it works with all new components, then you can start narrowing down the culprit.
     

    Ark

    Grandmaster
    Site Supporter
    Feb 18, 2017
    6,735
    113
    Indy
    As in the main powder pellet charge fizzles and the bullet you're using goes ploop out the barrel onto the ground? :scratch:

    Sounds like the pellets may be compromised. If the primer is lighting them enough to "fizzle" they should be firing.
     

    Anonym

    Plinker
    Jun 2, 2010
    134
    18
    Orange County
    I would also agree with the above comments. Probably bad pellets. I do not recommend drilling out the flash hole of the breech plug as it will increase your back pressures and potentially cause fouling in the action. Just a good cleaning and verify you can see through the plug. If everything is dry and fresh, you should be fine.

    I know a lot of people like, use, and are successful with pellets, but I steer clear of them. I prefer loose charges that I premeasure before going to the field for reloads. My rifle’s accuracy potential doesn’t really hit where pellet increments offer and I feel more comfortable with igniting a powder vs a pellet.
     

    Mgderf

    Grandmaster
    Site Supporter
    May 30, 2009
    17,877
    113
    Lafayette
    I've used IMR "White Hots" pellets for years and have never had a situation like you've described.
    One or two thoughts come to mind.
    One is bad pellets as others have stated.
    If not stored properly, pellets will go bad, but so will loose powder.
    Try new pellets, and CVA recommends White Hots.
    The other thought turns to your cleaning regiment.
    Do you oil/lube the barrel after cleaning?
    Some lubes will affect pellets.
    If you leave too much oil/bore butter ect... in the barrel it can do exactly what you are describing.
    After cleaning and oiling/lubing the barrel, run a dry patch down the barrel to swab out anything left.
     

    Sgt7330

    Sharpshooter
    Jan 25, 2011
    674
    12
    Rush Co.
    There is a Blackhorn breech plug that works with all loose powder. It is not flat faced but concaved on the powder end. I run this one in my Optima V2. Here it is:

    Amazon product ASIN B007OA7Y1W
    The flat faced breech plug that came factory in mine, I believe, is for pellets. I went back to loose powder a few years ago as the pellets just seemed less consistent. Here is the flat faced breech plug that came with mine and for pellets:


    Also, and this is big, review your cleaning procedure and product. No petroleum based oils in the bore with blackpowder substitutes. If you are using anything but Blackhorn, clean with Dawn dish soap and water.

    Here is good info on cleaning a breech plug: use a 1/8 drill bit only turned by fingers in the breech plug larger primer channel to remove crud. Then, use welder torch tip cleaner to gently clean the flash hole.


    Clean breech plug, bore and anything with primer or powder residue with the Dawn dish soap and cool water.

    Thoroughly dry. As in, a few hours by the wood stove or steal the wife’s hair dryer.

    Then follow with Butchs Bore Shine.

    Finally, for bore rust prevention use a non petroleum lube like CVA slick lube or Bore Butter. Oil exterior metal with your oil of choice……. Just not the bore.

    Some fire two caps before loading up to hunt. I do not after getting to this cleaning process. It took trial and error over the past 25 years of inline and traditional muzzleloading to get to this cleaning regimen.

    Seems to work and both my inlines were loaded all 16 days of season. Hunted a few times and kept rifles in non-climate controlled garage. Both fired fine and accurate at the end of season.
     
    Last edited:
    Oct 3, 2008
    4,184
    149
    On a hill in Perry C
    I've used IMR "White Hots" pellets for years and have never had a situation like you've described.
    One or two thoughts come to mind.
    One is bad pellets as others have stated.
    If not stored properly, pellets will go bad, but so will loose powder.
    Try new pellets, and CVA recommends White Hots.
    The other thought turns to your cleaning regiment.
    Do you oil/lube the barrel after cleaning?
    Some lubes will affect pellets.
    If you leave too much oil/bore butter ect... in the barrel it can do exactly what you are describing.
    After cleaning and oiling/lubing the barrel, run a dry patch down the barrel to swab out anything left.
    And after running the dry patch be sure and pop a couple of caps on an empty barrel to clean out the flash channel.
     

    Jeepster48439

    Master
    Site Supporter
    Jan 12, 2012
    1,902
    113
    Marion County
    My cleaning regimen is similar to @Sgt7330, except I use hot water instead of cold.

    When I store my inlines, I leave the breech plug out and the bolt removed. It allows air to circulate in the barrel and hopefully keep everything dry during storage. I place a couple of patches in the breech in case I got too heavy with the bore butter and it gets soft enough to run. By not installing the breech plug and bolt after cleaning, I know they are dry and free of contaminants when I get ready to load.

    Prior to assembly, I run a couple of dry patches down the barrel to remove any lube that may have been left behind.

    I use teflon tape on the breech plug threads instead of anti-seize paste. Has worked well for me.

    Before loading I pop a couple of caps to clear the the flash hole.

    Been using Pyrodex pellets for about 10 years. Haven't had any problems so far.

    Pyrodex pellets have a chamfer on one side. I make sure that the chamfer is loaded towards the breech plug on the first pellet. Helps seal the pellet to the breech plug and hopefully it seats level and tight. When handling pellets I use a pipe cleaner to minimize the transfer of oils from my fingers. Don't know if that is a myth or not, but hasn't hurt to be cautious.
     
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