CVA Optima Ingnition problems, Help

[BRTreedogs]

Hey Ladies & Gents,
I have a CVA Optima V2 NW Edition, I'm pretty new to muzzleloading, but I think I'm doing everything correct.
I'm in Oregon so I'm shooting Pyrodex RS loose and RWS 1081 Musket caps.
After every time I shoot the same day I take the entire rifle apart and use the cva foaming cleaner. Brake cleaner every part.
Nipple pick the flash hole. Visually inspect and it looks like new can see right thru the flash hole.
When I load the powder I tap it in the ground to make sure the powder goes down the cone in the breech plug.
So clean dry gun on the range, fresh powder & caps in the desert I have to pop sometimes 4 caps before it goes off.

This happened on what would of been my biggest buck to date a couple days ago so I'm pretty ticked.
Just talked to CVA and after an hour on hold all he suggested was clean the breach plug better or get new caps, or order a new breach plug. And the agent was pretty rude.

Maybe I'm not seating the bullet hard enough? I been shooting the great plains all lead and they deform easy.
Should I try drilling the flash hole bigger? I'm just so frustrated.

Thanks in advance for the help.

 

[MTSabo]

Id try new powder and/or caps before modification so long as your positive its squeaky clean.

Ive seen a lot of problems occur with pyrodex more so then other brands.

 

[lilharcher]

Are you using the right breech plug? The one that came with my rifle was for pellets, and when I switched to powder, I had to buy the black horn compatible breech plug.

 

[BRTreedogs]

It is foresure clean sprayed down with brake cleaner. Looks like new. Brake cleaner shoots thru the flash hole and visually see thru it.
Powder & Caps new 3 weeks ago few shots at range to verify, powder sealed and caps in zip lock both inside rubbermaid in back floorboard of truck where I made sure not to run the heater high to prevent sweating.

Forsale the correct breach plug, the Northwest edition comes with a plug optimized for loose powder and musket caps.
I ordered another breech plug today just to try.

 

[blkqi]

From your description I will assume the cap is in fact firing and not misfiring. In that case...

Not all rifles will reliably ignite BP substitutes, even Pyrodex, with caps. Length and diameter of flash hole, humidity, temperature changes from truck to outside and back (condensation), will all play a role. If you have to use Pyrodex you could try using a booster charge of BP to back it up, though it wouldn't be my preference. (Pelletized Pyrodex is molded with a booster charge for better ignition.)

Do you fire a cap before loading to foul the bore? This can help dry out the flash hole and breech and, if nothing else, give you a little more confidence that the flash of the primer will reach the breech when needed.

 

[BRTreedogs]

I have not fired a fouling cap.
I do not have to use pyrodex.
I just have to use loose powder.
I only chose pyrodex because it seems popular and available around here. But I can use any loose powder.

 

[blkqi]

OK, well, I would start with the simple stuff.

Before changing anything else I would get in the habit of firing a fouling cap. I would also make sure that you are using some good reliable caps like RWS. If nothing else a BP booster or, even simpler, all BP charge will almost certainly give you a reliable ignition.

Assuming you are using the factory musket cap nipple/breech, I probably would not mess with the flash channel or hole size as it should already be designed to properly balance ignition and blowback.

 

[BRTreedogs]

Thank you for the advice. I will report back after further testing.

 

[oldillini]

Hey, BRT, what was your outcome?

I am having problems with my Optima not firing. This has been occuring since I bought it last year. The 209 primers will not fire. I tried multiple brands of primers (they all work in a friends T/C ML). I have replaced the firing pin assembly. This hasn't changed anything. Hammer hits the firing pin. Firing pin hits the primer leaving a "weak" indentation. Only get the click of the hammer, no pop of a primer.

Normally 2-3 strikes and the primer will finally pop and my pellets fire. Last weekend while whitetail hunting I had a doe @ 75 yards. I cocked the hammer 6 times before I got a strick that ignited the primer. (Fortunately that doe never saw/heard me and gave me the time. Too bad for her.)

I now have 2 new things in hand that should help resolve my issues ... 1) a return authorization from Optima for warranty and 2) a new T/C Bone Collector (yes, I have an understanding wife).

If you can't resolve your issues, go onto CVA's website and send them an email.

 

[go4thegusto]

I had some issues like this with a side hammer Hawken using Pyrodex and musket caps. MC's are powerful, easier to handle than percussion caps but are a bit fouly. I went to a machine shop with a full set of numbered drill bits and reamed out the nipple hole one size larger. Solved my problem. Was prepared to drill larger trial and error but in my case first step worked. Good Luck

 

[BRTreedogs]

Thanks fo the replies,
I did buy another breech plug and it is a completely dif design but I haven't tried it yet due to time.
Mite try triple 7 as well.
I was on hold for almost 2 hrs waiting to talk to cva.
The guy was rude and only suggested new powder and caps. And I could purchase a new breech plug.
No offer to check my serial number to see if they had redesign anything in definitely no offer to let me send the rifle in so they could check it out even when I was pretty adamant about how that rifle had ruined my hunt he didn't really seem to care and was quite rude and couldn't get me off the phone fast enough cva has definitely lost my business in the future and if I have any more problems with this new breech plug, I'm going to ask them to buy the rifle back so I can go to another brand

 

[blkqi]

Bummer. I would also give up on CVA if they did that to me...

Good luck with the new breach plug. You can try the 777, but that stuff has yet a higher flash point than Pyrodex.

 

[ENCORE]

I had some issues like this with a side hammer Hawken using Pyrodex and musket caps. MC's are powerful, easier to handle than percussion caps but are a bit fouly. I went to a machine shop with a full set of numbered drill bits and reamed out the nipple hole one size larger. Solved my problem. Was prepared to drill larger trial and error but in my case first step worked. Good Luck

Knew a guy (R.I.P.) that decided the way to get more heat to his charge, was to drill out the nipple. Not knowing he'd done that, I watched as he fired his Hawken the first time after it was drilled. The hammer came back, through his hand between his index finger and thumb.

 

[LASTINLINE]

i have always had great service from CVA. if your having issues call them again and see if they can look at it. should only have to ship the plug and action. i always do a final patch swab the bore with 91% alcohol a few times and dry out the barrel. sometimes i will fire a few caps off in an empty barrel with a dry patch leaving the cleaning rod with jag and patch still in the barrel to see what kind of ring and gunk come out of the bottom. if the patch has a nice ring on it your getting good fire.

 

[BRTreedogs]

Thanks for the suggestions.
I bought there new resigned breach plug but between winter and messing w some rifles haven't shot it yet.
Maybe next range day.

 

[BRTreedogs]

So finally got my to shoot again.
It appears the new redesigned breech plug seemed to help. Knock on wood 14 ish rounds before I had a fail to fire. I'm ok with that at that is pretty dirty.

I did find out my gun shoots quite high on a clean bore then will shoot a group.

Does most everyone shoot a fouler the day before season the hunt up to 10 days with a dirty rifle?

 

[Versydus]

Had a lot of these issues myself with a Traditions Vortek NW edition. Started with pyrodex pellets, and rws caps. Same issues your describing, it would take several caps to finally get the charge to go off. Switched to Triple 7 FFFG and haven't had a single misfire since (also switched to a Knight Bighorn). Highly recommend the Triple 7 plus no smell when you put it back in the pickup. I always fire 3-4 caps after cleaning to would the nipple and then I check to make sure it's clear of grease. Good luck!

 

[pirogue]

My decision to never buy a CVA was an experience that could have ended a lot worse. My son tried to fire twice and nothing happened. He then removed the cap. With cap removed, and in the process of removing trigger assembly. The bolt went home and fired. No CVA for me.

 

[peddler]

If you can use any loose powder why aren’t you using Blackhorn 209? Nothing else compares to it. Also use CCI magnum primers.

 

[BRTreedogs]

Isn't that powder hard to ignite and designed for 209 primers?
We are not allowed to use 209 primers but I could use the powder it it would ignite well with a cap?