My wife just got me a ML for Christmas. It's the CVA Wolf 50 cal. from Cabela's. It's my first ML. I'm planning on shooting 777 or pyrodex pellets. Can anyone recommend a good load combination to start out with?

Thanks,
Ranger 920

congradulations on your 1st ml. this is my 1st time on this site but i have been dealing with ml's for about 9 years!
If you plan on using loose powder i would go with 777 or american pioneer fffg powder they are both water clean up and does not stink like rotten eggs and they are less corrosive, and start with about 70 grains
and go up 5 grains at a time till you find what works best.
But do not go over max charge for your gun. If you use 777
you have to reduce the charge by 15% becasuse it burns hotter than pyrodex or american pioneer!
If u use pellets start with 100 grains, 2 50 grain pellets.
american pioneer also has pellets but they call them sticks.

hogwild,
I had no idea 777 burned hotter than pyrodex--I switched this past fall and got three deer with it. I switched from pyrodex and didn't even shot the gun afterward and still the sights were dead on--(I know, you need to shoot after making any changes-just ran out of time-no excuses!) And I loaded volume for volume.
I was surprised how much easier it was to clean the gun afterward.
BTW, I took three shots and got three deer!
I'm sold on 777 from now on.

raiderred
most of the time impact wont change a lot depending on gun.
but be careful if you were using max load for your gun with
pyrodex because u will be over and could cause damage to your gun or yourself!
when i started using 777 my wife stopped griping at me about the smell, !its great! American pioneer powder is also a
good choice cleans with just water and has no smell and you can go months without cleaning it and it will not rust your gun.Just make sure u do not use any gun oil inside barrel
or it will cause fouling, i use alcohol to clean with before
loading,i use bore butter after i clean it. It shoots the same as pyrodex. 777 and american pioneer are both great.

Thanks for the info, hogwild.
I have about 11 months to work up a load for my two muzzleloaders for next BP season.
I do like the clean-up with 777. It burns a lot cleaner than Pyrodex.
BTW, where do you hunt at? I go to SE OK and have done well the past 15 years.

raiderred
i hunt in wise county! trying to find a lease in montague county, but will most likely go out to throckmorton county with my 2 brothers next year. My older brother got a 131 10 point and my younger brother got a 133 10 point.

i also shoot 3f APP. it is very easy to clean up after shooting compared to pyrodex.
i have a 54 caliber st louis hawkens. the best load that i have found is 85 grains of american pioneer powder with a 348 grain powerbelt.
this load shoots 3" high at 50 yards and dead on at 100 yards.
i shoot with iron sights so 100 yards is all i feel comfortable seeing to shoot.

hope this helps,

hookset

Thanks for the tips. I'm going to try the 777 pellets and a variety of sabots. We'll just see what shoots best next week. She just won't let me take it out until after Christmas.