Muzzleloader suggestions

[ElDiablito]

Yeah, with all of the QC complaints on the CVAs, no way I’d consider any of them. Let us know how it goes for you.

 

[chindits]

Poor fellar comes here for suggestions and opinions. Gets same on both sides in spades. Makes his decision and gets ridiculed.

It’s a dog gone muzzle loader not a work of art. If you can’t stalk within accurate range of your ML then rifle hunt. OP you will do fine with any modern ML unless you do a lot of long range squirrel hunt’n. Go out and have fun.

 

[Novashooter]

Poor fellar comes here for suggestions and opinions. Gets same on both sides in spades. Makes his decision and gets ridiculed.

It’s a dog gone muzzle loader not a work of art. If you can’t stalk within accurate range of your ML then rifle hunt. OP you will do fine with any modern ML unless you do a lot of long range squirrel hunt’n. Go out and have fun.

I don't see where anyone ridiculed him. Other than one guy who suggested a CVA accura, everyone else seems to agree. The CVA wolf is a cheap gun. It performs fine for the price point, nobody should expect them to be great, but they go bang, and with the right load should be fine for most people. That's fine.

I guess if there was any ridicule, it was me saying the choice of the Optima, which nobody suggested, was not a good one. The Knight Vision is a superior rifle at less cost, and few people would dispute that. "In range" can vary greatly depending on how much you are willing to do. Most modern inline guns are fine, shooting around 3" at 100 yards without much fuss. With load development many can improve, some rifles just never shoot great. CVA Optimas are notorious for it. Another example where many found issues was Thompson Center and their junk feebore muzzle. In states that require a full bore conical, many found them unsuitable. Not just poor, but so bad you might not hit paper at 50 yards. There are ways around that, including what I did with cutting the freebore off. So the idea that all in lines are fine, just buy one is poor advice.

 

[Rich M]

I've owned 4 MLs - .58 cal H&R, pie plate killer. .45 cal that shot bottom of beer can at 100. The Wolf, another pie plate killer. Then this Optima and it has been excellent. No experience with the other stuff out there.

Last year i zeroed the Optima and shot a 3 shot cloverleaf at 120 yards, then shot a deer at 40 yds. Happy with it. Shot count is less than 20. Need to play with it some more.

 

[Andrewlonghi]

Western Ulite - awesome rifle

Or even the newer DISC

A side note if it fits within your budget I would really suggest you get a black Nitride model.

What kind of peep sight setup is that ypu have

 

[sabotloader]

when that picture was taken I had installed a NECG peep mounted on Weaver style scope base.

 

[TX_Diver]

For $200 the Knight Vision is hard to beat (in my opinion). I haven't shot other muzzleloaders, and am sure some have nicer triggers, sights that fit easier, etc. But my vision worked great for me all year and ultimately took a deer last week at 160 yards.

I put a williams peep and globe on it (almost as expensive as the original purchase). This winter I plan to mess with the stock a bit and try to make the grip a bit more vertical and maybe give it a paint job. Otherwise I'm pretty satisfied with it. My only complaint is the ramrod it comes with kinda sucks. You can see I got it stuck in the barrel while trying to swab between shots (it only sticks out about 2" and that wasn't enough for me to pull it back through the fouling).

 

[Novashooter]

For $200 the Knight Vision is hard to beat (in my opinion). I haven't shot other muzzleloaders, and am sure some have nicer triggers, sights that fit easier, etc. But my vision worked great for me all year and ultimately took a deer last week at 160 yards.

I put a williams peep and globe on it (almost as expensive as the original purchase). This winter I plan to mess with the stock a bit and try to make the grip a bit more vertical and maybe give it a paint job. Otherwise I'm pretty satisfied with it. My only complaint is the ramrod it comes with kinda sucks. You can see I got it stuck in the barrel while trying to swab between shots (it only sticks out about 2" and that wasn't enough for me to pull it back through the fouling).

For $200, I think the Vision has it in the bag. The TC Impact was also $200. I like hammer guns myself, but the Vision has a lighter, crisper trigger. The TC is fine though. I'm not sure what you mean by sights that fit easier. It's always a little trial and error when you try to use non-standard sights on anything. The fiber optic sights on the Vision are just as good as on the Impact. I wouldn't be surprised if they are exactly the same. The CVA wolf does not compare favorably. The trigger pull on them is like an H&R, they range from not bad to horrendous. Most are acceptable, not great. If you are disappointed in the ramrod the Vision comes with, you would be appalled by what the Impact and Wolf come with. At least it is usable without screwing it together first. There are very few muzzleloaders that I am impressed with their ramrods. I almost always make my own. I'm a big fan of hickory from Track of the Wolf. I both JB weld epoxy the ends on, and pin them with a copper rivet. I have never had a ramrod fail when made this way. Aluminum makes a great ramrod too, but it's not as easy to work with. Hickory is quiet and easy to work with.

You did good. There isn't a better sub $300 inline muzzleloader in my opinion. Yeah the looks and stock are kind of generic, but that's why it's cheap.

 

[RayF]

First one? I'd go with the CVA Wolf. For about the same price and a little work, you can buy an old Rem 700ML for $100 and put a Badger Ridge 209 kit in it (if your local laws allow). I've got 2 and they both shoot MOA at 100 yds with a crappy Leupold VX-I.

Like Rich M., the last one I dropped was waaaaaaay closer. Probably 15yds.

 

[BPI_Outdoors]

I am looking to purchase my first muzzleloader for hunting elk in Washington and was hoping to find people with experience using a Knight vs a CVA. I am new to the game and know very little about muzzleloaders. A friend of mine suggested I purchase the Knight Ultra Lite in 50 cal online. I went to a Muzzleloader store near me in hopes of actually getting to put my hands on one and found they don't carry any. The owner of the shop and long time muzzleloader hunter said that Knight's are pretty much obsolete and that they haven't made anything new in the last 4 to 5 years. He showed me the CVA's and I was kind of leaning towards the MRX but am unsure, especially with the collapsible ramrod. Not sure if that is a big deal having to carry it on you as opposed to it being attached to the rifle, as well as having to buy an extra to use for cleaning. I have tried to do some research and comparisons on both but am finding conflicting info such as quality issues with CVA. I would really like to hear recommendations from people who have had experience using the Knight and or CVA. Thanks in advance for the help.

Knight is a fine rifle , the 50 caliber is a 1 in 28 twist. If you purchase it you will need to replace the ignition system. CVA Paramount comes with a 1 in 22 twist in a 50 caliber. So now you may ask what’s the advantage. Faster twist helps stabilize heavier bullets. If price is a issue then go with a Accura LRX in 45 . It has a fast twist barrel and will allow you to shoot bore size bullets.

 

[Rock-o]

Knight is a fine rifle , the 50 caliber is a 1 in 28 twist. If you purchase it you will need to replace the ignition system.

Ignition type can be chosen when ordering. No need to replace. Though, using the Mountaineer series as the example, if you want both Western and 209 it's a few dollars cheaper to order it as Western and get the 209 conversion kit versus the opposite.

 

[Point Man]

There are probably 10 CVA muzzys that I know of in our big ring of friends and relatives. I am sure that if there were any problems associated with them,I am sure I would have heard it by now. CVA is a very good option. Hunt with confidence.

 

[Rock-o]

The owner of the shop and long time muzzleloader hunter said that Knight's are pretty much obsolete and that they haven't made anything new in the last 4 to 5 years. He showed me the CVA's...

Knight is absolutely not obsolete. And many people feel Knight is superior to CVA. I do. Not saying that CVA is bad at all though; I'd feel completely comfortable buying one. HOWEVER, he fed you a line of BS to try to sell you what he has. Because of that I'd buy a Knight and not do business with him.

 

[slowr1der]

Knight is definitely higher quality, but it comes at several times the price. For most situations, I'd problem go with a CVA Wolf.

It really sucks that T/C is gone, because they filled a nice gap with better quality with reasonable prices.

 

[SteveAndTheCrigBoys]

My Knight DISC has been great. Got it's first real test with getting wet this weekend. I had the barrel taped but nothing over the action and got rained on for a couple hours real good. Decided to test fire it that evening and it went bang no problem. Seems like the DISC jacket provides a solid seal on the nipple and keeps water from interfering with the primer to powder ignition.

 

[Leverwalker]

I'm looking myself, and have heard nothing but great things about the CVA Optima V. 2 from another forum, a cast bullet forum. Hadn't heard anything about the QC issues with the company until now. Gives some pause, though I suspect I'll still start in muzzleloader hunting with the CVA. In our Northwoods we rarely see anything longer than 100 yards, most time, much less.

 

[30338]

20 yards. Last 5 have probably averaged 40 yards on the wide open plains. But would use a Knight with no concerns as well. Just like the old ones.

 

[Leverwalker]

20 yards. Last 5 have probably averaged 40 yards on the wide open plains. But would use a Knight with no concerns as well. Just like the old ones.

Nice buck! What are you using?

 

[30338]

That's a 58 caliber lefthand Hawken with an old GRRW barrel on it. Shoots very well with 105 grains of Swiss ffg, hornady .570 balls, .015 patch, felt wad over the powder.

 

[Leverwalker]

That's a 58 caliber lefthand Hawken with an old GRRW barrel on it. Shoots very well with 105 grains of Swiss ffg, hornady .570 balls, .015 patch, felt wad over the powder.

Wow, awesome. Dumb question, but do you slug the barrels as with cast bullets, to get a proper diameter ball (e.g., my 45-70 slugs to .458", I cast to .461," and size to .460")?

Couple more - go easy on me! - do you have to clean between shots? How easy has it been to get powder?

My biggest issue, and it's taking a long time to accept because I grew up levers and just buckhorn sights, could shoot well - are my eyes. Had to give up using my Skinner peep on my levers, and they're all scoped, which I just don't like but it's reality. Is the sight radius on something like your rifle helpful for old eyes and target clarity?