I'm in the market for a muzzleloader. The purpose will mainly be deer hunting and a bit or recreational shooting. I'm debating between getting a CVA wolf in stainless with camo stock, a CVA Optima V2 in stainless with a camo stock or a Traditions Pursuit G4 ultralite Cerakoted with camo stock. I've seen some pretty good deals, I can get the Tradition for about 330 out the door with scope.Yeah I know most all of those package deal scopes are crap. The wolf in stainless I can get for about 210 with iron sights and the Optima in stainless for about 260 with irons. Anyone have any experience with these? I'm sure lot for folks have handled the CVA rifle but the Tradition Pursuit, probably not so much. Any thoughts on Cerakoted vs stainless, cleaning, durability and such?
Buying a muzzleloader
- Thread starter rfxcasey
- Start date
I would get the CVA Optima with the nitride finish if I was real concerned about rust , it protects inside and out of the barrel .
If that is not in your budget I would get the stainless Optima . The stainless can and will rust if neglected , like my nephews Optima did . He gave it to me for cleaning last year before the season came in and he had shot it the previous season and not cleaned it and it was still loaded . It had a little bit of rust in the chamber/breech area . It clean up pretty good and left a little stained spot , but there was no pitting anywhere that I could see .
The Wolf is also a good rifle for the money .
Just decide what is in your budget and how much rust protection you think you need . My Accura barrel has never rusted , but unlike my nephew , I take care of my stuff and clean my muzzleloader after I shoot it .
If that is not in your budget I would get the stainless Optima . The stainless can and will rust if neglected , like my nephews Optima did . He gave it to me for cleaning last year before the season came in and he had shot it the previous season and not cleaned it and it was still loaded . It had a little bit of rust in the chamber/breech area . It clean up pretty good and left a little stained spot , but there was no pitting anywhere that I could see .
The Wolf is also a good rifle for the money .
Just decide what is in your budget and how much rust protection you think you need . My Accura barrel has never rusted , but unlike my nephew , I take care of my stuff and clean my muzzleloader after I shoot it .
Blindstitch
New member
I have a CVA Optima V2 and it's a great muzzleloader.
As to whether you should scope it or use irons I would check your state law and see what they allow for hunting. In Wisconsin we can use scopes. I believe in Minnesota you have to use irons during their muzzleloader season.
I scoped mine with the one piece mount and wouldn't go back.
As to whether you should scope it or use irons I would check your state law and see what they allow for hunting. In Wisconsin we can use scopes. I believe in Minnesota you have to use irons during their muzzleloader season.
I scoped mine with the one piece mount and wouldn't go back.
johnwilliamson062
Moderator
I own a couple of older T/C rifles. I am looking to buy a new one with some of the recent feature.
Buy quickly as everything will be out of stock soon.
Are you new to muzzle loading? If so I would recommend the wolf. Has most of the features of more expensive guns, is inexpensive and holds its value well, won't break the bank, won't hurt as bad if you do get rust.
Yes. Much more so for actual black powder. The substitutes are still corrosive. Leaving it sit loaded or fouled will cause corrosion. Stainless will buy you some time, but not months or a whole year. The nitride will buy a bit more, but I am not sure how much. I've hunted in rain with my stailess T?C for several days without rust. Nitride probably won't be impervious. Pitting may not be as bad as rounding off the rifling.
Buy quickly as everything will be out of stock soon.
Are you new to muzzle loading? If so I would recommend the wolf. Has most of the features of more expensive guns, is inexpensive and holds its value well, won't break the bank, won't hurt as bad if you do get rust.
Budsgunshop has the nitride for a little more than $300 with free shipping .
Like Biindstitch said check to see if a scope is legal and I would use a scope if I were shooting over 50yds. but my eyesight is not what it use to be .
Black powder and substitutes are much more corrosive than smokeless powder .
Like Biindstitch said check to see if a scope is legal and I would use a scope if I were shooting over 50yds. but my eyesight is not what it use to be .
Black powder and substitutes are much more corrosive than smokeless powder .
Pathfinder45
New member
I have never understood why anyone would want a modern-styled muzzle-loader. Perhaps the laws are different elsewhere, but here in Oregon, most of those modernized features are illegal during the muzzle-loading seasons. If I understand correctly, you could use a modernized muzzle loader here in the general rifle season; but why? There must be something about the different laws of various states that creates a reason for them to exist....
I dunno.....it beats me. I like the idea of something like a traditional Hawken, though. Maybe a Lyman Great Plains?
I dunno.....it beats me. I like the idea of something like a traditional Hawken, though. Maybe a Lyman Great Plains?
reynolds357
New member
My favorite CVA is the Apex. You used to be able to buy them pretty cheap, but they seem to be bringing a premium now.
I would suggest you try BlackHorn 209 powder. It is awesome. It gets a bad rap because people have reading comprehension problems. Do not use black powder 209 primers with it. Use 209 Magnum shotgun primers with it. If you do so, you will love it. If you don't, you will curse it.
I would suggest you try BlackHorn 209 powder. It is awesome. It gets a bad rap because people have reading comprehension problems. Do not use black powder 209 primers with it. Use 209 Magnum shotgun primers with it. If you do so, you will love it. If you don't, you will curse it.
Blindstitch
New member
Hawg, Pathfinder45,
There are states that allow everything all the time and then there are others with tighter regulations. I believe both Michigan and Wisconsin have muzzleloader seasons where only Muzzleloaders are able to be used. But they do overlap bow season. These seasons are usually an additional 10 days after rifle season ends.
If you want to learn some useful and useless information search other states game laws.
I seem to think Indiana and Ohio use to be shotgun only and now are opening up to pistol cartridge rifles. The bottom 1/3rd of Michigan is still shotgun zone. And up until a few years ago large portions of Wisconsin were shotgun only. The state may have got rid of the regulation but then gave the ruling power to the city, town, village, township.... And yes there are areas here where I hunt that are shotgun only due to the township and the friendly police will warn you at the hunting parking lots that rifles can't be used.
There are states that allow everything all the time and then there are others with tighter regulations. I believe both Michigan and Wisconsin have muzzleloader seasons where only Muzzleloaders are able to be used. But they do overlap bow season. These seasons are usually an additional 10 days after rifle season ends.
If you want to learn some useful and useless information search other states game laws.
I seem to think Indiana and Ohio use to be shotgun only and now are opening up to pistol cartridge rifles. The bottom 1/3rd of Michigan is still shotgun zone. And up until a few years ago large portions of Wisconsin were shotgun only. The state may have got rid of the regulation but then gave the ruling power to the city, town, village, township.... And yes there are areas here where I hunt that are shotgun only due to the township and the friendly police will warn you at the hunting parking lots that rifles can't be used.
Sure Shot Mc Gee
New member
I'm not opposed to another wanting a inline. Fine & dandy what ever. But you should know when shooting those types of firearms. Substitute powders are preferred for em and substitute powders are far and away more corrosive than either Black or smokeless. So owing most any brand of inline its shooter needs to be?~~(cant' think of the word?)~~ when it comes to his rifle's maintenance.
CVA Optima's are indeed nice rifles. Shoot pretty straight & true so I've witnessed.. But for me cradling a pretty piece of wood & hardware thru the woods in my arms gives me sort of a pleasant harmonious feeling "Huh this is how my Grand Daddys went about hunting> cool"_ thus I've always been a traditional gun user. To be honest when I started out studying and considering my first rifle to buy inlines were on the cusp of just being seen in the market place but so few of em available they wouldn't hold a fellers interest very long. Something rifle/s being a> passing phase.
This is the time of the years is when big box gun stores have their gun sales. So seeing one you would like to have be quick in its purchase. As some other feller is looking at the same rifle contemplating his purchasing also. i.e. limited supply's.
CVA Optima's are indeed nice rifles. Shoot pretty straight & true so I've witnessed.. But for me cradling a pretty piece of wood & hardware thru the woods in my arms gives me sort of a pleasant harmonious feeling "Huh this is how my Grand Daddys went about hunting> cool"_ thus I've always been a traditional gun user. To be honest when I started out studying and considering my first rifle to buy inlines were on the cusp of just being seen in the market place but so few of em available they wouldn't hold a fellers interest very long. Something rifle/s being a> passing phase.
This is the time of the years is when big box gun stores have their gun sales. So seeing one you would like to have be quick in its purchase. As some other feller is looking at the same rifle contemplating his purchasing also. i.e. limited supply's.
I'm in Caswell county North Carolina. Not to gloat but I think we have it just about as good as it gets here. Muzzleloader Starts on November 1st for whitetail and the season end Jan 1st of the new year. Archery starts 2 weeks before muzzy season. There are virtually no restrictions here, I can walk through the game lands and hunt deer with an AR15, 30 round magazines and any optic of my choice if I so choose. It isn't even illegal to hunt whitetails with a 22lr here though it may be seen as a bit unethical. There is open season on coyote and hog both of which you can hunt at night either spotlighting or with night/thermal vision (Oh if only I could afford a thermal scope). I'm considering buying a ATN X-sight II at some point or waiting till digital goggles hit the market.
Anyways, you guys are saying jump on a gun now and they're on sale, well, can someone show me? I'm interested in a Optima II in stainless, preferably with camo stock. I've found some OK deals but not sure if I'm finding the BEST deals. I could go for a Traditions Pursuit G4 as well, I found one for $313 with the camo stock and scope. Its Cerakoted though and I really think I'd prefer stainless. I've been considering getting an old skool type muzzy as well like a Hawken or such. Find me some deals o wise ones, LOL.
Found a CVA Wolf in stainless with realtree camo stock and fiber optic sights for $222 shipped to my door, is that a good deal?
Anyways, you guys are saying jump on a gun now and they're on sale, well, can someone show me? I'm interested in a Optima II in stainless, preferably with camo stock. I've found some OK deals but not sure if I'm finding the BEST deals. I could go for a Traditions Pursuit G4 as well, I found one for $313 with the camo stock and scope. Its Cerakoted though and I really think I'd prefer stainless. I've been considering getting an old skool type muzzy as well like a Hawken or such. Find me some deals o wise ones, LOL.
Found a CVA Wolf in stainless with realtree camo stock and fiber optic sights for $222 shipped to my door, is that a good deal?
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Jack O'Conner
New member
I've owned a CVA Optima for 6 years and have toppled 6 does with it. Scope is a Bushnell featuring 1.5 to 4.5X settings. No problems with this rifle at all. Its a keeper!
My nephew hunts with a CVA Wolf. In my opinion, it's also a very good rifle.
My son-in-law hunts the late season with his Traditions flint lock rifle. The hardwood stock has been replaced because it split badly at the tang. The flintlock device is cheaply made and not same quality as other flintlocks I've handled. In summary, I would inspect the Traditions model very carefully before buying.
Jack
My nephew hunts with a CVA Wolf. In my opinion, it's also a very good rifle.
My son-in-law hunts the late season with his Traditions flint lock rifle. The hardwood stock has been replaced because it split badly at the tang. The flintlock device is cheaply made and not same quality as other flintlocks I've handled. In summary, I would inspect the Traditions model very carefully before buying.
Jack
And your point is? MS is one of those anything goes states. I love muzzleloaders, I hunt with them a lot or at least I did when I was able to get out in the woods. I just hate the inlines, they're for lazy people that can't be bothered to learn how to shoot a real muzzloader and couldn't hit the broad side of a barn from the inside without a scope. Got my flame suit on so have at it.
"I just hate the inlines, they're for lazy people that can't be bothered to learn how to shoot a real muzzloader and couldn't hit the broad side of a barn from the inside without a scope. Got my flame suit on so have at it."
Awe, come on, I like ye olde style flintlocks and rifles as much as the next guy and I may wind up getting one at some point. I'm new at this and figured that a modern inline would just make life easier. What I really need is a workhorse that will put meat in the freezer at then end of the day however. I'd like this workhorse to be somewhat more attractive then just a workhorse though.
Found a Traditions Vortek Ultralight with scope for $350, is that a good deal? Say it was $600+ originally? I could just go for the Stainless wolf with fiber optics though for 220.
Awe, come on, I like ye olde style flintlocks and rifles as much as the next guy and I may wind up getting one at some point. I'm new at this and figured that a modern inline would just make life easier. What I really need is a workhorse that will put meat in the freezer at then end of the day however. I'd like this workhorse to be somewhat more attractive then just a workhorse though.
Found a Traditions Vortek Ultralight with scope for $350, is that a good deal? Say it was $600+ originally? I could just go for the Stainless wolf with fiber optics though for 220.
I think you would find that Alliant's BMZ and Blue MZ are not corrosive. They burn cleaner than any substitute on the market.
They also give lower ES than any other propellant.....I'm talking less than 10 fps extreme spread.
Just make sure to read the loading instructions and you will have complete success.
I have used them in 45, 50 & 54 calibers.