# Cheap CVA Question



## Ginweed (Jan 13, 2005)

I bought a CVA from a guy at work for $50. It's inline with 209 ignition. It's the lower end CVA. I think he said he originally bought the gun for just over $100. I put a scope on it last year and I've had a heck of a time dialing it in. I hunted with it last year and dropped a doe but I just didn't have the confidence I wanted in the gun. This year is the same thing. I just came from the range. I thought I had it dialed in well at 50 yards. After a few adjustments, I was 1" high and 1.5" right. Good as far as I'm concerned. 

I moved over to 100 yards and it was way off. About 5-6 inches low.

I've tried a couple different bullets. First Powerbelt hollow point then Barnes Spit Fire and now Powerbelt AeroTip. Is this a case of "you get what you pay for"? Or should I be searching for the right bullet?


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## Cedar Swamp (Oct 8, 2004)

What is your powder charge ? 
That may be the tell tail sign.


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## Ginweed (Jan 13, 2005)

Two triple 7 pellets.


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## Doeboy (Oct 20, 2005)

I have the low end CVA the one that came as the Kit and I love mine it not a (target smoke pole)!! But it minuet of deer out to 100 yards +. Mine has no scope and when i sight in, it a full size Deer target wight no (X's) on it, everytime i pull the trigger all my bullets hit the center of the chest it may be 3"-5" apart but, it get it done!! You most have confident in your Tool


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## Slodrift (Oct 28, 2006)

I bought one of those low end CVA's a couple years ago and had the same problem, tried those power belts(because thats what it came with) and they were all over the place. I found it shot Hornaday sabots the best,(but every gun is different) this year I bought a T/C in line so the CVA will be a loaner or a backup.


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## Nealbopper (May 28, 2008)

*SELL THAY PIECE OF JUNK AND BUY ANOTHER GUN!:lol::lol::lol:*


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## sniper's mojo (Nov 29, 2005)

Slodrift said:


> I bought one of those low end CVA's a couple years ago and had the same problem, tried those power belts(because thats what it came with) and they were all over the place. I found it shot Hornaday sabots the best,(but every gun is different) this year I bought a T/C in line so the CVA will be a loaner or a backup.


 
Get rid of the powerbelts and load up some hornady xtp's in either the .44 caliber 240 grain, or the .45 caliber and you should be fine.


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## Ginweed (Jan 13, 2005)

Sounds like I need to try the Hornadays. Thanks guys.

I always figured this would be my starter muzzleloader. I'll probably take Neal's advise next year and sell the thing.


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## GIDEON (Mar 28, 2008)

Be happy, the old saying that you get what you pay for has a large merit of truth.


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## GIDEON (Mar 28, 2008)

Ginweed said:


> Sounds like I need to try the Hornadays. Thanks guys.
> 
> I always figured this would be my starter muzzleloader. I'll probably take Neal's advise next year and sell the thing.


 Next year might be your best plan. As for the Hornadays---- Just because you put premium gas in a yugo, dont expect it to perform like a Corvette.


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## Ron L (Nov 12, 2000)

Ginweed said:


> After a few adjustments, I was 1" high and 1.5" right. Good as far as I'm concerned.


Hitting close to Point-Of-Aim is one thing, but how tight was the group? 

Even though it's a cheaper gun, if you can get that thing to shoot a tight enough group, why sell it? Drop is one thing, different loads can shoot flatter, but if it'll put all the shots in a decent group, I'd use it.


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## Nealbopper (May 28, 2008)




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## Slodrift (Oct 28, 2006)

GIDEON said:


> Next year might be your best plan. As for the Hornadays---- Just because you put premium gas in a yugo, dont expect it to perform like a Corvette.


Just because a gun isn't high dollar or look pretty doesn't mean it's not as good as one that does. Those low end guns once dialed in will kill a deer just as well as the high end one's, you just might not look as pretty carrying it.


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## Anderson (May 17, 2005)

Gin,

I agree try the XTP's and start @ 90 gr of powder and work up from there. Start by cleaning the barrel well. Since it is a used gun there may be alot of fouling. Dial in @ 50 yds and then move out to 100. Move up 10 gr increments and see if the groups get better. Just becasue the gun's cheap doesn't mean it can't shoot. You may want to upgrade later. My boy's shoot Omega's and are very satisfied.

Tim


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## onebadmutt (Sep 16, 2008)

My cheap cva will hang with just about any priced ml at 100yrds. I use 100gr of shokeys gold and the 250gr hornady`s


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## NateW (May 30, 2006)

I shoot 250gr. hornady sst's with 100grains of 777 behind em and they shoot great out of my CVA Buckhorn ($100) One of my best purchases in the last 2 years. I prefer using my ML over the 12g. during gun season.


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## Uncle Boopoo (Sep 15, 2008)

Power Belts like 150 grains of powder. They dont perform well with 100 grains. The booklet you get when you buy a pack of PBs is proof.

I have a CVA Wolf with a scope and PBs were all over the place at 100yds. I personally like shooting 100 grains of powder so I switched to a smaller diameter bullet (.45 hornady sabot) and the gun now shoots very flat out to 100 yds. I have yet to try a farther shot.


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## Leelanauman (May 16, 2008)

I shoot 100 grns. of 7 and 245 grn. powerbelts out of my CVA wolf with no problem at all. Yes all guns shoot a little different and every guy shooting that gun shoots a little different. You need to find what works well for you.


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## aquaticsanonymous (Jul 1, 2006)

Uncle Boopoo said:


> Power Belts like 150 grains of powder. They dont perform well with 100 grains. The booklet you get when you buy a pack of PBs is proof.
> 
> I have a CVA Wolf with a scope and PBs were all over the place at 100yds. I personally like shooting 100 grains of powder so I switched to a smaller diameter bullet (.45 hornady sabot) and the gun now shoots very flat out to 100 yds. I have yet to try a farther shot.


Uncle is dead on with this. I have the same "cheap CVA", and I got it for 97 bucks at Wally world. I shoot 150 grains (three triple 7 pellets), and shockwaves. Make sure to swab your barrel every couple shots, and you should be good. It will shoot, you just got to get the right load. Mine is accurately sighted in at 100 yards, and if I put a scope on it, I think I could easily shoot 200.


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## KS up north (Jan 2, 2004)

Scope creeping? check all screws, maybe a little loc-tite on the threads. A low end scope may be getting damaged by vibration. ML's and shotguns send an awful lot of shock through the scope. If you don't have a ML or shotgun scope, you may want to invest in one. You can always put it on another ML if you plan on upgrading.


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## TrekJeff (Sep 7, 2007)

I shoot a Hunterbolt/low end CVA and once dialed in at 100gnDex Pellets pushing a 300gn XTP, it's deadly. But before you push anything else through it, give it a military cleaning. Buying a used muzzle loader is like buying a used condum, you never know where it's been or how it was used.:lol:


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## huntingfool (Nov 20, 2008)

Yeah well cheap cva for hundred bucks is now worth more to me as proven deerslayer. Used junk powerbelt as i had to finish them up,and no doubt they dont expand. Cheap cva+ 3 pellets of powder + piece junk powerbelt=







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RIGHT PLACE AT RIGHT TIME= PRICELESS


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## schoof (Nov 24, 2008)

I got my cva a few years ago and I don't think there's anything I can't hit with it. I shoot 100 grains of pyrodex with a 295 grain powerbelt bullet, poor deer don't have a chance!!


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## Slodrift (Oct 28, 2006)

It doesn't have to be fancy to work! Nice buck, congrats.

Still don't like Power Belts though, they won't fly straight from my ML's


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## P&Y142 (Jan 25, 2008)

Own two CVA huntbolts a 50cal and a 45cal both shoot great. I shoot Hornady 240gr hp/xtp with 100gr of pyrodex in the 50. and 3 50gr pellets of pyrodex and 225gr powerbelts in the 45. Shot a doe Thurday with the 45 at 120Yds she only went 40-50 yds.


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## boomer_x7 (Dec 19, 2008)

i use a cheap cva. found with power belts that she doesn't like the lower grain bullets. had same problem with the 245 aero-tips. I went up to the 385gr ( i think they are) and a world of differance.


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## solohunter (Jan 2, 2006)

I have a bottom of the line CVA 209 inline thumb hole that i bought this year and worked thru a problem + issue with it,,,, I was very unhappy at first with its preformance but learned a few "cheap things" about it, and my education and occupation, first power belts, I worked a manuel lathe and "indicate" my parts to within .0005 with an indicator and a small hammer, the parts are in the chuck jaws in the rear and I manuelly tap them to center in the front,- where am I going with this?? well Power belts have a belt on the rear end and no way of really centering the front end, so rod flex? off center start,, will give you weird impacts and "keyholes" HMM, Second I had (HAD) a busnell silver stag hunter scope 3x9, I had alot of problems zeroing my other rifle with it,,,,, on a .223 bull barrel single shot, I replaced it with a 6x24 and put the 3x9 in the parts box till this year,, in shooting on the range and vise I see it it had a lot of parelex, so line the sights up on the scope, move your head side to side,, if the cross hairs move across the target?? I Now use a cheap scope, 3x9, 100 grns of 777 and TC sure fire sabots, $9,99 for 20 230 grn sabots, (best value ) and used 100grn,s of 777 rather than the 150 that the book sez you "can" use, I took a neck shot at 90 yards and the doe went three feet- down! I am now very comfortable that my cheap 50 cal shoots well with 100 grn,s and cheap sabots, and a paralex free scope! - its headed north on monday to hopefully kill again if I can put it in the right spot, SO DONT TOSS THE RIFLE YET, check everthing over and go with what works,,,,,,,, good luck and good hunting!


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## madmike22 (Aug 29, 2007)

onebadmutt said:


> My cheap cva will hang with just about any priced ml at 100yrds. I use 100gr of shokeys gold and the 250gr hornady`s


 
Several years ago i bought one of the cheapest muzzleloaders cva made. It was a .45 cal. I think i paid $79 for it on clearance at walmart. I still regret selling it. With 245 grain powerbelt and 100 grains of triple seven it was a tack driver. The last year i used the gun i made great shots on bucks. The longest was 180 yards. He went 30 yards before piling up. Wish i still had it. It wasnt a break action so it was a little bit of a pain to load but she was a great shooting. Just try different combinations of powder and bullets. Even primers can make a difference.


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## BR549 (Feb 5, 2006)

> I moved over to 100 yards and it was way off. About 5-6 inches low.


Aim higher.... I'm serious. Your concern shouldn't be about the CVA at this point, it's simply bullet drop of. Speed vs weight. Let's take the 45/70 as an example, because of it's 45 cal bullet and slow speeds similar to a muzzle loader. A 405 gr Remington zeroed at 50 yards has a bullet drop of 4" at 100 yards. Compare that to 5" out of your load. See what I'm getting at? The concern is that you have an acceptable group at 100 yards and then adjust the elevation.
I'm not a fan of lighter bullets for hunting. Sure, you'll get faster speeds and a flatter trajectory, for a while. Then the heavier bullet will overtake it. Then there's the penetration issue. I have friends who shot deer with Powerbelts and did not have an exit wound. I prefer the likes of a CVA heavier 350 - 400 gr lead bullet that will get the job done when it gets there.


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