CVA Wolf or Optima V2 Muzzleloader??

[livetohunt228]

Hey everyone! Hope everyone is doing good! If your like me your getting excited for the upcoming turkey season.

I posted on here a few weeks back about purchasing my 1st muzzleloader. I got some great responses, advice and opinions and I want to thank everyone who responded. I'm really torn between the CVA Wolf and the CVA Optima V2. I've read great things about the Wolf and people on here have told me as much but I'm concerned it might be more of a gun for a kid getting into hunting. That is what the description for the actual gun days. I obviously know it don't mean an adult can use it aw well. Now don't get me wrong, I'm new to muzzleloaders so maybe that would be a good starter muzzleloader for me. Ive shot my brothers TC Encore and don't like the heavy kick. I believe he uses (3) 777 pellets and a Shockwave bullet. Could be wrong on that. I've read and heard good things about the CVA Optima V2 and wonder if that might be the better choice for me. I'm literally looking to be able to consistently shoot out to 100 yds. If I could accomplish that with lots of practice, I would be a very happy camper. Then obviously the more I shoot it, hopefully my range and comfortability with the gun would increase. What are your guys thoughts? Is the Wolf a muzzleloader I could have and use for the rest of my life or would I be better going with the Optima V2. I'd hate to buy the Wolf and end up thinking this gun is more for a child and be stuck with it. I know I'm way overthinking it all and just need to pick 1 of them up and start practicing. Optima V2 with a scope combo and case is going for around $400 on muzzleloader.com and the Wolf is going for about $338-$366, depending on the barrel and also comes with a scope combo and case. What to do... what to do. What would you do? Any thought or advice would be appreciated! Thanks!!

 

[Dannmann801]

Go to the store and handle both of them, preferably side by side if someone has both in stock.
Throw it up on your shoulder and look down the barrel.
Pick the one that "feels" right, price is close enough it doesn't matter. Both will perform.

It's about the feel, the fit.

 

[rooster85]

I have a CVA Accura MR and a CVA Wolf, my Acuura is my go to muzzy and i absolutely love it. I have the same scope on both muzzys. Great guns IMO. Where are you located?

 

[Just 1 More]

Optima V2

 

[DustOfMan]

I just jumped into the world of muzzleloaders after much trepidation as well. I kept going back to the Wolf, as the Gander Mountain closing here has them for ~$160. In the end I didn't go with it though as a trade deal popped up. I ended up trading for an old Knight LK-93 .50 cal, converted for 209 (I think??), with a scope and a bunch of supplies. But, it took me forever to decide as even though there is a ton of information out there, I'm still a somewhat novice shooter/hunter and a complete noob with black powder. Figuring out the right load, right equipment, right sabot to start off with was perplexing. Even moreso was the difference in conversations between BH209, 209 primer, etc., etc.

I don't really associate with many hunters in real life, and definitely don't know any muzzleloader enthusiasts around me. Venturing forward into this new world solo is friggin' intimidating!

 

[OO2]

Reving this thread. Anyone have any updated thoughts/opinions about CVA Optima V2? Any others worth looking at for around that same price range? Used muzzeloaders?

 

[Clay Showalter]

We have 3 CVA Optima v2 and we love them. We are using Blackhorn 209 so we got the breach plug for that powder. Gun has a nice trigger and is well made. They also offer great support.

 

[OO2]

Any problem with rust? I hear that can be an issue with muzzle loaders

 

[Clay Showalter]

No mine are all stainless and I clean them after i shoot them, blackhorn 209 is much less corrosive than other powders and cleans up much better

 

[OO2]

Vance’s has it for 250. Think that’s fair?

 

[Clay Showalter]

Is that black or stainless

 

[OO2]

Stainless

 

[Clay Showalter]

Stainless

Yea that is a good deal

 

[OO2]

First shot @ 50 yards right out of box. Only had a chance to shoot a few more and they were lower due to fouling I think. Looking forward to getting this thing dialed in.

 

[Bigslam51]

View attachment 58649

First shot @ 50 yards right out of box. Only had a chance to shoot a few more and they were lower due to fouling I think. Looking forward to getting this thing dialed in.

Good luck with it!

 

[giles]

They are funny to get dialed in. Some guns like a few shots to “come in” and others like to be cleaned after EVERY shot. Find what works and stick with it.

 

[OO2]

Thanks for the advice Giles, seems I’ll be cleaning after every shot from what I can tell. I was very surprised by the trigger. I’d say it rivals my older Rem 700

 

[giles]

Get you one of those Bore Snakes. It’s easy enough to carry around and will do the trick just fine.

When cleaning (thoroughly), be sure to pull the firing pin and clean it as well. Otherwise it’ll get stuck.

 

[Lundy]

Which powder are you shooting?

It is very typical of a MZ to send the first clean barrel shot out of the group from shots 2-5. That leaves you with a choice, either hunt with a clean gun and sight in for the clean barrel shot knowing your subsequent shots will not impact the same as the clean barrel shot or hunt with a gun that is dirty and know that your first or second or third will all impact the same point. I've had this on every MZ I've ever owned but the variance is different for each gun and load, some were minimal some were not. I have a KNIGHT MK-85 that is 5" high left on a clean barrel and shots under 1" in the dot and the next 4 shots. I have other guns that it only varies 1-2" that I don't worry about the difference since I'm shooting at a kill zone that is 10" x 14". I still have always hunted on a dirty barrel which is why I love my smokeless MZ's so much, I don't have to worry as much about cleaning them and corrosion. That is why if you can shoot BH 209, much less corrosive and allows you to hunt on a dirty barrel and not worry as much about the gun.

If your lower shots on a fouled barrel all grouped that is where I would set by sights and hunt with a fouled barrel rather than setting it on a clean barrel and needing to clean between each shot while actually hunting., But that is just me.

 

[OO2]

That is a good point and I’m glad you mentioned it to me Lundy. My follow up shots with a dirty barrel almost punched through the same hole. Right now I’m shooting Triple 7 pellets but will try some others out and am open to suggestions. Seems almost like a crime to leave a dirty gun. It was amazing to see how fouled the barrel was after one/two shots. Maybe it’s that powder?