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CVA OPTIMA PRO .50 Black Powder
Black Powder Manufacturer: CVA
CVA Model: OPTIMA PRO .50
Review Category: Black Powder
Purchase: Black Powder I bought this weapon through Cabela's online store. There was a slight delay in the delivery, due to it being out of stock, but I knew that before I bought it. It was a package deal, with scope, sabots, ball starter, etc. It has the 29" fluted magnum barrel (blued) with the Mossy Oak synthetic stock. Paid $329.00 (including shipping).
Things I like about the CVA OPTIMA PRO .50 Black Powder: The overall fit and finish of the rifle are superb. I am a lefty, so I really like the fact the hammer spur could be moved from the right side to the left side. The action is very smooth and the trigger seems to crisp. The scopr that was included in the package deal is a Cabelas brand 7 power scope. Whle the scope is not bad, neither is it great. It is acceptable. At the range (once I had it bore sighted at my local gunsmith), I started with 100 grain Pyrodex pellets with a 295 grain hollow tip Power Belt bullet. This was shooting about 17" low at 100 yards. I adjusted the scope, shot again (each a group of 4 shots, cleaning the barrel after each group)and shot 11" low. Well, one click of the scope at 100 yards is equal to 1/4", so, you do the math. I got tired of fiddling with it and decided to try out 150 grain Pyrodex pellets. Ended up shooting 6" high! Re-sighted the scope, 1.5" groups at 100 yards. Since then, I have went to a lighter bullet weight (235 grain ballistic tip Knight bullets), re-sighted in with these, and off we go! Ended up getting a spike buck the first time I hunted with it. A 77 yard heart shot right at dusk. Very accurate.
What I don't like about the CVA OPTIMA PRO .50: There is nothing that I don't like about the weapon. I've had other muzzle loaders in the past (Traditions, Hawken, etc.) that I haven't liked near as much as this one. The only drawback is the recoil of the 150 grains of Pyrodex with the 235 grain bullet. It can be punishing, but, hey, how many times are you actually going to shoot at something with it?
Black Powder OPTIMA PRO .50 quality: The weapon is top quality. No flaws. Accurate. Dependable.
OPTIMA PRO .50 summary: I have let friends (very discerning friends) borrow this weapon to hunt with when I have been out of town. They loved it!. They don't ask to borrow it anymore as they now have their own CVA OPTIMAs' (whether they be the Pro, Kodiak, or just the Optima). I think that speaks volumes.
Rating for this CVA product: 5
Author of this review on CVA Black Powder: Andrew Glattli
Date: 2006-06-14
Usefulness Rating: 3.72917 out of 5.
96 reader(s) voted.
This CVA Black Powder review brought to you by Hunting & Fishing Gear Review!
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