I know there's been a little CVA bashing here, so I wanted to relate my positive experience.
I'm a relatively new shooter, having purchased a new CVA Optima V2 with the Nitride barrel and a Burris Fullfield E1 9-40 scope package from muzzle-loaders.com last fall. I shot it probably around 50 times at the range, but was not lucky enough to bag a deer during the season. However I made a mistake at the range, which you may have read about as I posted about it here. I must have been distracted and only loaded the bullet as far as the 5 inch loader, but not with the ramrod to seat the bullet fully. I knew something was wrong when I fired. It sounded different and there was no target evidence of a hit. Within a minute or so I determined what I must have done wrong. The barrel looked OK, and it seemed to be shooting just fine after that, but I was concerned about a very slight bulge in the barrel. It looked slightly different in reflected light at the place where the gases would have contacted the load. I tried measuring the barrel externally with a caliper, but could not determine if there was a bulge.
At the end of the season I contacted CVA (BPI) and subsequently sent them the barrel (barrel ONLY, no scope or stock). I also included the fore stock that had a chip on the thinnest part. They said if I sent in the fore stock, they would replace it. It was caused (in my opinion) by a minor manufacturing defect.
Today, I received a package from them that contained a brand new Optima V2 .50 LR with a thumbhole stock, Nitride Cerakote barrel, and a Konus scope, in a soft case. There wasn't a note, but I contacted them by e-mail to make sure it was intended. They responded that "there was an issue with the barrel you sent in and it needed to be replaced". They didn't explain why they replaced it with an entirely new gun. I imagine maybe the Nitride barrel was out of stock, or? I have no idea, but I can't say I'm displeased. I only hope it shoots well. I'll probably replace the Konus scope with my Burris scope, but I may shoot with it first just to check it out.
I'm a relatively new shooter, having purchased a new CVA Optima V2 with the Nitride barrel and a Burris Fullfield E1 9-40 scope package from muzzle-loaders.com last fall. I shot it probably around 50 times at the range, but was not lucky enough to bag a deer during the season. However I made a mistake at the range, which you may have read about as I posted about it here. I must have been distracted and only loaded the bullet as far as the 5 inch loader, but not with the ramrod to seat the bullet fully. I knew something was wrong when I fired. It sounded different and there was no target evidence of a hit. Within a minute or so I determined what I must have done wrong. The barrel looked OK, and it seemed to be shooting just fine after that, but I was concerned about a very slight bulge in the barrel. It looked slightly different in reflected light at the place where the gases would have contacted the load. I tried measuring the barrel externally with a caliper, but could not determine if there was a bulge.
At the end of the season I contacted CVA (BPI) and subsequently sent them the barrel (barrel ONLY, no scope or stock). I also included the fore stock that had a chip on the thinnest part. They said if I sent in the fore stock, they would replace it. It was caused (in my opinion) by a minor manufacturing defect.
Today, I received a package from them that contained a brand new Optima V2 .50 LR with a thumbhole stock, Nitride Cerakote barrel, and a Konus scope, in a soft case. There wasn't a note, but I contacted them by e-mail to make sure it was intended. They responded that "there was an issue with the barrel you sent in and it needed to be replaced". They didn't explain why they replaced it with an entirely new gun. I imagine maybe the Nitride barrel was out of stock, or? I have no idea, but I can't say I'm displeased. I only hope it shoots well. I'll probably replace the Konus scope with my Burris scope, but I may shoot with it first just to check it out.