Entry level guns

Cabela's had the TC Impact on for half off and I purchased one on a whim for $180 here in Canada. My experience with muzzleloaders to this point was a old .40 flintlock that I played around with at the range using patch round balls.

I wanted to shoot full bore bullets that I can cast at home, many indicated that TC's counterbored muzzle wouldn't work well with that. They may be right, I was getting 4" groups at 50 yards with some flyers completely off the paper here and there. The TC has a great trigger, and sights, the rest I don't care for much.

Next I found a CVA Wolf on sale for $200. I bought it and it just came in the other day. I haven't shot it yet, but it appears to be alot nicer than the TC and the trigger is amazing on it. It terrible iron (plastic?) sights and plastic sling swivels which are two items I don't care for. It feels smaller and lighter in the hand than the TC and I much prefer the barrel lock on the CVA.

If only CVA could put some nice sights on the Wolf and see about some steel sling mounts, I would never want another gun. I wish these companies would up the price $30 and just finish it nice.

Nicer would put it closer to the price point of an Optima V2 in SS. So why not just get a Optima V2 in SS. They can be found for $250 on sale and at blowout pricing at places like Walmart after the seasons are over.

IMO the TC Impact is a really good rifle at any price....with sabots

I beleive that you are going to find the CVA Wolf alot more accurate than the TC with lead conicals . I dont cast my own conicals I buy mine from Dan at BullShop Bullets and My CVA Accura V2 will shoot a ragged hole with 3 shots @ 75yds with 75gr of powder and a wool wad I shoot a 460gr conical. Good luck and post some pics of your guns your bullets that you cast and targets. We all enjoy a good range report.

dragonfly said:

IMO the TC Impact is a really good rifle at any price....with sabots

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Personal preference I guess, I do not care for the barrel lockup system on the TC Impact at all.

knightnut2000 said:

I beleive that you are going to find the CVA Wolf alot more accurate than the TC with lead conicals . I dont cast my own conicals I buy mine from Dan at BullShop Bullets and My CVA Accura V2 will shoot a ragged hole with 3 shots @ 75yds with 75gr of powder and a wool wad I shoot a 460gr conical. Good luck and post some pics of your guns your bullets that you cast and targets. We all enjoy a good range report.

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For sure, it will be a while before I get to the range again. I got a Lee REAL mold with the CVA and I have some Hornady Great Plains bullets to try as well.

Are you "working up loads". That is are you starting with say 70 grains (V) of powder and working your way up 5 to 10 grains at a time to 90 or 100 grains of powder. Trying different protection for the bullet base??? ie. cornmeal, cotton, wads, ????. I hope your not expecting to load it with a random load and have it shoot satisfactory groups. (you may be lucky and get a satisfactory group right of the bat) Try different powders, powder charges, wads, conical, sabot/bullets etc. You ll find the right combination that shoots well for you. It takes time so dont be in a hurry.

I have a wolf. Seems to be pretty easy to get accuracy. My accuracy requirement is 3 shots in a tennis ball as 100 yards. Your accuracy requirement may vary. To get 3 shots in a softball at 100 yards is easier than getting 3 shots into a gulf ball. Lots of expertise on this sight. I learn something everyday I read it.

Hornady Great Plains bullets fit very tight in the bore of the CVA Wolf. The bore seems quite a bit tighter than the TC Impact. Turns out the sights on the Wolf are aluminum, not plastic. They have a plastic like coating on them. I fought for the whole range session with accuracy shooting the Real conicals. Tried different charges, etc. Finally near the end I stopped swabbing the bore between shoots and with 70gr of FFG behind them I stacked 5 shots through a ragged hole at 50yards. My lack of experience with these guns really jumps to the forefront at these times.

I ended up selling the TC Impact, the CVA Wolf seems like a better built rifle, and has several design features that I favor over the Impact.

I need to cast and lube some more boolits and try the Wolf out again. I need some more powder too, my order hasn't come in yet.

I have a metal front sight with fiber optic and a good peep sight for your Wolf. Actually, I have a metal real sight too. I'm using a scope now.

I guarantee you the plastic sights will break.

https://www.modernmuzzleloader.com/threads/peep-sight-for-cva.35341/

Muley Hunter said:

I have a metal front sight with fiber optic and a good peep sight for your Wolf. Actually, I have a metal real sight too. I'm using a scope now.

I guarantee you the plastic sights will break.

https://www.modernmuzzleloader.com/threads/peep-sight-for-cva.35341/

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Thanks for the offer, it actually comes with the Durasights, I was mistaken when I first looked at them due to the coating on them.

You must have an old gun. CVA told me they all come with plastic sights now. Mine did.

Muley Hunter said:

You must have an old gun. CVA told me they all come with plastic sights now. Mine did.

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Nope, just bought it last month, unless it was old stock. It is not the version that cam with a scope mount however, so maybe they put better sights on it?

No, that's the only one that comes with open sights. If it has the scope mount it doesn't have open sights. Maybe you got old stock.

I don't understand CVA. It used to come with Durasight sights and they also used to sell them. Now they switched to plastic sights and don't sell the Durasights anymore.

The same with the firing pin housing shims to set the headspace. They don't carry them anymore. As if the problem went away.

Cheap but functional. Cheap is the key word Muley.
The thing I don't like about the wolf is the stupid action release is in a terrible spot. My buddy got one a couple years ago, we do alot of still hunting and he pops his open all the time. He sometimes loses his primers, and really hates the gun now for that, but he's so cheap he won't buy something better. For him probably its good he got the wolf, because he doesn't really take good care of his ML guns. He won't be out much a few years from now.

Me personally, I'd spend more and get a better rifle. I've purchased many amazing (used like new) rifles over the years for around $300. Sold a few also.

I own a Wolf. I bought one ready for a scope. It is accurate with a broad range of powder weights and projectiles including sabots and conicals. I have never found the release to be a problem and use it to sit on stand as well as push brush in deer drives. I'm 64 and can afford a much nicer rifle. Im trying to download pics. All targets shot at 70 yards. 1. 80 grains T7 loose with 305 grain GT bullet with sabot. 2. 80 grains T7 loose with Precision Bullet 450 spitzer conical with 20 grains of cornmeal between bullet and powder. 3. 100 grains of T7 loose with 305 grain GT bullet with sabot. What more can I need. Just to spend more on a gun doesn't make it better. I thought pic 1 and 3 were the same but they are not. As stated pic 1 is for 80 grains and pic 3 is for 100 grains. Pretty consistent. Ill bet the odd bullet out is me not the gun.

I can't imagine opening the action by accident while still hunting. He should have the gun in both hands ready to shoulder it.

Nothing wrong with the Wolf. It's an entry level price with top of the line features. I've never saw any difference in accuracy between the Wolf and Accura MR. They all use the same Beraga barrel made on the same machines. The Accuras have some extra polishing and the only CVA's i've had that had loose spots in the bore were Accuras. My present Wolf is the same for the whole bore and the reason i'm using the NoExcuses. They don't get looser as I push them down the bore. I never got that in the 4 Accuras I had. Or Optimas either.

The trigger is just as good in the Wolf as the Optima. It's not adjustable like the Accuras but I always just set those on the lightest setting and then it feels like the Wolf. Same ramrod on all CVA's. Same sights. Same choice of SS or Nitride barrels. I liked blued and I believe the Wolf is the only one with that option now.

I don't feel like i'm giving up a thing with the Wolf. When the price is figured in i'm way ahead.

Funny you mention it Muley. My Accura had a spot you could feel was not as tight but the cheap WinApex aka Kodiak Pro was uniform from end to end. You could only feel it with a sabotless load. Both shot very well. Personally i dont see much if any difference in accuracy from Optima or Accura. Adding the "Bergara" and claiming an extra step in production is a sales tool more than anything.

Yes, I agree. They have to say something to charge more money. You never notice the loose/tight spots in a bore with sabots or even Powerbelts. An all lead conical shows it right away if the loose spot is down by the powder.

I actually like the action release on the Wolf, really not a fan of the one they have on the TC Impact however. The Wolf is a decent gun for the money.