CVA seems to be pretty smart about this. They seem to be adapting to the new states laws to make up the money they are missing out on in muzzeloader sales. Except for a couple youth models. Their whole Scout V2 line of rifles are 35cal and larger. The average joe hunter buys a muzzeloader to have a extra season because he likes to hunt. I can’t blame anyone for that. But if your a average joe hunter just wanting more time in the woods. Why would you spend $500 dollars on a CVA Accura muzzeloader. When you can spend $300 dollars on a Scout V2 in 35 whelen or 444 marlin? CVA also came out with a new line of bolt action centerfire rifles this year. It seems like their business model is adjusting to the new state laws.
The smart ones are adjusting to the new market. Some are way ahead of the game, others not so much!
CVA Has the .35 Whelen, .444 Marlin, .45-70 for the Southern "Primitive" States and some of the Mid-West States. They also have the .357 Mag, .44 Mag, 450 Bushmaster for the Straight wall cartridge Mid-West States (Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Iowa), and Delaware.
Winchester introduced the .350 Legend at the SHOT Show last month. SAAMI accepted it at that time. CVA had the Scout V2 chambered in .350 Legend cataloged within 2 weeks. Probably before they left SHOT. I have seen them listed at online dealers for at least 2 weeks now. Ruger will have rifles chambered in the 350 Legend before Winchester has theirs ready in June. Hornady will also have .350 Legend Ammo ready before Winchester has their ammo ready as well. CVA might have rifles ready before then as well? MGM plans on having .350 Legend Encore and Contender barrels by the end of March. They are just waiting for the reamers. If you bring something new out to SHOT these days, you better be ready to produce or already be producing product. Otherwise, the smart ones will beat you to it!
Ruger had promised Randy's Hunting Center in Bad Axe the first 1500 rifles chambered in .350 Legend. They were the #1 retailer for Ruger in 2017. Randy's has sold a few thousand Rugers chambered in .450 Bushmaster. The .350 Legend will be popular with women, children, and guys that don't like a lot if recoil.
Here is a good read about Randy's Award, and the changing times of muzzleloaders, slug guns, straight walled pistol and rifle cartridges in Michigan.
https://www.ourmidland.com/sports/amp/Tom-Lounsbury-nbsp-Randy-s-Hunting-Center-named-12772482.php
Now that CWD is here, and expanding, so too will the center fire rifle use during the muzzleloader seasons. I would guess at least 25% to 50% of Southern Michigan Deer hunters used their Muzzleloaders in the old Shotgun Zone. Now that straight walled rifle cartridges can be used in the Limited Firearms Deer Zone, the use and sales of muzzleloaders has to be tanking fast. Then 16 counties allowing rifles and any other legal guns during the muzzleloader season, has to really put a hunting on future sales. As more counties are added to the CWD Zones, there will be even less muzzleloader use and sales. You can expect other states to adopt this as their CWD areas grow as well.
The smart ones are staying ahead of the game!