Thompson center impact?

[lonewolf5348]

Well like to ask from guys who own the Thompson center impact pro or cons
I just sold my cva optima and in the market for a new rifle.
I use to own the Thompson center Thunderhawk a number of years back.
I did like the gun but wanted to shoot NH209

The only drawback was a lot of blow back on the plunger type ingition.
The cva optima shot excellent but the gun was two long LOP for me with heavy winter clothes on
The one piece base ring mount did not give to much rear movement in the scope.
I did handle the Thompson center impact but it did seem barrel heavy.
The other rifle I had on my mind is cva wolf

 

[MrTom]

The only things the Impact has that the Wolf does not is the insert to lengthen/shorten the lop and the ability to shoot the 209 powder. A Wolf stock can be clipped easily to address the lop. Scopes have to have a high mount or cocking the gun can be an issue if you have gloves on with the Impact. The Wolf comes with a spur I believe. Finding a spur for an Impact to help with cocking can be an issue unless a gunsmith drills the hammer for one's use. The issue with 209 powder in a Wolf is fixed with a simple purchase to get the 209 capable breech plug. That factory lag can be converted for 209 use and will incorporate the use of a vent liners which are cheap to replace and offer much longer wear.

I owed an Impact and it was a great gun once some of these little glitches were addressed but with 209 powder it did tend to be a dirty shooter. Personally I'd get the Wolf.

 

[lonewolf5348]

I read somewhere online the later production wolf cva made after 2010 will handle BH209 powder
Any truth to that statement

 

[WPrather]

All the CVA Wolfs will handle Blackhorn 209 if you buy the Blackhorn 209 Breech plug.

 

[lonewolf5348]

I mean guns made 2010 and after no need to buy the 209 plug
The ones installed from cva will work with 209

 

[MrTom]

You may be able to get a couple random shots to go off but to be able to shoot consistently and call it a hunting gun you'd better have the replacement plug....especially if you hunt in cool to cold temps. CVA is in bed with a pellet company and no way do they put the plug in a gun that takes away from the pellet use.

 

[lonewolf5348]

Thanks

 

[ronlaughlin]

Me, i have never shot an impact, nor held one. Midway has 22 ratings of the rifle; every single one is 5 stars. One sees all top ratings of any product hardly ever. Rifle has an adjustable stock, and includes a breech plug that is reliable igniting Blackhorn. One could help the blow by, by using W209 primer (longest available). Makes me wonder if i should try the rifle; don't guess i will. Do know the standard CVA plug will not reliably ignite Blackhorn powder.

 

[firedawg60]

The only negatives to the Impact is the sliding hood can sometimes be a little hard to break open, which may be an issue for women or kids, and it's not made in stainless or nitride. My son's shoots 65-80 grains of BH209 and 240 grain xtp quit well, but that is all we have tried.

 

[MrTom]

I shot several deer with my Impact and can say its a deadly gun at ranges inside of the 150 yard arena. I never stretched a shot out beyond that. My load was 77 grains [weighed] of the blackhorn powder, a green crush rib sabot and a .44 cal 300 grain XTP. At 100 yards the gun could shoot five shots all touching. I tried the .45 cal 300 grain deep curls in black crush rib sabots and Swift A-frames in the appropriate sabots too and the charge sent them in the same fashion, so the three bullets using the same charge was nice to be able to shoot should something have gone awry. I never shot a deer with anything but the XTPs though.

The sliding hood barrel release was never hard to operate on my gun. If a gun is scoped short fingers or youthful ones may come into play in working the hood, but I never saw an issue. The hammer could be hard to get cocked if I have heavy gloves on. It wasn't hard cocking per se, it could be hard to get the gloved finger on the spur because the room under the scope with low or medium height mounts was an issue. I managed for several years with the Impact and really can't fault it any. Most guns have some little things that can be improved upon when they come out of a box.

The Impact is a handy gun being somewhat shorter than most box guns and does well in the woods. I prefer the break barrel guns and have more than a couple and sold the Impact only to make room.

 

[ram2]

Have you looked at the compact version of the Traditions Buckstalker? It has a shorter LOP.

 

[scott30415]

I have both the T/C Impact and the Traditions Buckstalker and both have their place with me. I am by no ways as experienced with muzzleloaders as most on here. The impact as stated has been a good shooter for me, yes the the hood release for the break action was stiff at first but has lossened with use. I am pushing a 260 gr PR Extreme Elite with 95 gr of T7, you can touch 3 shots with a nickle if I do my part at 100 yards. My Impact does not like conicals no matter what I do. The Buckstalker was a $75 pawnshop find, I like it also with the exception of the ram rod, I do not like the factory rod on the Buckstalker. It shoots conicals better than my impact, for some reason 350gr maxi hunters with a felt piece behind it works great being pushed by 80gr of T7. I am new to muzzleloading and have gotten bitten with trying my best to tweak and get 200 yards out of what I have. I know some of $800 + rifles are probably better rifles, but both the Buckstalker and Impact can be 200yrd Deerslayer with the right load the Hunter doing his part.

 

[Dougs136Schwartz]

Absolutley Scott ! Your less than MOA at 100 yards with the TC.. 200 yards should not be a problem

 

[MrTom]

I haven't shot any lead conicals but I do know that the Impact has the recessed rifling in the muzzle and I think conicals aren't good company with that aspect. I'm not certain how conicals with a lot of weight will work in a 1/28 rifling either.