# Best low cost muzzleloader?



## 7thcorpsFA (Mar 6, 2010)

I want to buy my son a muzzleloader for a Christmas gift, but the Old Lady says they cost to much. I have seen a couple of cheapos in Cabelas and Bass Pro. They were $250.00 for a Traditions Pursuit Reaper Combo with a scope, and $350 for a CVA Optima Combo with scope. She choked on the $350.00 CVA. He needs a scoped gun but I have no idea if these cheap guns are worth having. What do you guys think?


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## Mr. A (Apr 23, 2012)

To save to much back and forth on this thread before you get a good answer, here are a few questions you may want to answer first as they may change people tbhoughts.....

How old is your son?
How long has he hunted?
Why does he need a scoped gun?
How long does the gun need to last him before he can get a better one? (Assuming he likes a ML in the 1st place)

I'd like to know this stuff before I'd answer. Age alone would change my mind on this one.....

A

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## slimdaddy45 (Aug 27, 2007)

NEF Sidekick is less than 200 bucks and not to heavy and they shoot pretty good be a good gun for a kid they look exactly like a single barrel shotgun I bought 1 a couple yrs ago for 159.00 brand new dont why I wanted it cause Ive only shot it about 10 times cause I have a Encore that I use mostly


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## 7thcorpsFA (Mar 6, 2010)

Mr. A said:


> To save to much back and forth on this thread before you get a good answer, here are a few questions you may want to answer first as they may change people tbhoughts.....
> 
> How old is your son?
> How long has he hunted?
> ...


 He is 36 years old and wears glasses. He is like me, he can't focus well with open sights anymore. The gun will probably be the only ML that he will ever own. He isn't into high quality firearms like I am. As long as it gets the job done he will be happy. He also doesn't hunt much, even though he lives on a large farm. Our KY. ML season was this weekend and he saw a massive buck outside his house. He called me and said he wished he had a ML cause it was the biggest deer he'd ever saw. Oh ya, he is 5'10" an about 375lbs. so a heavy gun is no problem.


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## mrtwister_jbo (Apr 7, 2004)

check out sportsman guide they have a cva wolf with scope and case for under $275.
twister


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## sherman51 (Apr 12, 2011)

if this is going to be his only gun, then i would just go with you get what you pay for. its not a cheap gun but i believe its one of the better guns for beginner and pro alike. if i could spare the big bucks i would get him the cva accura v2. you can get the kit with gun scope rings and a case for 579.00 at cabelas. i know this is alot more money, but he,ll have a gun that shoots good and is fun to shoot and easy to clean while your shooting and then when your done shooting.

if your bound and determand to go cheaper. check out the traditions pursuit ambush for i think 319.00 on sale at cabelas. it comes with a 3x9x40 scope, and this is a good quaility gun for the price. or they have one model the timber ridge for 199.00. but i just wouldnt go there unless it was all the money i could come up with.
sherman


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## Bowhunter57 (Feb 9, 2011)

I've seen the CVA Wolf, at Walmart, for $167. You could put a 3x9 scope on it for $50, plus some shooting accessories for under $300. I know several people that have purchased this particular ML for their younger son, nephew, etc. thinking it would be a nice "starter" ML and it ended up performing much better than they had anticipated.

Bowhunter57


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## 7thcorpsFA (Mar 6, 2010)

Thanks for the responses folks. The Old Lady just gave me the green light to spend $500.00 so I have a little bigger budget to work with. What do you think about a ML, scope combo for $500.00?


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## huntindoggie22 (Mar 28, 2008)

Dicks currently has the Thompson Center Omega camo/stainless with a scope on sale for 379.99. Very nice gun. Shoots excellent. 


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## JCoeRBK (Dec 6, 2008)

I have less than $300 wrapped up in my CVA wolf and its a tack driver, cant go wrong. Also has a slightly shorter barrel that may benefit a kid.


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## put-put (Sep 3, 2004)

I just bought last week a Thompson Center triumph bone collector 50 cal. with Bushnell 3-9 x 40 DOA 250 for 599 at the Sportsman's Den in Shelby Ohio(October only). T/C has mail in rebate for 50 off=549. It is all camo. They had 40 to sell, and they acted like they had plenty(last Friday). If you go to thier website click on the flier page it is on the front. Shot first time Sunday and love it. Buddy bought one 3 years ago and has well oer 800 invested. Hope this helps.


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## Fishn_Fatboy (Oct 27, 2012)

I think the Accura V2 is a great gun i know its out of your price range but with it being your sons first and most likely his last ML it would be a good buy. If thats not possible get the Optima with a scope its just alittle out your price range but is also a fine ML for the price


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## InlandKid (Aug 29, 2006)

Cva Electra, from sportsmansguide. Bought two, love not having to fool with caps. Trigger is great, scope they come with are good. Last year dropped a 8 point in WV 205yds on the range finder. just pop a good 9v in at the beginning of season and you are good to go.

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## Lundy (Apr 5, 2004)

Buy only a gun that is easy to clean and has the highest grade stainless barrel you can afford for your budget.

All muzzleloaders today will effectively kill a deer at 100 yds, some will shot MOA some over but all will kill a deer.

However the biggest downfall of a MZ is the lack of care given the gun. Since you said your son doesn't value guns the way you do he will need something that is very easy to clean. Get a gun that requires no tools to remove the breech plug. Get a gun that does not require the removal of any parts other than the breech plug to clean them.

Stainless Steel will rust, depending on the powder he will shoot and the moisture the gun is exposed to it can rust very fast. DO NOT PURCHASE A MZ WITH A CARBON STEEL BARREL if there are any questions about how well it will be cleaned after EVERY day of shooting.

Good luck


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## sherman51 (Apr 12, 2011)

7thcorpsFA said:


> Thanks for the responses folks. The Old Lady just gave me the green light to spend $500.00 so I have a little bigger budget to work with. What do you think about a ML, scope combo for $500.00?


if you could just get her to go up 100.00 more you can get what i consider one of the top choices. the cva accura v2 with a 3x10x44 scope. and it has the tool less breach plug which is great for cleaning or bbraking down at the range to run a couple of patches through. they are made nice they have a rubber like coating where your hands go. this is great in wet or cold weather. they are 579.00 at cabelas with the camo stock. they also have it in a thumbhole stock in camo for 599.00.

i bought one of the thumbhole stocks for my son last year. it is an awesome gun. you can just go online and do a search for cva accura v2 and might even find it cheaper. but cabelas was offering free shipping last week, i dont know if they are still offering that or not. and dont know about shipping guns. but you can also find some videos of the gun being shot and the breach plug being taken out by hand online.

if i had the money to spare myself i would retire my tc encore and buy me one of the cva accura v2 rifles.
sherman


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## Mr. A (Apr 23, 2012)

My suggestion is to look in the store at Dicks sporting goods. They have some great deals by me right now. There supposed to be company wide but who knows?

A

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## 7thcorpsFA (Mar 6, 2010)

Thanks folks! Found a CVA Optima stainless with 3x9 scope and nice case for $299.00 at Dunhams. Reg. was $449.00. With all the extras I am close to my $500.00 limit. Thanks again!


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## sherman51 (Apr 12, 2011)

7thcorpsFA said:


> Thanks folks! Found a CVA Optima stainless with 3x9 scope and nice case for $299.00 at Dunhams. Reg. was $449.00. With all the extras I am close to my $500.00 limit. Thanks again!


congrats on finding a good buy on the optima. it should make him a great gun for the rest of his life. they are a decent gun.
sherman


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