[SteveCase]

Alright I have just gotten some money for my birthday, and a cabelas gift card. And my grandpa just found at cabelas the CVA buckhorn rifle for 130 with 30 dollar mail in rebate. I just want to know if anyone has had problems with them, and if they are any good. Ive got somtime before blackpowder season starts, but right now all I have is a old blackpowder Renegade that isn't an Inline.

[arcticap]

Info. about the Buckhorn:

http://thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=326317&highlight=buckhorn

http://thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=359895&highlight=buckhorn

Click on any of the following Buckhorn Magnum product page listings at Cabela's to view many user reviews about it. The first listing alone has 42 reviews. the 2nd listing has 3, the 3rd has 22 while the 4th has none:

http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/templates/pod/horizontal-pod.jsp;jsessionid=3KOFOMU23JV2JLAQBBKSCN3MCAEFAIWE?_DARGS=/cabelas/en/common/catalog/pod-link.jsp_A&_DAV=MainCatcat20712-cat20815&rid=&indexId=cat20815&navAction=push&masterpathid=&navCount=11&parentType=index&parentId=cat20815&id=0064080&_requestid=43320

[fyrfyter43]

but right now all I have is a old blackpowder Renegade that isn't an Inline.

What's wrong with that? Sidelocks still kill deer just as dead as they have for hundreds of years.

[SteveCase]

The problem is that ive never shot it and it was a hand down from my dad who left it in the basement for almost 20 years (unfinished musty, wet type) and from what he was telling me was that it shoots horrible

[mykeal]

Several tens of thousands of Renegades have been sold over many years. It's been a very popular gun.

There are two things required to shoot a gun: the gun and the gun operator (regardless of what our anti-gun friends would have us believe, the guns don't operate by themselves). If the result is 'horrible' it could be due to the gun or the operator. Tens of thousands of Renegades would not have been sold if it was the gun.

[fyrfyter43]

Rather than spend money on a new gun, spend some time at the range getting to know that Renegade. I had one many years ago in .54 and it was a great gun. Mine shot PRB quite well out to 100 yards once I worked up a load for it. I remember using a .535 ball with .018 ticking and a dry patch put down on top of the powder as an OP wad...I don't remember how much powder I used. The 1:48 twist makes it a little fussy about a load for PRB, but once you find it, it will shoot as accurately as you can hold it.

The key with any blackpowder gun is spending time with it, letting it tell you what it likes. To me, that's half the fun...spending time shooting.

I think you'll find alot more satisfaction getting that old TC to shoot than you would in buying the latest whiz-bang in%&$^ and stuffing it with powder pellets and a plastic-saboted pistol bullet (man, I HATE those things!). Muzzleloaders are supposed to be about taking a step back in time, hunting the way our ancestors did...not about taking advantage of every little loophole in the wording of the law to make it as easy as possible. If I had my way, muzzleloader season would be restricted to flintlock or earlier, firing a PRB. Everything else falls under the realm of modern firearms.

[mykeal]

Why stop with flintlocks? Why not go back to stone axes?

[BHP FAN]

I'm in favor of stone axes and flinch-locks. However THIS looks pretty good at $159.00!

CVA Wolf™ 209 Magnum .50-cal. Rifles
CVA combined the simplicity and reliability of a break-open action rifle with the proven design of the popular Optima frame, then added Illuminator fiber-optic sights, a ventiliated recoil pad and other features to create a durable, versatile and accurate muzzleloading firearm. This .50-caliber rifle includes a 24" blued or nickel barrel and your choice of a black or a camo composite stock. Available as a rifle, a rifle and scope package with a Cabela's Powderhorn 3-10x40 scope, a rifle and starter kit package, or packaged with the rifle, scope and starter kit.

[SteveCase]

I cant get a break open here in MA. chalk another up to good ole mass for screwing its people

[BHP FAN]

What the heck,man?! Seriously? Even California is not THAT messed up! I feel your pain,tho.

[BHP FAN]

My Dad had one of those TC's,and stoked with seventy gr. of 2f Goex,he seldom missed.

[Yellowtail3]

To answer SteveCase's question: the Buckhorn is a good rifle. I have one; it is my 2nd muzzleloader. It is accurate at hunting ranges, and it has a GREAT trigger - crisp and light - far better than the one on my 336 Marlin, better than the trigger on either of the Savage rifles I've owned. The Buckhorn is cheap to buy, but very functional. It has a good, quiet safety, and mounting a scope is easy. The stock is very comfortable, with a good recoil pad.

Problems/downsides: Mine had a loose primer pocket - primer could fall out - I emailed CVA, they sent a new breech plug, free - problem fixed. Also... cleaning it will be harder than one of those break-open things, esp. if you scope it. I'd say... get it. You won't be disappointed. A good basic load is 90-100gr loose Pyrodex and a 240-300gr XTP in sabot.

note on CVA: I lost the front sight; CVA also sent me new sights, MUCH BETTER THAN IT CAME WITH - free. Good company, good rifle. Especially considering price.

[unspellable]

I have a Buckhorn. First problem was that the trigger was a real lawyer's trigger, had an unbelievable amount of creep. I took the gun down and found the trigger had an adjustment. I played with the adjustment a bit and got a decent trigger pull if not the very best I ever had. Can't complain at the price.

Second problem. The trigger adjustment was coated with tell tale paint and the warantee expires the second you disturb the tell tale. The lawyers are covering their butts.

Third problem. I don't know what the third problem is. I haven't gotten around to shooting it yet.

[Yellowtail3]

SteveCase - did you get the Buckhorn? I've killed two this season with mine; now switching to the 336 (until muzzleloading season opens in adjacent county).

unspellable - I'm surprised at your trigger experience. Both CVAs I've own - Staghorn and Buckhorn - have that plunger design, and both have had very, very crisp/light triggers. Odd experience, yours. Kill anything with it yet??