Cva Muzzle Loaders Optima Lr V2 Gun Review

This review was written by Dr. Jim and Mary Clary.

The CVA Optima V2 was introduced at the 2013 SHOT Prove in Las Vegas.  Although it has the same name equally previous Optima muzzleloaders and the stock and butt are substantially the same, the new Optima V2 borrows its action and trigger designs from the "top-of-the-line" Accura V2 series.

The Optima V2 uses the same trigger-guard actuation breeching lever, which is an comeback over the erstwhile Optima's breeching lever located in front of the trigger baby-sit — which looked similar the safety on the Ruger Mini xiv.  The rest of the internal activeness components are as well of the Accura design, with the exception that the trigger weight is non adjustable.  In fact, at start await, this gun looks just like the Accura with a one-inch shorter barrel and without the palatial end and grip features of the Accura V2 stocks.

The major discernible difference that  we could determine was that the Accura V2 models feature a Bergara-branded barrel, while the Optima V2 has a "regular" CVA barrel.  For those folks not familiar with the Bergara Barrels, this visitor supplies loftier quality heart-fire barrels to many of the about respected rifle manufacturers in Europe and the USA.  CVA uses these premium quality Bergara Barrels in its top-of-the-line Apex and Accura models.  All of the Bergara-branded barrels used in these CVA guns are drilled from 416 stainless steel bar stock and button rifled.

All Bergara Barrels, be they for CVA or other manufacturers, are made in the same manufacturing facility as the standard CVA barrel – as the parent company of CVA also owns the Bergara Barrels establish.  The major deviation between a Bergara-branded barrel and a "regular" CVA barrel is that the Bergara-branded barrel is put through an additional special iii-step honing process that simulates hand lapping, except that information technology is more precise.  This process removes whatever deviation in bore diameter.  That being said, do not get the thought that the CVA branded barrel is "cheap".  It isn't!  In fact, in our tests, we noticed hardly whatsoever difference in accuracy at 100 yards between the two barrels (Accura V2 vs. Optima V2).  Having been F-Class target shooters, nosotros will speculate that mayhap, just maybe, the Bergara-branded barrel would requite a competitive shooter an edge, just for the average hunter, nosotros do non believe that yous could ever tell the deviation.

Hither are the features and specifications for the CVA Optima V2 burglarize:

• 416 Stainless Steel, Fluted, 26″ Barrel – .l caliber with 1:28″ Twist Rifling
• Bullet Guiding Muzzle
• 100% Ambidextrous stock
• Solid Aluminum Palmsaver ramrod (a swell cap that makes field loading easy)
• DuraSight® Integral Scope Mount or DuraSight® Fiber Optic Sights
• QRBP -Quick Release Breech Pug
• Reversible Hammer Spur
• CrushZone® Recoil Pad
• 41″ Overall length
• half-dozen.65 lbs.Total Weight
• fourteen″ Length of Pull
• Lifetime Warranty

The transmission of the Optima refers to the trigger as a "neutral center of gravity" design to provide a calorie-free and polish trigger pull with no creep.  I will confess that the term "neutral center of gravity" doesn't mean much to me, just I volition say that this gun had a 2 lb. trigger pull, out of the box, with absolutely no pitter-patter.  Information technology was absolutely as well-baked as whatsoever target trigger we take always used.  In this day and historic period when so many companies are installing "lawyer-triggers" which get in virtually impossible to squeeze off a good shot, CVA gets a "tip of our hat" for this one.  In fact, when shooting on the range, one sometime chap (older than Jim) asked if he could shoot the Optima.  Of course, Jim told him "Yes".  Later on the first shot, he asked if he could shoot it again…. a second shot, and so a third…. end of story, after ten rounds he proclaimed that he could shoot competition with that gun.  Jim idea he was exaggerating, until he pulled out his customized Anschutz 22LR…. he was still shooting in competitions at 78.  That pretty much says information technology all in regards to the trigger.  Oh yea, almost forgot…. once John got the "hang of the gun", he put iv rounds, into the balderdash at 100 yards for a grouping measuring iii/iv″.  Jim tin only dream of shooting that well and I tin only beat that if I use my 6mmBR.  Sometime John is a shooter!

Jim'due south .50 caliber CVA Optima V2 with DuraSight® Integral Scope Mountain and TB-ML iii-ix×twoscore Hi-Lux Scope

Still, we are getting ahead of ourselves.  We mounted a Hi-Lux TB-ML 3-9X40 muzzleloader telescopic on the Optima.  This telescopic was designed past Toby Bridges specifically for muzzleloaders.  It is unique in that it comes with range crossbars below the main crosshair to provide an accurate point-of-impact for ranges out to 250 yards.  Dissimilar conventional scopes with similar crossbars or mil dots, Toby and the folks at Hi-Lux fired more than one,000 rounds, using different loads/bullets to compile 4 ballistic charts included with the scope.

After such extensive tests, we considered it unnecessary to verify the ballistics charts; however, nosotros know that some readers would question our taking them at face value.  So, Jim hitting the local range and fired over one hundred rounds with the Optima V2 using Blackhorn 209 powder, Alliant Black MZ powder, Hodgdon Triple7 pellets and IMR White Hots pellets.  He used the 260 grain Harvester

Scorpion PT Gold with Crush Rib sabots and 250 grain "Powerbelt" Aerolite bullets.  Our results confirmed the accuracy and validity of the charts.   The chief nautical chart that we used is reprinted beneath.  It is for hunters using three of the most popular spitzer or spire bespeak bullets with sabots, every bit well equally CVA'south Aerolite bullet.  Our range examination confirmations have been inserted for reference. You will desire to verify the crossbar distances for your gun on the range before heading out to chase, as your velocities may be more or less due to the working bore of your gun.

All that remains is for the states to determine is the inherent accuracy of the Optima V2 at 100 yards with the iv propellants higher up.  Muzzle velocities are provided for performance comparisons between the propellants.  However, bear in heed that we are shooting at an peak of 5,232′ to a higher place sea level.  The results of those tests for 3-shot groups are as follows (we fired five 3-shot groups with each powder/bullet combination):

100 grains of Blackhorn 209 Pulverization

Powerbelt AeroLite 250 grain:  Average group size = ane.00″ (Hateful M.Five. = 2,015 f.p.s.)

Harvester 260 grain Scorpion PT Gold:  Average group size = 1.00″ (Mean M.Five. = 1,965 f.p.due south.)

100 grains of Alliant Black MZ

Powerbelt AeroLite 250 grain:  Boilerplate group size = 1.xxx" (Mean Thousand.V. = one,880 f.p.s.)

Harvester 260 grain Scorpion PT Gold:  Boilerplate group size = 1.25" (Mean M.V. = 1,845 f.p.s.)

two IMR White Hots 50 Grain Pellets

Powerbelt AeroLite 250 grain:  Average group size = ane.xiii″ (Mean Grand.V. = one,800 f.p.s.)

Harvester 260 grain Scorpion PT Gold:  Average group size = 1.18″ (Hateful 1000.V. = ane,770 f.p.s.)

two Hodgden Triple7 50 Grain Pellets

Powerbelt AeroLite 250 grain:  Average grouping size = 1.38" (Mean M.V. = ane,725 f.p.due south.)

Harvester 260 grain Scorpion PT Aureate:  Average grouping size = 1.25" (Mean M.5. = one,700 f.p.due south.)

All four propellants performed well with both the Aerolite and Scorpion bullets.   For the average muzzleloader hunter, the accurateness difference between them is negligible.

The redesigned Optima V2 is an excellent shooter, regardless of the propellant you use.  It is more than adequate for simply about whatever hunting situation.  Although we only ran our tests with 100 grain equivalent loads, in our discussions with the director of technical support at CVA, he told me that he has shot iii pellet loads with no problems, although the recoil was tough.  In talking with the folks at Western and Alliant, they have used loads upwards to 110 grains with good results.  Notwithstanding, once again, the recoil increases.  Our feeling is that unless you are going for big bear, bison or moose, 100 grain loads are more than than acceptable.

Your cage velocities will vary depending on the condition of your butt, the working bore of your gun and environmental atmospheric condition.  The to a higher place values were taken from our Chrony and are posted to give the reader an thought of the estimate velocities to expect.  All the same, as with any inline muzzleloader, y'all are throwing a heavy projectile downrange and as long as the velocity is sufficient to produce enough free energy to have down your game.. your chief business should be accurateness and bullet placement, rather than the velocity.

Some shooters have reported problems using Blackhorn 209 with the regular QRBP, so CVA, in cooperation with Western Powders, designed as an aftermarket item, a Blackhorn 209 breechplug for their entire line of rifles.  Nosotros fired more 120 rounds with it and did not experience whatever misfires or fizzles.  As such, if you adopt shooting Blackhorn 209 powder, we recommend that you definitely order the Blackhorn 209 QRBP with your gun. It has an MSRP of $twenty.95.

With an MSRP of $391 ($317 for standard blued barrel with black stock), this gun should discover a comfortable niche in the muzzleloading market – and, as with all guns, you are likely to find them being sold at 10% to twenty% beneath the MSRP at your local dealer.  Information technology is well fabricated, comfortable to shoot and handles well.  And, it is hard to shell a lifetime guarantee.  Jim is keeping this ane and intends to use information technology on his autumn mule deer hunt here in New United mexican states.

We would like to thank the folks at Alliant, Hodgdon and Western Powders for generously providing united states with enough powder to perform all of our tests.  And, we are also very beholden of the folks at B.P.I. and Harvester for providing u.s. with CVA Aerolite and Harvester Scorpion PT Gold bullets.  Without the generosity of these companies, it is doubtful that we would have been able to conduct the preceding tests.

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Source: https://www.thefirearmblog.com/blog/2013/08/29/gun-review-cva-optima-v2-muzzleloader/

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