CVA Hunter 45-70 opinions

[Ferryboatcaptain]

Hello , brand new to this site . Also new to casting. I so far have made cast bullets for my 50 cal.muzzleloader and 30 caliber 170 grain FP for my 1917 enfield rifle .I'm using titegroup with no gas check . They shoot good and are a lot of fun to boot. Anyway I'm wanting opinions on the CVA Hunter rifle in 45-70 . I've always thought of cva being kinda junk but I know that's probably not true now . I will want to shoot cast Lee 405 grain low recoil loads in it . Would like to hear from a hunter owner regardless of caliber . Thanks Ferryboatcaptain

[rfd]

as a hunter/plinker, a spanish built CVA will probably be just fine as a cheap introduction to the .45-70 cartridge, but it's not a target gun by any means. lots of people become enchanted by the .45-70 cartridge and express a desire to get a rifle in such a chambering. lots depends on what will be the owner's requirements for such a rifle, and in some instances going cheap does the shooter a disservice. then there's matter of the .45-70 cartridge as a greaser or paper patched, and loaded with black or white powder. it's an amazing cartridge if fed real black powder, and recoil management is not a big deal, nor is fouling control or bp residue clean up. for the young kids who want to experience the .45-70 without damaging recoil, 10 to 12 grains of trail boss under a 340 grain lee greaser is a super easy shooter in an 8 or 9 pound rifle.

[725]

Welcome aboard. Not a CVA owner / shooter, so I can't help you there. CVA has improved it's rep over the past few years. You can never go wrong with a .45-70. From a .457 round ball over 8 or 9 grains of Unique to some of those shoulder buster 500 grain'ers, it's all good. The Lee 405 is a good bullet and moderate loads are very accurate. Good luck.

[gumbo333]

You can coat your cast 45\70 boolites with PC or HyTek and forget the grease. Or buy already cast and coated boolits. 300 grainers with mouse fart loads barely kick. But every 45\70 I've had shot 405 grainers better.

[longbow]

I've been looking at the CVA Hunters and Scouts myself. Thinking of .44 mag., .45-70 or 444 Marlin.

I did a little looking at reviews/comments and so far there seems to be more positive than negative. My impression is that they are a well made gun functionally but utility grade as far as finish.

I've had a custom Siamese Mauser conversion to .45-70 and a Marlin 1895 and really liked the cartridge. Both those were casualties of me needing cash to go to college and I just never replaced them. I did get a Marlin 1894 in .44 mag. as I figured it is cheaper to load and I really don't need a .45-70 but of course the .45-70 can be loaded down quite easily and as said, projectiles can range from round ball to over 500 gr. and all work well. My 1894 is "blessed" with 1:38" twist rifling and I tend to like heavy boolits so lately I have been leaning towards either faster twist .44 mag. or the .45-70 because I like it or 444 Marlin because I have lots of .44 moulds and effectively, handloaded in a fast twist barrel it is as good or almost as good as .45-70. The CVA's are 1:20" twist for all the above calibers.

Anyway, I haven't handled a CVA Hunter as no-one stocks then locally but like I said from what I have read function and accuracy seems to be decent so I'd be interested in actually handling one. I might get one yet.

I'll be interested in feedback you get here as well.

Longbow

[Lonegun1894]

I love the .45-70 round itself, and have used it in various H&Rs, mostly a Buffalo Classic that a friend now owns, and a Marlin 1895. The round itself is very versatile and I doubt you'll be disappointed. As to the gun, I have never fired or even handled CVAs .45-70, but a friend owns the .44 Mag version, and as Longbow said, the finish is "utility grade". However, the gun shot much better than I expected, and grouped very well with several different loads we had laying around. So much so that I have been toying with the idea of picking up either a .44 or a .45-70 for myself.

[Ferryboatcaptain]

I love the .45-70 round itself, and have used it in various H&Rs, mostly a Buffalo Classic that a friend now owns, and a Marlin 1895. The round itself is very versatile and I doubt you'll be disappointed. As to the gun, I have never fired or even handled CVAs .45-70, but a friend owns the .44 Mag version, and as Longbow said, the finish is "utility grade". However, the gun shot much better than I expected, and grouped very well with several different loads we had laying around. So much so that I have been toying with the idea of picking up either a .44 or a .45-70 for myself.

I did see where the cva has a lifetime warranty I believe . I hope my state of Arkansas someday allows single shot big bore rifles during muzzleloader season . Making my own cast bullets and lube is what got me fired up for a 45-70 . The cva should be good for what I'm looking for . If I get one I will be sure to report on here how it works out . FBC

[06ackley]

I have the cva scout in 45-70 and I really like it. Its accurate with both jacketed and cast. It's a cheap gun that shoots like one that costs a lot more money. I bought my daughter the scout in 35rem and that thing is a tack driver.

[Mk42gunner]

I picked up and looked at one of the CVA .45-70's in a semi-local gunshop a few months ago. (I did not buy it). It seemed like a decent enough utility grade gun; but it sure was strange seeing CVA on a cartridge gun.

My first muzzleloader kit gun was a CVA Kentucky pistol in .45 caliber when I was 13 years old. I shot a lot of starlings with that gun over the years. Lots of enjoyment for $33.

Robert

[gunauthor]

I own two CVA Hunters, one in 450 Bushmaster (in my opinion it is a modern 45-70) and a 20 gauge rifled slug gun. I also own an H&R Handi-rifle in 45-70 so I am familiar with that caliber. I think it would be hard to go wrong with either the 450 or 45-70, they both do a fine job (guess I just like to make big holes in stuff). I do prefer the CVA over the H&R as I believe the CVA is better built and more accurate. Buy the CVA in a big caliber, you'll be happy !!!!!!

[steve urquell]

CVAs are built by Bergara. My V2 is a .300BLK. Trigger pull is crisp and ~2.5lbs. Shoots 1/2" groups at 100yds and 1/4" groups at 50yds with factory supersonic and cheap subsonic reloads. Action feels like a tank. You won't regret buying one as a shooter. Really well built gun.

[Win94ae]

Worst purchase I ever made. When I first bought the rifle I loved it. My first groups were at 150 yards, shot great, about an inch at 150 yards.
It shot great until the 20th shot or so; then it continued shot great groups, just that the POI was 18 inches different.

The barrel started corroding during one hunting season.

I tried every fix, different scope different loads, bullets, I even drilled and tapped the barrel for iron sights, nothing worked. I greatly suspect the buttstock to be the culprit, it is ill fitting and of poor craftsmanship. I tried to bed the stock, but it resulted in 12 inch groups, of the same POI.

I'm still trying to come up with a plan, I don't have very much hope for it... maybe a better stock. :/



It still makes me sick to my stomach.

[TCLouis]

Ferryboatcaptain

In 45-70 I'm betting it will get frisky, with upper level Trapdoor loads.

I have a scout/hunter, forget which in 7-08.

It as held up to a bunch of cast and coated bullets traveling the length of the barrel.
I too recommend the 340 grain Lee boolit.
Why waste 65 grains of lead every shot and the 340 shot well for me.

Win94AE
Only thing to do with that worthless piece of wasted metal is box it up and send it to my dealer freight collect.
I will properly take care of it.

[dh2]

I have the CVA scout in 35 Whelen and I do like it. it preforms as well as any factory rifle that I own, Last fall it did come in handy, I had an accident and got my right arm and wrist rebuilt by a surgeon, the light recoil from the break kept me in action for deer and bear season,
a 444 Marlin may be coming soon or if a 45-70 found it,s way home with me I would not complain

[KLR]

I have a CVA Hunter in 45-70 and had one in 35 Remington. My dad also has one in 35 Remington. All have great triggers and are accurate.

The 45-70 is great fun with light loads. I'd recommend it.

[Win94ae]

Win94AE
Only thing to do with that worthless piece of wasted metal is box it up and send it to my dealer freight collect.
I will properly take care of it.

Good thing I didn't send it for possible destruction, because I got it shooting well... hopefully.



I still need to shoot it more, just in case the POI shifts again; but it is a lot better than it was with previous bedding jobs.

Wish me luck!

So most likely my stance has changed 180°.

[TCLouis]

FANTASTIC, I love to see a gun, load and shooter all gel into one.

Glad to see it all come together for you. Nothing worse than having a gun that will not shoot and wonder why.
Some I have had were easy to find good loads for and others were VERY picky about what they would accept to"deliver the goods".

Go forth and make meat . . . well I guess wait til fall and season . . . .

[jednorris]

I have four .45/70 Black Powder Cartridge Rifles with fairly heavy barrels and I love shooting them. Then I mistakenly bought a .45/70 Browning "Traditional Hunter" that had a standard barrel and it kicked my butt shooting 405 gr. bullets. I loaded some 300 gr. bullets with 11 gr. of Unique and enjoy shooting it. Light guns, light bullets.