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    Archive for the ‘cva’ Category

    Increasing Your Odds For Elk By using A Muzzleloader

    moreJuly 14th, 2010 by admin

    By: Chad Schearer
    Many western states have seasons dedicated to hunting with a muzzleloader.  In fact many of the tags can be drawn easier with a muzzleloader than when applying for a special rifle tag.  There are also benefits to applying with a muzzleloader in Colorado; for example, in certain parts if you draw the Muzzleloading permit you are allowed to hunt with a muzzleloader during the elk rut (along side of bowhunters).  Arizona and New Mexico also have excellent seasons and their Fish and Game Departments are very hunter friendly when it comes to the equipment that they allow you to use. 

    Today’s modern muzzleloaders have come a long way since the days of Daniel Boone and Davy Crockett.  Though I still enjoy shooting the more primitive flintlock and caplock style muzzleloaders it is hard to beat the new modern inline muzzleloaders like the CVA Accura V2.  They are easier to load, easier to shoot, are more reliable in fowl weather and of course they are much easier to clean. 

    Before you purchase a new muzzleloader      
    Not every state in the West is equal when it comes to muzzleloader regulations.  So before you purchase your next muzzleloader you need to know what is legal in the state you intend to hunt.  As far as muzzleloaders go, states like Oregon, Washington and Idaho have much stricter equipment laws than you will find in Arizona or New Mexico.  For example, a muzzleloader that is legal in Arizona, New Mexico and Colorado may not be legal in Oregon, Washington and Idaho.  Many of these laws have to do with the breach plug.  The northwestern states require that the cap or primer must be exposed.  Therefore guns like the CVA Apex, T/C Encore, Knight Shadow or other break action guns with muzzleloader barrels would not be legal.  Most of the bolt action style muzzleloaders fit the description of exposed breech.  A good example of a gun like this is the CVA Elkhorn Pro.  Some of the other laws you may also see in one or more of these states are no scopes are allowed on muzzleloaders and one state goes as far as saying no fiber optic sights.  Minimum calibers are also something not to overlook.  You can hunt elk with a .45 caliber in Arizona and New Mexico but not in Arizona.  Don’t let this discourage you just make sure you know what is legal in the state you plan to hunt in prior to purchasing a new muzzleloader.  Remember laws are always subject to change so consult the states regulations prior to making your final decision. 

    Don’t just limit yourself to elk for better tags
    Start researching the best areas for drawing a muzzleloader tag.  Don’t just think that prized elk tags are the only thing to apply for; Kansas, Iowa, and Oklahoma have great deer seasons where you can use your muzzleloader.  Start at the range now so you are ready when that muzzleloader tag arrives in the mail   

    If you don’t want to spend the time doing research for the best areas there is an outfitter who specializes in this.  Van Hale of Trophy Outfitters www.trophyoutfittersonline.com has a licensing service that will apply you in the best areas for elk and other game.  If you draw the special muzzleloading tag you can hunt on your own or hire them to guide you in the best areas.

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    LOADING YOUR CVA MUZZLELOADER FOR ELK HUNTING

    moreJuly 12th, 2010 by admin

    By: Chad Schearer

    When preparing for an elk hunt many people focus on physical preparation, packing the right gear, scouting and practicing their calling.  All of which are very important but there is one key step when hunting with a muzzleloader that is often overlooked.  That step is how to properly load your muzzleloader for maximum accuracy.

     Recently O’Neill Williams and I had the opportunity to participate in the new “Muzzleloading Basics” DVD production.  I was reminded of some of the basic principles that lay a foundation for successful muzzleloading. 

    Safety First

    Check to make sure that your CVA muzzleloader is unloaded.  If this is a new muzzleloader to you or you are unfamiliar with your muzzleloader you may have to remove the breech plug to make sure it is unloaded.  (It is always a good idea to mark your ramrod with something like an ink marker so you can tell if there is a load in the barrel.) 

    Fouling your Barrel

    Once you are sure there is not a load in your CVA muzzleloader fire a few primers down your barrel to make sure that there are no oils or moisture in your breech plug or barrel which could cause a misfire.  This step will also help with the fouling of your barrel.  Fouling your barrel is an important part of the loading process.  With some guns a couple of primers will be all it takes to foul the barrel, for others you may want to shoot a standard load with a bullet to get consistent fouling.  I have found that some guns shoot better with a dirtier barrel where other will like a cleaner barrel.  

    Measuring your powder accurately

    Fortunately for us, many blackpowder substitutes like IMR WhiteHots or Pyrodex Pellets come in pre-measured form making it very simple to load our CVA muzzleloaders.  Never exceed more powder than what your owner’s manual suggests.  If you choose to you loose powder, use a volume measurer as directed in your owner’s manual and not a scale. When a manufacturer mentions using 100 grains of powder they are referring to a volume measurement not a weight measurement.  Always read your owners manual and never use smokeless powder in a blackpowder muzzleloader.   

     Consistent loading pressures increase accuracy

    Seating your bullet in the same place every time increases accuracy.  How do you do this?  I mentioned marking your ramrod previously to tell if your CVA muzzleloader is unloaded or not.  Load your muzzleloader with load you are going to hunt with and mark your ramrod at the muzzle.  That way each time you load your muzzleloader you can tell the bullet is consistently seated.  Make sure if you are using pelletized powder not to push to hard and crush the pellets.  But, make sure you apply enough pressure to seat the bullet against the powder.        

     Should you swab in between shots?

    You will find that some muzzleloaders shoot better if they have a dirty barrel while others like less fowling in the barrel.  I prefer shooting a dirty barrel; however, if I am shooting a saboted bullet I will swab between shots because of the plastic residue left in the barrel making it difficult if not impossible to load the gun after two or three shots.  If you shoot a fouled barrel at the range then shoot a fouled barrel while hunting.    To achieve the best accuracy stay consistent with your loading.  Start with a three shot group swabbing (running a saliva soaked patch) in between shots.  Then try shooting your gun dirty (not swabbing between shots).  It is not necessary to use a cleaning agent in between shots.  With modern in-lines using PowerBelts or sabots bore butter is not recommended.

    Some people ask if they should you rid the barrel of moisture and gunk with a cap after each shot?  This is not necessary as the primer will just make the barrel dirtier.

     Start close to your target

    To make sure you are achieving consistent loading start close to your target.  I like to start at 25 yards to make sure I am getting good results.  Then I move to 100 yards and start with a 3 shot group.  If you get the results you are satisfied with you are good to go.  If you do not you may want to start by adjusting the load you are using.  You may have to adjust the amount of powder you use and or increase to a heavier bullet to reach optimum results.  The more time you spend at the range with a new muzzleloader the more confident you become for your upcoming hunt.  Just like center-fire rifles, muzzleloaders will have their favorite load too. 

     Learn more than just the basics

    CVA has announced that it is releasing a new instructional video called “Muzzleloading Basics.”  This video, featuring TV personalities O’Neill Williams and myself, covers everything that shooters need to know regarding the safe and effective use of modern muzzleloading rifles.  The video will be made available at no charge to Hunter Education Instructors.  It will also be available to consumers as DVDs sold by CVA retailers or watch it free on www.cva.com.

     The topics covered in “Muzzleloading Basics” include:  Types of Muzzleloaders, Propellants, Projectiles, Ignition Systems, Accessories, Safety Precautions, Loading, Shooting, and Cleaning.  

    Use the above tips and this new DVD to get more consistent accuracy on you next bear hunt.

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    A Muzzleloader Elk Hunt to Remember with Chad Schearer

    moreMay 20th, 2010 by admin

    Editor’s Note: Chad Schearer of Montana co-hosts the “Shoot Straight with Chad Schearer” TV show with his wife, Marsha, and his two sons, Walker and Wyatt. He owned and guided for Central Montana Outfitters for 15 years.

     Question: Chad, tell us about one of your most-memorable muzzleloader hunts for elk.

    Schearer: I was hunting in Arizona, and we’d called-in 40-different bulls but never could find the one we wanted. Finally, we located a bull out in the flats with his cows. We stalked-in on him and used sparse scrub oaks as cover. We had to do some belly crawling to get-in tight to this bull and his cows. This hunt was during the second estrus of the rut, and this old bull was following his cows. I started doing some cow calling, and the bull came toward us.

     Finally, I was able to get a shot at the bull, but I missed. I don’t know why, but I shot over him. I was shooting a .45-caliber CVA rifle. I’d never missed an elk with that gun. When the bull whirled around, he didn’t know which way to run. He didn’t know from which direction the shot came. Immediately, I started cow-calling again, and at the same time, leaned my .45-caliber CVA rifle sideways, used a speedloader and started reloading. The bull elk couldn’t see me, since I was up against some oak brush. The cows walked within 5 yards of me and never saw or smelled me. The bull followed the cows. When the bull was close enough, I shot, and the bull dropped in his tracks. This hunt was the most-memorable I’d ever been on, because it was the first time I’d ever shot at an elk, missed, had the chance to reload and then shoot again to take him. Generally, actually almost always, an elk hunt elk is a one-shot hunt, unless you have to use a follow-up shot to finally put the bull down.

     Here are some interesting tips that may help you this upcoming elk season.

    * Immediately start cow-calling if you shoot and miss. The bull doesn’t realize what’s happened, and he may not know where you’re located. You have nothing to lose by cow-calling right after the shot, and if the bull isn’t terrified, you may be lucky like I was and be able to get off a second shot.

    * Keep your head in the game, until you touch the elk’s antlers. Some guys may throw a temper tantrum (stomping the ground, screaming, hollering and getting upset) after they miss. However, like Yogi Berra, the great baseball catcher, once said, “It ain’t over, till it’s over.” As long as you can see the elk, and even if you can’t see the elk after the shot, continue to try to call him, until you know for certain the bull’s totally spooked.

    * Always carry speedloaders. You may have an opportunity for a second shot – if not at the same elk, then at another elk. Keep those speedloaders where you can reach them quickly and easily with minimal motion, so you can reload as quickly as possible without being seen.

    Don’t get me wrong; I was extremely lucky on this muzzleloader elk hunt. Even if you don’t do everything right after missing the shot, you too may be able to get lucky.

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    Preparing for your Elk Hunt with Your CVA Accura and CVA Apex with Chad Schearer

    moreMay 13th, 2010 by admin

    Editor’s Note: Avid outdoorsman Chad Schearer co-hosts “Shoot Straight with Chad Schearer,” with his wife, Marsha, and his two sons, Walker and Wyatt, which airs on the Sportsman Channel, Fox Sports South and CBS in Montana. He owned and guided for Central Montana Outfitters for 15 years.

    Question: Chad, where have you guided for elk?

    Schearer: I’ve guided and hunted for elk in Montana, New Mexico and Idaho.

    Question: With elk season starting in October, what does an elk hunter need to do now to get ready for elk season?

    Schearer: The biggest key to taking an elk with muzzleloader is being able to get to the elk. Now’s the time to start getting in shape for elk season. You need to start walking several miles a day. If you’re really serious about getting in shape, you can’t beat riding a mountain bike. Don’t use the mountain bike only for leisurely rides. You’ve got to push your body to some extremes when you’re peddling that bike, which means to peddle on the bike most of the time.

    But before you begin getting into shape for elk season, I strongly recommend you have a checkup with your doctor to make sure your heart can handle a stressful elk hunt. In some places you hunt elk, you may be going up 10,000 feet or more where the oxygen is thinner. On some hunts, you may have to walk 8 to 10 miles to catch up to the elk. So you really need to be in shape for that kind of physical hunting. If you don’t live in a place with steep mountains or high elevation, you can get in shape by going to a football stadium and climbing those stairs, or by finding some deep draws and climb those draws. You really need to be walking up and down steep terrain, because more than likely, that’s the kind of terrain you’ll have to hunt to take a nice elk. If you’ll be riding a horse, I’d strongly recommend you go to a stable and start riding horses some right now. You use different muscles when you’re riding than when you’re walking. So, you need to get your riding muscles in shape. When you go elk hunting with a muzzleloader, you want to be able to do what you have to do in order to find and take the elk you came out to hunt.

    Question: As we get our bodies in shape, what should we be doing with our Muzzleloader rifles to practice for elk season? What rifle, powder and bullets do you recommend for elk hunting?

    Schearer: I use two rifles for elk hunting – the CVA Accura and the CVA Apex. Now’s the time to start shooting your gun and learning which powder and bullet your gun shoots most accurately. Also, you need to know what restrictions blackpowder hunters are under in the area where you’ll be hunting. For instance, if you’re going to hunt elk in Colorado, you have to use loose powder and PowerBelt bullets, but you can’t use any saboted types of bullets. You also have to use open sights and can’t use a riflescope. When you’re shooting open sights, more than likely, you won’t be shooting over 100 yards. If I’m hunting in Colorado, I’ll use 100 to 120 grains of loose Pyrodex powder and a 338-grain bullet. However, if I’m hunting in New Mexico or Arizona, I’ll probably be shooting a .45 CVA rifle, because a .45 is really a flat-shooting gun that I feel is better than the .50 when you’re shooting in flat terrain. If I’m shooting the .45 caliber, I’ll shoot a magnum charge of .150 grains of pelleted powder. I’ll use a 275-grain PowerBelt bullet, and I can shoot out to 200 yards with this load. I like to use a Winchester Triple Se7en Primer.

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    Interchangeable Barrels for Western Game Hunting

    moreMarch 29th, 2010 by admin

    Editor’s Note: Outdoor TV personality Chad Schearer of Great Falls, Montana, has guided clients to mule deer and elk each season as well as hunted on his own. Today, he’s the host of the “Shoot Straight with Chad Schearer” television show presented by CVA that airs on the Sportsman Channel, Fox Sports South, the Lonestar Network and CBS Montana.

    Question: Chad, you hunt all over the West. When you owned Central Montana Outfitters, you guided hunters to elk, as well as mule deer. What gun and powder charge do you recommend for taking elk?

    Schearer: I suggest using either the CVA Accura V2 or the CVA  Apex. But if you’re looking for a less-expensive Muzzleloader, you can take elk with a CVA Optima or even a CVA Wolf. One of the advantages CVA has over many other Muzzleloading-rifle companies is CVA has quality, accurate rifles to accommodate every hunter. The load I suggest for elk is 150 grains of powder. However, I once took a moose with only 100 grains of powder in my CVA Muzzleloading rifle. I recommend 150 grains of powder, because you may have to shoot further for elk than you often do for moose. In years past when I guided hunters to take elk, I preferred that they used 338-grain PowerBelt Platinum bullets and Winchester Triple Se7en primer.

    Question: You hunt a wide variety of game. What gun and Bergara barrels will you often carry on most of your hunts?

    Schearer: Besides the muzzleloading barrels, I like the Bergara .300 Win Mag barrel, especially when I’m hunting in the West. That .300 Win Mag is a good all-around caliber, and it’s very-flat shooting and versatile. I load with 180-grain Winchester Supreme Ballistic Silvertip ammo. We took a number of animals this year, including a kudu my wife Marsha took in Africa, elk, whitetails, mule deer and most of the other western-game species. The Bergara barrel in the .300 Win Mag is really flat shooting. If I only could carry one extra barrel besides my muzzleloading barrel for the CVA Apex, I’d take the .300 Win Mag. Too, I like the CVA Accura because on several hunts this year, we had the opportunity to take varmints and coyotes. The Accura’s .22-.250 barrel is really nice for taking these animals. I use a Konus 3×9 riflescope on this barrel. So, I can take one Apex and three barrels (a .22-.250, a .300 Win Mag and a .50-caliber muzzleloader barrel) with me and hunt any game I want to in the West.

    Question: When you’re changing barrels, do you also change scopes?

    Schearer: No, I don’t. I mount the scopes on the barrels and then sight-in the rifle with that barrel and scope. So, all I have to do is take one barrel and scope off the Apex and put another barrel and scope on that same Apex frame, and I’m already sighted-in and ready to hunt. I’ve found that the scope stays on target when I change out a barrel, and I won’t have any issues. If you move a scope to different barrels, you have to re-sight your gun every time you take a scope from one barrel and put it on another. I’ve found that it’s more convenient to keep the scope on a barrel and then just change out the barrel and the scope at one time.

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    Taking Big Game with Chad Schearer and CVA Muzzleloader Rifles

    moreMarch 24th, 2010 by admin

    Editor’s Note: Chad Schearer of Great Falls, Montana, former owner and operator of Central Montana Outfitters, guided clients to mule deer and elk each season as well as hunted on his own. Today, Schearer is host of the “Shoot Straight with Chad Schearer” television show presented by CVA Muzzleloaders that airs on the Sportsman Channel, Fox Sports South, the Lonestar Network and CBS Montana.

    Question: Chad, which CVA rifle are you hunting with now, and how are you loading it?

    Schearer: The situation and the game I’m hunting dictate the rifle I use. I hunt with the CVA Apex quite a bit, because it allows me to change barrels and keep the same rifle frame. With the Apex, I can hunt for deer or varmints, just by using different barrels. But when I’m using the Apex as a muzzleloader, I’ll load with either 100- or 150-grain PowerBelt bullets. I like IMR White Hots pellets. If I’m doing a whitetail hunt, I’ll use either a 245- up to a 295-grain PowerBelt bullet. If I’m hunting elk and shooting a .45 barrel, I’ll use a 275-grain bullet. If I’m shooting the .50 barrel, I’ll use either a 295- to as large as a 348-grain bullet. I like either the PowerBelt or the PowerBelt Platinum bullets the best, and I really like the Winchester 777 Primer. I’ve experimented with all different types of primers, and the Winchester primers give me the most-consistent ignitions. I’ve been extremely successful using that primer the last several years.

    Question: One of the selling points with the CVA rifles is the Bergara barrels and the accuracy they deliver, even out to extended ranges. What’s the longest shot you’ve ever taken successfully with a CVA rifle?

    Schearer: The longest shot I’ve ever seen with a CVA rifle was made by my wife Marsha on a Montana antelope hunt. We’d been stalking these antelope for a while, while hunting late in the season. The antelope were somewhat spooky. The closest we could get to them out on the prairie was 239 yards. I ranged the buck that Marsha planned to try to take with my Bushnell rangefinder. Marsha knew this gun really well and had shot it plenty of times. The gun was a .45, and she’d shot it enough that she knew where to put the crosshairs to allow for the drop of the bullet. When she squeezed the trigger, the antelope fell-over stone-cold dead.

    My personal-best long-range shot with a CVA rifle is 214 yards. On that hunt, I was also hunting antelope, using a CVA Kodiak Pro that time. I had to belly-crawl across an alfalfa field to even get that close to this exceptional antelope. I was confident just before I pulled the trigger that the bullet would hit where I expected it to on the antelope. Let me explain: I don’t recommend that everyone take a 200-yard shot with a muzzleloader. But Marsha and I live in an area that’s open and flat where we can practice shots at 200 yards and more. We know what the ballistics are for each of the blackpowder guns we shoot. For instance, with the CVA .45 rifle, if you sight-in with 150 grains of powder, and use a 275-grain PowerBelt bullet, and you’re shooting 3-inches high at 100 yards, you’ll be dead-on at 150 yards. The bullet will drop between 7-9 inches at 200 yards. Even at 200 yards, with a bullet that size there’s plenty of kinetic energy to put an animal down quickly. I’ve actually been on hunts where we were filming other people shooting, and they’ve taken bull elk with CVA .45 rifles with the same loads I’m talking about at 209 yards. When the bullet arrived, it had plenty of energy to take the elk down.

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    Electra Elk Muzzleloading with CVA Pro Staffer Terry Oertwig

    moreOctober 7th, 2009 by admin

    Editor’s Note: Terry Oertwig of Purdin, Missouri, a CVA Pro Staff member, hunts big game nationwide and worldwide with his CVA Electra. We’ve asked Oertwig why he has so much confidence in the CVA Electra and to give us some first-hand reports on how the Electra has performed for him when he’s hunting elk.

    CVA Muzzleloader Elk Hunting

    Question: Terry, why do you have so much confidence in the CVA Electra?
    Oertwig: I’ve found it to be the most-accurate muzzleloader I’ve ever shot. It’s easy to clean, it’s lightweight, and with the ambidextrous composite stock, hunters can shoot this muzzleloader right- or left-handed. I was really pleased with the trigger and the light trigger pull. The Electra has everything I’ve wanted in a high-quality muzzleloading rifle.

    Question: Are you ever concerned about the ignition system on the Electra?
    Oertwig: No, because the safeguards on the Electra show when the battery is working properly, and when the battery gets low. The battery life in the Electra lasts 600 hours, if it’s not turned-off, or for 500 shots. That’s more shots than most people will shoot in a lifetime.

    Elk Hunting w/ CVA Muzzleloader

    Question: Tell me about your elk hunt with the CVA Electra.
    Oertwig: I was hunting out West, and the weather was really windy. Although we’d seen several elk, I hadn’t spotted one I wanted to take. Finally, we saw a really-nice bull down in a bowl. I liked this bull because he had whale-tail-shaped antlers. Instead of his antlers going straight-up, they grew backwards. When we first saw the bull, he was scratching his rear end with the tips of his antlers, which really impressed me. As I was getting into a shooting position, the bull winded us and went down into a valley where a river flowed. The guide followed the elk. The elk came out of the river bottom and moved out behind some brush. We followed that bull for about 1/2-mile before he looked back to try and see us. When the elk couldn’t spot us, he turned sideways. I took the shot when he was at about 70 yards. I could tell the bullet hit the bull hard. He ran 30 to 40 yards to a lone cedar tree and fought that tree with his rack until he thought he’d whipped it. Then, he took one step back and fell over dead.

    Question: Where did the bullet enter the bull?
    Oertwig: It entered the chest cavity and went right through both lungs.

    Question: Were you ever concerned about the Electra igniting the powder?
    Oertwig: No. I knew I could depend on the CVA Electra and its patent-pending ARC Electronic Ignition. I’ve shot close to 1500 rounds through the CVA Electra and have never had a problem. I do clean my Electra after the shot. The CVA Electra is far better than any blackpowder rifle I’ve ever shot.

    Check back soon for more information on CVA Muzzleloaders & elk hunting.

    1 Comment »

    Welcome to the Elk Hunting Blog by CVA Muzzleloading Hunters

    moreSeptember 24th, 2009 by admin

    Welcome to the brand new Elk Hunting Blog, brought to you by the expert muzzleloaders at CVA. This blog is specifically about elk hunting, so you won’t find any posts here about deer, boar or any other wild game hunting. Elk hunting has its own intricacies, and this is where we at CVA will come to discuss how to hunt Elk.

    We’d also like to be able to answer any questions you have about elk hunting with a muzzleloader, so feel free to leave any questions in the comments section. If the question is one that many people may have, we’ll even turn it into a full blog post. So please, leave your questions in the comments section on this or any other post and a CVA muzzleloader expert will be able to assist you.

    11 Comments »