CVA Bobcat

[OptimaAndy]

Going to look at one a guy is selling this weekend. Its blued with synthetic stock in a 50cal. I know NOTHING about sidelock rifles. Could someone fill me in on what i should be looking for.

Also, How does one go about cleaning a gun like this? Theres no tip up barrel and breech plug to remove. I think i may be in over my head but i would like to try a gun like this.
I kow you pretty much have to stick with powder which is fine with me but what what would i use to ignite the powder and what kinda bullet/ball would work best.

thanks

 

[frontier gander]

super easy to clean andy.

they either have a 24 or 26" barrel, i forget which LOL. 1:48 twist, iron sights (adjustable) They can have a heavy trigger but its an easy $12 fix by installing an adjustable tumbler. Very light weight rifles, 6lbs. Deer Creek may also have extra barrels in stock, these being the 36cal and 54cal barrels along with the .50cals. They also have holes in the stock so you can put some sling studs in there.

Cleaning,
http://thepowerbeltforum.powerguild.net ... e-t358.htm

Heres what they look like

With a 295gr aerotip powerbelt, mine held a 2" group @ 100 yards all day long.

Powder, i always used Pyrodex RS. No issues at all with the gun not going off.

 

[kparrott]

Frontier Gander

That is a good write up, I'm going to do that tomorrow after I shoot.

As for the Bobcat, BUY IT! It is my first/only muzzleloader and it is easy to shoot. It weighs next to nothing and you can disassemble and reassemble easy.

It shoots great and is a fun little gun!

 

[cayuga]

I have a .54 caliber Mountain Stalker. The Mountain Stalker was Bass Pro's deal with CVA to sell Bobcats. Its a Bobcat with a different name. As already said, they are light weight which makes them nice to carry all day if your walking.

If you want to take the kick out of the rifle... I took the butt plate off mine, then took and pushed some rags into the hollow stock. I then took my kitchen vacuum sealer and with one of the bags, poured some bird shot into one of the bags. A little over a pound of it. I then vacuum sealed that bag. Put that bag in another bag and sealed that one as well. Then I form fitted the bird shot into the hollow stock of the rifle. After that, another rag and replaced the butt plate. The extra weight took all the bite out of that rifle and made it a pleasure to shoot.

The first year I got it, my friends teased me something terrible about that rifle. It was on sale for $39 or $59 dollars at Bass Pro. And since it was .54 caliber it was welcome in the stable. It took me one day to sight that rifle in. I went to my friends for a shooting match and after I was done shooting that day with my cheap rifle... they were all headed to the internet to get one for them self. But they were sold out. That fall I took three deer with it, shooting roundball. Not one deer went over twenty yards after being shot.

The following year I did put a set of fiber optic sights on it. It is my little walking rifle. A nice shooting rifle. And it shoots 85 grains of loose Triple Seven 2f and a .530 patched ball. As most shooters will tell you, that is a good hunting load. It plants them.

 

[OptimaAndy]

can these rifles shoot saboted bullets and conicles as well?

 

[frontier gander]

yep the twist is suited for conicals and round balls. It may shoot sabots but im not to sure.

 

[OptimaAndy]

i was looking at some great plains and whatnot on cabelas and they are all about a dollar per shot. Kinda steep. Balls are a little better, hornady balls around 15 per 100. what kinda patch do you use with balls?

BTW the PBs were priority mailed this afternoon.

 

[frontier gander]

thanks andy!!

.015 to .018 patches for the round balls.

 

[OptimaAndy]

How accurate are balls? Is there a definite yardage that you should not go past? What kinda KE do they carry? Like i said this sidelock, ball and patch thing is all new to me. Would the thor work in it?

 

[frontier gander]

i believe these will have the .499" bore. The thor wouldnt work in mine.

KE + round balls do not mix. A round ball kills by boring a hole through an animal and if it comes into contact with bone, it will flatten out somewhat.

The balls can be super accurate, 3inches @ 100 yards very good hunting accuracy with open sights and round ball. Anything out to 100 yards on deer size game is a goner.

 

[kparrott]

Andy,

Did you end up buying the gun? Here are my first few shots with mine, 30 yards off-hand. 90-grains powder, .15 patch, and .490 round ball.

 

[frontier gander]

heres the mountain rifle * same as the bobcat but has a fast 1:32 twist) with .015 patches and .490 round balls @ 50 yards.