What a pig

[mtnbkr]

My Encore Muzzleloader, that is.

It weighs 14.5lbs unloaded.  The same frame and stock with a 26" factory heavy barrel 300WM with a larger scope is only 9.5lbs.

I hate dragging it around the woods, but it's nice to shoot off the bench with 120gr loads.

If I ever find another 209x50 barrel cheap, I'm going to have it chopped to 20" and use it with open sights only for a "lightweight" build.

Chris

[griz]

Why is it so heavy?  I would have guessed that all the metal removed for that big bore would make it lighter.  You don't have a truck axle for a ramrod do you?

[Ben]

Wow. My .54 cal Great Plains rifle is  I think 9 1/2lbs. I can definitely see yours being a pain to carry around brush busting.

[AJ Dual]

Why is it so heavy?  I would have guessed that all the metal removed for that big bore would make it lighter.  You don't have a truck axle for a ramrod do you?

It's to better simulate the "olden days" when you had to carry it uphill, both ways, to hunt.

[mtnbkr]

Dunno.

The barrel is close to the same OD as my 300wm barrel, but has a larger hole through the center.  The barrel also includes the two metal thimbles that hold the ramrod, as well as two metal standoffs for the stock that don't exist on the centerfire barrels.  The ramrod is the factory aluminum.

I doubt there's 5lbs of metal between the thimbles, standoffs, and ramrod though.  There's also the breech plug, but that's maybe 1/4lb?

I guess the barrel is enough larger OD-wise that it matters. 

Chris

[charby]

For the around to price of a barrel you can pick up a complete rifle

http://cva.com/CVA-Store-View.php?id=608

I got one and love it, shoots minute of coffee cup at 100 yards, good enough to kill deer.

[mtnbkr]

For the around to price of a barrel you can pick up a complete rifle

http://cva.com/CVA-Store-View.php?id=608

I got one and love it, shoots minute of coffee cup at 100 yards, good enough to kill deer.

Encore 209x50 barrels are cheaper than that. 

Chris

[charby]

Encore 209x50 barrels are cheaper than that. 

Chris

It thought they were around $300 for the barrel.

The base CVA Optima is under $300 pretty much everywhere, even down to $250 if you start looking.

$260 at Sportsman's Warehouse

[mtnbkr]

It thought they were around $300 for the barrel.

The base CVA Optima is under $300 pretty much everywhere, even down to $250 if you start looking.

$260 at Sportsman's Warehouse

MSRP is probably $300, but you can get them on Ebay pretty cheap.  I bought my stainless steel one with forend from Ebay for about $220 shipped.  I know where I can get one NIB for $215 if I want a 2nd one.  I'll get one to modify if I stumble across one for $150 or less.

It's too late in the year to mess with a new gun.  Season opens in a bit over a month and I don't have time to work up a load for another gun, assuming I'd want to buy another one anyway.

If that gun is as light as they say, it'll probably boot the snot out of me.  Recoil with full power loads is stout in mine at 14lbs. 

Chris

[charby]

If that gun is as light as they say, it'll probably boot the snot out of me.  Recoil with full power loads is stout in mine at 14lbs. 

Chris

I shoot 110g of Blackhorn 209 with a 290g Barnes Spitfire TMZ in my CVA Optima. Recoil isn't bad, less than a .30-06.

[mtnbkr]

Ok, I don't know how my scale gave me 14.5lbs before, but it's showing 10lbs now.  Because I wanted to know where the weight was in this gun, I separated the barrel from the action and weighed each component separately.  When the barrel/forend weighed in at just under 6lbs, scope at 1lbs, and action with stock at a bit over 3lbs.  Even reassembled, it was only weighing in at 10lbs.  I think what was happening was that the gun was hanging oddly and levering against the scale (using my bow scale).  The 300wm barrel, forend, and scope is only .5lbs lighter than the muzzleloader barrel set, which corresponds to the 9.5lb total gun weight.

Much better...

Chris

[Boomhauer]

I was about to say, 14.5 pounds sounded a bit high!

[roo_ster]

It thought they were around $300 for the barrel.

The base CVA Optima is under $300 pretty much everywhere, even down to $250 if you start looking.

$260 at Sportsman's Warehouse

Hmm maybe i ought to get me one.

[charby]

Ok, I don't know how my scale gave me 14.5lbs before, but it's showing 10lbs now.  Because I wanted to know where the weight was in this gun, I separated the barrel from the action and weighed each component separately.  When the barrel/forend weighed in at just under 6lbs, scope at 1lbs, and action with stock at a bit over 3lbs.  Even reassembled, it was only weighing in at 10lbs.  I think what was happening was that the gun was hanging oddly and levering against the scale (using my bow scale).  The 300wm barrel, forend, and scope is only .5lbs lighter than the muzzleloader barrel set, which corresponds to the 9.5lb total gun weight.

Much better...

Chris

Come shoot my .300 wm, it weighs 7.5#.

[French G.]

I'm reminded of hunting with my match M-1A. The carrying part gets old quickly.

[mtnbkr]

Come shoot my .300 wm, it weighs 7.5#.

My 9.5lb 300wm is quite enough thank you very much.

Chris

[K Frame]

Wanna try a 1.5 ounce slug out of my Ithaca Featherlight?

It's special!

[charby]

Wanna try a 1.5 ounce slug out of my Ithaca Featherlight?

It's special!

I'm already cringing my annual range session with the slug gun to make sure it is still sighted in for Dec deer season.

[mtnbkr]

Wanna try a 1.5 ounce slug out of my Ithaca Featherlight?

It's special!

It was just as special when I did the same thing with an H&R single shot.  The bruising was special too.

Chris

[French G.]

Wanna try a 1.5 ounce slug out of my Ithaca Featherlight?

It's special!

I got a used Featherweight Police Special. I decided to see what slug did the best out of the thing. 50 slugs in one night at an indoor range. Ow.

[brimic]

I'm reminded of hunting with my match M-1A. The carrying part gets old quickly.

There's a reason why people build or buy range carts. My ar-15 service rifle is rediculously heavy.

[K Frame]

It was just as special when I did the same thing with an H&R single shot.  The bruising was special too.

Chris

Wimp!