Why is it the least expensive ML rifles I own………………

[Timber Wolf]

Shoot the best for me? I had this thought yesterday as I was shooting a new-to-me .45 T/C Hawken picked up at a Gun Show a few weeks ago. I bought it as part of a combo deal with an unmentionable (rhymes with block) and think I got a good deal on the pair. I am into the T/C for somewhere between $225 and $250-$275 depending on how one portions out the money but close enough. Dang thing was loaded with a conical of some fashion and what looked like Pyrodex. It was easily enough pulled but seems to have left a rough spot down in the bore where the powder was. At any rate the gun is really nice otherwise and has the best trigger I own. It breaks clean and light and is really too light, I had a premature discharge shooting it off-hand yesterday but was safely on paper just not where i wanted to be. Still, my first two off the bench (25 meters) were 2” right. A slight sight adjustment had the next three touching or very close about 2” high. Should be perfect for our Woods Walk.

My other inexpensive rifle is also a .45, an old “Made In USA” CVA Mountain Rifle. I bought it a few years ago and am into it for $125 as I recall. Dang thing makes me look good is all I can say. I tied last year’s Turkey Shoot with it, being one of the few to hit the 100 yard gong. Too be honest, I can’t see well enough to shoot 100 yards, or even 25 with iron sights. So to do as well as I do with these guns makes me feel it has to be some magic baked into the rifles, it can’t be me.

 

[Sam squanch]

Old CVA barrels were accurate, it was the lock and stocks that were questionable.

 

[Rifleman1776]

"factory made" doesn't necessarily mean bad shooters. TCs and the CVA Mountain Rifle are good performers. They are just butt ugly and obscenities' to the eye of the traditionalist.

 

[Frontier's]

The Spanish make an excellent shooting rifle barrel plain and simple.

The mountain rifle is a fine looking rifle, especially an early model with the tiger maple.

 

[Hatchet-Jack]

You didn't mention what you are comparing them too but maybe it's something to do with the LOP fitting you well and them being straight stocks?

 

[yellowhammer]

You didn't mention what you are comparing them too but maybe it's something to do with the LOP fitting you well and them being straight stocks?

No, he's right, it's more than just fitment or ergos. I have an expensive custom and 2 inexpensive Spanish guns; all fit me well. The Spanish guns produce much smaller groups - and I mean MUCH smaller.

 

[Comfortably_Numb]

I don't keep any inexpensive guns here.

 

[Hatchet-Jack]

No, he's right, it's more than just fitment or ergos.

Oh so what is it then?

 

[wiscoaster]

I don't keep any inexpensive guns here.

That's because they're all hand-made, not factory production guns, right?

 

[yellowhammer]

Oh so what is it then?

Spanish juju, I guess ...

 

[Felonious]

"factory made" doesn't necessarily mean bad shooters. TCs and the CVA Mountain Rifle are good performers. They are just butt ugly and obscenities' to the eye of the traditionalist.

I've got a modern factory CVA, with zero modifications and it's able to consistently hit a 4x4 plate at 200 yards or so. It can definitely outshoot me.

Factory made stuff is only getting better and better now.

 

[kyron4]

The Spanish make an excellent shooting rifle barrel plain and simple.

The mountain rifle is a fine looking rifle, especially an early model with the tiger maple.

No complaints here

(Traditions Springfield Hawken )

 

[ETipp]

My wife has a .50 CVA Hawken. It’s very accurate.

Dad had .45 CVA Hawken. It too, was very accurate. He also had a .50 TC Hawken that was very accurate.

I’ve owned a .54 TC Renegade and a . 50 TC Renegade. Both were accurate.

Now own .50 TC New Englander that is quite accurate.

Also have a Tratitions Crockett and it will shoot about as accurate as I can but it is fussy about shooter form.

My .54 Lyman Great Plains Rifle is very accurate, looks awesome and is built like a tank.

It is true that the CVA’s appear to be a bit on the cheaply made side, but they are accurate nonetheless.

All the TC’s are solid and look very good IMO.

None of the above were problem children.

For this ole boy, as long as a ML is accurate and reliable, then all is well. No animal I have killed with any of mine has ever complained about my ML’s being cheap looking or ugly.

They are hunting tools with reliability being key.

.54 Lyman GPR 75 yards. The shot at 9:00 was an ooops. I wasn’t ready to pull the trigger.

.32 Tratitions Crockett on the right.

Good Nuff.

 

[Howard Pippin]

A 25 dollar .45 percussion Italian made 1 in 60 that wasn't cleaned for 20 years. Cleaned up fairly good and outshoots all my .50s 1 in 48 rifles.

 

[yellowhammer]

I don't keep any inexpensive guns here.

I don't keep any inaccurate guns here.

"Only accurate guns are interesting."
- COL Townsend Whelen

 

[smokeum54]

Shot mostly cva in competition for 20 years. I'll put them up against ANY other barrels.

 

[yellowhammer]

Shot with my Shenandoah today (dupe; posted in another thread):

(50 yds, .490 ball, 50 gr Goex 2F, red pillow ticking, Muzzle Magic lube)

 

[Urban Coyote]

No complaints here

(Traditions Springfield Hawken )

You stole my thunder. I have two, a 1:48 and a 1:66. I've not shot the 1:48 much. The 1:66 had never been sighted in as best I could tell. I've got the front sight filed down to hit just about the elevation I want, still a hair low. It's a remarkable shooter, right in there with yours using very similar loads. I have a grand total of about $250 into the pair. That's cheap entertainment as shooting goes.