Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Muzzleloaders Anyone have any CVA Apex experience?

I don't care what you've read. Tell me about your first hand experience shooting the apex with muzzleloader barrel. Accuracy, load info, effective distance to kill an elk, etc.

I can buy one on clearance right now at cabelas for $450. Good price?

I currently have one and its a tack driver. I use 120 grains BH 209 and a 250gr Barnes TEZ bullet. Leupold Ultimate Slam 3-9-40.
I've killed 2 whitetails both 150yds pass through and dropped in there tracks.
Good Luck hope this helps

I have two. One is one of the very early version in .50 caliber. It is a very good shooter and I've sighted it 2" high at 100 yards using 95 grains volumetric BH209, .451 300 grain Speer Uni-Cor, Harvester CR sabot, Win209A. Accurate and consistent from season to season. I would not hesitate to shoot a deer/elk sized animal out to about 130 yards as is, but would need to practice more at longer distances to be confident. The limit on yardage is me, not the rifle.

I have another newer model which I bought lightly used. It is .45 caliber and I've really not shot it to test it out. I did invest in a 2x oversized Bellm hinge pin which made a remarkable difference in the tightness of the rifle. I expect it to shoot at least as well as the .50 cal.

The newer .45 caliber is on the left.

Very nice rifles that fit my build perfectly. The triggers on both are very good - crisp, clean "breaking glass" type actuation. They are a little heavier than some alternates you might look at. If you were going to do a LOT of walking I might recommend a lighter choice such as the Accura MR. http://www.rrarms.com/cva-accura-mr-rifle-50-25-w-shield-rt-max-1-w-scope-mt.html

The one thing I would probably change on the Apex is to give it a firing pin assembly as easily removed as those on the Accura and Optima rifles. The Apex assembly is removed from the hammer side and requires a 2.5mm BALL head hex wrench. It's a bit awkward to remove and reinstall.

450 is a very good price and would be hard to beat.

Below is a pretty typical example of 100 yard groups with the .50 and my hunting load.







Two bucks taken in nearly the same spot using the .50 Apex and the load listed. Both were between 75 and 90 yards distance. Both dropped like rocks.

Finally, here is a review I did right after getting the .50 caliber in 2009. http://home.mchsi.com/~rltsr/Apex.htm The second page shows some of my initial load testing and you will see (if you look carefully at those confusing targets) why I chose the load I did as my go-to load.

Thanks Underclocked. That's real helpful. You may have just sealed the deal for me.

I own two Apex,as well as three Optimas and two TC Ecncores and i'll take the Apex any day.There's one on Gunbroker right now with a .270 barrel for $400 and often muzzleloader barrels available there for $100.That would give you a great combo for $500.I just built my second one that way,got the 50 cal barrel for $100 and brand new frame online for $214 and the forend for $28 giving me the complete outfit for less than $350

I have been trying to get a rimfire barrel and shotgun barrel for mine, but have be told that they are not available and will probably never be available. That Apex box lists rimfire compatibility, but no barrels can be ordered. Really disappointed in CVA for misleading information. Will never buy again.

Bargara barrels have them also seen them at a gun show also

No they don't. Got an email today. They quit making the rimfire years ago and even though they took my money for a slug barrel yesterday, today I was informed that slug barrels are not made and I should be getting a refund soon. Ken Morgan of CVA informed me. Will be looking for a T/C. Makes me wonder about CVA though. I don't trust them.

Before you go with T/C check out these guys:http://www.lhrsportingarms.com/index.html

They are former T/C guys that started their own company. Looks interesting. I with there was a local dealer for them so I can put my eyes and hands on one and see how it feels.

I bought mine only thinking to use them as muzzleloaders so the barrel issue hasn't been of much concern for me. As much as I like the Apex, I think it is probably on its way out of their lineup. EDIT: just heard directly from CVA this is incorrect -- the Apex is here to stay. They are also going to make a sincere effort very soon to do something about the shortage of barrels in various calibers.

I am considering a .270 barrel and forearm though - simply because I can buy them at a great price right now. My Tikka .270 gets lonely from lack of use.

I just got email from CVA pretty much stating the same thing. Big meeting on March 12 to resolve barrel availability on Apex. Hopefully they will actually start making the barrels they advertise. Bergara seems to make more barrels for T/C then they do for their own company. The Redemption looks nice for a ml. Will have to look into them also.

Shot a 10 point at 167 TDS with mine last year. Fantastic ML.

Randy Wakeman does......

Fixed it for you . GFY troll

my dad loves his.