Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Muzzleloaders New knight rifles

Green Mountain Barrels are still making them. They are using 1-28" twist rate. Also they started testing with Dyna Tek coatings in August 2008, they started actually coating all barrels inside and out in 2011 according to Blue Book.


"In my opinion" I dislike the way Traditions feel with their Tupperware stocks, even dislike my CVA Elk Hunter Pro with a chromoly button pulled Bergara barrel. Not to say it doesn't hit the mark at the range but the thing rattles in my hands with a stiff charge. My Knight handles the same charges like a solid piece of 416 SS stress relieved steal should. So in my opinion if I'm heading out into the wilderness on a hunt that is costing me out the wazoo then I'm taking the gun I know can get-r-done.

Oh look. Here he is plugging YET AGAIN.

Anybody else see a pattern here?

Just because he plugs CVA doesn't mean what he's saying is wrong.

Nothing at all wrong with new CVA's. I've had more problems with Knight's and TC's.

Let me ask you again

Where did i say NEW CVAs used extruded steel barrels?

Try reading my posts again. I even stated NEW ones ARE NOT.

The old barrels were extruded steel and better off used as a tomato stake. Some old Douglas ML barrels were junk too.

Sure i slammed CVA for selling junk for YEARS and making cheap copies. The Kodiak was a cheap copy of the T/C Omega. CVA made millions selling junk for years and ripping off other peoples idea and patents.

Now they make a far better product with the profits they made from the years before. Its too bad they sent out thousands of Accura MRs with a finish that pealed and chipped in the box before finally going to nitride.

My point is, CVA is relatively new to the high quality end of the spectrum when compared to Knight or Green Mountain barrels. Buying some equipment from Shilen and getting his endorsement will not make them a tier 1 company in just a few years.

They have a long way to go and to catch up in terms of quality control. The new Knight has some issues too and some of their older models that where made to compete with imports were plain junk. Those models are long gone. Most of the tried and true models that made Knight famous are still going strong.

Ive got Knights that are over 12 years old and shoot as good or better than new. I dont think anyone really wants a old CVA from a similar time that has an extruded barrel vs their NEW rifles...Maybe that is whey they quit making them...huh

I called CVA once about powder recommendations. They allow 3 pellets but not 3FG. The tech could not tell me why. He did tell me using ANY 3FG would void the warranty. Well anyone with half a brain can figure out 3 T7 pellets makes more pressure than 100gr of 3FG T7.

My talks with a tech at Knight named Sam were far less evasive. He knew his products well. They have no such powder restriction and neither does Hodgdon. Ive found techs at Green Mountain to also be very helpful. I cant even get Bergara to answer a simple email regarding a European model question. Those Euro Apex laminate stocks look nice but they are not offered here.

The coating they used was pretty bad. However, they tried to make it good. You can trade in your chipped gun for a new Nitride gun now.

Yep and if they offered an Accura MR in 45cal, i would probably give it a try even although im not a big fan of break actions. One thing ive seen though on the CVA 45s is the bore varies way too much for my tastes. If they were mostly between .450 and .452 i would not really care.

Ive seen a Accura 45 with a .452+ and heard of more than one Apex 45 that was around .454. Savage had the same issue but there are far more sabot choices for 50cals. Lots of Savages also had pretty rough bores. Thats why i got a new barrel for mine. Its exactly as advertised and smooth as glass the entire length.

They may be honed but i see no evidence a new CVA Bergara barrel is air gauged or even stress relieved. The tech i spoke with could not tell me the answer either. He could only tell me the ones with Bergara on the barrel go through an additional honing process.

GM barrels are air gauged and stress relieved. They have been for a very long time. Ive found a few over sized but at least they were the same or super close the entire length. Its pretty hard to completely get around that with button rifling. Cut rifling can be far more precise and only a few GM ML barrels were cut rifled.

I'd like a .45 too, but in my case I could only use it on deer. It's illegal for elk in my state.

I'll never say anything bad about GM. They make a fine barrel, and it's one of the things I like about Knights. I've only had one GM barrel, and it was a drop in for a Renegade. It really shot good.

Make it easy, go with the biggest caliber and you wont have anything to complain about

GMs biggest mistake was discontinuing IBS, Sharpshooter and LRH barrels. They were a damn good barrel for the money. The LRH or Sharpshooter barrels were cut rifling too just like the BPCR barrels.

A few of the Knights used a GM cut rifle barrel such as the 45cal 1-18 DISC Target model. Some early 52cals may also been cut rifling and very early Master Hunters. One of the odd ball MKs in 45cal may also have been cut.

I prefer Douglas for my inlines but they are not the best. Ive just had great luck with them for a button rifle barrel. Very uniform and not overly picky about loads.

No such thing as the best IMO. Something always comes along to be a little better and its then the BEST even though its just a tad bit better.

Well not to throw a wrench into it but when I got my KP1 GM 50 cal barrel brand new from Knight it was still packed with metal and thickened oil residue. Took me a while to clean it up but she came clean. It does have just a slight tight spot at the base but the rest of the barrel is sized the same. I would dare to assume that it was a cut rifling barrel for this to happen. Left a message with krwarranty about it today.

I thought most larger barrels from GM were mainly cut rifling?

thats why i am so anal when it comes to new guns. I preach so much about CLEANING them out properly. I know a ton of guys that just swab the bore and think its good to go. They dont bother to think about the shavings inside the action, breech plug theads and the nasty oils they use to keep rust away while its in storage.

I really dont know much about the KP1 other than a new version is supposed to be released.

Im fairly sure the vast majority of Knight barrels were button rifled. Cut rifling is usually more expensive and sometimes reserved for odd or custom twist rates. Each caliber and twist requires its own button to be made.

For example, if i wanted a 1-24 twist 45 from Pacnor they would charge me for the button too. Thats like an extra $200. If i order one from Brux its the same price because its single point cut and there is no custom button to buy.

You can choose your twist
http://bruxbarrels.com/downloads/orderform.pdf

You can choose from the twists they offer 450x458 8 groove 10" 14" 15" 18" 20" 22" 26"
http://pac-nor.com/barrels/

Well here's a kicker. Talked to Knight and they said they have never had an issue like what I explained. Kind of a moronic response considering they are only selling bits and parts of stock they weren't supposed to be selling according to the paten. They gave me the number to the previous owner/correspondent in regard to my particular issue with the barrel, well what does that matter if he isn't the owner or the company that sold it to me?????....Talk about passing the buck right there. And to boot they don't have another replacement!

So then I talked to Branch Meanley, said he'll fix my trigger of my KP1 after I send it to him courtesy of krwarranty, it's the original side decock style and it's not setting some primers off. But as for my KP1 50 cal barrel he said that is a Knight issue, Knight are the ones that sold me the barrel. Also said something about there actually being different receivers and I know for a fact Knight didn't check into that when I purchased the barrel new.


So bottom line, Knight is still having customer service issues and they still are unaware of the products they are selling. Now maybe they still have some techs that can give some solid info, but the new higher ups.....well good luck. For me, well I'm stuck using sabots and Knight doesn't care because they disowned the KP1.

Sam at Knight is a good guy, but a PITA to deal with. He is unorganized, forgetful, and hard to get a hold of. I think he regularly has too much on his plate......

Your "particular issue with the barrel", being that it was dirty or the tight spot? How are you stuck with using sabots? Maybe I'm missing something you posted elsewhere?

As long as its snug where the projectiles seats, I'd stick with it. It could end up being worse with a replacement.

Since the new ownership, some more recent reports of Knights CS have been appalling. Sam in Iowa was great before. Not sure if he moved down to the new headquarters or what. I think there are two Sams at Knight now. One is not a smith as far as i know.

I would call Gordy Edwards and nicely voice your opinion to him. He can get things done when other efforts have failed.

I was very happy with the service I got when I ordered my rifle, especially considering that I ordered it through the Sportsman's Guide for about $150 under list price. The CS lady tracked my order and made sure I got just what I wanted.

They do, apparently, move folks around a bit during the slow season to save money.

The only gripe I have is that their website is a pain to use.

I'd gripe about their shipping charges too. They wanted to charge me $15 to ship one nipple, and $18 for two nipples. The $15 was bad enough, but does anybody think it cost more to ship two nipples over just one?