Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Single Shots CVA in 35 whelen

Anyone have one of these? What is the good and bad?

I have two of the CVA single shots. A .243 and a .223. Both have been 100% reliable, and very, very accurate. This is me last fall, with the little .243 in the Osceola NF in Florida. It's a proven killer on hogs and deer.

Sam you don't look much different than when we took our deer walk about in Wy a few years back !

I bought one in 44 MAG and have been delighted with function, appearance, and accuracy.

Years ago, I bought a lightly used Winchester 670 in 30-06 and sent it to JES for reboring to 35 Whelen. Other work included Magna-Porting to eliminate muzzle jump and reduce recoil, adding a Limb saver butt pad. Great rifle and not for sale. CVA builds quality into their rifles. I'm sure that your choice will be a good one.

Sherwood

I'm on the hunt for a 223 if anyone knows of one. Would also take a 223 barrel for the Apex.

I had a CVA Hunter in .35 Rem that was reamed to .358 Win. Recoil was so harsh that I sold it and went back to .357 MAX. I can't imagine the recoil of a .35 Whelan in a 5.5 lb rifle.

I have the older CVA Apex SS in 35 Whelen. It was designed to be a switch barrel competitor for the Encore. They dropped that line in favor of a less expensive design that wasn’t switchable. Mine came out of the box with a great 3lb trigger. Action locks up nicely. I find accuracy to be best if you are consistent with your speed of action closure. Mine gets a decent snap to shut it. Handloads at 358win levels are all I need for deer and hogs inside 250yds.

I was wondering just how brutal the 35 Whelan would be in a short, light rifle like the CVA. I cannot imagine it being much fun.

I have the CVA Scout .45-70 shoots the Hornady Leverevolution 325 FTX good,very accurate.L looked at both the .444 Marlin and .35 Whelen but decided to go .45-70.

Just setting mine up now
I have the Scout V2 with the heavy fluted barrel and the improved trigger
The barrel is 23" with a 2" brake added to it from the factory, a muzzle thread protector is included

Rifle weight by my digital scale is 8lbs in the 35 Whelen

I have everything in hand except the scope and rings, both are Burris, I went with the Droptine scope for the EER over the FullField II

I actually found 35 Whelen brass and Dies. I resized some from 270 and 30-06 just because that is one of the advantages of the caliber, I would not recommend trying it without a really strong press and bench.
I took the 270 up to 30-06 then 35 Whelen there is a neck length advantage of a couple of 1/100ths just like I had read..

I found .358 Interlock in 200 grain using them for barrel break in and fireforming, hopefully I will find some Barnes 225 TSX before season comes around next fall

First loads are built over a light 57gr charge of IMR-4320 will break in the barrel as soon as the scope gets here, then dial in the scope pretty closr with the next 20 built on the 30-06 cases
I am saving the 35 Whelen cases for actual ladder loads with the Barnes I hope to find

I was pretty impressed with the smoothness of the bore from the factory, I will probably still lap it after the break in but I suspect I will only need the 600 grit


First loads

Nice, let us know how it shoots

200gr. Hornady Inter-loks and IMR 3031 are your huckleberry, very accurate and deadly on whitetails. I found my load in Ken Waters' Pet Loads, it is moderate and should not beat you up in that rifle. A Pachmyer Decelerator pad would be a great addition.

I’ve kilt a truckload of deer with my encore 35 wheeler.

Bud of mine has the cva. Older, guess v1.

Both shoot great.


I shoot the factory loaded Barnes vor-tx 180gr TTSX.

I really like those.

Guys thanks for the input on this! I recently inherited a Optima Elite with 45cal BP barrel and a Bergera 30-06 barrel and am keen to see how it does

Finally all up and got a break in the rain to fire off first 21 rounds breaking in the barrel

I used the Burris Signature rings and started moving the zero by switching in the different inserts figured I would at least get close before using the Scope adjustments





First 3 rounds stacked low and left at 25 yards



I cleaned the barrel and changed to a +5 insert at the rear and a -10 insert at the rear




I messed with it every 3 shots cleaning the barrel after each set by the time I got out to 100 yards I was shooting just about 1 inch high and still holding less than a 1 inch group

The way I figured the BDC and their program, if I get the loads I want shooting where I want, I need to zero at 140yds be at 200 on the first pip 300 on the next one and 400 on the next. If I can get close to that I will be ecstatic.



Trigger is crisp and pretty light, I didn't gauge it yet but I bet it is 3.5ish lbs
Everything works as expected, recoil is light with the brake, and these are light loads on the ladder..
Once I get some 225's in hand I will work a hunting load up

Next week I will finish fireforming at least 20 more

Nice setup.

I like those short guns when woods hunting.

I have the CVA Hunter in 35 Remington and it's a sweet little tack driver.

I've had a Scout v1 35 Whelen since 2013 for primitive season, laws changed gets carried pretty much all season since.
Begarra was making the barrels for the Scouts at the time thought was worth a try, I like how it shoots.
35 Whelen recoil in a 5.5 lb rifle, mine did get a 11oz Mercury Recoil suppressor in butt stock kicks like
a 243/7-08 after.
Have no regrets on purchase good bang for buck.

I bought the CVA Scout TD in 350 Legend last week. Sports a 20" fluted stainless barrel and threaded on the end. Only have 20 rounds through it and its all factory 180 grain bullets. I have dies and a little brass on hand and 147 grain bullets coming next week. Like said above, nice trigger, light weight and pretty darn accurate. Only con is it kinda hard to open at times but I'm hoping that will get better with use.

I have a bunch of the youth models. They are great for kids and I use them too. Light and handy, they are great for youth, packing and truck guns.

1) originally 223 rebored to 358 and chambered to 357 max. I later rechambered again to 357 Herret, cut it to 17" and had an integral break cut into the last inch. I never shot it before the rebore. It shoots well under MOA.

2) 7mm-08 bone stock. Shoots well under MOA.

3) 35rem bone stock. Shoots well under MOA.

4) 35rem rechambered to a wildcat that amounts to a 35x57 but drastically improved. It matches 35 Whelen ballistics in a 20" barrel. It also shoots sub MOA. Recoil gets your attention, but its manageable. Topped with 200gr TTSX, it crushes big pigs.

Each of them is the $200 Academy (sporting goods store in Texas) special youth model and I'm convinced they are easily the best value in guns out there.