Thompson, CVA or Traditions?

MadDog

MadDog

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So ya, never shot an inline muzzleloader in my life but from what I hear they are going to open a one week muzzleloader season in my area.

Almost hit the buy button on a Traditions inline and read some reviews, now I don't know which way to go.

Not looking at spending more than $500 on one right now because one I don't know if the season is going to actually happen yet and two what if I don't like them.

What are the pro's and cons or actually any review on any of the three will do me alot of good on making a decision on what brand to buy.

Thanks for any help guys.
 
I bought a TC inline a few years ago to hunt the primitive weapons season at Camp Wainwright, I think mine is called the Triumph? Not sure if they still produce that model or not?
It works really good. The in-lines are nice to shoot, easy to clean with the removable breech plug and you can use black powder equivalent powders/pellets in them as well. With a scope on these rifles are quite accurate and you can get some good range on them. I last deer I took with mine was at 175 yards.

Edit: You can shoot sabots in these as well which is nice as they can be very accurate.
 
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Thompson Center's guns are made in the United States out of modern ordnance steel. That would make TC my first choice.
(I've shot Spanish-made muzzle loaders (CVA and Lyman) for decades with no issues, but have owned TC and the quality with TC is noticeably better).

As for in-line rifles, my only experience was with one made by Norinco (I think it was a CVA copy). After a few shots the "wood" that they used for the stock split down the middle (an action screw split it like a wedge). That, plus the fact that the threads in the breach plug were obviously deforming (after only three shooting sessions) (soft steel?), led me to return it to the dealer. That's why the idea of quality steel strikes me as being vital with this type of firearm.
 
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Getting one with a stainless barrel is advantageous. CVA Accura or Optima would fit your bill. I have an Optima, I consider it a well executed piece of kit.
 
I've got an older traditions Yukon. It is junk but it goes boom every time, holds a zero for the past 15 years. I think the newer ones have better barrels. When it fails I'll upgrade.
 
I have an older traditions vortek with a 28” cerakote barrel and accelerator breach plug. It is super easy to clean, very accurate, and pleasant to shoot with the ported barrel. It has filled a lot of whitetail tags, and has taken the odd coyote.
 
I’ve been thru a few inlines since 2005 when I got bit by the BP bug. Been going strong with Thompson Center as well as their traditional. I had the same Traditions as mentioned with the ported barrel but traded it off. The only CVA I have is a .50 Pennsylvania percussion long rifle. My goto’s are my TC Encore and Omega w/Nikon Omega scope, both 50. I’m generally flipping coins every fall as to which I take har har. They all kill game well. I have a virgin .58 Green Mtn bbl on a TC .54 stock and slow 1:70 twist just waiting to help fill the freezer one of these falls as well.
I had a TC Impact which by all means is a very capable inline however the Encore and Omega felt better. Which ever you chose will do what it was intended for.
 
One thing to watch is the fit....I was lucky enough to find a store that had a good variety of MLs and when holding and sighting over the barrel (wearing a heavy winter coat as it is a Dec hunt) , I found the Traditions Pursuit Pro fit my arm length the best. My shorter buddy bought the CVA Omega.
 
I have 5 front stuffers. My favorite is traditions buckstalker. It is by far the least accurate gun i own but it just fits perfect. Ive taken 4 of my top 5 bucks with it. At best its 3" 3 shot group at 100 yards but often will print 5" 5 shot groups.
Its cheap and reliable and good enough for deer hunting in the small wood lots i use it in
 
Goex said:
One thing to watch is the fit....I was lucky enough to find a store that had a good variety of MLs and when holding and sighting over the barrel (wearing a heavy winter coat as it is a Dec
hunt) , I found the Traditions Pursuit Pro fit my arm length the best. My shorter buddy bought the CVA Omega.
Click to expand...

CVA OPTIMA had to have been what you meant ;) CVA does not make an Omega, AFAIK Thompson Center is the only coy that made the Omega model.
Either way, you made a good point. Fit!! She’s gotta feel just right in the shoulder. Best to go to your LGS and hold a few before pulling the trigger on a purchase ;)
 
had a TRADITION POURSUIT hingpin problems ..TRADITION PRO loose hing pin ..got a THOMPSON ENCORE and hingpin wore out got loose accuracy went way out ,,now i have a CVA wolf stainless and use it only for hunting ..very satisfied [it also has a hingpin like all of the break open ML ..] if you want to keep it accurate use it only for hunting .other wise the hingpin will wear out ..
 
They all make good firearms, but I’ve come to like my CVA best. The optima with a nitride barrel is very forgiving on a late cleaning (not that anyone would put cleaning off) and has a lifetime warranty. What ever way you go I think you’ll have fun with inlines.
 
I used to own a TC Omega and worked on a friend's. Both had what could be described as "snug" bores - was a bit of a challenge to find the thinnest possible sabots in order to be able to reload it after two or three shots. As per Internet reading, is no actual "standard" bore size for what everyone sells as "50 caliber" - and, of course, I ended up with the one mostly known as "tightest" bore - so like 0.495" groove. I had read some brands as large as 0.505" groove, and still called "50 caliber".

I could load a newly scrubbed spotless bore with the yellow sabots that came with the rifle in the kit. By third shot, I do not think was possible to even use a hammer and punch to get a sabot down that bore, without a thorough scrub. Other guys, with other brands, never had even close to that issue. Something to discover at a range, not while watching your buck hit the bush on the run ...
 
Had 2 different traditions over the years and sold them off after a few deer and seasons with each. Then moved up to a tc pro hunter. What an improvement over a traditions. I now own 2 t/c pro hunters and a brother now owns one as well (he was previously using traditions). I also have a knight ultralight which is amazing but hard to find for some reason.
 
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