RandolH
Member
I was exiting my garage yesterday and the UPS man walked right up to me and handed me a long, large heavy box. He turned around and walked on out o the driveway before I could ask him anything or even check the name on the box.
The package did have my name on it and came from Connecticut Valley Arms. Strange, I thought to myself, I haven't ordered anything from these guys. I bought my first rifle from them through wal-mart over a year ago, a .50cal bobcat muzzleloader but haven't had any contact with them since I sent my ramrod down range about a month after having the thing.
I open the box and lo and behold, a brand new CVA Firebolt 209 magnum inline with a synthetic stock, elevation and windage adjustable sights, sling swivels and 20 powerbelt bullets. This has to be a mistake. I call up CVA and it turns out that I was drawn as a winner in a contest I entered into almost a year ago. A quick check of the packing slip confirmed this
Like I said, I've shot blackpowder for over a year now, I shot a blackpowder rifle before I shot a cartridge rifle. I've built and shot my own pistol from a kit. In-line is not something I've ever even seen aside from on the store shelf and maybe from the discarded shotshell primer at the range.
http://www.cva.com/company/contest.htm I'm the winner from May of 2004
I'm happy even though I have to buy a bunch of new accessories for this to work (a jag, short starter, bore brush, .440 round ball and shotshell primers just off the top of my head). I can't say I'm upset for having to go visit the gun store though.
Does anyone here have experience with in-lines? None of the guys I shoot with will touch them and I'm half afraid of being chased off of the blackpowder range . I think given the circumstances though I might be forgiven for bringing it to our muzzleloader shoot at the end of the month just to sight in, not to compete.
I'm not much of a hunter myself and this gun seems like it is going to be expensive to feed as a target or plinking. From what I understand because of the fast and deep rifling (1 in 28) patched round ball isn't going to work as well, and conicals seem to be a bit on the pricey side. I've got a ted cash 209 capper and some .45 caliber buffalo ball-ets coming from thunder ridge. I don't think that shooting my FFF or FF blackpowder is going to hurt it. Is there anything anyone can reccomend me? I'm taking this thing out to the range on Friday and want to do as much research as I can.
Pictures: Linked for size
http://locker.uky.edu/~rwhoop2/inline/wrench.jpg Nipple or breech plug wrench,
http://locker.uky.edu/~rwhoop2/inline/ammo.jpg Powerbelt bullets
http://locker.uky.edu/~rwhoop2/inline/door.jpg picture taken next to door for an idea of size.
http://locker.uky.edu/~rwhoop2/inline/finish.jpg I tried to get a good picture of the nickel finish here, but I don't think it worked. You can see the weird neon/fluorescent sights the thing has. I've not had any experience with these but they're very nice just from sighting down them.
http://locker.uky.edu/~rwhoop2/inline/lock.jpg gives you an idea of what the lock looks like. The bolt cocks when you turn it up, and you pull it back to put the shotshell primer in place.
http://locker.uky.edu/~rwhoop2/inline/box.jpg a picture of the rifle in the factory box.
http://locker.uky.edu/~rwhoop2/inline/primer.jpg picture of what the primer looks like with a quarter and a #11 primer for comparison. The 209 shotshell primer is on the left with a #11 on the right.
The package did have my name on it and came from Connecticut Valley Arms. Strange, I thought to myself, I haven't ordered anything from these guys. I bought my first rifle from them through wal-mart over a year ago, a .50cal bobcat muzzleloader but haven't had any contact with them since I sent my ramrod down range about a month after having the thing.
I open the box and lo and behold, a brand new CVA Firebolt 209 magnum inline with a synthetic stock, elevation and windage adjustable sights, sling swivels and 20 powerbelt bullets. This has to be a mistake. I call up CVA and it turns out that I was drawn as a winner in a contest I entered into almost a year ago. A quick check of the packing slip confirmed this
Like I said, I've shot blackpowder for over a year now, I shot a blackpowder rifle before I shot a cartridge rifle. I've built and shot my own pistol from a kit. In-line is not something I've ever even seen aside from on the store shelf and maybe from the discarded shotshell primer at the range.
http://www.cva.com/company/contest.htm I'm the winner from May of 2004
I'm happy even though I have to buy a bunch of new accessories for this to work (a jag, short starter, bore brush, .440 round ball and shotshell primers just off the top of my head). I can't say I'm upset for having to go visit the gun store though.
Does anyone here have experience with in-lines? None of the guys I shoot with will touch them and I'm half afraid of being chased off of the blackpowder range . I think given the circumstances though I might be forgiven for bringing it to our muzzleloader shoot at the end of the month just to sight in, not to compete.
I'm not much of a hunter myself and this gun seems like it is going to be expensive to feed as a target or plinking. From what I understand because of the fast and deep rifling (1 in 28) patched round ball isn't going to work as well, and conicals seem to be a bit on the pricey side. I've got a ted cash 209 capper and some .45 caliber buffalo ball-ets coming from thunder ridge. I don't think that shooting my FFF or FF blackpowder is going to hurt it. Is there anything anyone can reccomend me? I'm taking this thing out to the range on Friday and want to do as much research as I can.
Pictures: Linked for size
http://locker.uky.edu/~rwhoop2/inline/wrench.jpg Nipple or breech plug wrench,
http://locker.uky.edu/~rwhoop2/inline/ammo.jpg Powerbelt bullets
http://locker.uky.edu/~rwhoop2/inline/door.jpg picture taken next to door for an idea of size.
http://locker.uky.edu/~rwhoop2/inline/finish.jpg I tried to get a good picture of the nickel finish here, but I don't think it worked. You can see the weird neon/fluorescent sights the thing has. I've not had any experience with these but they're very nice just from sighting down them.
http://locker.uky.edu/~rwhoop2/inline/lock.jpg gives you an idea of what the lock looks like. The bolt cocks when you turn it up, and you pull it back to put the shotshell primer in place.
http://locker.uky.edu/~rwhoop2/inline/box.jpg a picture of the rifle in the factory box.
http://locker.uky.edu/~rwhoop2/inline/primer.jpg picture of what the primer looks like with a quarter and a #11 primer for comparison. The 209 shotshell primer is on the left with a #11 on the right.