Cva Electra Reviews: When the U.S. Army started the Wounded Warrior Program, it aimed to help people who had been injured while serving in the military return to civilian life more fully. Hunting and fishing are two of the many sports available as part of the Veterans Administration’s rehabilitation program. At the request of a wounded warrior, I hosted a deer hunt at my home for a firearms writer and Vietnam veteran.
Hunter, Sgt. Deen’s son was only 13 at the time and had yet to take his first deer, as it turned out. The answer Hunter gave when asked if he wanted to go on this hunt with his father was a resounding yes. We couldn’t locate a time when he would be able to get out of school early enough to join us for the entire weekend hunt. However many deer I have, killing one at a time can be dangerous. If we could spend as much time “on standby” as possible, our chances of success would be greater. Billy Deen, a former Sgt. who now lives in Ellerslie, Georgia, accepted my invitation.
On a November Friday, Hunter’s school let out early. The Deens were able to drive from Western to Central Georgia in time for a muzzleloader check on the final day of Georgia’s muzzleloader season. Sgt. Deen was having difficulty firing the CVA Electra since it was unfamiliar to him, while Hunter had no such issues. To make the most of Hunter’s size and strength at 13, his father agreed that he would use his bolt-action cartridge rifle the following morning when the regular hunting season began.
When the gun is ready to fire, a red light will Flash
A shot rang out when I was about halfway back to their stand. Sgt. Deen’s statement, “He’s down,” came right after this shot. I arrived at the shooting range just in time to see the deer stroll up alongside me. It would be an understatement to say that Hunter was excited. He and his father had watched the deer approach from more than 200 yards out and approach the blind from a distance of 40 yards. During the thrill of spotting his first deer, Hunter failed to switch on his electric rifle and then tried to pull the trigger before removing the safety, which resulted in a misfire.
At least 50 yards from the blind, the buck collapsed after being struck by a strong combination of Hodgdon Magnum Triple Seven and CVA AeroLite 300-grain bullets. Our trek to the deer was fraught with anxiety for Hunter, who had just come down from the blind. As we got closer to the deer, he overcame his usual fear of speaking into a microphone and agreed to let me record what he had to say. “Hovey’s Outdoor Adventures” initially aired on November 7, 2011, on WebTalkRadio.net, and these can be heard on the broadcast.) Click the live link to the show under the banner at www.hoveysmith.com to hear it. A drop-down option will appear under the “Archived Shows” heading if the show isn’t currently airing and you can access it that way.
Hunter had been shot, and he and his father dragged the deer to my vehicle. After their mother urged them to “Mount that deer,” the two spent the entire cleaning and capping the deer. A 2-year-old 5-point buck with an asymmetrical rack was shot. I wouldn’t have shot this buck, but I promised Hunter he could take any buck he saw. For a first deer, I think he was a great buck, and I was glad to be a part of the hunt. While he waited for an unobstructed shot, the deer moved and became partially hidden by a limb. “Flushes” were a common problem for Hunter, but his dad was there to help him through it discreetly.
What kind of propellant is used with CVA Electra?
If you have an Electra, any of the options listed above will get you out to 150 yards with ease. Black powder is the simplest to start a fire with. I’m not sure what kind of temperature Electra’s spark reaches, but if you want to burn all the powder, I recommend using black powder. However, t7 is the easiest to clean and will perform just as well at the 150-yard range that you are aiming for as other calibers will.
Deer were not spotted on the following day’s hunt. I demonstrated to the Deens how to butcher and package a deer, create a deer burger and a custom sausage with less salt, relatively little pepper, and no cure after the quartered animal had been on ice overnight. When mixed with any vegetables, the outcome is a low-fat, healthier fresh sausage that can be served as is or included in a one-pot meal.
Many of my works, such as “Badyard Deer Hunting,” “Crossbow Hunting,” and “Practical Bowfiying,” feature this type of hunt and the subsequent processing of the deer into meals. You can find all of these publications, as well as my blogs, at www.hoveysmith.com. More than 100 YouTube videos on weapons, hunting, and wild-game preparation are also available.
This revolver by Cabela’s is Stainless Buffalo
On the opposite side of such a vast area The Cabela’s Buffalo Stainless Percussion Revolver in.44-caliber was my weapon of choice, so I sat on the ground to keep an eye out for a deer trail. My “sports” and I were on our way back to the house as the sun began to set.
What follows is an excerpt from the CVA Electra Manual
Muzzleloaders manufactured by the CVA Electra may hold up to 150 volume equivalent grains of pelletized powder as their “magnum charge” (typically charges of loose powder exceeding 110 grains will not fully burn in the barrel). The propellant options available to muzzleloader shooters are often limited. The now-discontinued Electra rifle is still available from Sportsman’s Guide for prices ranging from $200 to $170 as of November 2011. It is unlikely that these firearms will be reissued in the future. To be deemed safe, only the following propellants should be used:
BLACKPOWDER – Blackpowder comes in a variety of granulations (the average size of each powder particle) and is rated as FG, FFG, FFFG, and FFFFG. Your CVA MUZZLELOADING RIFLE should only be loaded with FFG POWDER or its equivalent granulation of black powder substitute. Pressures may rise over acceptable levels if alternative granulations are used.
Substitutes for black powder have been discovered that are safer and cleaner-burning, making them ideal for your Electra muzzleloader. For example, Hodgdon’s Pyrodex and Triple Seven are currently available, as are American Pioneer Powder, Goex Pinnacle, and Black Mag3TM. Granular and pellet forms are available for some of them. It’s crucial to keep in mind that identical propellant and bullet combinations will produce different results in different guns.
The Electra responds differently to each of these black powder alternatives. When it comes to cleaning, some propellants may be more difficult to remove than others. Others, such as those that burn cleanly, may not be as accurate. That’s why you should experiment with different propellants to find which one works best for you, according to CVA. The lengths that the shot will travel, the weather, how easy it will be to clean, and other variables should all be taken into account.
