Economy take down pack rifle

[bwframe]

I fooled around and bumped into some video on YouTube about the CVA Scout rifle. It looks light and breaks down relatively small. For the prices I see on these, it seems they are quite easy to say yes to?

I'm in indecision on caliber. I'm quite invested in .243, with pretty much everything needed to feed this potential buy over and over. If a .243 gun will shoot, I'm confident that I can build a load to optimize it. On the other hand, as much as I don't want to pick up another caliber to load for, the 6.5 Creedmore doesn't seem to be losing any favor? Might be a time to look into the new flavor of candy? Especially with a small investment in a single shot?

I already have an Encore, with a .243 28" Pro Hunter barrel. It put venison in the freezer last season and serves as a door gun that watches the 300 yard pasture behind me for coyotes and other varmints. There are arguments in my mind to just keep throwing money at Encore barrels and components, to build a smaller/lighter package, but I almost have to buy/build a second rifle to do what I want? That's where the allure of the cheap CVA Scout comes in.

To further complicate the issue, CVA's site is hard for me to determine what is still made vs discontinued. A dab of online reading looks as though CVA has discontinued a lot of things, including .243/6.5 Scout 14" pistol configurations. A whole other consideration, about a braced short barrel gun.

My mission is to have a breakdown light/short truck varmint deer legal rifle, that will effectively reach out a few hundred yards.

What are you guys thoughts on my rambling?

 

[snapping turtle]

The encore is more versatile.
the encore is most likely more accurate.

i Would Put money to a 18 inch 243 barrel that seems to be the your caliber of choice. Loosing barrel length does knock down the power of the 243 a bit. Get a chote folding stock.

my truck gun is a contender. Folding stock. 223 or 35 rem. 16 inch barrel. I reload for the barrel size using the old reloading for contender manual. I have a 21 inch 22 barrel and a 14 inch pistol barrel and have been searching for a 22 lr match super 16 for years. Might just have to have MGM make me one.

 

[bwframe]

The encore is more versatile.
the encore is most likely more accurate.

i Would Put money to a 18 inch 243 barrel that seems to be the your caliber of choice. Loosing barrel length does knock down the power of the 243 a bit. Get a chote folding stock.

my truck gun is a contender. Folding stock. 223 or 35 rem. 16 inch barrel. I reload for the barrel size using the old reloading for contender manual. I have a 21 inch 22 barrel and a 14 inch pistol barrel and have been searching for a 22 lr match super 16 for years. Might just have to have MGM make me one.

Sounds interesting. Didn't know there was a Contender loading manual. Is that still available?

I like that folding stock. I have wondered about looking into a long pistol barrel and braced pistol grip?

One thing to notice is that staying with the Encore platform is expensive. If they can still be found, the CVA Scout can be bought for the price of a new Encore barrel alone. Also the thought that I'd like to have a separate gun to live in the truck while keeping the back window rifle on guard.

 

[snapping turtle]

The loading for the contender pistol I going in the 1980’s at a gun show. Nice manual.

Still waiting the ultimate ruling on pistol braces but if ever a pistol could use a brace the contender or encore would be the one.

Nothing against the CVA scout. Their is a handi rifle also. MSRP on the scout in 243 is 418. Should be able to get an encore 243 barrel for that amount.

Trigger pull on the contender is better than the encore. The encore is probably better than the CVA scout.

Just a contender fanboy doing what fanboy’s do.

 

[bwframe]

Just a contender fanboy doing what fanboy’s do.

And I appreciate it! I'm sure I have been educated by other T/C related posts of yours over the years.

Understand the concern over the CVA Scout, I certainly have it also. Reports I have read is that their Bergara barrels perform reasonably and that their triggers are decent.

None of that matters though, if the Scouts cannot be found in the secondary market. I may be stuck pursuing another Encore rig, or just sticking with the one I have.

Looking for Encore barrels shows a lot of discontinued stock also. Didn't T/C get sold? Wonder what this means for parts going forward?

 

[Leadeye]

Old Winchester model 94 takedowns break down pretty short and are chambered in some hard hitting calibers.

 

[ditcherman]

Would you consider something in 6mm Creedmoor? Some of your existing bullets may interchange, while you’d need new dies and everything it could be interesting to load it next to 243.

 

[two70]

The encore is probably better than the CVA scout.

I doubt that. I don't have any direct experience with the Scout but the CVA Optima and Accura muzzleloaders I have shot had better triggers than stock Contenders let alone Encores. It's possible that the Scout has a worse trigger but I'd be very surprised if that were the case.


Depending on budget and patience Savage is coming out with a new bolt action pistol that is brace compatible. With a folding brace it should be pretty handy and for likely not a whole lot more than a complete Encore.

 

[snapping turtle]

I doubt that. I don't have any direct experience with the Scout but the CVA Optima and Accura muzzleloaders I have shot had better triggers than stock Contenders let alone Encores. It's possible that the Scout has a worse trigger but I'd be very surprised if that were the case.


Depending on budget and patience Savage is coming out with a new bolt action pistol that is brace compatible. With a folding brace it should be pretty handy and for likely not a whole lot more than a complete Encore.

My contender’s trigger is very nice breaks like glass.
Then again it is old like me.

 

[bwframe]

My contender’s trigger is very nice breaks like glass.
Then again it is old like me.

I put a Bellm spring kit in the Encore. I'm happy with it.

 

[roscott]

A Contender with a folding stock or brace makes for a very handy truck/backpack gun. This is a 14” barrel, and honestly I wish I had done a 16 and regular stock. It’s very compact.