Hunting with a muzzleloader can be a pain. Even if you don’t use an old-school flintlock or caplock, you probably don't look forward to the time of year when you have to trade your deer rifle for an inline muzzleloader. If you’re like me, your gun's breech plug is probably seized up with gunk from last year, and just getting it into shooting condition takes hours.
Once you actually get in the woods, if it rains, you spend all your time worrying if your power is wet—and annoyed that you can't simply take the bullet out of your gun and put new powder in. When a deer does shows up, maybe the gun goes off or maybe it doesn't.
The CVA Crossfire is a muzzleloader that is not a pain. It's a new smokepole that pretty much solves all the problems associated with these guns. I know because I’ve been testing the Crossfire for the past few weeks, and I’ve actually been having fun shooting it. Part of the reason is that the gun is designed to use Federal’s Firestick ignition system, but it’s also just a nice muzzleloader. Here's my full review.
CVA Crossfire Muzzleloader Specs and Overview
Weight: 8 pounds
Twist Rate: 1:28 inches
Finish: Stainless with black furniture (tested) or Patriot Brown Cerekote with Escape Camo furniture
Caliber: .50 Cal
Barrel Length: 26 inches
Overall Length: 41 inches
Price: $450-$575 depending on finish
The Crossfire works a lot like the inline muzzleloaders you’re used to, especially if you’ve shot a CVA before. The barrel breaks open by pulling the trigger guard rearward via a small lever on built into the guard. It has a ramrod that fits snuggly under the barrel, and the hammer has an extension on it that makes it easy to use with a scope. Our test rifle was stainless with a black synthetic buttstock and forend. The gun ships with a Picatinny rail for mounting optics, and it has a nice recoil pad for the kick of a .50 cal.
What the Crossfire doesn't have are the parts of a muzzleloader that usually cause headaches. Because it’s chambered for Federal's Firesticks, there's no breach plug. Instead, the breach is empty. If you’re not familiar, a Firestick is a self-contained pre-measured powder charge in a plastic shell. The shell is weatherproof and can be removed before firing should you need to unload the gun. The rear end of the firestick has a flashhole for a standard 209 primer. When you load the gun, you first seat a bullet, then insert a Firestick and primer—and that's it; you're ready to shoot.
There is a small shelf in the barrel for a bullet to seat against, which makes loading very easy and safe. And the gun is drilled and tapped for iron sights should you want to use them or hunt in a state that requires them.
How I Tested the Crossfire
Federal sent me two different loads of Firesticks to test—100 grain and 125 grains of Hogdon Triple Eight. I also called in bullets from Hornady and Barnes in several weights and shapes. Most of my testing of the Crossfire revolved around the bench. I first put a Trijicon Accupoint 1-6x24 scope on the gun, then fired several powder and bullet combinations to find an accurate setup.
I also evaluated the gun for how easy it is to use and how it’s put together. I noted how easy it was to shoot repeatedly and carried it around a bit to simulate how it would feel on a hunt.
CVA Crossfire Test Results
It’s difficult to make a definitive call on how accurate a muzzleloader is because there are so many different load combinations. Of what I tested,I got some impressive results. With a 290-grain Hornady Bore Driver FTX projectile I shot a 1.42-inch group at 100 yards, which is extremely good for a muzzleloader. I also got a respectable 2.24-inch group with a Barnes 250-grain Spit-Fire T-EZ sabotted projectile and a 100-grain Firestick. Both load combinations would be more than adequate for muzzleloader deer hunting under most conditions.
I also found the rifle to be built well. It felt like a quality tool that you could use season after season. It was very easy to load and know when a bullet was properly seated. And even after firing several shots, it was still easy to load a projectile (I’ve seen some muzzleloader powders make it more difficult to load the more you shoot).
Every Firestick I tried worked flawlessly. They were easy and intuitive to operate, making follow-up shots a breeze should you need them. With a pocket full of pre-charged Firesticks, you could take two shots, maybe three, in well under a minute. The ramrod stayed put while shooting and didn’t seem to affect accuracy at all. And while the gun is a bit stiff to open, I felt that would probably get easier with time as the action gets broken in.
Final Thoughts on the New CVA Crossfire Muzzleloader
Buy. This. Muzzleloader. It’s so easy to use that I’d even hunt with it during the regular deer season. The only issue I can see is that the Firestick technology isn’t allowed for hunting in all 50 states. Most of those states are out West, but it’s perfectly fine to use in several eastern, midwestern, and southern states. And there really isn’t any reason why it shouldn’t be, unless you were to ban all in-line muzzleloaders.
I understand how some states want to preserve muzzleloader hunting for historic firearms and more primitive weapons. But from testing the Crossfire I can say that it really doesn’t offer any unfair advantage to the hunter. It does make muzzleloader hunting much safer and easier. The best thing about the Firestick is how you can reliably unload your muzzleloader between hunts. Its also extremely safe to load because you don’t need to load a bullet over a powder charge. If you want to put an end to all of your muzzleloader frustrations, including those around safety, give the CVA Crossfire a chance.
