Precision Muzzleloaders and their marksmen gathered in late May (6ft apart) at the NMLRA Range to compete in the Inline Hunters Match.
What is the CVA Paramount Pro | NMLRA
In a previous version of this story we incorrectly stated that the new CVA Paramount Pro used powder pellets instead of loose powder. We have corrected the story to reflect that the paramount pro uses 150 grains of loose Blackhorn 209 by volume, which is 105 by weight.
Muzzle Blasts was fortunate enough to meet with Tony Smotherman, one of the developers behind CVA’s new line of long range muzzle loaders at SHOT Show 2020. Tony was kind enough to walk NMLRA President Brent Steele and Vice President Jeff Cunningham through the new rifle and how it will perform for long range muzzleloading hunters around the United States.
The new Paramount Pro advances on CVA’s Paramount line hoping to bring advanced precision to modern muzzleloader hunters. Available in .50 and .45 caliber to appease big game rules of Colorado and Idaho, the Paramount Pro is also available with a scoped and open sight option to pass regulations in western states.
We’ll have a full video with Tony from CVA out soon, but for now we hope this can answer some of the common questions we are seeing.
How much does the new CVA Paramount Pro Cost?
From the literature we picked up at the SHOT Show, actual retail price for the Paramount Pro is $1667.95, not a cheap rifle by any means, but CVA backed up this cost that a comparable custom muzzleloader runs between $1,000 and $1800+.
What is the range for the CVA Paramount Pro?
According to CVA, the Paramount Pro is sub minute of angle at 400 yards direct from the factory. CVA is certainly going after the mis conception that muzzleloaders, but modern and traditional are only good out to 100 yards with the new Paramount Pro.
What kind of primer does the CVA Paramount Pro Use?
In line with CVA’s other long range muzzleloaders, they are using a large rifle primer as the ignition source.
What kind of bullet does the CVA Paramount Pro Use?
The CVA Paramount Pro uses a 280 grain power belt bullet, shooting it at 2400 feet per second.
How much powder does the Paramount Pro Use?
The powder charge of the Paramounts is 150 grains of Blackhorn 209 by volume, which is 105 by weight.
What’s the deal with that muzzle break?
This is the first time CVA has included threaded barrels muzzle breaks in their rifles. With the 150 grains of powder, you can expect some recoil, but CVA claims the muzzle break reduces recoil by 50%.
Won’t that mess with reloading?
The Paramount Pro comes with a funnel to aid in powder pouring through the muzzle break. The break is also designed to guide our charge into the barrel, not allowing it to fall out.
We know cleaning is important for muzzleloaders, so we asked about it. Tony said the muzzle break is designed to dump the cleaning patch out of the largest hole on the muzzle break when you pull the patch out, a feature they are excited about.
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The NMLRA and Muzzle Blasts have been an authority on muzzleloading since 1933. This article was not sponsored or paid for, we feel it is our job to bring you the most up to date news as possible on the world of Muzzleloading, be it living history, competitive shooting, or hunting
Awards from the Rifle Line Awards - September 2019
Ann Reed - Aggregate B - Women's Rifle Championship Winner
Carl King - Aggregate TS - Paul Griffith Memorial Table Shoot Championship Winner - Carl also sat a new record score with this aggregate.
Darrell Vigue - Aggregate JJ - Sighted Smoothbore Championship Winner
Dave Vanderbos - Aggregate SS - Light Bench Championship Winner
Deb Bolen - Aggregate CC - Women's Bench Championship Winner
Donnie Black - Tied his 5th record on the Primitive Bow Range
Doug Schwartz - Aggregate IH - Inline Hunter Championship Winner - Doug also sat a new record for this aggregate
E. Branch Meanley - Aggregate R - Susan Johnston Memorial Championship and Aggregate J - Phil Orem Memorial Slug Gun Championship Winner
J.L. Hargis - Aggregate A - Unlimited Rifle Championship Winner, Aggregate E - Flintlock Championship Winner, Aggregate KK - One Gun Championship Winner, Aggregate V - Round Ball Bench_Any Sight Championship Winner
Jeremiah Nunn - Aggregate NN - Sub-Junior Aggregate
Keith Ethington - Aggregate MM - Traditional Offhand Flint Hunting Rifle Non-Jacketed Championship Winner
Lowell Crane - Aggregate DD - Tom Schiffer Schuetzen Championship Winner
Mary Amelia Taylor - Crosley Winner
Morgan Greenlee - Aggregate Z - Unlimited Longhunter Championship Winner - Morgan also broke the record for this aggregate and ranked as a distinguished master.
Neil Eddington - Aggregate C - Flintlock Bench Championship Winner
Robert & Deana Shepherd - Aggregate EE - Husband and Wife Championship Winners
Robert Dickson - Aggregate M - Roundball Bench Championship Winner
Theresa Van Epps - Aggregate N - Women's Buffalo Championship Winner
William Wonning - Aggregate II - Lee Good Memorial Chunk Gun Championship Winner
Congratulations to all of our competing marksmen for their hard work and dedication at the 2019 NMLRA National Championships!
Camp Atterbury Longrange Match Report from Ray Hopkins
This past weekend, September 14th and 15th, the five ten shot 1000 yards match was held. There were three relays of ten shots on Saturday and two relays on Sunday.
Kenn Heisman was in first place in the muzzle loading class, followed by Dan Bredberg in second. Ian Egbert was first in the cartridge rifle class. Second was Jim Davis followed by his son Jim W Davis. Forth was Kim Kelly and Willard Lamb in fifth.
There were two Muzzle Loading shooters. One was shooting an original Ingram rifle and the other was a replica of a Gibbs made by Pedersoli. The remaining ten shooters were shooting cartridge rifles, from what I saw all were 1874 Sharps Rifles.
Camp Atterbury's mist in the morning cleared and we proceeded to shoot the first three relays of the day. The humidity had relented and with a few clouds, had a nice day for shooting. The next day started well and we were done by 01:30 hours with all then heading to Friendship for the fall shoot.
Since this is a new match, records were set for muzzle loaders and cartridge shooters. The record for aggregate for the muzzle loaders was set by Kenn Heismann with 309-3. He also set the 1000-yard record of 78-1. A new shooter at Camp Atterbury, and he shot with a cartridge rifle, was Ian Egbert. He had an aggregate of 431-7 and a 1000-yard record of 92.
Kenn Heisman was in first place in the muzzle loading class, followed by Dan Bredberg in second. Ian Egbert was first in the cartridge rifle class. Second was Jim Davis followed by his son Jim W Davis. Forth was Kim Kelly and Willard Lamb in fifth.
I do have to say that Dan Bredberg was a great help, he took the Camps' range safety course. He also came in early and helped prep the Connex container that Camp Atterbury provided. Then helped with setting up the range set up and take down.
The Spring shoot will consist of an 800, 900, and a 1000-yard, ten shot relays on Saturday and two 1000 yards ten shots relays on Sunday.
Next year’s fall shoot will be the same as this year. If I can have people contact me at my email address (mrhoppy1@netzero.com) I can send them information about each shoot, besides being put on Camp Atterbury's gate list.
This coming Joe Hepsworth's Memorial will remain the same as it has in the past and anticipate the same for next year. Which will be the tenth anniversary.
Ray
Don’t forget! The Joe Hepsworth Match will be held at Camp Atterbury October 12-13, 2019! You must call 10 days prior to register. Call Ray Hopkins 740-868-2474 or 740-616-6627
Thank you Ray Hopkins for your continued efforts to organize matches at Camp Atterbury and for your writing of this report.