Fudd Friday: CVA Endura LRH Smokeless Long-Range Hunting Muzzleloader

Long-range hunting is all the rage in Fuddland these days, but what if you’re a muzzleloader user—by choice, or by necessity? CVA hears your cry and offers up the new Endura LRH to help you stretch out your effective range while still using a front-stuffer. There are various tricks used to achieve this, but one important point is that the CVA Endura LRH can use some smokeless loads—but there is a huge caveat to that point.

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Reaching out with authority

Muzzleloaders have come a long, long way since the old cap-and-ball replicas sold during the Jeremiah Johnson fanboy phase of the 1970s. Back then, traditional-style guns had most of the same limitations as the originals that inspired them.

In the years since, that’s changed a lot, with modern muzzleloaders capable of accurately taking game to a hundred yards or further. Metallurgical improvements, tighter machining tolerances, and adaptation of modern stock design and optic mounts mean even low-priced muzzleloaders like the Wolf can take a whitetail at the ranges they’re commonly hunted at.

But what if you want more performance? Most people who want to stretch their muzzleloader’s range start looking at front-stuffers that can handle smokeless powder, but typically, you’re looking at an expensive custom-built rifle, especially since the Savage Model 10 MLII was discontinued. Other manufacturers do make high-pressure muzzleloaders in low production numbers, but they’re hard to find.

With all this in mind, we get a new rifle series from CVA.

CVA Endura LRH details

CVA says, “The Endura LRH is designed for hunters who want maximum long-range performance in a purpose-built muzzleloader.” To that end, they give us a bolt-action design (load the primer from the rear, the projectile and powder from the front) with a 26-inch fluted and threaded Bergara .45-caliber barrel. That’s right, you can attach a muzzle device to this rifle, which should help with long-range shooting. CVA offers their own SP Muzzle Brake for this purpose.

This rifle is designed to run Blackhorn 209 powder, but that’s getting harder to find. CVA also offers recommended loads for smokeless rifle powders, which will drive bullets faster and, in theory, improve accuracy. The rifle is designed around using Powerbelt ELR 285-grain bullets.

The 1-in-22-twist barrel comes with a tungsten-lined breech plug, which is supposed to help with the higher-pressure charges, resisting the added destructive strain that comes from using smokeless powder. There’s also a new magnetic bolt face, with five magnets that keep Variflame adapters in place even after shooting, allowing shooters to use large rifle primers instead of 209 shotgun primers. This makes the rifle’s ignition hotter and more consistent, improving accuracy. The new patent-pending design allows the Variflame to be either right on the bolt face or on the breech plug.

Despite that fluted barrel and other weight-saving techniques, this rifle still weighs 10.25 pounds. Part of that beef is thanks to a rigid long-range stock, adjustable to fit the ergos of specific shooters. Of course, it is designed for a free-floating barrel. The cheek rest is adjustable, and so is the length of pull.

Neither rifle is cheap, but if they’re actually available when shooters want them, they’ll sell well, as over-the-counter smokeless muzzleloaders are hard to come by. And one more handy feature: Since this rifle does not require a 4473 form, unlike most long-range muzzleloaders, it can be shipped directly to a customer’s home in the U.S. instead of requiring a visit to an FFL.

Both rifles ship with a collapsible .45-caliber ramrod, made of carbon fiber and easily stashed away under the barrel. Both rifles ship with a VariFlame repriming tool. Both rifles are drilled and tapped for iron sights, but are obviously intended for mounting a scope.

See CVA’s recommended charges below. For more details on these rifles, visit their website here.