Got out & shot the new rifle today. It is a CVA Buckhorn .50cal. I've already got a Staghorn I've had for four years... got this new one since it appeared to have some improvement and was ridiculously cheap (<$80).

Fired first few rounds with open sights at 50 yards, using 70gr TripleSeven and 385gr Hornady conicals. That isn't my usual hunting load, but I wanted to start off with conicals & modest powder. Rifle shot okay. Moved target to 100yd line, and hit the 6" black circle, then missed it. Shot a dozen-plus of those Hornady 385, then a couple powerbelts. I shot the scoped Staghorn a few time, when I ran out of TripleSeven & and so opened the first of the four pounds of Pyrodex RS I found on post-season sale for five bucks a pound.

Then I moved the bases & Bushell 1.75x4x32mm Trophy scope from the Staghorn to the new rifle. Turns out the bases are diff distance apart - surprise - so had to loosen the rings & fiddle with scope for a few minutes. Once tightened down.. first shot at out of scoped Buckhorn at fifty wasn't even on the paper. Moved target to 25yds, next shot was about a foot to the right of the bull. Surprised. I made sure bases were tightened down, and rings nice and snug... tried again, bullet lands in same place. Had adjust a BUNCH of clicks, to get it on the bull. Five shots later I was there. Moved target to fifty yards - I've now switched to shooting PTX sabots, with 90gr Pyrodex RS- and put three shots through one triangular hole. Yippee!

Running out of time at range; it's getting a little dim. Out to a hundred yards, shot six shots using 90gr Pyrodex & Remington 289gr copper bullet, shooting pretty quickly as daylight faded - didn't give time to cool down or clean quite as well as I could have. The shots landed in roughly a 4" circle as I ran out of light.

I'm pretty pleased; I think this is going to be a good rifle. It has a much better stock, recoil pad, and safety than the old Staghorn; the barrel seems to be a little lighter. And it didn't blow up on me, despite dire warnings of some. I look forward to getting out & shooting it some more, and getting an earlier start. Next time I'll bring some 300gr XTP bullets.