I am looking for a stainless inline. Cheap. I have narrowed it down to the new Optima or the Wolf. The Wolf can be had a little cheaper, but not all that much when you go to Gunbroker. I will mount a scope on it, which I already have. I want the plain black stock. This will be used once a year for deer hunting.

Is the new Optima worth paying a few more dollars more then the Wolf costs??

Thanks for your opinions.

I have a stainless steel barrel plain black stock Optima but its the older model. I personally like the rifle a lot and it is a great shooter. Well made, and quick release breech plug. Just a nice rifle. I had the same dilemma and went for the Optima.

In my opinion the Optima fits better than the Wolf. My suggestion is get to somewhere you can handle both.

Caynugad & TNHagies:

Thanks for the info. I will try them both for fit, I should have thought of that. Otherwise, the big differences I see in the guns seem to be where the breech opening catch is, two inches more barrel on the Optima and maybe a "big name" maker for the Optima barrel. I don't know who makes the Wolf barrel.

Thanks again.

Definitely handle both of them before you buy. I have a Wolf and I like it, but if I could do it over again I would have gone with the Optima. Mostly because I like the way it shoulders/feels better.

Optima V2 all day every day.

I asked the same questions last feb. when the new optima came out. I went and checked both out at bass pro and decided to go with the optima. I also only use mine a few days out of a year. I bought the gun from Carlos at Eds gun shop and havent looked back. I actually killed my best buck ever with it in nov. Good luck!

They are both great MZ's. The Optima with the V2 Upgrade is probably a better set up. I was hoping to see the Wolf with the V2 upgrade in 2014 but they chose not to make it happen.

Thanks for the advice so far--all good. I did go to a Dunham's and try both out for fit. Actually, I can get along with either. I am wondering about the receivers tho, are they stainless on the stainless barrel guns? I can see no difference, but I suspect they are alloy. If either the Optima or the Wolf had a stainless receiver it would interest me. I like for guns to be built solid. Otherwise, the difference is in price. I can get an Optima delivered for appx. $265. I can get the Wolf locally for about $170. That makes the Optima cost around 50% more then the Wolf. For use a few days each year the Wolf may be the better bet. Still pondering. Thanks for your thoughts.

Sounds to me like you just answered your own question. For a few days a year, certainly either gun will do very well. And since you have shouldered them already, there will be no surprises with whatever you choose.