I've been wanting a TC Encore for a while now and although I really like the versatility of being able to change barrels out, I have enough rifles that I don't really need a new caliber. I ran across a CVA Wolf/Konus scope package for about 250 bucks and it gets really good reviews. I have an older Knight Bighorn .50 now, love it and have killed lots of deer/hogs with it, but it is a pain to clean. I have to remove screws, blah blah blah.

Not flying to Alaska or Africa with it, so I'm leaning toward the Wolf. Anyone else given the Wolf any thought?

I have one. Seems to work just fine for me. I do wish it had a little bit longer barrel though

Do you really? I'm really fond of shorter guns myself, even thought about the Wolf compact/youth version. I hunt mostly in box blinds, so the shorter rifles work a little better for me. I found a compact for $171, seems pretty hard to beat.

Then you will like the Wolf. It's pretty short reminds me of a youth version 50cal. I have a CVA 45 cal in hunter. It is longer then the CVA

Oh man, I just got the CVA Wolf Compact in the mail and it is AWESOME! I can't wait till Jan 2nd!

Sorry bout that. The overall size seems a lot smaller than my Knight Bighorn, so I'm really happy with that.

thats a sharp looking gun! I'm thinking about picking up a .50 myself, just haven't seen anything that excites me yet.

Post up your range results once you get em

Cabela's had the CVA Wolf for $159.99 w/scope mounts. Plus a coupon for $20 off of order over $150. Could'nt stand it, ordered one and took my Konus off of my Buckhorn, got it sighted in this past friday and am waiting on tomorrow morning to arrive. Sweet little gun. Not bad for $139.99. I will have a barely used Buckhorn for sale as soon as I do the complete tear down and cleaning.

Hindsight I wish I would have bought the Encore. I have a $450 TC Triumph Bone Collector with a $220 Redfield Scope that sits in the closet for 50 weeks out of the year. I love it, easy to clean, accurate and dont really have to worry about something going wrong (as you do with some of the cheaper muzzies) but sure would have gotten far more use out of the Encore. I recommend getting a reliable and quality muzzie over "cheap". Think of muzzie season as an extension of rifle season and treat the gun you use during it like you do during rifle season. However if budget is a major issue then do what you can. My luck when I opt to cheap out on anything is I always get bit and remind myself of the old addage "you get what you pay for".

I agree with the "you get what you pay for" philosophy. My $171 compact has a $400 Nikon scope on top of it, because cheap scopes are, well, cheap.

This isn't my first muzzleloader and I've gone through an assortment of them in a variety of prices. I checked with several people that had them before I bought the Wolf and they all unanimously shot 1-2" groups at 100 yards all day long with them. So if I shoot a 1 1/2" group at 100 yards with a $171 gun or a 1 1/2" group at 100 yards with a $899.00 T/C Encore, why buy the Encore? Because the guy on your favorite hunting show shoots one? I don't get it, at the end of the day dead is dead. A dead deer or hog won't know what I paid for my rifle.

Not trying to start any mess, but I'm done buying into brands because the bone collector guy or Ted Nugent shoots it.