Henry Single Shot vs CVA Scout

cf2fan

Well-Known Member
Looking these single shots for target shooting and some close range ground blind hunting. I believe the CVA Scout is the American version of a Begara BA13? Caliber would be .223 (or possibly .308). All opinions and recommendations welcome. Which one would you choose?
 
I've shot both , the CVA scout surprised me to be honest . It was a lot more accurate than I thought it would be and the triggers are really quite good . The Henry is better finished of the two and shot just as well . They were both chambered in 45/70 and were very controllable , even with the heavier loads . I'd be happy with either of them . See which one feels better in your hands and go with that . I will say that the stainless CVA would be a good choice if you live in a wet part of the country .

AB
 
I've shot both , the CVA scout surprised me to be honest . It was a lot more accurate than I thought it would be and the triggers are really quite good . The Henry is better finished of the two and shot just as well . They were both chambered in 45/70 and were very controllable , even with the heavier loads . I'd be happy with either of them . See which one feels better in your hands and go with that . I will say that the stainless CVA would be a good choice if you live in a wet part of the country .

AB
AB,
Thanks for your input on both rifles. I did handle the CVA Scout and it was felt good but I am yet to get my hands on a Henry Single Shot. The CVA trigger was pretty nice.
 
I've been meaning to pick up a CVA Scout in 350 Legend for a while now, but other needs keep delaying the purchase. I'd best get out and zero my pump with some slugs!

It's hard to find a bad word about the Scout or BA-13, but it's often mentioned they are heavier than most imagine. I haven't picked up a Henry.

I prefer the synthetic and stainless Scout and the hundred dollar or so lesser price tag, but I can't imagine you'd go wrong with either choice.
 
I have the CVA Scout pistol. Bergara barrel and sweet trigger.~Muir
Thanks for the info. CVA Scouts do have a very nice trigger and Bergara barrels have quite the reputation. I have read that current production Henry Single Shots have improved triggers, the originals were reported to be quite heavy. YouTube videos indicate mediocre accuracy from the Henry. The wood and finish seemed quite nice, though.
 
I've been meaning to pick up a CVA Scout in 350 Legend for a while now, but other needs keep delaying the purchase. I'd best get out and zero my pump with some slugs!

It's hard to find a bad word about the Scout or BA-13, but it's often mentioned they are heavier than most imagine. I haven't picked up a Henry.

I prefer the synthetic and stainless Scout and the hundred dollar or so lesser price tag, but I can't imagine you'd go wrong with either choice.
I found the weight to be surprisingly heavy for its size. The stainless Scout would be my pick also.
The 350 Legend is garnering quite a reputation for being a great deer hunting round.
Good hunting with whatever you use!
 
I have a .308 Henry single shot, and the accuracy is good enough that I seriously considered scoping it up for long range hunting. I ended up putting a Doctor red dot on, and use it for rainy day and close in bush stalking.

Mine was pre the trigger improvements, but 10 minutes with the replacement parts had me up and running - with a nice crisp trigger.

I have friends with the Begara, and they are equally happy, so I'd go with whatever fits you best.
 
I have a .308 Henry single shot, and the accuracy is good enough that I seriously considered scoping it up for long range hunting. I ended up putting a Doctor red dot on, and use it for rainy day and close in bush stalking.

Mine was pre the trigger improvements, but 10 minutes with the replacement parts had me up and running - with a nice crisp trigger.

I have friends with the Begara, and they are equally happy, so I'd go with whatever fits you best.
Thanks for the input. I, too, was considering a longer range scope. After rethinking it, I have an unused UltraDot sight that might just be the ticket for my close range ground blind hunting. The problem is picking the Henry or the CVA. So far, forum opinion indicates either one is a great choice.
 
I've got a Stainless Bergara BA13 in 308. My observations are that it's compact and handles nicely even though it feels heavy. The perceived weight may be because it is so compact. The trigger breaks cleanly and is perfect for hunting but is noticeably heavier than my bolt action rifles. This does make shooting small groups a bit harder.

The supplied picatinny rail came loose after about 100 rounds, even though it was tightened up properly. I've heard this has happened to a few people. For hunting I'd probably buy the DNZ CVA direct mount as its a bit lower and better quality, including the screws.

Adding some side mounted sling studs makes the rifle a lot more pleasant to carry as the trigger guard/action release doesn't dig in anywhere.

It's a handy, compact accurate rifle that breaks down into a small pack if needed without a loss of accuracy.
 
I've got a Stainless Bergara BA13 in 308. My observations are that it's compact and handles nicely even though it feels heavy. The perceived weight may be because it is so compact. The trigger breaks cleanly and is perfect for hunting but is noticeably heavier than my bolt action rifles. This does make shooting small groups a bit harder.

The supplied picatinny rail came loose after about 100 rounds, even though it was tightened up properly. I've heard this has happened to a few people. For hunting I'd probably buy the DNZ CVA direct mount as its a bit lower and better quality, including the screws.

Adding some side mounted sling studs makes the rifle a lot more pleasant to carry as the trigger guard/action release doesn't dig in anywhere.

It's a handy, compact accurate rifle that breaks down into a small pack if needed without a loss of accuracy.
Very helpful, informative review from an actual owner/user. Much appreciated. The CVA is starting to look really good to me.
 
Very helpful, informative review from an actual owner/user. Much appreciated. The CVA is starting to look really good to me.
Although the CVA isn't advertised or intended as a switch barrel rifle it is in theory possible. In the UK it's nit feasible with our firearms laws and costs of parts but for you it may be something to consider.
 
Although the CVA isn't advertised or intended as a switch barrel rifle it is in theory possible. In the UK it's nit feasible with our firearms laws and costs of parts but for you it may be something to consider.
I never thought of that. Definitely something to research and consider. This forum is great for different viewpoints and perspectives that one may have overlooked.
Thanks!
 
I've got a Stainless Bergara BA13 in 308. My observations are that it's compact and handles nicely even though it feels heavy. The perceived weight may be because it is so compact. The trigger breaks cleanly and is perfect for hunting but is noticeably heavier than my bolt action rifles. This does make shooting small groups a bit harder.

The supplied picatinny rail came loose after about 100 rounds, even though it was tightened up properly. I've heard this has happened to a few people. For hunting I'd probably buy the DNZ CVA direct mount as its a bit lower and better quality, including the screws.

Adding some side mounted sling studs makes the rifle a lot more pleasant to carry as the trigger guard/action release doesn't dig in anywhere.

It's a handy, compact accurate rifle that breaks down into a small pack if needed without a loss of accuracy.
The 45/70 chambered CVA I mentioned above had the same problem with the scope rail . The owner used blue loctite on the base screws and hasn't had any problems since . It is a good point to bring up though .


Thanks for the info. CVA Scouts do have a very nice trigger and Bergara barrels have quite the reputation. I have read that current production Henry Single Shots have improved triggers, the originals were reported to be quite heavy. YouTube videos indicate mediocre accuracy from the Henry. The wood and finish seemed quite nice, though.
The new Henrys have much better triggers , and it isn't hard to lighten up the earlier models triggers either . As to the accuracy problems , it can be more to do with shooting technique than the rifle itself . Any two piece stock , break barrel rifle can be a bit picky about being shot off of a bench rest . I've always followed what the great British gunmakers recommended when it came to shooting double , or in this case single shot , rifles . Don't rest the fore-end on the front sandbag , hold it in your hand and rest your hand on the sandbag . They aren't bench guns , they were designed to be shot offhand . If you apply a lot of force to keep them in any form of benchrest , they tend to string their shots . Not all do it , but a very large percentage will .

AB
 
The 45/70 chambered CVA I mentioned above had the same problem with the scope rail . The owner used blue loctite on the base screws and hasn't had any problems since . It is a good point to bring up though .



The new Henrys have much better triggers , and it isn't hard to lighten up the earlier models triggers either . As to the accuracy problems , it can be more to do with shooting technique than the rifle itself . Any two piece stock , break barrel rifle can be a bit picky about being shot off of a bench rest . I've always followed what the great British gunmakers recommended when it came to shooting double , or in this case single shot , rifles . Don't rest the fore-end on the front sandbag , hold it in your hand and rest your hand on the sandbag . They aren't bench guns , they were designed to be shot offhand . If you apply a lot of force to keep them in any form of benchrest , they tend to string their shots . Not all do it , but a very large percentage will .

AB
I have also resorted to locate on the screws for the rail. I do like the look of the all in one mounts though, so that's something to consider for the future.

I've polished and lightened a few triggers before but the Bergara looks like a pig to get out and backing again so I'm not sure if it's worth the risk.
 
Speaking of the scope rail, does anyone have any experience with an Ultradot? The one I have is a 30mm tube with a 4 MOA dot. I’ve never used one. Mounted on either a CVA Scout or Henry Single Shot, it would be used for less than 100 yard ground blind hunting and target shooting. Is a small sized scope a better choice? I do not want a large bulkier scope on either of these single shots. I admit to having no experience with red dot-type sights and the vast majority of my experience is with scopes. I realize that I should just go out and try it but I’m interested in what the forum’s experience/opinion of using this Ultradot on these rifles.
Thanks.
 
I had a Vortex Sparc 2 ( 2MOA dot ) on a Marlin Guide Gun in 45/70 and a Trijicon MRO on a rifled Remington 870 12 gauge . Both worked really well . I liked that I could shoot with both eyes open . I used them for bear in heavy cover and the extra field of view and speed of use really makes a difference . That being said , I also use a fair number of small fixed low power scopes for the same situations . The thing to keep in mind with red dot sights is if you suffer from astigmatism , you will have problems as the dot will blur or star on you . Don't cheap out either , you get what you pay for . The Vortex models are very inexpensive and are great value for the money .

AB
 
I haven’t used a red dot in many years but I do remember the dot flaring enough to bother me. A small lower power scope is a better fit for me. Thanks for your practical experience reply.
 
I have a .308 Henry single shot, and the accuracy is good enough that I seriously considered scoping it up for long range hunting. I ended up putting a Doctor red dot on, and use it for rainy day and close in bush stalking.

Mine was pre the trigger improvements, but 10 minutes with the replacement parts had me up and running - with a nice crisp trigger.

I have friends with the Begara, and they are equally happy, so I'd go with whatever fits you best.
Did Henry provide you with the trigger upgrade parts? Or are they aftermarket parts to improve the trigger? Do you know what the pull weight is after you upgraded it?
 
It may or may not be of interest, but after being relatively determined on having a CVA Scout for the limited firearms deer season, I ended up purchasing a Savage Axis XP package in Cabela's today.

I always had a hankering for a BA-13 in the UK, but my main driver for the Scout was cost. Our firearms season is incredibly short, with only a few tags available for both archery and gun. So, I didn't want to spend too much on something that would sit dormant for most of the year. If I shoot out of state, I'll likely take my trusty .308.

I'm not sure what's steering you towards a single shot, but if it's cost, the Savage Axis XP with a cheap, but seemingly serviceable Weaver scope and mounts for $300 was hard to ignore.

I have a scope I brought with me from the UK waiting for it if ever needed, but I'll run it with the Weaver first and see how it fairs. The rifle comes with the scope mounted and boresighted already.
 
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