The main pros of the CVA Scout 350 Legend are its exceptional out of the box accuracy, highly maneuverable compact design, and unbeatable affordability, while the main cons are its single shot limitation and a stiff break action hinge when brand new. This break action single shot rifle perfectly maximizes the .350 Legend cartridge for hunters in straight wall restricted states by offering a lightweight, ambidextrous platform. While it consistently delivers precision shot placement for whitetail deer inside 150 yards, hunters only get one shot, meaning exact shot placement is critical. Because it features a premium stainless steel fluted barrel and an included optics rail, it provides custom tier hunting performance at an entry level price, making it one of the absolute best values for woodland deer hunters.
CVA Scout 350 Legend Pros And Cons
| Feature | Pros | Cons |
| Accuracy | Consistently capable of sub MOA groups at 100 yards with quality hunting ammunition. | The break action design can be sensitive to resting pressure on the forend. |
| Build construction | Features a fluted stainless steel barrel that resists rust in harsh weather environments. | The action hinge is often very stiff out of the box and requires a break in period. |
| Action and lockup | The break action is incredibly simple, inherently safe, and fully ambidextrous. | Holding only one round completely eliminates the chance for a rapid follow up shot. |
| Trigger pull | The factory trigger is surprisingly crisp and clean for a budget hunting rifle. | The trigger is not user adjustable, meaning shooters must adapt to the factory weight. |
| Sights and optics | Comes factory equipped with a one piece DuraSight scope rail for easy optic mounting. | Does not include iron sights, forcing the mandatory purchase of a scope or red dot. |
| Muzzle and barrel | The factory threaded muzzle makes attaching a suppressor or brake exceptionally easy. | The fluted barrel heats up quickly during extended range sessions, which can open up groups. |
| Deer hunting performance | A perfectly balanced brush gun that drops deer ethically and quickly inside 150 yards. | The single shot design is a liability if a follow up shot is desperately needed on wounded game. |
| Muzzle velocity | The 20 inch barrel maximizes the powder burn of the 350 Legend cartridge for optimal speed. | The straight wall cartridge itself is significantly slower than bottleneck rifle cartridges. |
| Muzzle energy | Generates over 1,800 ft-lbs of energy, easily outclassing the classic .30-30 Winchester. | Energy drops near the 1,000 ft-lbs ethical limit around the 150 to 175 yard mark. |
| Trajectory | Shoots flat enough for a simple point and shoot zero inside 125 to 150 yards. | Plummets rapidly past 150 yards due to the blunt aerodynamics of straight wall projectiles. |
| Effective hunting range | Highly effective on medium game out to 150 or 200 yards in the hands of a skilled marksman. | Pushing it past 200 yards risks severe bullet drop and poor terminal performance. |
| Maneuverability | The short overall length makes it incredible for tight tree stands or ground blinds. | The lightweight frame requires excellent shooting fundamentals to keep the crosshairs steady. |
| Recoil | The CrushZone recoil pad and mild cartridge make it an absolute joy to shoot. | None. |
| Price/value | One of the most affordable, high quality stainless hunting rifles on the market today. | You sacrifice the high capacity and fast cycling capabilities of a bolt action or AR-15. |
| Consistency | The reliable extractor system safely lifts spent casings for easy manual removal. | Shooters must manually pluck the casing out with their fingers, which takes extra time under stress. |
| Best use | Youth hunters, straight wall state deer hunting, and tight brush tree stand setups. | Not ideal for open plains hunting or scenarios requiring multiple shots on moving targets. |
Accuracy
The CVA Scout is highly regarded for its precision, often surprising shooters who expect poor accuracy from a budget single shot rifle. The fluted stainless steel barrel is manufactured to high standards, and because the action locks up solidly directly behind the cartridge, the rifle is highly capable of shooting sub MOA groups at 100 yards. Shooters must be careful not to rest the forend too heavily on a hard surface, as break action rifles can sometimes shift their point of impact if the barrel is subjected to upward pressure.
Build Construction And Stock
Despite its affordable price tag, the CVA Scout does not feel like a cheap firearm. The barrel and receiver are constructed from 416 grade stainless steel, providing excellent resistance against rust and corrosion during wet hunting seasons. The synthetic stock is rugged and features a textured grip for secure handling in the rain. Furthermore, the entire rifle is fully ambidextrous. The stock is symmetrical, and the hammer features a reversible spur extension, making it a perfect rifle for both right and left handed shooters.
Action And Lockup
The rifle utilizes a classic break action mechanism. Pulling the trigger guard spur unlocks the action, allowing the barrel to hinge downward so the shooter can load a single cartridge directly into the chamber. This action is incredibly strong and inherently safe. However, out of the factory box, this hinge can be very tight and stiff. It usually requires a break in period of opening and closing the action several dozen times, along with a drop of gun oil, to smooth out the mechanism.
Trigger System
Accuracy relies heavily on a good trigger, and the CVA Scout delivers a very respectable one. While it is not a highly adjustable match trigger found on premium bolt action rifles, the factory trigger pull is surprisingly crisp, clean, and breaks cleanly around 3.5 to 4 pounds. There is very little creep, which greatly aids in executing a perfect shot on a deer without flinching.
Sights And Optics Mounting
To keep the barrel profile clean and modern, CVA does not include iron sights on the Scout. Instead, the rifle comes factory equipped with a high quality one piece DuraSight scope rail already mounted to the barrel. This rail is incredibly sturdy and accepts standard Weaver or Picatinny scope rings, allowing hunters to easily mount their preferred magnified optic or red dot sight right out of the box.
Deer Hunting Performance
When paired with the .350 Legend cartridge, the CVA Scout is the ultimate midwestern deer rifle. It was designed to perfectly exploit hunting regulations in states like Ohio, Michigan, and Iowa that restrict hunters to straight wall cartridges. Inside 150 yards, it delivers devastating knockdown power, easily punching through the vitals of large whitetail deer. The extremely short overall length makes it effortless to maneuver silently inside a cramped ground blind or an elevated box stand.
Velocity And Energy
Fired from the 20 inch barrel of the CVA Scout, the .350 Legend achieves excellent powder burn and optimal velocity. Standard 150 grain to 170 grain factory loads will easily generate roughly 2,200 to 2,300 feet per second and over 1,800 foot pounds of muzzle energy. This provides significantly more kinetic energy at 100 yards than traditional pistol caliber lever actions, ensuring a quick and ethical kill on medium game.
Trajectory And Range
The practical hunting range of the .350 Legend is its greatest limitation. The blunt bullets suffer from poor aerodynamics and bleed velocity quickly. If you zero the CVA Scout at 100 yards, the bullet will drop approximately 8 to 10 inches at 200 yards. For this reason, hunters must treat the rifle as a 150 to 200 yard tool at absolute maximum. Attempting shots beyond 200 yards requires perfect range estimation and steep holdovers.
Recoil
The .350 Legend cartridge is famous for its exceptionally low recoil. When fired from the solid platform of the CVA Scout, the recoil is virtually nonexistent. The factory installed CrushZone recoil pad absorbs whatever small amount of rearward energy remains. This makes the rifle incredibly pleasant to shoot, allowing youth hunters to practice extensively without developing a flinch and making it a fantastic starter rifle.
Price And Value
The CVA Scout represents one of the best values in the hunting industry. It typically retails in a very budget friendly price bracket, yet it comes standard with premium features like a fluted stainless steel barrel, a threaded muzzle, an included scope rail, and an ambidextrous stock. It punches far above its weight class and provides a reliable, accurate hunting tool for a fraction of the cost of a modern bolt action rifle.
Main Drawbacks
The most notable drawback of the CVA Scout is its single shot limitation. If you miss your first shot, or if the animal requires a rapid follow up shot, reloading a break action rifle under stress is a slow and cumbersome process. The extractor lifts the spent casing slightly, but the shooter must still manually pluck it out with their fingers before inserting a new round. Additionally, hunters must accept the strict 200 yard limitation imposed by the straight wall cartridge.
Final Verdict
Is CVA Scout 350 Legend good?
Yes, it is a phenomenal and highly accurate hunting rifle that offers unbeatable value for the money.
This rifle is best suited for whitetail deer hunters living in straight wall restricted states, youth hunters who need a lightweight and low recoiling platform, and budget conscious shooters who want a dedicated tree stand gun. It provides premium stainless steel durability at a working man’s price point.
However, hunters who hunt out west over wide open plains, those who frequently take shots past 200 yards, or shooters who prefer the security of having a full magazine for rapid follow up shots would be much better served by a bolt action or semi automatic rifle chambered in a flatter shooting bottleneck cartridge.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. Is the barrel on the CVA Scout 350 Legend threaded?
Yes, the rifle comes from the factory with a threaded muzzle, typically featuring a standard 5/8×24 thread pitch. It includes a knurled thread protector and is ready to accept a muzzle brake or suppressor.
2. What is the barrel length of this rifle?
The CVA Scout chambered in .350 Legend typically features a 20 inch barrel, which is the perfect length to achieve maximum velocity from the straight wall cartridge while keeping the overall length very short.
3. Does the CVA Scout have an ejector or an extractor?
It features an extractor. When you open the break action, the extractor lifts the spent casing out of the chamber just enough for you to grab it with your fingers. It does not vigorously eject the casing over your shoulder.
4. Can I change the barrel to a different caliber on the CVA Scout?
No. Unlike the Thompson Center Encore system, the barrels on the CVA Scout are fixed to the receiver at the factory and are not designed to be interchangeable by the user.
5. Is the CVA Scout a good rifle for a left handed shooter?
Absolutely. The stock is perfectly symmetrical, the break action release is located centrally on the trigger guard, and the hammer features a reversible spur extension, making it a 100 percent ambidextrous firearm.
6. Does it come with iron sights?
No. The barrel is completely smooth and does not feature iron sights. The rifle includes a mounted DuraSight rail, meaning you must purchase and install a scope or a red dot optic to aim the rifle.
7. Is the .350 Legend cartridge legal for straight wall hunting states?
Yes. The .350 Legend features a straight walled case with no shoulder, making it completely legal and highly popular in states like Ohio, Iowa, Michigan, and Indiana that restrict hunters from using bottleneck rifle cartridges.
8. Why is the action so hard to open on my new CVA Scout?
It is very common for the hinge pin on break action rifles to be stiff directly from the factory due to tight machining tolerances. Applying a drop of quality gun oil to the hinge and opening and closing it repeatedly will smooth it out over time.
9. Is this rifle a good choice for a young beginner hunter?
Yes, it is one of the best options available. The single shot mechanism teaches shot discipline, the break action is easy to verify as safe and unloaded, and the .350 Legend cartridge produces very little recoil.
10. How much does the CVA Scout 350 Legend weigh?
The rifle is exceptionally lightweight, typically weighing around 6.3 to 6.5 pounds unscoped. This makes it incredibly easy to carry through thick brush or up steep ridges without fatigue.