Apex shooters - Good news!

[Buckskins & Black Powder]

Got this in CVA's news letter yesterday.

Bergara Barrels® for CVA APEX™ Rifle Available Direct at CVA.com
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CVA has announced that beginning in January 2011, Bergara Barrels for its popular APEX interchangeable barrel rifle system will be sold exclusively through its CVA website – www.CVA.com.   This novel approach to the sale of after-market barrels for the APEX will enhance the appeal of the APEX to consumers and retailers alike, according to Dudley McGarity, CEO of Blackpowder Products, Inc., owner of both the CVA and Bergara Barrel brands.

“The APEX is a relatively new entrant to the switch barrel market,” explains McGarity. “Due to its short history, there are just not enough APEX frames in the hands of consumers to justify our dealers stocking of a full line of APEX center-fire and muzzleloading barrels, and this has led to owner’s being frustrated in their efforts to find additional barrels for their APEX rifles.”  By selling the barrels direct to consumers rather than through CVA’s dealer base, McGarity says that CVA will be able to offer APEX owners both ready availability and significantly lower prices than before.  “The intended result,” McGarity concluded, “is a more efficient and economical system for distributing APEX after-market barrels that will make the complete APEX rifles even easier for our dealers to sell versus its main competitor, the T/C Encore -- as they will be a much better long term value.” 

An insert will be included in the box with each APEX rifle that gives the prices and ordering instructions for the APEX barrels. CVA’s direct purchase prices for the APEX barrels will be $219.95 for center-fire barrels and $195.95 for muzzleloading barrels. 

[OK hunter]

That is good news, indeed.  I received my Apex last week but have not had an opportunity to get it on the bench.  I bought an extra barrel and am considering selling the .308 barrel that came with it.  Tomorrow I will put the 7mm-08 barrel on it and get a scope mounted. 
I wonder if any of the custom barrel makers will begin making Apex barrels.  There seems to be a level of commonality between the Apex barrel and the Encore barrel.  I would think a couple of the good barrel makers would offer some unique calibers and contours.  I'll hope so, anyway.

[Buckskins & Black Powder]

considering how Ed Shilen helped bergara barrels produce the barrels that they do, i dont think you can get much better.

[OK hunter]

You're right about that.  The only benefit I can see for the shooter is the possibility of additional calibers not offered by CVA.

[CScape]

This is really good news, even if I do read it with a bit of skepticism, because every time over the last five months I have gone to their online store they were completely sold out of everything...along with all of the retailers they are going to leave high and dry with this announcement. 

I agree that the barrels are great, though.  I have managed to acquire three and would like at least two more...the 35 Whelen and the .243 (for my daughter to shoot).  Did the BPI CEO say anything about making any frames available also?  I can't find them anywhere either. 

I was actually beginning to wonder whether I had better put up what I had, and preserve the barrels as modern collectors items, since anything Apex is so hard to find!    ...CC...

[OK hunter]

I spoke with a guy at CVA at the SHOT show last month and he told me inventories should improve and additional calibers may be introduced as time goes on.