CVA Mountain Rifle

[Finster101]

First let me say I know zero about muzzle loading or black powder. That being said, I have come into possesion of a CVA mountain rifle. I have tried to do a bit of research and it seems to be a kit gun. It is stamped made in the USA and the barrel is purported to be made by Douglas with a 1 in 66 twist. Stock has a pewter cap, german silver trigger guard and patch box. I'm told the four screw patch box means something too, but I don't know what it is. Is it worth keeping ? What can anyone tell me about it. I have never thought about getting into this, but the price was right. Oh, the bore is filthy. No rust. What is the best way to go about cleaning it. As Sgt. Shultz says, "I know nothing"




Thanks for looking

James

[largom]

I have owned a CVA Mountain Rifle for over 25 yrs. I can't tell you much about it except that mine shoots .490 round balls like a custom target rifle. I have won several "Turkey Shoots" with it and killed bunches of deer. It is now retired since my old eyes can't focus on the sights and I refuse to modify it. You could clean the bore with JB compound or a very fine lapping compound. I hope you keep it as it is a fine gun.

Larry

[jblee10]

I don't know what the bore is dirty with but--- After shooting black powder I like to remove the barrel from the stock. I heat a pot of water to boiling. I heat it in the house and take the pot of water to the back porch. Add some dish soap to the hot water, put the nipple end of the barrel in the water, and use a tight cloth patch to pump soapy water in and out of the barrel. It cleans up pretty quick and the hot water heats the barrel and evaporates quickly when you stop pumping. Then I oil well with a patch inside and out well the barrel is still warm. Never had any problem with rust that way. And it works as good as anything I've tried.

Your barrel may just be dirty with accumulated oil and dust. Clean that like you would any rifle.

[stubshaft]

If you have any aspirations of shooting holy black then this is a good gun to get started with. I've built a couple of them and they are still shooting albeit in the hands of my Nieces and Nephew. Clean it like jblee10 indicated and assess the bore. If it is in good shape then either start collecting the "possibles" to shoot it or sell it.

[docone31]

That rifle is a good rifle. The barrel is a Douglas. A good shooter. The surface rust can be just plain cleaned out with firing.
Take it apart, put it together. Get the feel of it. It can take a large charge, but, 70gns of ffg will do well.
I use either denim, or pillow ticking.
I gave my rifle to the wife, and she loves it. She likes to load her up and fire away. All we do is hit paper, but that is good enough.
You got a great rifle there. It is patterned after the Vincent rifle.
Lube the lock, change the nipple to an Ampco nipple, flush hot water through it. Clean it and just plain get used to handling it.
In time, it might just be one of our favourites also.

[mooman76]

I agree with the other. Very good gun and if you didn't pay much, you got a very good deal. I have one and it also shoots very good. Definately a keeper.

[docone31]

I cut a new dovetail and used this site,
http://www.trackofthewolf.com/Categories/partDetail.aspx?catId=14&subId=167&styleId=766&partNum=RS-HA-5
Made mine into a tack driver!

[Boerrancher]

I have never owned one but have shot a few over the years. That 1 in 60 twist is wonderful with a PRB. The hand full that I have shot were really nice rifles. Get yourself some holy black of the 2 or 3 fg variety some 490 or 495 round balls and take it to the range. I think you just may enjoy shooting it. Don't hesitate once you get use to it, to smack a deer or two with it as well.

Best wishes,

Joe

[Rick Hodges]

I owned one...built it in the 70's...I traded mine off for some parts for a Jeep I was rebuilding. That was a mistake. A very good shooting, nice handling rifle.

[twotoescharlie]

shot my first buck with one in the early seventys, sold it ,bad decision, miss it.

TTC

[bob208]

first thing what cal. is it .45 or .50? either one will shoot real good as stated before as good as a coustom barrel. they are match winners.

i would keep it because you will not buy a better first rifle. just use real black powder and pure lead balls.

the hot soapy water is the way i have been cleaning my match rifles for 30 years. never had a rust problem.

[Finster101]

Bob it's a .50 cal. Thanks for the replies. I'll give the hot water pumping method a shot this weekend. Is removing the barrel as simple as removing the two wedges on the stock ?

James

[451 Pete]

James ,
Remove your ram rod first, then the barrel wedges and the barrel should pull up and away from the stock for removal. There is a hook as a part of the breech plug that fits into the tang inleted in the stock. From what I understand CVA used to paint a brown finish on the wood. I enlarged the pics of your rifle and it looks like it has some figure hidden in there. This one was made from parts when CVA stopped making the rifle. The barrel is a Tingle .36 cal. The stock after the brown finish was removed was found to be a birdseye maple. This stock has a True Oil finish .

http://i1149.photobucket.com/albums/o589/451pete/013.jpg

take care ... Pete

[Fly]

Wow Pete that stock is Great.I have a CVA MR I use to shoot in the past alot.I lost the barrel
wedges & just let it sit, for some time.It's a great shooting rifle & I might try & refinish that
guy.

Fly

[higgins]

The method jblee10 described is the preferred method for a through cleaning, but before you do it remove the nipple and the cleanout screw in the end of the drum (the piece the nipple screws into). That way you will also clean the drum and the vent from the drum into the barrel. Clean and oil the nipple, cleanout hole, and drum with a pipe cleaner or small wire with a piece of rag on it.

[451 Pete]

Fly, you never know what you are going to find under that brown painted finish. I have seen one other that had a piece of wood similar to the one I have here so there are others out there with who knows what covered up. Here are a couple of more pics of this rifle.

http://i1149.photobucket.com/albums/o589/451pete/011.jpg

http://i1149.photobucket.com/albums/o589/451pete/012.jpg

Take care .... Pete

[mooman76]

Mine has a greenish tint to the wood. I don't know if it came that way or was a kit. It actually doesn't look bad.

[Geraldo]

The four screw patchbox was used for a while before they went to two screws, so it's an older rifle. "Made in USA" means just that, the barrels were either made by Douglas or possibly just rifled by Douglas, depending on which story you believe. Spanish made barrels were either marked "Made in Spain" or not marked at all except I would suppose for required proof marks. They were made in .45 and .50, as well as a big bore version in .54 and .58.

As to whether or not it's worth keeping, of course it's not, but you can ship it over to the east coast and I'll figure out what to do with it. It'll go well with my CVA Mountain pistol. :p

[Finster101]

Well, I guess I'm keeping it since I paid for it. My wife's uncle died and her aunt wanted and needed to sell his guns. I had never met either of them, but I am the only one in the family that has any interest on knowledge on them so I went to look at them. I have sold all but two. This CVA and an old side by side (more on that in another thread). I took both of these to the gun show last weekend and did not even get an offer. There were three black powder / muzzle loader booths that I offered it for $50.00, no one wanted it or even made a counter offer. So I gave her $50.00 for it. She then said she had found a bag that went with it. So now I have a flask, bullet starter and caps. Apprently he shot the slugs (?) through it. Would one of the adjustable measures be okay? Someone mentioned 50 grs for plinking and 70 grs for hunting. I'm going to get my feet wet here soon. Geraldo, you are welcome to come across the alley any time. I managed to get into a private range and it is very enjoyable. Keep the tips coming. Oh, where can I find good quality screws to replace what is on it. Some are pretty well boogered up and I just may have to strip that stock and see what lies beneath. Thanks guys

James

[jlchucker]

Several years ago I put one of these (4-screw patchbox version) together from a kit. Had it for several years, and it shot both round balls and maxi's very well indeed. I loaned it one year to a friend of mine who was going to use it during a ML deer season when my own work schedule precluded me from hunting. The next time I saw him he had a big, dead doe hanging out of the back end of his pickup. He returned my rifle, then spent 3 years borrowing it and begging to buy it. Finally I relented. No other caplock gun that I've owned since that time has worked as well for me. You've got a good one there. It's too bad that CVA stopped making them. That's an accurate muzzle loader with some real style.

[Geraldo]

Maybe we could figure out a day to link up. It's easier to show you everything than write it down and I have real BP, which isn't easy to find most places. Any adjustable BP measure will work for you. As for screws, I'm not sure which ones you're talking about, but Dixie and Track of the Wolf are probably good places to start.

[dualsport]

Keep it! Had mine maybe 27 yrs., never will sell it. It's a shooter for sure and not bad with the Lee REAL boolit either, if you need more close-up umph. Made meat, won a few minor matches with it. Take care of it. Check out Dixie Fun Works for screws and everything else under the sun for muzzleloaders. Don't let nobody talk you out of it, you'll be kicking yourself like some of these fellers are. It'll take a bit to learn the ins and outs, but once you do it'll be surefire and deadly as hell. Great barrel, TWO wedges, and TWO triggers. See what you can get these days with all that. Especially good offhand gun IMHO.

[smoked turkey]

I have more muzzleloaders than I need. However after reading this thread it looks like I need to be on the look out for one of these. It IS Nice. You are off to a very good start. Shooting black is very addicting so watch out. This probably won't be your last one.

[Boerrancher]

I have to agree with smoked turkey, about the addiction of muzzleloaders and black powder. I still have the first black powder gun I ever bought over 20 years ago. It seems that every couple years I add another to the collection. A few I have sold, but I have never been without a muzzleloader of some sort. It also seems the older I get the more affinity I have for the older ways of doing things. Not that high speed, low drag, black guns don't have a purpose, but I get more enjoyment out of taking my time any more. Now that I don't hurry along I get to actually see more of the world.

Best wishes,

Joe

[dualsport]

My first muzzleloader was a .45 Kentucky Rifle, some cheap brand. I traded it in '85 for a Treeing Walker bear hound pup. My wife had him fixed and turned him into a 70 lb. lap dog that liked cats.