Fun with CVA 54 Hawken today

[wellfedirishman]

So I picked up an almost new CVA Hawken 54 percussion rifle a while back on Gunbroker.



Today I got to take it out to the range for the first time. What a blast!

I was shooting about 80 grains equivalent of Pyrodex RS with a patched 54 cal round ball. At 25 yards, the gun shot about 1 foot high with the sights at the lowest level.

On the target below, I was shifting the sight around trying to get it centered and get the elevation correct. There are 2 distinct groups, lower right and center left. The gun can certainly group well, I just need to get the sights dialed in and probably replace the front sight with a taller one so I don't have to hold so far under the target.



Anyone else shoot one of these? There were a bunch of kids shooting black rifles at the range with me, and several of them came up to take a look and expressed how much fun it looked.

Edit: As you can see from the target is was pouring rain (and windy as heck) the while I was shooting. So much for California sunshine.

UPDATE - 3/27/2011 - Rain cleared so I took it out again to a different range with 50 and 100 yards target positions.

So the rain finally cleared up, and faced with a Sunday of watching basketball or shooting, I took the clear choice and headed off for the range...



Load: Hornady 535 Round ball + TC lubed patch + approx 80-85 grains of Pyrodex RS (a full 45-70 case of it), with CCI Magnum #11 caps.

Target at 50 yards (aiming about 18 inches below the actual target shown):



Target at 100 yards (aiming about 18 inches below the actual target shown):


So this gun can clearly shoot. It is certainly minute of deer vitals at 100 yards. With a new higher front sight I think this could be promising.

[waksupi]

What were you using for a projectile? I would guess it was sighted in with some other boolit.

[wellfedirishman]

Waksupi, I was using patched 54 cal round balls. I will cast up and try some conicals next (Maxi balls) and see how they do.

I don't know the twist rate, will have to measure it.

What were you using for a projectile? I would guess it was sighted in with some other boolit.

[Throckmorton]

See if the twist rate is marked on the barrel,some do that.
Might just hit where aimed at 75-100 yards,I'd try that before changing sights I think.
Aint it a hoot !! ?

[wellfedirishman]

They are lots of fun. After shooting 'regular' guns for years I recently started shooting black powder and now I wish I had done so earlier.

The funny thing was that the kids beside me were blasting away with their AKs and ARs and burning through ammo at a rate of $10 a minute, and hitting diddly squat.

When I told them that this muzzleloader cost a little over $100 to buy used and about $10 to shoot for a day their jaw dropped

The 54 caliber boom and smoke cloud is satisfying all right.

See if the twist rate is marked on the barrel,some do that.
Might just hit where aimed at 75-100 yards,I'd try that before changing sights I think.
Aint it a hoot !! ?

[gifford]

Those CVA rifles generally shoot better than most folks give them credit for. The usual rate of twist for the CVA Hawkens is 1:48 as a comprimise between conicals and roundballs. They shoot them both well. My CVA Hawken was in like new condition, cost less than a hundred bucks and shoots right with the higher priced Hawkens and Plains rifles. The load sounds about right so a new front sight may work, if it appears the original sight was replaced with a lower one. You may want to check the rear sight, if there is any play (elevation) in the rear sight blade, you can try shortening the elevation screw to get the last bit of elevation out of the rear sight. Good Luck, that group is great. g

[mooman76]

If you are just punching paper try dropping your powder charge down to around 50 or so grains and see how it does. Sounds like whoever had it before had the sites set for about 100y.

[wellfedirishman]

I am not sure how the sights were set before, but it is currently shooting about 18 inches high at 100 yards, with the sights at the lowest setting.

Once I get a correct height front sight I'd like to see how it shoots at longer distance. I will try conicals too.

If you are just punching paper try dropping your powder charge down to around 50 or so grains and see how it does. Sounds like whoever had it before had the sites set for about 100y.

[mooman76]

Probably a good idea anyway. If your rear site is adjustable like you say, I would at least want to get it in the range where you have some usable adjustment like switching from conicals to RBs maybe. Front sites are usually pretty easy to swap on these anyway if it's a dovetail site.

[troyboy]

You are lucky to have a fine model of a time long past. I am on the hunt for one so I too can experience the joy that you have found. Man they are fun to shoot.

[blackpowder man]

I bought my first CVA in the 80s at Friendship from their booth for $65. It was a second that had an odd stain. It was my first rifle and all I was allowed to hunt with until I turned 18. She was a .50 caliber flintlock and I still have it. She is a shooter. I have owned a number of much more expensive muzzleloaders, but a good OLD CVA will shoot as straight as I can. Funny thing is they are still around for $65.00. You picked a good one for the money.
+1 on trying 50 grains for paper punching.

[northmn]

Unless your rear sight is stuck at its highest setting, you need a new front sight. A 54 shoudl be able to ahndle about 90 -100 grains as a deer load and 60 or so as a plinker. 18 inches high at 100 yards with a 85 grain load is too much. You can also see if you have any room to file down the rear sight.

DP

[wellfedirishman]

The rear is down as low as it will go, believe me I have tried lowering it

I was actually considering just removing it altogether and putting on a tang peep sight, as I have one spare. I would need to drill the stock and put screw plugs in it, but that is not a big deal. The gun is a 'made in Spain' model and has little collector value.

Unless your rear sight is stuck at its highest setting, you need a new front sight. A 54 shoudl be able to ahndle about 90 -100 grains as a deer load and 60 or so as a plinker. 18 inches high at 100 yards with a 85 grain load is too much. You can also see if you have any room to file down the rear sight.

DP

[northmn]

I ahve filed down a lot of rear sights, as my rifles support fixed sights that is how they get sighted in. I just did that with a Rossi lever. I use an Express type sight now as I am having a bit of trouble seeing the sights. Although opening up a rear U also helps.

DP

[Papa smurf]

Papa Smurf here needing help !
I just finished a C V A Frontier kit I got from a old gun shop a few weeks back.
I plan to start with a load of 60gr equiv. of Pyrodex P and a .490 ball . If I load a
320 gr R.E.A.L should I drop to 50 gr or maybe forget the R.E.A.L all together??
Good Shooting-------------------Papa Smurf

[wellfedirishman]

Papa Smurf, do you know what the twist rate of your barrel is?

Slow twist (1/60 or so) works great for round balls.
Fast twist (1/28 or so) works great for conicals.
Medium twist (1/48) is somewhere in between and works ok for both.

50 grains is a pretty mild load, even with a 320 grain REAL.

Start with the patched round balls and see how they shoot. Then try the REAL.

Note: Pyrodex P is a pistol powder, you can use it in rifles (in pistol-level quantities) but don't use full-house rifle loadings with Pyrodex P. It has a faster burn rate than regular Pyrodex RS (rifle/shotgun) and can create higher pressure.

Papa Smurf here needing help !
I just finished a C V A Frontier kit I got from a old gun shop a few weeks back.
I plan to start with a load of 60gr equiv. of Pyrodex P and a .490 ball . If I load a
320 gr R.E.A.L should I drop to 50 gr or maybe forget the R.E.A.L all together??
Good Shooting-------------------Papa Smurf

[mooman76]

I had a Frontier rifle some time back and wish they guy I sold it to didn't talk me into selling it to him. He did exactly what I thought he would. He shot it and threw it in the back of his truck for 6 months without cleaning it. I was a good shooter too and with REALS too. Had a 1/48 twist so it shot both good. Generally I shot it with 50gr and it did well but I loaded it heavier too.

[Papa smurf]

Papa here again------- Thanks for the replys. The reason for Pyrodex P is I have a lot of it. I use it in my New model remington .44 and also in a C V A .45 cal KY. long rifle kit I put together a while back. Both Lee's ball and R.E.A.l do very well with 58 gr P or 3f black in the rifle. Light load, but I only kill tin cans or poke holes in paper.
Again Good Shooting========Papa smurf

[El Bango]

Frankly I would dump the adjustable sight and go with a fixed rear sight,dovetailed of course. The closer your sight plane is to the bore the better.Sight in at 75 yards dead on and practice at all ranges that you'll be hunting at.

[swathdiver]

The older CVA Hawkens, which yours could be, have 1:66 twist barrels. They are excellent round ball rifles.