.45 CVA one piece stock?

[Ohio Rusty]

Several months ago I bought from an estate sale a CVA .45 kentucky rifle kit in percussion. paid a whole $25 bucks for the gun. All the parts are there and the barrel has no rust in or out. So far so good. In all those kits there is that cheap maple 2 piece stock that uses the brass shim in between the two pieces. I always thought those 2 piece stocks were terrible looking. I have an interest to put this gun together, but I'm looking for a one piece partially inletted stock to attach the parts and barrel to. I think a one piece would look so much better. Where might one acquire such a stock so I can put this rifle together?
Ohio Rusty

 

[brubincam]

i put one of those two piece stock kits together 30 yrs ago...i didnt use the shim....i put the rifle together after finishing the stock...i soaked some deer hide then wrapped the stock and barrel verry tight cutting a space for the rear sight...then laced it with strips of wet deer hide...a gun shop saw it liked it and we traded for a zoave...should have kept the cva good little rifle... :results:

 

[Zonie]

IMO, this is not going to be a real valuable gun no matter what you do.
If you are willing to put a lot of work into this project, I do have a suggestion.

Replace the stock with a partially pre-carved stock from Pecatonica River. Stocks from them will have all of the outer surfaces carved but will require the removal of about 1/16 of wood (or a little more) to get it down to the smooth slender shape it should be.

You can buy these stocks with just the barrel channel cut and the ramrod hole drilled. This allows you to install any lock, trigger, butt plate, trigger guard etc, but be forwarned, the amount of work you will have to do is going to be the same as if you had bought a good american lock and all of the rest of the hardware to make a truly nice, quality gun.

My price list is probably out of date, but it says the stock price would be $43 to pre carve it and cut the barrel channel and the ramrod hole plus the cost of the wood.
If I were doing this, I would buy the cheapest wood he offers, which my book says is the straight Maple with 0 to 30% curl. This would set you back $80 (unless he's raised the price in the last year or two).
Total stock price = about $137 including postage.

If you decide to do this, measure the distance across the flats of the barrel. My old Dixie book says your gun uses a 7/8 inch barrel, but you better check it anyway.
Give him this barrel channel size, tell him which style you want and your in business.

If I were doing this, I think I would shy away from the older style classics where a precussion lock would be totally out of place and the width of the butt would be way too wide for your hardware and ask for a "Tennessee Mountain" (fairly straight comb and lower stock surface) or a "Southern Mountain" style (curved comb and lower stock surface).
IMO, these styles lend themselves to using whatever lock and hardware was available to the gunsmiths in the area so it would be fairly PC for any time after 1830.

 

[riarcher]

I've still got one that's from a 30 yr. old kit.
There is a plus to the 2 piece stock. For cleaning you simply remove the lock and tang screw. Drop the breach end into a bucket of hot water and pump her clear. Actually a bit easier than a hooked breach in some ways.
Just a thought. :m2c:
Still have the original Junkar (junker) barrel somewhere and often thought about having it drilled out to a smoothie but just haven't bothered yet. That Junkar barrel never impressed me much. It got replaced with a Green Mountain for "zip" by a friend years ago and what a diff. it made.

 

[Zonie]

Another stock style that would look great is Pecatonica Rivers Leman full stock or half stock.
They cut the barrel channel for a 15/16 barrel for it and don't list other sizes but if your barrel is a 7/8 inch octagon I'm sure they would cut the wood for it.