An abused CVA

[Skylinewatcher]

I have two brothers who are the laziest humans that ever drawed breath, somtimes. One of them had an early model CVA percussion .50 cal rifle who then traded it to the other brother. That brother then brought it to me to clean because "its all stopped up." Nothing on this gun would move and upon inspection I found the darn thing was still loaded. After getting the clean out screw removed I took care of the powder with water. The wiping stick was damaged from the first brother trying to unload the gun, pulled the rod end off leaving the screw in the ball, so I thought. I broke out the ole gorilla glue after practicing a bit and was able to reseat the rod to its end and then brought it all back out except the ball. But it wasn't a ball. After a phone call I found some darn fool of a polecat talked my brother into stuffing a saboted bullet down that gun. On top of that my brother kept his gun nasty. I ended up using a gutter screw and a slide hammer to remove that sabot. Cleaned it up as best I could and sent it back to my brother with the instructions not to shoot it, or at least I wouldn't want to. I got to thinking about it and wondered, if after some work would it be safe to shoot that gun again. It sat over a year in this shape before it got to me. What do you think?

 

[rafterob]

Cleaned up real good it should shoot. Might take some steel wool or scoth brite pad to smooth out any pitting that occured in the barrel.

 

[Skylinewatcher]

I forgot to mention that the sabot was stuck about 8 inches down the barrel. Thats where the first brother just left it. He was at a shoot range that Alabama Game & Fish had built on a management area. Just so happens there was a fellar there who stopped him from trying to just shoot the the stuck sabot out. SHOOT OUT A STUCK SABOT! After, I pried that info out of him, I started to slap him and take all his guns away from him. Make him start over toting a stick with a painted end. Thats how ol pap taughts us all to handle guns when we were 4 and 5 years old. When you could tote that stick and keep the painted end pointed in a safe direction 100% of the time you may get to start acually shooting a real gun. Then after you learned to aim and was old enough, you got one bullet to hunt with all season. You missed, too bad. You let that gun barrel stray toward anyone and it was really too bad.

 

[2172]

Skye, I agree with ghetto gun..given how well your pap taught you, how come your brothers turned out to be arseholes about guns? Hank

 

[Skylinewatcher]

Pap died before them boys come along. They got to experience Grandma (and how not to sass) until she went on home. I guess you can say I failed them. I did try to teach them some of what I know and could, not saying I know it all. One of them will listen real good about things you try to tell him(the one that ended up with the CVA). The other I guess takes after his side of the family as they are my half brothers. I was raised by ol pap and grandma, while they lived with my mother and stepfather. The one who done the CVA the way he did don't really like critics. He even told me he got a little huffy with the fellar who stopped him from trying to shoot that sabot out. I told him that fellar saved his left hand and probably more. To be truthful both of them are only now interested in what I have to say, growing up they didn't really care what I thought, until their powder got damp, that is. They'll come along, I hope.

 

[Skylinewatcher]

I think I'll just see about buying that CVA from my brother. Get a man what knows to look at it deep with a bore scope clean it up real good and shoot it. It deserves the chance. Might just give it back to my brother for a b'day present, due to the fact, he was the one skunked in that trade anyway. Thanks for the whats what fellars.

 

[Bill Hall]

I'm sure it's alright to shoot, just may not shoot very accurately anymore. Depends on how much pitting there is in the bore. Like already mentioned, you can scub out the bore with a scratchy pad or steel wool and see how well it cleans up.

P.S. I have a brother just like your two, he can be a challenge. :idunno: Bill

 

[Zonie]

If you do decide to buy the CVA, remember, these guns are not high priced even if they are in excellent condition.

In my opinion, in the condition you describe that CVA to be in it probably isn't worth over $50.

 

[hoochiepapa]

Man, after what you said, I have a deep respect for your pap.

 

[Rogue River]

I'll take all the $50.00 CVA's you all can ship me!!! :grin:

 

[Skylinewatcher]

You are right on the money there zonie. The first brother only gave the $40 for the CVA and it was in real good shape. Now, the brother who has it now wanted a ML real bad. He traded a real nice handheld GPS for the tube. I tried to talk him out of it without starting a fuss, but he went on ahead with it. I told him when he brought it over he got skunked on that trade and that was before I looked at the tube's current condition. I had offered to loan him my precussion GPR or an inline I had bought off a fellar, but he wanted to have his own. I don't blame him for that. I even tried to get him to just buy a new one, but nope, he wanted that CVA right then and there. He had a Bobcat several years ago that he was deadly with and this CVA resembles that tube is why I figured he had the hankers for that CVA so bad. I tried to talk the other brother into putting everything right by trading back but he won't do it. However, he is now running all over trying to get somebody to teach him to work the GPS. So I guess it evened out pretty good lol.

 

[zimmerstutzen]

Black powder and soft lead is much more forgiving than fodder for cartridge guns when it comes to condition.

Id start with some patches with car rubbing compound on them, the white, not the red. Run such patches up and down until they start to wear through and then a new patch with the same. After about 40 passes, you may well find that the bore is smoothing out . Clean that gunk out and swith to something like J&B bore cleaner (mildly abrasive, tooth paste (not tooth gel) or even flitz. alot of old bores are very salvageable and even may shoot better than new.

As a last effort, consider having the barrel reamed smooth to a 52 or 54 cal for use as a scatter gun.

 

[Skylinewatcher]

Thank ye much zimmerstutzen, you saved me from bothering folk later on with another question. I had already begun to think about cleaning that old bore. When I cleaned it the first time it looked like rusty clay rolling out the end. I'll give your instructions a whirl. I wish I would have took pictures when I first got the tube in my hands to show you all what none of you probably ever see. Not a dirty gun, but a naaaassssty gun. Believe me when I say theres a difference.

 

[msuspartan]

I am proud that you gave them brothers a slappen' round!!! :bow: Wow, to think he got 'huffy' over someone saving a body part(s) OR his LIFE. Amazing what people do. :nono:
Well I think starting them out small then let them graduate when the prove them selves. Then give the gun back as a graduation present.

Sabot bullet.....boggles the mind!!! :youcrazy:

 

[imray]

CVA has quit making and selling all sidelock percussion and flintlocks, they are an inline only company since 2004 I believe. They sold most of their traditional parts and still sell out what they have left in lots instead of a customer that needs something. I recently talked to them on the telephone, and they said they werent interested in anything but mainly 209 inline muzzleloaders as that is where the market has gone. Just what I was told by CVA rep on the phone. Deer Creek has bought most of the warehouse stock from CVA, so thats where I go to get what I need for my CVA now, I will buy nothing more from the CVA co. best wishes, ray

 

[Skylinewatcher]

Thats real sad to hear that imray, I don't keep up much. I know many folks looked down on CVA, but I always looked at them as an easy way for a man to rediscover the ML. They made'em cheap I know, but I firmly believe that once a man shoots a precussion or flint ML he is hooked on the things. I have a pre accu trigger savage .270 I bought from a pawn shop. It still has all of the company markings on the bolt. It even has all of the blueing around the crown of the muzzle. A wonderful unscratched wood stock. I gave $150.00 dollars for that gun, good price in my book. It is the most accurate rifle I have ever shot or owned, made a lot of meat with it. However, now days, I will always come up with some excuse to hunt with ol' preacher. Awww, I guess I better clean that .270 before huntin with it or I need to check the scope first, something always comes up and out the door I go with that GPR.

 

[mediclimber]

I still have a CVA Mountain Rifle, barrel stamped "Made in the USA and she shoots like a dream. So does the matching pistol. But I do take care of my weapons.

 

[Pete Gaimari]

I'd buy the dumb brother a BB gun, and tell him not to shoot anybodies eye out.

 

[zimmerstutzen]

Over the years I have purchased alot of rusty junkers that were neglected or even abused. It is amazing how many of them cleaned up and how many rough bores polished out with an hour's elbow grease.

Another thing that may work is some stiff auto grease mixed with some powdered abrasive like rotten stone.

 

[slumlord44]

Have had CVA guns since the '70's. Always good shooters for the money they cost. Still underrated by many. Deer Creek has new barrels in the white. Got one recently for a Hawken that I bought and discovered that the tang that held the barrel in the stock had been broken off. CVA would replace the breech plug for $60. New barrel cost me $100 delivered. Pay $50 for the gun and $100 for a barrel and that is about what the gun is worth. I would clean it and see how it shoots first.