Walks Alone
45 Cal.
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Here is some information that I’ve gathered to document what I’ve learned about my example of a mostly unknown, high quality and highly accurate traditional target pistol that was offered by CVA in the late 80’s called the CVA Siber Target Pistol.
Jean Siber Target Pistol
The CVA Siber is a close replica of the 33 caliber target pistols made by Jean Siber, a mid 1800’s Swiss gun maker located in Lausanne, Switzerland that had come from a family of watch makers. Amazingly the shop still exists today and is headed by Claude Forney, who is a descendant of Aime Siber and Francios Forney (who had been entrusted the leadership of the Jean Siber workshop).
Fourney Armurier, Lausanne, Switzerland as it appears today.
I also have some pictures of elaborate 11mm and 16mm Schuetzen target rifles made in the mid 1800’s by Jean Siber, and they too are very high end with high grade wood, gold inlays and engraving on all of the metal parts. The gold inlays are about the only things not carried forward on most of the replicas to come ”“ all the other features and quality was. I’ll note some specifications as the story comes to them.
Hege Siber Target Pistol
The Jean Siber Target Pistol was replicated by Hege GmbH, an Uberlingen, West Germany firm in 1982 from an original well preserved 1850 Jean Siber target pistol. This was the year after the U.S. International Muzzle Loading Committee changed the rules for muzzle loader competitions to allow the use of authentic reproduction firearms in the target competitions. Prior to the change only original firearms could be used in most competitions, so the rules were changed due to the lack of availability of original firearms for the matches. The Hege-Siber quickly rose to fame winning match after match in European competitions and became “the” firearm to beat in Europe. It still reigns right at or near the top.
Some specifications”¦ 33 caliber; hooked breech 10” barrel is .850” across the flats with 8 lands/grooves, and a 1:13 RH twist; overall length is 15 ½’; weight is 36 oz. Barrels were blued, locks bright polished and engraved.
The Plain Jane version of the Hege-Siber pistols (dubbed the British Style) sold for approximately $735 in the early 80’s.
CVA Siber Target Pistol
Later in the 80’s CVA jumped on the wagon too, with a high quality version in 45 caliber. Metal and wood fit and finish is excellent and well above the norm for CVA firearms.
Some specifications”¦ Polished steel hand engraved lock with brindle, fly, screw adjustable sear engagement and v-type mainspring, polished hammer is also hand engraved. Stock is fancy grade European Walnut with fine hand checkering. 45 caliber; hooked patent breech 10 ½” polished barrel is 7/8” across the flats with 12 lands/grooves, a 1:22” twist and is also hand engraved. It has an adjustable single-set trigger with rear over-lateral limiting screw. The blade front sight is drift adjustable for windage, the rear U-notch blade is internally adjustable for elevation. Overall length is 16 ½” and the weight is 38 oz.
Some other features”¦ a traditional dolphin head hammer; the rear sight is built into the tang and located behind the breech plug.
In 1989 CVA’s MSRP for this pistol was $394. That’s nearly $250 more than their next most expensive traditional sidelock pistol, and more expensive than almost all of their long list of traditional rifles offered that year as well. The price reflects the huge difference in quality and materials used for these pistols, not to mention all the internal and external handwork that went into them.
So how does it shoot? It is the most accurate traditional pistol I have ever shot. I can hold more than my own shooting handguns as a long time handgun hunter, but it is capable of way better than these old eyes can hold it. I’ve carried it as backup on traditional predator hunts, and it’s earned its weight several times in that capacity taking everything from badger to coyotes.
Mine is stored in the beautiful custom silk brocade lined walnut footed case along with the Remington pistol style “faithful dog” flask and brass ramrod also included with it when I bought it. The gentleman had two sets of everything (except the case), but had already sold one set before I came along”¦ or I would have had a pair of them.
Unfortunately my hunting days are over, so I no longer shoot it.
A final note: Traditions produced a similar pistol called the Pioneer in 45 caliber, but it lacks the refinements and quality of the Hege and CVA.
Hope some of you found the tale interesting. Was a long but fun road running down the information on a seldom seen pistol.
Walks Alone
(Besides Internet sources found, I have hard copies of articles and catalogs that this information came from.)
Jean Siber Target Pistol
The CVA Siber is a close replica of the 33 caliber target pistols made by Jean Siber, a mid 1800’s Swiss gun maker located in Lausanne, Switzerland that had come from a family of watch makers. Amazingly the shop still exists today and is headed by Claude Forney, who is a descendant of Aime Siber and Francios Forney (who had been entrusted the leadership of the Jean Siber workshop).
Fourney Armurier, Lausanne, Switzerland as it appears today.
I also have some pictures of elaborate 11mm and 16mm Schuetzen target rifles made in the mid 1800’s by Jean Siber, and they too are very high end with high grade wood, gold inlays and engraving on all of the metal parts. The gold inlays are about the only things not carried forward on most of the replicas to come ”“ all the other features and quality was. I’ll note some specifications as the story comes to them.
Hege Siber Target Pistol
The Jean Siber Target Pistol was replicated by Hege GmbH, an Uberlingen, West Germany firm in 1982 from an original well preserved 1850 Jean Siber target pistol. This was the year after the U.S. International Muzzle Loading Committee changed the rules for muzzle loader competitions to allow the use of authentic reproduction firearms in the target competitions. Prior to the change only original firearms could be used in most competitions, so the rules were changed due to the lack of availability of original firearms for the matches. The Hege-Siber quickly rose to fame winning match after match in European competitions and became “the” firearm to beat in Europe. It still reigns right at or near the top.
Some specifications”¦ 33 caliber; hooked breech 10” barrel is .850” across the flats with 8 lands/grooves, and a 1:13 RH twist; overall length is 15 ½’; weight is 36 oz. Barrels were blued, locks bright polished and engraved.
The Plain Jane version of the Hege-Siber pistols (dubbed the British Style) sold for approximately $735 in the early 80’s.
CVA Siber Target Pistol
Later in the 80’s CVA jumped on the wagon too, with a high quality version in 45 caliber. Metal and wood fit and finish is excellent and well above the norm for CVA firearms.
Some specifications”¦ Polished steel hand engraved lock with brindle, fly, screw adjustable sear engagement and v-type mainspring, polished hammer is also hand engraved. Stock is fancy grade European Walnut with fine hand checkering. 45 caliber; hooked patent breech 10 ½” polished barrel is 7/8” across the flats with 12 lands/grooves, a 1:22” twist and is also hand engraved. It has an adjustable single-set trigger with rear over-lateral limiting screw. The blade front sight is drift adjustable for windage, the rear U-notch blade is internally adjustable for elevation. Overall length is 16 ½” and the weight is 38 oz.
Some other features”¦ a traditional dolphin head hammer; the rear sight is built into the tang and located behind the breech plug.
In 1989 CVA’s MSRP for this pistol was $394. That’s nearly $250 more than their next most expensive traditional sidelock pistol, and more expensive than almost all of their long list of traditional rifles offered that year as well. The price reflects the huge difference in quality and materials used for these pistols, not to mention all the internal and external handwork that went into them.
So how does it shoot? It is the most accurate traditional pistol I have ever shot. I can hold more than my own shooting handguns as a long time handgun hunter, but it is capable of way better than these old eyes can hold it. I’ve carried it as backup on traditional predator hunts, and it’s earned its weight several times in that capacity taking everything from badger to coyotes.
Mine is stored in the beautiful custom silk brocade lined walnut footed case along with the Remington pistol style “faithful dog” flask and brass ramrod also included with it when I bought it. The gentleman had two sets of everything (except the case), but had already sold one set before I came along”¦ or I would have had a pair of them.
Unfortunately my hunting days are over, so I no longer shoot it.
A final note: Traditions produced a similar pistol called the Pioneer in 45 caliber, but it lacks the refinements and quality of the Hege and CVA.
Hope some of you found the tale interesting. Was a long but fun road running down the information on a seldom seen pistol.
Walks Alone
(Besides Internet sources found, I have hard copies of articles and catalogs that this information came from.)
