CVA Barrel With Bolster Removed, Salvagable or Junk?

[ThreeCrows]

A friend of mine gave me a CVA Mountain Rifle Barrel in .54 caliber and the bolster has been removed. I'd like to salvage it if possible so is it possible to have a bolster put in it or convert it to flint or is it just junk and drop in with the scrap? I guess the back could be cut off to rethread and breech it again but then it would mean a different stock or at least moving the barrel lugs forward and shortening the under rib. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks,
ThreeCrows

 

[deermanok]

You can get another drum for it.
Deercreek Products or The Gun Works/Muzzleloading Emporium of Oregon.
As long as the barrel is in overall decent shape You could fix it up and look for a stock and everything else.

 

[Rifleman1776]

There are several different bolster/breech configurations that were used on the CVAs. A search here will find you a lot of good information. But, all have in common, they were complex. Without seeing what you have, I'm inclined to think a total barrel replacement is in order.

 

[longcruise]

Are you taking about the plug/drum as a unit or just the drum?

 

[ThreeCrows]

I got a small lot of parts that came with the barrel and one is a bolster that is threaded behind the drum with a large threaded portion and then the oposite end is cut down and is threaded in a smaller size. This bolster doesn't fit in the threads in the hole in the barrel and the barrel threads are all one size the whole way through. Bolster thread size is close but will not thread into the hole and I do not want to try and force it and do any more damage. Bolster is threaded just behind the drum for most of the way then steps down to a smaller threaded portion. Barrel however looks to be threadded the same size the whole way through. I do not know the thread size of either barrel or the bolster. I will have to call the vendors and see what they can tell me. Oh, barrel has stamping on left side but is pretty fine and old eyes can't read it and I cannot find my magnifer. I suppose if I knew if it wer made in Spain or U.S. would be a help with the thread size.
Thanks,
Three Crows

 

[longcruise]

Some pictures would clarify.

 

[ThreeCrows]

Sorry, no pics available as I have 3 digital cameras but none work and a track phone without a camera. Unless I can get some one over to take them.
Thanks,

ThreeCrows

 

[longcruise]

So, is it this:


or this:

 

[nwtradegun]

send it to bobby hoyt barrel maker he can put a new breech plug

 

[Ed Pilkington]

I HAD LONGCRUISE’S SECOND PIC BARREL. I SAWED OIT OFF FLUSH AND INSTALLED A LIGHTENING VENT. AND REWORKED TJE STOCK TO FOIT AN ORIGINAL CVA FLINTLOCK AND…POW IT NEVER MISFIRES. HARD BUT FUN AND SATISFYING WORK.

 

[earlwb]

I remember some gunsmiths cutting off a little from the barrel breech end and fitting a conventional breechplug before. So maybe that is a route to per-sue.

 

[rp77469]

Call Deer Creek and talk with them. They bought up the CVA parts. They can install the bolster/breech plug combo if you send them the barrel.

 

[Philip Lebow]

Or send it to me at LRK Mechanical Services. 928-776-6483, will make custom plug to fit your threads, and install a new drum.
[email protected]. Move your underlugs and stuff if necessary.

 

[longcruise]

If it's only the drum then it's not a problem. Drum replacement is simple on these barrels. . . Until you also remove the breech plug. Then it's more difficult.

 

[ThreeCrows]

LD,
I appreciate the photos you posted as I am color blind and I cannot make out any details as everything just blends together.

Barrel has a good clean bore or I wouldn't care that much about it and hate to dump a .54 since most of my rifles are in that caliber. It is good to know that I have some options that were presented here and I have to see what the is with BH as I have some other barrel work for him, anyway. I have ttalked to both Deer Creek and the Gun works in the past and I tend to talk too lond I guess it is just like when a couple of gun guys get together and go from one thing to another and all about guns. It is also good to know of another shop that can do basicly custom machine work and I will have to keep LRK in mind.

I thank evrybody that offered up solutions to my problem.

TjreeCrows

 

[ThreeCrows]

the breech plug is not from this barrel, close to the right diameter but wrong threads. I think it must have been around and either the original owner or somebody just put in with the barrel withssome other parts. Bolster was removed but nothing done to the breech as there are no marks on it form trying to get it out.Thanks,
ThreeCrows

 

[longcruise]

I bought this barrel off a trader at a shoot. It wasn't one i needed or wanted bu a friend had a use for it. A CVA barrel for Kentucky Rifle. The same as the OP's breech. It had never been breeched. My friend who was all new to traditional bp guns had no problem breeching it and went on to build a gun with it. So it's easy to do when you don't know any better.

 

[stank]

It’s pretty easy to fix that barrel up if the original breech plug is still installed. Any gunsmith or machinist should be able to do it if they see the photos already provided above. If you want it to be a percussion ignition Track of the wolf makes a fixture to align where to drill for the nipple in the undrilled drum. Flint conversion is also easy. A guy on flebay sells a conversion part. I’ve used it and it works good but I did have to move the lock forward to align the flash hole to the pan. I’ve also just just screwed in a hex head bolt. Milled it almost flush. Put a screw driver slot in it and drill for a flash hole liner. With all the threads in that area everything has to be timed to the threads. I just screw in the plug with a screwdriver. Mark it with a magic marker where you have to break thru in to the chamber. Remove it and mill or dremel in to the flash channel. Screw it back in and mill it off flush to the barrel. This all sounds complicated but should be easy for any machinist. Should take about an hour.

 

[BP Addict]

send it to bobby hoyt barrel maker he can put a new breech plug

I read somewhere that Bobby does not work on Patent Breech Barrels. Neither does the Oregon Barrel Company. They're a PITA.

However, you can buy a new drum from the Gun Works in Oregon and maybe Track of the Wolf.

Good Luck!

Walt

 

[hawkeye2]

I read somewhere that Bobby does not work on Patent Breech Barrels. Neither does the Oregon Barrel Company. They're a PITA.

However, you can buy a new drum from the Gun Works in Oregon and maybe Track of the Wolf.

Good Luck!

Walt

He relined a Numrich barrel with a patent breech for me a few years back but he may not work on a CVA style breech.