CVA Frontier Carbine - Button vs Hook and Interchangeable Barrels

[Cheap Gear Guy]

Hi All,

I have a CVA Frontier Carbine that has a bustificated drum/bolster and so I'm shopping for a replacement barrel. My barrel has a hook breech and I recently saw a button breech barrel on Ebay -- can I simply replace my tang with a button tang and drop in a 24" button breech Frontier barrel? Or should I just keep shopping for the right barrel?

Also, is anyone aware of rifle models whose barrel I can simply drop into my Frontier and have everything line up (i.e. certain Bobcat models maybe)?

Thank you for your help!

JAC

 

[ASMman]

Hello Cheap Gear Guy,

To go from a hooked breech to a button style, simply change out the tang. To go from a button breech to a hooked style, one needs to remove a little wood for clearance for the hook & change out the tang.

AntiqueSledMan.

 

[ChrisPer]

Hi All,

I have a CVA Frontier Carbine that has a bustificated drum/bolster and so I'm shopping for a replacement barrel. My barrel has a hook breech and I recently saw a button breech barrel on Ebay -- can I simply replace my tang with a button tang and drop in a 24" button breech Frontier barrel? Or should I just keep shopping for the right barrel?

Also, is anyone aware of rifle models whose barrel I can simply drop into my Frontier and have everything line up (i.e. certain Bobcat models maybe)?

Thank you for your help!

JAC

Consider just buying a whole spare rifle rather than a barrel. They can be picked up occasionally for very modest money!

 

[ASMman]

Hello Cheap Gear Guy,

I believe as long as it's 15/16" barrel it should fit.
I picked mine up on Ebay for about $25.

AntiqueSledMan.

 

[mooman76]

I have a Traditions Deerhunter rifle and a CVA Mountain stalker. One has a button breech and other has a hooked breech. I was able to swap with the tangs. There was a gap in the wood on one but it worked. They would probably work for you also but I don't know for sure. One had a 26 inch barrel and other has a 24". Traditions and CVA used to be made by same manufacturer.

 

[russellshaffer]

What exactly is wrong with your barrel and bolster? I would think there should be some way to fix it.

 

[Cheap Gear Guy]

The nipple broke off and then due to it being 'rust welded' I broke an EZ-out and a couple of drill bits trying to get the hole cleared. This ended up with a super-boogered up hole which I further boogered by attempting a helicoil tap which simply did not have enough metal to work with.

Given how CVA engineered these things I understand that replacing the bolster/drum can be quite an adventure in itself and I'm done being adventurous for a while

 

[russellshaffer]

Well. I do think it is fixable but only if you do it yourself - it would cost way too much to pay for the work. If it was me, I would get that drum out by doing whatever is necessary. I believe you can unscrew it if you get violent enough, but it is already toast. Even a pipe wrench won't matter. If it won't unscrew, drill it out and retap the hole. The expensive part will be the the new drum that will have to be fabricated. Everyone who has actually tried it says that the breech plug cannot be removed without major damage to the barrel so I have to believe what they say. Otherwise I would keep looking for a replacement barrel or a complete rifle. I can't find any place to buy a new drum so you will probably have no choice but to make one. Or sell the parts and put the money towards that new gun.

 

[Mdl94]

On the off chance you want to save that barrel, you might try calling Deer Creek Products, they might still do some work on barrels...worth a call to see, they are a good bunch of people, I’ve had multiple dealings with them, just fire up yer google machine for the number.

 

[longcruise]

Heck, Deer Creek sells replacement barrels for less than $120. Last time I looked they had both.

Will they have one for your style? Dunno.

I fixed one once and it was not difficult at all. Grab the drum with vice grips and take it out. Get a drum with the correct threads and pay attention to how the old drum is configured (you will understand once you look at it).

It's easier to do if you get the drum that is not drilled and tapped for the nipple. Get the drum drilling and tapping jig from TOW. You will be surprised at how simple it is!

 

[n.h.schmidt]

Track of the Wolf has drums for cva rifles. With or without the nipple drilled and taped . $6 to $7. Sounds like a good deal to me.
n.h.schmidt

 

[russellshaffer]

Well, there you go Cheap Guy. Good info to have. I imagine a Traditions drum would be the same kind of fix.

 

[Cheap Gear Guy]

Thanks everyone for the input! I bought a button breech barrel and tang off ebay and everything seems to line up great! Maybe I'll save the old barrel as a future project for whenever I feel like doing a lot of drilling again

 

[russellshaffer]

Thanks for starting this. It was educational, at least for me.

 

[Mark Herman]

Cut off the breech end of the barrel and remove the breech plug. Cut the breech plug behind the drum hole and re thread the barrel for the shorter plug. You can then put in a new drum. The other option would be cut the barrel, re thread an install a hooked breech and tang. Not difficult to set back the barrel in the stock. Whole rifle is probably not worth the time, effort and money, replace the rifle.