CVA Kentucky Rifle 45 questions

[slumlord44]

I have one of these I built from a kit that my wife bought for me for Christmas back in the mid to late '70's. Very acccurate with a round ball. Tried a heavy conical bullet. The more powder I poured in it, the more accurate it was with this bullet. Stoped at 80 grains of 3f because it would rattle my teeth. Stayed in an 8" circle at 75 yards.

 

[Teleoceras]

Josh:

W Dexter:

Mine is the first gun I ever owned after my Dad built her from a kit 30 years ago. I still shoot the old girl and have found that 50gr. FFg with a .44rb/.010 patch has been the most accurate load at 50 yards. On a calm day, I usually get 2"-3" groups.

What are you using?

Before the weather went cold (meaning snow on the ground), I used mine as a chunk gun at 50 yards.

I don't remember the load, but I plunked three through the same hole.

That's when I stopped for the day -- always stop feeling good!

I'm wanting to say the load was 50gns 2Fg, patched round ball, 10:1 or 20:1 lead/tin (harder to load, but keeps its shape better and seems more accurate due to this), and I believe the patch was "super muslin" from Walmart, which, in reality, is more of a twill fabric (similar to drill). At that time I had started using 50/50 beeswax/olive oil as lube.

Currently I'm using Hornady .440rb, Wano FFg, and cotton .010 patch with Wonderlube.

Slowmatch Forever!
Teleoceras

 

[clkyer]

I own one of these, which was built from a kit in early 70's. I have taken it apart several times and "rebuilt it again" with changes to the barrel color. I find it as the others here do, very accurate and reliable. I have use only round ball so far. but wanted to use a "buffalo" or Penn Bullet but have not been able to find any in 45 cal. Does anyone know where one might find them.

The twist is not enough to use sabots or miniballs.. I use 55 grains when range plinking, and 75 when hunting deer. I have not taken a deer yet, but then I have only hunted a few times with it. I will be using it this coming year, 2011 to get deer in Indiana and Tenn for sure.

 

[David W.]

I may be all wrong, but I thought the "older" CVA's were better quality when they were made in the USA.

 

[tg]

I think the Mt Rifles were made here for a while but the others were farmed out to Spain or Italy

 

[Zonie]

I agree. To the best of my knowledge the Mountain Rifle was the only CVA rifle that was made in the USA and even that was only done for a few years.

All of the other CVA rifles and the later Mountain Rifles were made by Ardesa in Spain.

Ardesa still is making a number of sidelocks and fun looking little cannons but most of these are no longer imported.

The Traditions importing company imports a few of them.
ARDESA in Spains site

 

[David W.]

I think the Mt Rifles were made here for a while but the others were farmed out to Spain or Italy

Thank you for that info. I've never seen or held a CVA.

 

[tg]

In one article in BP Digest circa 1977 about CVA, the Mt Rifle is described thusly, this is an exact quote "This new rifle is an excellant copy of the Hawken Brothers now famous Mt. rifle, this new front-stuffer has a large number of features that make it an authentic reproduction.The most striking of which are all-steel furniture;no brass, two barrel wedges rather than one and a pewter type nose cap."
It does not say which contributing author wrote the CVA article there were over a dozen who worked on that edition.

 

[Zonie]

He's probably the one who is still sitting in the corner with a brown paper bag over his head. :hmm:

 

[MikeChapin]

I agree. To the best of my knowledge the Mountain Rifle was the only CVA rifle that was made in the USA and even that was only done for a few years.

All of the other CVA rifles and the later Mountain Rifles were made by Ardesa in Spain.

Ardesa still is making a number of sidelocks and fun looking little cannons but most of these are no longer imported.

The Traditions importing company imports a few of them.
ARDESA in Spains site

I could be wrong but I think the only things made in the USA were the barrels and possibly the stocks. The barrels were advertised as match barrels at the time. Whether they were Douglas or Sharon barrels they lived up to the hype. Mine is still driving tacks after 30+ years of heavy use.

The stocks on the first rifles were maple. I assume they were made in the USA. When they went back to the full Spanish made it looks like they were stocked in Beech like the rest of the line.

The locks were made in Spain. They were the deluxe locks. They had a bridal and a fly in the tumbler. The percussion locks were very good. They weren't a Hamm but were good. The flintlocks could be a crap shoot but usually were pretty good with a little tuning. Back in the day you could get them for about $25. I used to replace the cheaper CVA locks with them.

TG and Zonie: I too got a giggle out of the hype at the time on it being a repo of a Hawken which it very obviously wasn't.