Does any one know of any problems with the barrels exploding with the older CVA Percussion Kentucky Rifles? I can pick one up at a gun show for $150. It maybe have been a kit built gun, cause the stock is a very light color. I'm thinking the kit stock was oil finished. I know CVA barrels on inline guns have exploded. But I don't know the barrels on the Kentucky rifles.
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cva Kentucky Rifle
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No Problem with the barrels.
You right, it was a particular model of their inlines that had the bad barrels in the 90's and they've yet to live it down.
(They've had the recall out for years)
150 is on the high end for one of those rifles.
There are several recent topics here of the same rifle being purchased for 100 and less.
Bore condition is the biggest factor, if you see any rust at all (bring a light and look, ask for a bore light so you can look) put it down and walk away.
You right, it was a particular model of their inlines that had the bad barrels in the 90's and they've yet to live it down.
(They've had the recall out for years)
150 is on the high end for one of those rifles.
There are several recent topics here of the same rifle being purchased for 100 and less.
Bore condition is the biggest factor, if you see any rust at all (bring a light and look, ask for a bore light so you can look) put it down and walk away.
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Just picked one up today, about $103 tax & all. It had a miss alined hammer so I talked it down, but it Started $25 less then the one your looking at.necchi said:
I have 2 older CVA Hawken rifles, both .50 caliber. I paid $25 for the one with a 28-inch barrel (my target rifle) because it had light rust coating all over the outside of the barrel, but cleaned up nicely with the original bluing still just lookin' fine using an old gunsmith's trick of wetting some 0000 steel wool with WD40 and lightly rubbing the rust off the barrel (the bore was already bright and clean).
I paid $100 for an almost like new .50 caliber CVA Hawken Carbine with a 24-inch barrel (my deer rifle) that had a tiny bit of rush near the cap-lock's nipple that cleaned up just fine using the 0000 steel wool and WD40. The bore is perfect and very "tight" and must have a spit patch run through it after just 2 shots using FFFg Swiss or it is difficult to load with a .490 ball and a .016 patch lubed with a liberal mixture of bee's wax and Crisco oil.
Both .50 caliber Hawken cap-locks shoot very accurately off the bench using a Hornady swagged .490 rifle ball and that .016ths lubed patch using 47 grains of either FFFg Swiss or Goex.
I've shot as high as 90 grains of FFFg Swiss in the 28-inch barreled rifle with no problems. However, I normally only load it with my target load of 47 grains of Swiss FFFg.
My hunting load consisting of 70 grains of Swiss FFFg shoots very tight "clover-leafs" in the 24-inch, 6½ lb. Hawken Carbine.
Make GOOD smoke... :thumbsup:
Strength & Honor...
Ron T.
I paid $100 for an almost like new .50 caliber CVA Hawken Carbine with a 24-inch barrel (my deer rifle) that had a tiny bit of rush near the cap-lock's nipple that cleaned up just fine using the 0000 steel wool and WD40. The bore is perfect and very "tight" and must have a spit patch run through it after just 2 shots using FFFg Swiss or it is difficult to load with a .490 ball and a .016 patch lubed with a liberal mixture of bee's wax and Crisco oil.
Both .50 caliber Hawken cap-locks shoot very accurately off the bench using a Hornady swagged .490 rifle ball and that .016ths lubed patch using 47 grains of either FFFg Swiss or Goex.
I've shot as high as 90 grains of FFFg Swiss in the 28-inch barreled rifle with no problems. However, I normally only load it with my target load of 47 grains of Swiss FFFg.
My hunting load consisting of 70 grains of Swiss FFFg shoots very tight "clover-leafs" in the 24-inch, 6½ lb. Hawken Carbine.
Make GOOD smoke... :thumbsup:
Strength & Honor...
Ron T.
Little Wattsy
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I had an older CVA .50 hawken that was flat out the most accurate ML I have ever shot... So proud of it that I gave it to my best friend as a hunter..
Don't worry about it. If you want it and $150 is agreeable to both of you get it. All CVA and Traditions are “kits” no matter who made them.
CVA has changed hands three times that I know of. The middle company had the unfortunate barrels. But it has nothing to do with the older company that did the gun you are considering. Neither does it have anything to do with the new CVA, which makes wonderful modern muzzlelaoders.
If it is the gun for you buy it and don't look back. Enjoy it as you new friend.
CVA has changed hands three times that I know of. The middle company had the unfortunate barrels. But it has nothing to do with the older company that did the gun you are considering. Neither does it have anything to do with the new CVA, which makes wonderful modern muzzlelaoders.
If it is the gun for you buy it and don't look back. Enjoy it as you new friend.
ohio ramrod
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The first CVA,s in 45 had a very shallow groove rifling, and a constriction part way down the barrels. Safe to shoot but a pain to clean! Later they switched to jukar barrels and these where ( and many still are ) very accurate barrels. :idunno:
Be sure to check the barrel to see if it is loaded.
More than one of us has found that used guns often are.
Not only are some of them loaded but the former owner might have even used smokeless powder to do it.
Needless to say, if it is loaded, on the off chance that some idiot used smokeless powder, do not try to shoot the load out.
More than one of us has found that used guns often are.
Not only are some of them loaded but the former owner might have even used smokeless powder to do it.
Needless to say, if it is loaded, on the off chance that some idiot used smokeless powder, do not try to shoot the load out.
As Ebiggs wrote, CLEAN the rifle and lock THOROUGHLY and lube. (Very good advice)
And as Zonie wrote, if it is loaded, DO NOT attempt to shoot the ball out, remove the ball & powder manually with a ball-remover screw or a CO² "gun" designed for the purpose because some fool may have loaded the rifle with smokeless powder or a huge load of black powder which could cause the barrel to explode if fired. (Also very good advice)
Enjoy your new rifle and make GOOD smoke! :thumbsup:
Strength & Honor...
Ron T.
And as Zonie wrote, if it is loaded, DO NOT attempt to shoot the ball out, remove the ball & powder manually with a ball-remover screw or a CO² "gun" designed for the purpose because some fool may have loaded the rifle with smokeless powder or a huge load of black powder which could cause the barrel to explode if fired. (Also very good advice)
Enjoy your new rifle and make GOOD smoke! :thumbsup:
Strength & Honor...
Ron T.
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I think 3 times now I have dropped the ram rod down a smokepole at a pawn shop or garage sale to find it hit bottom about 2 1/2" short.Zonie said:
I try to get my best deal while the seller looks like :redface:
recently I bought 3 pistols at a pawn shop
one of them was loaded with smokeless powder and a wad
one of them was loaded with smokeless powder and a wad
:shocked2: Holy manure! :shocked2:
We locked up a knuckle head about ten years ago..., he had an 1858 Remington he was using for robberies..., when we pulled the bullets, we found he'd used Blue Dot powder.
(Wish he had tried to fire the thing just once.)
LD
We locked up a knuckle head about ten years ago..., he had an 1858 Remington he was using for robberies..., when we pulled the bullets, we found he'd used Blue Dot powder.
(Wish he had tried to fire the thing just once.)
LD
Hi guys,...
Just an opinion, It may have been irrational,.. But my original dislike of anything CVA goes back to the 70's when I assembled a kit rifle from them that was my very first build. (It was actually responsible for me building "actual" rifles from there on). I didn't like the quality and the the front half of the two piece stock was warped right out of the box. After it was together, it shot like manure... So I was done, and have talked trash about CVA ever since....
Fast forward to a year and a half ago... I go to a garage sale, and there is a Hawkins style rifle leaning against the wall.. I pick it up and look at it, First thing I see is "CVA" The style was really appealing, and I had never seen a CVA that looked this good before,.. so I go to put it down, Lady says she would give me a really good deal on it, It was her Brothers that passed away and she didn't like guns in the house.
I look at it and for a CVA, It looked really good !......How much I ask,... She said Well I was asking $ 125. :hmm: ....... But I'll take $80. to get it out of here... :grin:
So I peel off 4 twenties and go to walk out... and she said Wait !!!... Don't you want this stuff ?.. It goes with it .
She hands me a buckskin case, and a box of all the shooting supply's.... (A ton of stuff) I said Thank you and handed her another twenty she didn't ask for and she was thrilled.... But it was still a CVA.. (wall hanger at best I thought)Well My sons wanted to go shooting, so I drag the ol' smoke pole along just to annoy everybody. Loaded her up and took aim at a water filled milk jug about 75 yards away.....
I said to my sons, "I'm shooting at the jug, let me know where I hit !"......I set the trigger and touched her off... Ta-boom ! First shot and the milk jug explodes ! Wow !, My aim must really be off ! was my first thought...
Loaded he up again and shot at a clay pigeon we had set up an the back stop..... Ta-boom !... same results ! :shocked2: . Everybody that shot that ol girl had almost the same results ! Well, This has changed my mind about CVA's (well at least this one)... I don't know if it's an early one or not. But this is my "go-to" Gun for any kind of BP shooting now....
I have been out of Black Powder for a number of years, Do any of you know the era CVA would have built this style Rifle ?
Just an opinion, It may have been irrational,.. But my original dislike of anything CVA goes back to the 70's when I assembled a kit rifle from them that was my very first build. (It was actually responsible for me building "actual" rifles from there on). I didn't like the quality and the the front half of the two piece stock was warped right out of the box. After it was together, it shot like manure... So I was done, and have talked trash about CVA ever since....
Fast forward to a year and a half ago... I go to a garage sale, and there is a Hawkins style rifle leaning against the wall.. I pick it up and look at it, First thing I see is "CVA" The style was really appealing, and I had never seen a CVA that looked this good before,.. so I go to put it down, Lady says she would give me a really good deal on it, It was her Brothers that passed away and she didn't like guns in the house.
I look at it and for a CVA, It looked really good !......How much I ask,... She said Well I was asking $ 125. :hmm: ....... But I'll take $80. to get it out of here... :grin:
So I peel off 4 twenties and go to walk out... and she said Wait !!!... Don't you want this stuff ?.. It goes with it .
She hands me a buckskin case, and a box of all the shooting supply's.... (A ton of stuff) I said Thank you and handed her another twenty she didn't ask for and she was thrilled.... But it was still a CVA.. (wall hanger at best I thought)Well My sons wanted to go shooting, so I drag the ol' smoke pole along just to annoy everybody. Loaded her up and took aim at a water filled milk jug about 75 yards away.....
I said to my sons, "I'm shooting at the jug, let me know where I hit !"......I set the trigger and touched her off... Ta-boom ! First shot and the milk jug explodes !
Wow !, My aim must really be off ! was my first thought... Loaded he up again and shot at a clay pigeon we had set up an the back stop..... Ta-boom !... same results ! :shocked2: . Everybody that shot that ol girl had almost the same results ! Well, This has changed my mind about CVA's (well at least this one)... I don't know if it's an early one or not. But this is my "go-to" Gun for any kind of BP shooting now....
I have been out of Black Powder for a number of years, Do any of you know the era CVA would have built this style Rifle ?
That's the CVA Mountain Rifle friend,
It's no wonder you where suprised with it's accuracy.
It is by far the best Traditional ML CVA made.
You take care of that thing and it'll win matches for you for years to come, :wink:
It's no wonder you where suprised with it's accuracy.
It is by far the best Traditional ML CVA made.
You take care of that thing and it'll win matches for you for years to come, :wink:
you payed 100 bucks for that rifle!??!
sweet score!
sweet score!
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:bow: what a deaL :hatsoff:
SgtSchutzen
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Yep....Mountain Rifle. Kinda hard to tell from your pics, but maybe an older one too. Are the rod thimbles octagon in shape? How many screws hold the patchbox to the stock? Most important does it say made in USA on the barrel?
Most guys don`t get rid of CVA Mountain Rifles. Hang on to that gun, you stole it :bow: :hatsoff:
Most guys don`t get rid of CVA Mountain Rifles. Hang on to that gun, you stole it :bow: :hatsoff:
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