CVA Lock Mtn. Riflr Color.

[Hawk54]

Howdy. I am currently refinishing a CVA Mountain rifle (same as Lyman GPR) in .54. Finish was poor on metal and the stock was scratched and dinged. Stock is finished. I saned it and stained with American walnut and then used boiled linseed oil as a finish. I am currently browning the barrel but I think I am going to leave it the nice grey color. I was wondering what your opinion on whether I should leave the lock the fake case coloring or remove that and go with the grey.

 

[TreeMan]

I hate the fake casehardening. Either brown it or leave it unfinished. If Unfinished or polished it will age naturally. The easiest way to remove the case hardening is the soak the plate and hammer in vinegar. Soak about 20 minutes then remove and wipe it off. Continue until it’s all gone. Don’t just walk away and leave it or the vinegar can do funny things to the metal. A good heavy rough browning job on your barrel will almost make the ugly writing all over the barrel pretty much disappear. Leaving the barrel in the white makes the writing more prominent in my experience. I normally draw file it off of mine before browning.

 

[Hawk54]

Thanks. I don't like the phony case color either.

 

[Rock Home Isle]

Howdy. I am currently refinishing a CVA Mountain rifle (same as Lyman GPR) in .54. Finish was poor on metal and the stock was scratched and dinged. Stock is finished. I saned it and stained with American walnut and then used boiled linseed oil as a finish. I am currently browning the barrel but I think I am going to leave it the nice grey color. I was wondering what your opinion on whether I should leave the lock the fake case coloring or remove that and go with the grey.

I kinda remember that sad case hardening finish on the lock of my old CVA Mountain Rifle...that was so long ago. As I recall, the .50 calibre & .45 calibre rifles had the patch-box and were marketed as the Mountain Rifles...the .54 and .58 calibre rifles had no patch-box and were marketed as the Big Bore Mountain Rifles

Right now my old CVA Mountain Rifle has a real nice patina finish on the lock and a greatly faded and worn plum brown barrel. I like the aged look that it has right now.

I've been shooting that gun for so long that the original barrel on the gun has only a hint of rifling left in it, and it fouls bad after only a couple of shots. I've pretty much retired the gun from general use; I don't even loan it out any more.

I read a thread here a while back, and it inspired me. I'm thinking, this summer, I'm going to order in a 15/16ths .54 calibre Corleraine Barrel and re-barrel that gun as a .54, and then convert it to a flintlock with an L&R Replacement Lock...and I have an old .50 calibre CVA Mountain Rifle Kit that I never built. So once that kit's together I'd have a set of these old fine rifles...my grand kiddos will inherit them when I pass on...well, if they want them.

I'm very sentimental towards the CVA Mountain Rifles.

 

[Hawk54]

I hate the fake casehardening. Either brown it or leave it unfinished. If Unfinished or polished it will age naturally. The easiest way to remove the case hardening is the soak the plate and hammer in vinegar. Soak about 20 minutes then remove and wipe it off. Continue until it’s all gone. Don’t just walk away and leave it or the vinegar can do funny things to the metal. A good heavy rough browning job on your barrel will almost make the ugly writing all over the barrel pretty much disappear. Leaving the barrel in the white makes the writing more prominent in my experience. I normally draw file it off of mine before browning.

I lightly draw filed the barrel so the writing is very light. Should just about disappear when I am finished with the barrel.

 

[Hawk54]

I kinda remember that sad case hardening finish on the lock of my old CVA Mountain Rifle...that was so long ago. As I recall, the .50 calibre & .45 calibre rifles had the patch-box and were marketed as the Mountain Rifles...the .54 and .58 calibre rifles had no patch-box and were marketed as the Big Bore Mountain Rifles

Right now my old CVA Mountain Rifle has a real nice patina finish on the lock and a greatly faded and worn plum brown barrel. I like the aged look that it has right now.

I've been shooting that gun for so long that the original barrel on the gun has only a hint of rifling left in it, and it fouls bad after only a couple of shots. I've pretty much retired the gun from general use; I don't even loan it out any more.

I read a thread here a while back, and it inspired me. I'm thinking, this summer, I'm going to order in a 15/16ths .54 calibre Corleraine Barrel and re-barrel that gun as a .54, and then convert it to a flintlock with an L&R Replacement Lock...and I have an old .50 calibre CVA Mountain Rifle Kit that I never built. So once that kit's together I'd have a set of these old fine rifles...my grand kiddos will inherit them when I pass on...well, if they want them.

I'm very sentimental towards the CVA Mountain Rifles.

I think I will remove the case coloring and make it an aged grey color. See how that looks.

 

[Hawk54]

I hate the fake casehardening. Either brown it or leave it unfinished. If Unfinished or polished it will age naturally. The easiest way to remove the case hardening is the soak the plate and hammer in vinegar. Soak about 20 minutes then remove and wipe it off. Continue until it’s all gone. Don’t just walk away and leave it or the vinegar can do funny things to the metal. A good heavy rough browning job on your barrel will almost make the ugly writing all over the barrel pretty much disappear. Leaving the barrel in the white makes the writing more prominent in my experience. I normally draw file it off of mine before browning.

I have never browned a barrel before and I got a little too energetic with the steel wool and took it down too far on the first two coats. Currently letting it set up again.

 

[Rock Home Isle]

I think I will remove the case coloring and make it an aged grey color. See how that looks.

I think you'll be happy...it "shines"

 

[Winterhawk]

Are you using Laurel Mountain Forge browning solution? I have had excellent results with it, both browning as well as bluing. It needs humidity to work. If you can make a plastic tent of some kind and put a humidifier or vaporizer in it with the part you are browning it will work very well. Even just setting it in the bathroom will help. The first rifle I did (CVA Mountain Rifle kit in 1986) it took a dozen or so applications and carding to get the finish I wanted, but it was on permanently!

~WH~

 

[barracudadave67]

Hawk54
If you use vinegar to remove the fake case hardening as Treeman said, take the lock apart, and just put the lock plate in the vinegar. You don't want to put the springs or other parts in vinegar. Vinegar will work good removing bluing, and fake CH. After the CH is gone you can polish the plate , and hammer with scotch brite pads. Scotch brite pads will probably take off the fake CH also.
While you have the lock apart, polish all the baering sufaces also, just don't go nuts on the half cock, and full cock notches on the tumbler.

Dave

 

[Hawk54]

Are you using Laurel Mountain Forge browning solution? I have had excellent results with it, both browning as well as bluing. It needs humidity to work. If you can make a plastic tent of some kind and put a humidifier or vaporizer in it with the part you are browning it will work very well. Even just setting it in the bathroom will help. The first rifle I did (CVA Mountain Rifle kit in 1986) it took a dozen or so applications and carding to get the finish I wanted, but it was on permanently!

~WH~

Track of the Wolf browning solution.

 

[user 48679]

I read a thread here a while back, and it inspired me.
I'm thinking, this summer, I'm going to order in a 15/16ths .54 calibre Corleraine Barrel and re-barrel that gun as a .54, and then convert it to a flintlock with an L&R Replacement Lock...and I have an old .50 calibre CVA Mountain Rifle Kit that I never built.
So once that kit's together I'd have a set of these old fine rifles...my grand kiddos will inherit them when I pass on...well, if they want them.

I'm very sentimental towards the CVA Mountain Rifles.

But it won't be a CVA Mountain Rifle anymore - it'll be a flinter with a CVA stock....

 

[Rock Home Isle]

But it won't be a CVA Mountain Rifle anymore - it'll be a flinter with a CVA stock....

In my mind…It’ll be a better upgraded version of the original.