I saw one of these for sale recently, and wondered what they were like. It was in very good condition with little sign of use, but the owner of the gunshop could not tell me much about it. Any thoughts on whether this would be a good buy?
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CVA sxs shotgun
- Thread starter Wolfbane
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paulvallandigham
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I own one. Mine was made from a kit they sold. Its a good shotgun. If you can buy it at a reasonable price, do so. I think you will enjoy it.
I did have to bend the hammers to get them to hit the nipples correctly, and do other work on the action inside, but I believe that is due to the nature of the Kit and parts it contained, and have not heard that was any problem with the guns made up by CVA at their factory.
Ask to take the locks out so you can check for rust inside. If the inside looks as good as the outside, buy the gun. Oh, the stocks are notoriously too short, and didn't come with any buttpad or buttplate. I put a modern buttpad to extend the length of the stock on my gun to fit me. You may not need to do so. I don't think that addition has detracted from the value of the gun.
I did have to bend the hammers to get them to hit the nipples correctly, and do other work on the action inside, but I believe that is due to the nature of the Kit and parts it contained, and have not heard that was any problem with the guns made up by CVA at their factory.
Ask to take the locks out so you can check for rust inside. If the inside looks as good as the outside, buy the gun. Oh, the stocks are notoriously too short, and didn't come with any buttpad or buttplate. I put a modern buttpad to extend the length of the stock on my gun to fit me. You may not need to do so. I don't think that addition has detracted from the value of the gun.
I don't believe that CVA is the equal of a Pedersoli but their price was never equal to Pedersoli's either. Cabelas is asking around seven hundred bucks for a new Pedersoli double and if you can find a good used Pedersoli for under four bills you'd better jump on it. CVA, made in Spain and not being the equal of the Italian guns, it would have to be a really nice one to induce me to part with two fifty. :grin:
I bought mine in the mid 80's as a kit for just over $100.00. I put a rubber on mine to increase the length of pull. It has taken a lot of game over the years and is a very rliable performer. I wouldn't sell it for 3 times what I paid for it and I own a couple of Pedersoli guns. It's not as visually appealing as the Pedersoli's. The gun is sort of like that plain girl you may have known in high school and really never gave much if any thought to until you finally got to know her and found she was a jewel in the rough.
It is a pretty decent shotgun. Good deal is mostly in the price! 300.00 or less and the deal gets even better :thumbsup:
I had a 12 kit and sold it for 345.00 I know have a Pedersoli in 10 guage
I had a 12 kit and sold it for 345.00 I know have a Pedersoli in 10 guage
Sounds good then. :thumbsup: Certainly the length of pull is a bit on the short side, first thing I noticed about the gun. I won't feel too pad about a Pachmyr or something going on the end, though a nice dressed steel pad would be better. The stock could do with some attention in terms of finish, but that makes it more fun. Thanks guys for the feedback :hatsoff:
I too built one from a kit back around '85. Think I gave about $100 for it. It is lots of fun to shoot, but there isn't enough drop to the stock to suit me. Have to very consciously skrintch my face down on the comb to avoid shooting WAY over my target.
You are right about how nice it looks with a dressed steel buttplate but I don't think you'll be wantin' to do much shootin' with one outfitted like that. Been there, done that, carried the bruise for many days to prove it! The first thing I did after that little episode was to add a slip-on recoil pad over my nice, hand-crafted steel buttplate.
It has been a dependable shotgun all in all, accounting for many pheasants and a number of 4x4 posts at rendezvous stake busts. I think you'll be happy if you get one. Good luck.
You are right about how nice it looks with a dressed steel buttplate but I don't think you'll be wantin' to do much shootin' with one outfitted like that. Been there, done that, carried the bruise for many days to prove it! The first thing I did after that little episode was to add a slip-on recoil pad over my nice, hand-crafted steel buttplate.
It has been a dependable shotgun all in all, accounting for many pheasants and a number of 4x4 posts at rendezvous stake busts. I think you'll be happy if you get one. Good luck.
I have 3 bp percussion sxs 12 ga smoothbores: a Pedersoli made in 1976 that I bought at auction in 98% condition, a Navy Arms with Pietta marks made in 1984 also bought at auction in 90% condition, and a CVA kit I bought new in 1983 but didn't get around to building until two years ago.
The Pedersoli is nicely finished - easily the best of the three, full/full choked and fits me poorly (LOP too short). Action is smooth but balance seems a bit butt heavy to me. I do not like to shoot it as much as the other two.
The Navy Arms is also nicely done, although the wood is not as good as the Pedersoli. Of the 3 guns it fits me best, but LOP is still a bit short. Both barrels are improved cylinder. Nice action, good balance, overall a very nice gun.
The CVA is the poorest finish due to a couple of significant flaws in the wood, and as mentioned above it lacks a recoil pad. As with the Navy Arms both barrels are improved cylinder. It is the shortest LOP of the 3, so it fits me worse than either of the others, but it is the gun I take to have fun. I use it for our local 5 stand Saturday morning coffee-and-clays shoots and have a great time with it. I'd love to have another.
The Pedersoli is nicely finished - easily the best of the three, full/full choked and fits me poorly (LOP too short). Action is smooth but balance seems a bit butt heavy to me. I do not like to shoot it as much as the other two.
The Navy Arms is also nicely done, although the wood is not as good as the Pedersoli. Of the 3 guns it fits me best, but LOP is still a bit short. Both barrels are improved cylinder. Nice action, good balance, overall a very nice gun.
The CVA is the poorest finish due to a couple of significant flaws in the wood, and as mentioned above it lacks a recoil pad. As with the Navy Arms both barrels are improved cylinder. It is the shortest LOP of the 3, so it fits me worse than either of the others, but it is the gun I take to have fun. I use it for our local 5 stand Saturday morning coffee-and-clays shoots and have a great time with it. I'd love to have another.
paulvallandigham
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Sometimes, a little more down pitch can help reduce the perceived comb height, so that you don't have to press your cheek down into the stock so much. It also helps to keep you looking through the center of your eye's orbit, rather than out the top of it, where you suffer eye ( muscle) strain, and distorted focus. Since you are going to add the width of a good pad to the stock, anyway, have someone work with you to see how you are mounting the stock to your face, and looking down the barrels.
Try mounting the gun to your shoulder with your eyes closed, then open them and see if you are looking over the center of the center rib at the front sight.
Try mounting the gun to your shoulder with your eyes closed, then open them and see if you are looking over the center of the center rib at the front sight.
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mykeal said:
CVA must have had several barrel choke options: the 12 ga dbl I used to have was modified choke in both barrels. Killed my first blackpowder gobbler with it in 2003.
