CVA Trapper Shotgun Question

[NevadaJohn]

All, I was having some difficulty and figured somebody here could help. I have a CVA Trapper shotgun, and the ramrod fits extremely loose. To the point that if I hold the gun barrel down, the ramrod slides halfway out. There is no retaining spring in mine, nor can I see where one should be. Am I missing something? How is the ramrod retained?

 

[Kansas Jake]

The retainer if there was one may be gone. A couple of solutions, get a slightly warped ramrod or tie a thin leather in one of the ramrod pipes. I cut a piece of a milk carton and rolled it to fit in one where the ramrod would fall out

 

[brushblind]

In the 2001 catalog your model has one RR thimble and the Rod looks the same as yours. I would find some way to make the RR channel tighter, ex. some poli finish one coat at a time until it fits snug. You'll need a long skinny applicator ?? Another option, make a new hickory rod.

 

[azmntman]

+ 1 on new hickory rod, and wet it let it dry and under pressure with a slight bend in it (SLIGHT)

 

[NevadaJohn]

And this is why this is the best forum!

I appreciate everybody's quick response. Iceman has one of these shotguns, and sent me some photos. As you guys pointed out, my ramrod is a little too thin for the ramrod end to hold it in place (it looks like the bulge ramrod end pinches against the underlug, and creates a friction fit). A Track of the Wolf ramrod order is being processed as we speak.

Thanks again!

 

[stank]

You can take a piece of metal banding or even a feeler gauge (.015). Cut the width with tin snips so it will fit down in the slot that the rod slides in to in the stock. The ramrod is drilled at the entry point and then a slot is milled in to the stock up by the lock to extend the drilled hole.
Bend your banding/feeler gauge and stick it down in the slot with the bend down and the 2 ends up to hit on the barrel. The bent steel will be trapped between the barrel and the ramrod when it all is put back together and keep your rod from falling out. The rod is held in place by the spring pressure of the steel. You might have to bend or straiten it a couple times to get the spring pressure you want. Pretty easy fix
Regards
Stank

 

[Hermit Tim]

+ 1 on new hickory rod, and wet it let it dry and under pressure with a slight bend in it (SLIGHT)

Had the same problem with a
.45 Jukar a few years ago. Was gonna do just as you suggested but lucked up and found a warped rod of the right size in my stash. Wasn't perfect but it did keep it from sliding out most of the time. In another rifle, a cheap truck gun type, nothing nice, I took a mallet and tapped on the bottom of the front of each RR pipe and flattened them a touch. Almost turned out looking like it was made that way and worked great. Probably would not do the mallet trick on his CVA though. They're pretty hard to come by these days so wouldn't want to beat on it too much.

 

[Eterry]

I've seen tape, string, pieces of aluminum can attached to the thimble to take up space. I've mashed the thimble of a barn gun (they were 45 colt cartridges), and installed a spring in the channel.
And made a new ramrod as well.
Good luck.

 

[NevadaJohn]

You can take a piece of metal banding or even a feeler gauge (.015). Cut the width with tin snips so it will fit down in the slot that the rod slides in to in the stock. The ramrod is drilled at the entry point and then a slot is milled in to the stock up by the lock to extend the drilled hole.
Bend your banding/feeler gauge and stick it down in the slot with the bend down and the 2 ends up to hit on the barrel. The bent steel will be trapped between the barrel and the ramrod when it all is put back together and keep your rod from falling out. The rod is held in place by the spring pressure of the steel. You might have to bend or straiten it a couple times to get the spring pressure you want. Pretty easy fix
Regards
Stank

I never thought of using a feeler gauge blade to make a spring. That is a great idea!

 

[stank]

I just used a feeler gauge to make a spring for a pedersoli mortimer sliding safety on the lock. Worked great.

 

[PEARL DRUMS]

I added the soft side of velcro to the bed where the rod slide by. Problem solved.

 

[Rawhide67]

I bent (with heat) a tine from a metal leaf rake, and tightened it down under the thimble to fix a friends gun . She ain't purty, but she keeps the ramrod in place.

 

[TransYank]

I'm late to the party. All good fixes. I to made shims with pop can. Slide into thimbles and glue for a 36 caliber I build can't see them and hold great.