Help with CVA Kentucky rifle

[treg]

I removed the barrel and cleaned it...blew compressed air through the nipple and seem to have good air flow.
I did some work to realign the lock and hammer to strike the nipple better...it was off a bit. I examined a cap on the nipple and I can see that it's not fitting perfectly so I'll get to that next.
I really appreciate all the great advice here!

 

[jdw276]

I removed the barrel and cleaned it...blew compressed air through the nipple and seem to have good air flow.
I did some work to realign the lock and hammer to strike the nipple better...it was off a bit. I examined a cap on the nipple and I can see that it's not fitting perfectly so I'll get to that next.
I really appreciate all the great advice here!

And the tinkering begins as well as learning. Your hooked.....

 

[treg]

And the tinkering begins as well as learning. Your hooked.....

Totally

 

[ETipp]

I removed the barrel and cleaned it...blew compressed air through the nipple and seem to have good air flow.
I did some work to realign the lock and hammer to strike the nipple better...it was off a bit. I examined a cap on the nipple and I can see that it's not fitting perfectly so I'll get to that next.
I really appreciate all the great advice here!

Sounds like you’re going about right. Good on you .

You can get replacement nipples from Track Of The Wolf for cheap.

 

[treg]

If those caps are CCI there is a chance they could be some of the bad ones that got out. Odds are your issue is the above comments, junk in fire channel and maybe oversize nipple. On the off chance it could be bad caps this video explains what to look for.

Good info... thanks

 

[sturmkatze]

Both the Pyrodex and the caps are new...so hopefully that means they're ok. I'll get to cleaning and blowing out the nipple area and barrel this week and head back to the range next weekend.
I'll try the lacquer thinner too!

I’d second the notion to get rid of the pyrodex. It’s more corrosive too. Just get regular 3f black powder. If you can find it, American Pioneer powder works good too in said percussions.

 

[Moonshine Joe]

I see the last post says he.uses #11 caps and gets misfires; that points to a badly shaped nipple. Cheapest fix is to turn the nipple down slightly as has been suggested.
Better solution is to replace with a better nipple such as Hot Shots.
But...
My suggestion was going to be, make sure you aren't trying to seat #10s on a rifle nipple, they don't go down all the way and first hammerfall may just set them without igniting them.
Moonshine

 

[SDSmlf]

I removed the barrel and cleaned it...blew compressed air through the nipple and seem to have good air flow.

I picked up a steam cleaner last spring at the urging of @chorizo for cleaning breech channels (among other things) and find it hard to beat. With the nipple removed clean the bore as normal, then blast the steam into the breech (through the threaded hole with the nipple still removed) and you will be surprised at the crud that comes out.

You likely already know this, but when you put rust preventative in the bore, make sure not to leave any of it pool up in the breech area.

 

[Gtrubicon]

I picked up a steam cleaner last spring at the urging of @chorizo for cleaning breech channels (among other things) and find it hard to beat. With the nipple removed clean the bore as normal, then blast the steam into the breech (through the threaded hole with the nipple still removed) and you will be surprised at the crud that comes out.

You likely already know this, but when you put rust preventative in the bore, make sure not to leave any of it pool up in the breech area.

Do you have a link for the unit you purchased?

 

[Hermit Tim]

yes I have both issues. I have only put 4 shots through this gun...when I cleared the 3rd one with removing the nipple method I then tried another. The cap failed once, then fired on the second try but the load didn't shoot, then on my third attempt it fired properly with a slight delay.
I'm thinking the advice above about the fire channel being gunked up is a good place to start.

Is the hammer dropping good and hard or does it seem kinda weak?

 

[Hermit Tim]

I'm new to muzzleloading and recently refurbished a CVA Kentucky rifle...45 cal. I took it to the range and got off a few shots then the third I couldn't get to fire...and I tried after many caps. I read in here to pull the nipple and put in a small amount of powder...this worked! However, I'm still having some caps not fire and even when they do it doesn't always fire the load. I'm going to give it a good cleaning with water, patches and a light oil...is that the correct method? My other question is I'm using a 440 ball, .015 lubed patch and Pyrodex FFG. Should I be using BP instead of Pyrodex.

On the caps working but not firing the charge, on a few rifles I've had that problem with, I find a drill bit a size above the nipple hole and drill it out. Never had a failure to fire after that as long as everything is clean and dry.

 

[treg]

The hammer seems to be dropping well...but being new to this I don't have a solid reference.
I've done just about all of the recommended tips in this thread and I'll get to the range next weekend weather permitting and see if she fires!

 

[SDSmlf]

Do you have a link for the unit you purchased?

This is the steam cleaner both @chorizo and I purchased. Amazon.com

 

[jdw276]

The hammer seems to be dropping well...but being new to this I don't have a solid reference.
I've done just about all of the recommended tips in this thread and I'll get to the range next weekend weather permitting and see if she fires!

She will. Check your barrel this week with a patch for flash rust. It will help you determine your cleaning routine is good. Just run a damp pach down it one time. Simple. Do the barrel down after you clean to keep the fire channel clear.

Enjoy and let us know how it shoots. My CVA 45 two piece stock clover leafs at 75 yds, benched, 60 gr pyrodex with a .015 patch all day. First gun I ever had and made. Built it on my lap over 45 yrs ago in the living room. Still have it.

Good luck and welcome to the club.

 

[treg]

She will. Check your barrel this week with a patch for flash rust. It will help you determine your cleaning routine is good. Just run a damp pach down it one time. Simple. Do the barrel down after you clean to keep the fire channel clear.

Enjoy and let us know how it shoots. My CVA 45 two piece stock clover leafs at 75 yds, benched, 60 gr pyrodex with a .015 patch all day. First gun I ever had and made. Built it on my lap over 45 yrs ago in the living room. Still have it.

Good luck and welcome to the club.

That's a great story thanks for sharing!

 

[Sam squanch]

Hide the steam cleaner. Or you will be cleaning the oven every weekend.

 

[oldschoolhunter55]

Fire channel is probably clogged with gunk. After you clean it stand it on its muzzle overnite with a paper towel under it. It will help the liquids drain away from the channel. I was surprised how much drained out when I started doing this.

Also when shooting, just shoot. Any cleaning should be done with minimal liquids at the range while shooting. I put a moist cleaning patch on the ramrod as I push the ball down. Pretty much the only cleaning I do during a range session. Keeps the liquids out of the powder chamber and combining with the leftovers creating a chunk of gunk there and fail to fires.

i never thought of doing that.thank you sir for sharing this with us.im learning so much just sittin here reading all that u all share with us. again thank you

 

[SDSmlf]

Hide the steam cleaner. Or you will be cleaning the oven every weekend.

Guess if one needs to hide it, they could wait for Valentine’s Day, then ‘borrow’ it to see if it also could be used to clean guns? Personally see that as a high risk, low reward plan, but do what you have to do. Mine is with the gun cleaning stuff, but training was offered if someone wanted to take a go at the grout in the shower. Have not been taken up on the offer, though out of curiosity may check out how it cleans tile when the CEO/CFO is on shopping mission.

 

[tmtrnka]

You might look up inside the hammer, sometimes parts of a previously fired cap get stuck up in there. Then it cushions the blow or something, I dunno, but it won't fire reliably.

 

[flntlokr]

I'm new to muzzleloading and recently refurbished a CVA Kentucky rifle...45 cal. I took it to the range and got off a few shots then the third I couldn't get to fire...and I tried after many caps. I read in here to pull the nipple and put in a small amount of powder...this worked! However, I'm still having some caps not fire and even when they do it doesn't always fire the load. I'm going to give it a good cleaning with water, patches and a light oil...is that the correct method? My other question is I'm using a 440 ball, .015 lubed patch and Pyrodex FFG. Should I be using BP instead of Pyrodex.

Most of the problems I have found with CVA products originate in the locks. To put it mildly, they are junk because the main springs are weak, the tumbler shaft rattles around in an oversized hole, etc. etc. Too much work to fix with only marginal improvement in some cases. My usual fix is to find an American-made drop-in. That would (most likely) cure any problems with caps not going off. In the meantime, make sure the caps are going all the way down on the nipple; sometimes nipple get hammered enough that they 'mushroom where the cap goes on. The easy fix is a new nipple, but if you pull the one you have and put it into a drill chuck to spin it while holding a fine file against it to cut it back to proper profile, that will work also. As others have stated, make sure the fire channel is clear. If your lock has a screw on the end of the drum that leads into the channel below the nipple, remove it and give the tube into the barrel a good clean-out; ream it with a suitable size drill bit if necessary to scrape off hardened crud.