Help with Identifying gun CVA .54 Cal

[Hermanoshawken]

The only info on the barrel is this, would there be more info on the barrel that may be covered up by the stock?
Connecticut Valley Arms, Inc
Black Powder Only 54 Cal
0001578

Yes, there may be more information about the barrel that is on the faces hidden by the wood. If it has the stamps of the Eibar Test Bench, it must be seen below or on one side of the faces of the octagonal barrel. If you can, photograph them and upload them here.
Another question: the wood seems to be beech and not maple.
Greetings from Spain.

 

[Redfoxes8]

This weekend I was going to disassemble it. I will post any new information I find. Thank you

 

[muzzlecap]

Yes, there may be more information about the barrel that is on the faces hidden by the wood. If it has the stamps of the Eibar Test Bench, it must be seen below or on one side of the faces of the octagonal barrel. If you can, photograph them and upload them here.
Another question: the wood seems to be beech and not maple.
Greetings from Spain.

I had this discussion a couple of years ago on another forum regarding the CVA mountain rifle. Some said early guns had barrels made by Douglas. Some said the barrel would be stamped USA. Others said barrels made in Spain have to have Spanish proof marks as it is law and they say Spain on them. Yet there are many barrels out there that do not say USA or Spain on them and have no proof marks. Some then claimed that barrels were getting out of Spain void of proof marks. So take your pic as to what is correct.

 

[mooman76]

I had this discussion a couple of years ago on another forum regarding the CVA mountain rifle. Some said early guns had barrels made by Douglas. Some said the barrel would be stamped USA. Others said barrels made in Spain have to have Spanish proof marks as it is law and they say Spain on them. Yet there are many barrels out there that do not say USA or Spain on them and have no proof marks. Some then claimed that barrels were getting out of Spain void of proof marks. So take your pic as to what is correct.

Did you get your gun used? Some people remove the marks to make it more authentic to them anyway. Also it is my understanding that barrels made in Spain that are not put together there, but put together elsewhere like here, no required proof marks.

 

[muzzlecap]

Did you get your gun used? Some people remove the marks to make it more authentic to them anyway. Also it is my understanding that barrels made in Spain that are not put together there, but put together elsewhere like here, no required proof marks.

Yes, I got it used. But mine is not the only one that is void of any Spanish markings or where it was made. I have several vintage shotguns , both percussion and breech loaders. Some have barrels that came from European countries but the rest of the gun was made in North America. The barrels still had to have proof marks. I cannot say about Spain. And the barrel on my mountain rifle could be Spanish made. All I am saying is, there are several guns out there with barrels that are void of any markings as to origin and really it is only speculation as to why that is. Are they Spanish made barrels or are they barrels that were produced in the US?

 

[firestick]

My .50 given to me a couple months before he passed away from renal failure. Said he bought it as a kit in 1981 and fired it once. I refinished it and replaced his large tacks with brass pins.

 

[muzzlecap]

Very nice firestick.

 

[Pork Chop]

All of the ones that I have - plus one that I have an eye on - have MADE IN USA stamped on the barrel.

 

[rafterob]

The Big Bore Mountain Rifles by CVA, were offered in .54 and .58 caliber 1:66 twist. For whatever reason, they did not put patch boxes on the Big Bores. Excellent shooting rifles. I bought an unfinished .50 cal kit with no barrel. I was able to buy one of the last barrels that Deer Creek had available. The story I heard was they bought the rifling machine from Douglass that was used to create the Made in USA Barrels for the Mountain Rifles. They produced some of their own replacement barrels for the CVA rifle old stock inventory they had acquired. The only marking on that barrel is .50 cal and it is very accurate.

 

[Dale Lilly]

All of the ones that I have - plus one that I have an eye on - have MADE IN USA stamped on the barrel.

I have two clearly marked "Made in America". I had one that was marked Spain [gave it to my son ]. All are/were good shooters. One of mine has, also clearly, a maple stock with some curl. The other looks to be very plain maple and it sure isn't beech. I love 'em. Dale [Polecat]

 

[muzzlecap]

Here is a pic of my barrel and these are the only markings on it. The gun has the hexagonal ram rod thimbles but a 2 screw patch box.

 

[sawyer04]

Some of the early Mountain rifle barrels were USA made by Douglas.
Nit Wit

I won two CVA's at an auction and one of them was an early model with the Douglas barrel, the other was a Spanish barrel. The irony of it they both shot well and with a little tune up performed equal.

 

[gabedard]

I had a 45
Very good shooter and deer slayer
Enjoy

 

[Trot]

Honestly, I never cared much who made the barrels, the Spanish barrels seem to shoot every bit as good as the USA ones. What they really needed was a better lock. Didn't matter quite so much with the percussion guns though.

 

[Hermanoshawken]

A friend of mine, now deceased, who if he lived would be 90 years old, bought here in Asturias (North of Spain), and in 1980, a kit of the Mountain rifle in caliber 50. On the barrel it said made in the USA and the famous advertisement "black powder only ", but the weapon was made in Spain, by Dikar. In 1980 this kit rifle was still freely available without the need for a weapons license. My friend passed away in 2017 and he fired a lot of shots with him, participating in many competitions for 36 years. Now his grandson has it. And it is a rifle that never failed. The only thing that changed was the side drum for a good stainless steel one. As you know, all Spanish rifles have a 6x100 metric thread nipple. I have it in a 58 caliber and it is excellent, although it is a rifle with many shots. Friendly greetings, fellow forum members

 

[LME]

My rifle had "black power only" spelled wrong? They spelled black," blac"? Has anyone else experienced this error? I miss that rifle and need my butt kicked for selling it.

 

[shorthair]

The Big Bore Mountain Rifles by CVA, were offered in .54 and .58 caliber 1:66 twist. For whatever reason, they did not put patch boxes on the Big Bores. Excellent shooting rifles. I bought an unfinished .50 cal kit with no barrel. I was able to buy one of the last barrels that Deer Creek had available. The story I heard was they bought the rifling machine from Douglass that was used to create the Made in USA Barrels for the Mountain Rifles. They produced some of their own replacement barrels for the CVA rifle old stock inventory they had acquired. The only marking on that barrel is .50 cal and it is very accurate.

My 58 CVA mountain has 72" twist and no patch box.

 

[rafterob]

I thought they were all 1:66 but it does appear the big bore, at least in .58 was a 1:72. Interesting to see if someone chimes in with a .54 on their twist rate.

 

[Hermanoshawken]

Hi. I have a Dikar advertising brochure from when the Mountain rifles were made. It is published in Spanish and English by Dikar. According to the information, the calibers 45, 50 and 54 in the Mountain rifles all have a twist at 66 ", and the caliber 58 (which is the one I have), at 72". At least that says in the advertising notebook. And the "Big Bore" models (54 and 58 caliber) certainly do not have a patchbox. Greetings from Spain.

 

[Twb]

I have a 50 caliber. There are no country of origin markings or proof marks, on top or under the barrel.

I found the words Spain on the back of the plate where the hammer is I just got one pretty rusted took it all apart coordinate just missing the pack and rod i’m new to your club barrel goes say Connecticut Valley arms black powder only 54 calendar number 0001549