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New guy question
- Thread starter Dandyfunk
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You can click on the picture in Alden's post. It will bring up Photobucket with a picture that can be enlarged.
longcruise
70 Cal.
I see some suggestions to leave the screw in and not remove for cleaning. We all have our own ideas on this, but just wanted to mention that leaving it in place could result in the screw becoming rusted into place over time due to water infiltrating the threads and not getting dried completely. Even with the stainless plug, the threads of the drum could become corroded.
It's just to easy to remove it and then re-install with a bit of grease on the threads to prevent problems.
< ALWAYS have removed the "clean out" screws on all mine, from day one. Not a PIA and eases cleaning and then they are not "permanent" (per above post). You will likely eventually replace them but as you can see that ain't hard to get done. Nice rifle. enjoy!
Check out these two topics,
They are about the best compilation of info on the CVA Mountain rifle available on the net.
There's a lot of myth and mystery about these now out of production guns.
Parts are still available from, Deer Creek Products
http://www.muzzleloadingforum.com/fusionbb/showtopic.php?tid/239569/ http://www.muzzleloadingforum.com/fusionbb/showtopic.php?tid/239421/
They are about the best compilation of info on the CVA Mountain rifle available on the net.
There's a lot of myth and mystery about these now out of production guns.
Parts are still available from, Deer Creek Products
http://www.muzzleloadingforum.com/fusionbb/showtopic.php?tid/239569/ http://www.muzzleloadingforum.com/fusionbb/showtopic.php?tid/239421/
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54ball
62 Cal.
- Joined
- Aug 23, 2004
- Messages
- 3,116
- Reaction score
- 1,029
You have the best CVA rifle made. Being made in The USA means this is a 1970s rifle. They are very sought after and even folks who do not care for CVAs like the Mountain rifle especially the US made ones..
That rifle deserves to be finished correctly. So you really need to study up on it and rifle building in general before you start on it. In the mean time, shoot and enjoy it until your skills and knowledge are ready to finish it.
Do not loose the screw, if the slot is damaged, it can easily be repaired with a file and then heat blued. That all can be done minutes.
If it was mine, I would study original plains/mountain rifles like Hawkens and Dimicks and reshape it more like the original types. I would go much further than CVA did. For instance I would define the comb more, finish the lock panels better to match period work and maybe thin the wrist and forestock some.
With that said building it like CVA finished their factory built guns is fine too. Just do good and careful work.
Then I would apply a nice period finish.
Alden does make a point. But...
Think of St. Louis Hawken rifles made by the Hawken brothers as a family, brothers and cousins. All may be a little different, but all of them favor each other and some are identical.
That rifle deserves to be finished correctly. So you really need to study up on it and rifle building in general before you start on it. In the mean time, shoot and enjoy it until your skills and knowledge are ready to finish it.
Do not loose the screw, if the slot is damaged, it can easily be repaired with a file and then heat blued. That all can be done minutes.
If it was mine, I would study original plains/mountain rifles like Hawkens and Dimicks and reshape it more like the original types. I would go much further than CVA did. For instance I would define the comb more, finish the lock panels better to match period work and maybe thin the wrist and forestock some.
With that said building it like CVA finished their factory built guns is fine too. Just do good and careful work.
Then I would apply a nice period finish.
Alden does make a point. But...
Think of St. Louis Hawken rifles made by the Hawken brothers as a family, brothers and cousins. All may be a little different, but all of them favor each other and some are identical.
longcruise
70 Cal.
Not sure about present availability, but deer creek had full kits, one of which I built, used on one hunt and then passed on to a grandson. Iwas surprised at how well it shot. Might do another for next grandson up if they are still available. Set trigger is not very good. It's a candidate for a single trigger conversion.
longcruise
70 Cal.
😂😂😂
longcruise
70 Cal.
Aldem, that was supposed to be smilies but posting them from my phone apparently does no work well!
Hello all, Here is an update of my progress. I have taken the gun out and shot it and it does perform quite well. I went to the range first and shot at 50 yards and 25 yards. Next after some cleaning I went to a Mountain Man Rendezvous and competed (I use the word compete with tongue in cheek!! I hit 4 out of 15!!!) After the rendezvous I have started the reconstruction for this roughly built firearm. Here are some pictures of my progress. There are some errors that the original owner made that I wont be attempting to correct.
Its been a lot of fun and work to remove the extra tree that had been left on the stock, but now I think it has a fighting chance of looking a little more like what it should. I have a question. I see most of these types of Hawken style rifles in a walnut looking finish. Dark woods mostly. Is that how most of these were back in the day? My original idea was to finish it in tongue oil only. What is your opinion on this. Please let me know how and with what products you would use.
Looking good so far!
That's looking a lot better than it did.
It does have a way to go before you do any serious thinking about stains and final finishes.
As for shooting contests, don't worry to much about winning. Just have some fun.
When you start to get serious about winning you'll have to do quite a lot of shooting to find which ball/patch/powder load combination your gun likes best. There will be one or two that are noticeably more accurate than the others but each gun is different. What works best in one of my rifles works only so-so in the others.
It does have a way to go before you do any serious thinking about stains and final finishes.
As for shooting contests, don't worry to much about winning. Just have some fun.
When you start to get serious about winning you'll have to do quite a lot of shooting to find which ball/patch/powder load combination your gun likes best. There will be one or two that are noticeably more accurate than the others but each gun is different. What works best in one of my rifles works only so-so in the others.
Amen on the having fun part...that's really what it's all about. memory tells me most of the original CVA Mountain Rifles that came pre-finished had a medium to light stock color. I saw the built kits with everything from clear finish on the wood to almost ebony, everybody did his own thing and many of them were tacked up to within an inch of their life! To be honest, most of us looked like the cast from "Jesus Christ, Super Star" compared to the authenticity folks go for today in guns, gear and outfits. I'm hoping they had half the fun we did. Our shoots used to draw the local news channels out of Houston...one of our daft gang even ate live grasshoppers to see how badly we could gross out the lady reporters...ah, them were the days!
I'm glad to see so many of the old Mountain Rifles being bought now and returned to shooting guns. Those and CVA's two piece Kentuckies weren't the be-all & end-all of muzzleloaders, but they won a lot of matches then and put a lot of Bambis in the freezers. Finish it however you like. Original mountain man guns were probably darker into the walnut shades but do what suits you...you only have to please yourself. Just remember to have fun! :wink: :thumbsup:
I'm glad to see so many of the old Mountain Rifles being bought now and returned to shooting guns. Those and CVA's two piece Kentuckies weren't the be-all & end-all of muzzleloaders, but they won a lot of matches then and put a lot of Bambis in the freezers. Finish it however you like. Original mountain man guns were probably darker into the walnut shades but do what suits you...you only have to please yourself. Just remember to have fun! :wink: :thumbsup:
Big change/improvement in that gun already.
I traditionally Aqua Fortis'd a Hatfield maple kit for color -- little amberish brown hue. Three coats of boiled linseed oil with some attention in between is also old school. Getting three final coats of Mineral Oil/Bees Wax/Carnauba Wax blend soon unless someone moves/drops it again in the garage and I have to start over!
Minwax makes an nice little oil-based stain called Wood Finish I'd recommend in a nice moderate brown called... Gunstock for other woods! I do like to see some grain more easily in decent wood. Comes in as small as little half-pint cans. Extra layer(s) will make it a little darker if necessary.
http://www.minwax.com/wood-products/stains-color-guide/
I traditionally Aqua Fortis'd a Hatfield maple kit for color -- little amberish brown hue. Three coats of boiled linseed oil with some attention in between is also old school. Getting three final coats of Mineral Oil/Bees Wax/Carnauba Wax blend soon unless someone moves/drops it again in the garage and I have to start over!
Minwax makes an nice little oil-based stain called Wood Finish I'd recommend in a nice moderate brown called... Gunstock for other woods! I do like to see some grain more easily in decent wood. Comes in as small as little half-pint cans. Extra layer(s) will make it a little darker if necessary.
http://www.minwax.com/wood-products/stains-color-guide/
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Personally, I hate all oil based stains for use on gunstocks.
Their OK for pine book cases and storage boxes but not for gunstocks.
Oil based stains fill the wood with oil and once this happens it is impossible to get a darker color if you want it.
Use a alcohol based or water based stain.
They are easy to thin if you want a light stain and you can apply the thinned stain as many times as you like to get the color as dark as you want.
Sneaking up on the end color is the best way to do it.
After the color is where you want it then apply linseed oil (that takes forever to dry), or tung oil or Birchwood Casey Tru-Oil.
Their OK for pine book cases and storage boxes but not for gunstocks.
Oil based stains fill the wood with oil and once this happens it is impossible to get a darker color if you want it.
Use a alcohol based or water based stain.
They are easy to thin if you want a light stain and you can apply the thinned stain as many times as you like to get the color as dark as you want.
Sneaking up on the end color is the best way to do it.
After the color is where you want it then apply linseed oil (that takes forever to dry), or tung oil or Birchwood Casey Tru-Oil.
