Test fired my CVA Percussion to Flint Conversion Today

[VAN]

There were some recent posts about this lately that gave me the idea on doing this with a CVA barrel I have had laying around for years. Using a M10x1.25 stainless bolt and a 1/4-28 vent drilled and tapped into it worked fine as I fired a few test shots. Care must be taken to make sure the powder recess pocket in the metric bolt is drilled to line up with the bore when tightened all the way through the breech plug. I think doing it this way is as strong as a normal vent or may be stronger as all the vent threads are in contact with the insert and not passing into the barrel. The insert fills the entire Drum hole to the other wall. This gun has a Leman stock and 33" CVA Kentucky barrel with a L&R Lock. I have a matching Percussion lock that I can use with the original Drum if Percussion Caps ever show up in stores again. I don't think changing back and forth often is a good idea but like to have the option if I want to. I'm still putting this thing together mostly from a bunch of parts I already had and needed to do something with. Going to install an under rib and ramrod pipes this weekend. Here are pictures of the gun and vent conversion adapter. I may try to brown the big vent as it is pretty bright. The barrel is pinned in instead of wedges as I just don't like them.

 

[kh0456]

I have a CVA Kentucky perrcusion pistol ive been thinking of trying this on.

 

[DuncNZ]

You can use a ¼/28 nipple cut off at the top of the threads as a flash hole liner . I used old nipples this way until I discovered Jim Chambers White Lightening ones

 

[VAN]

Here are a few things I did not mention. When threading for a 1/4/28 vent liner into the M10x1.25 plug I had to use a bottoming type of tap to get the threads down deep enough for the liner to fit all the way in. A tapered tap would not cut far enough to seat the liner. The vent flash hole was drilled out to 1/16" diameter. I used a Dremel round ball grinding bit to make a smooth spot in the outside threads of the M10 bolt plug to start drilling the powder pocket in the same location as the original drum pocket. Really need to use a drill press and vise to do accurate work. When removing the drum, I threaded a metric bolt in place of the nipple so as to not risk breaking it off and used it as a lever to unscrew the drum. I'm not a big fan of the CVA breech plug type but got two barrels from incomplete kits I bought at a sidewalk sale for $30 each years ago. The barrels are accurate shooters and considering the price of new barrels today I decided to put them to use. Here is the finished gun.

 

[necchi]

Nice job and tutorial,

 

[Trapper Scott]

There were some recent posts about this lately that gave me the idea on doing this with a CVA barrel I have had laying around for years. Using a M10x1.25 stainless bolt and a 1/4-28 vent drilled and tapped into it worked fine as I fired a few test shots. Care must be taken to make sure the powder recess pocket in the metric bolt is drilled to line up with the bore when tightened all the way through the breech plug. I think doing it this way is as strong as a normal vent or may be stronger as all the vent threads are in contact with the insert and not passing into the barrel. The insert fills the entire Drum hole to the other wall. This gun has a Leman stock and 33" CVA Kentucky barrel with a L&R Lock. I have a matching Percussion lock that I can use with the original Drum if Percussion Caps ever show up in stores again. I don't think changing back and forth often is a good idea but like to have the option if I want to. I'm still putting this thing together mostly from a bunch of parts I already had and needed to do something with. Going to install an under rib and ramrod pipes this weekend. Here are pictures of the gun and vent conversion adapter. I may try to brown the big vent as it is pretty bright. The barrel is pinned in instead of wedges as I just don't like them.

Great explanation of a how-to. I recently watched a YT video on this exact thing and it seemed to be a pretty straightforward conversion. I have a Traditions rifle I am wanting to convert and finally got the drum out today. I also found a L&R lock that is suppose to be a drop in fit. How does your rifle perform since the conversion?

 

[VAN]

I have been pleased so far shooting 50g to 60g of 3F Black powder. No problems at all so I've settled on 50g since I only target shoot this one. I found the 1/4x28 stainless vent to work great in the M10 plug of the big hole in the breech. The type that does not have the big flared end fits great and stops right where it should at the powder pocket drilled in the plug. This is the one I used.

 

[Trapper Scott]

I have been pleased so far shooting 50g to 60g of 3F Black powder. No problems at all. I found the 1/4x28 stainless vent to work great in the M10 plug of the big hole in the breech. The type that does not have the big flared end fits great and stops right where it should at the powder pocket drilled in the plug. This is the one I used.

I have some liners on the way, so I will be ordering the lock today from L&R. I'll pick up a bolt today and start making the plug for the liner, I just hope the locks flash pan lines up to the flash hole.

 

[Flint62Smoothie]

NICE job sir!

 

[VAN]

I have some liners on the way, so I will be ordering the lock today from L&R. I'll pick up a bolt today and start making the plug for the liner, I just hope the locks flash pan lines up to the flash hole.

My L&R Replacement Lock was for a Dixie Mountain Lock and the flash hole in the stainless liner lines up in the larger plug where it should at the top of the pan dead center. The inside lock mortice had to be relieved a bit to accommodate the larger mainspring. The lock plate on mine was just a tiny bit smaller than the Dixie percussion It replaced but is hardly noticeable. Here is a picture of how the vent lined up. If yours was a drop in for your gun the vent should line up. The alterations on mine were just inside the lock mortice. The hole in the large plug for the vent liner could be drilled a small bit off center one way or another if needed to line up better. I saw where one person just drilled a 1/16" hole in the M10 bolt at the correct spot and relief drilled a larger channel from the back through the powder pocket to the outer 1/16" hole.

 

[NorthFork]

Holy cow! Nice work!

 

[Trapper Scott]

My L&R Replacement Lock was for a Dixie Mountain Lock and the flash hole in the stainless liner lines up in the larger plug where it should at the top of the pan dead center. The inside lock mortice had to be relieved a bit to accommodate the larger mainspring. The lock plate on mine was just a tiny bit smaller than the Dixie percussion It replaced but is hardly noticeable. Here is a picture of how the vent lined up. If yours was a drop in for your gun the vent should line up. The alterations on mine were just inside the lock mortice. The hole in the large plug for the vent liner could be drilled a small bit off center one way or another if needed to line up better. I saw where one person just drilled a 1/16" hole in the M10 bolt at the correct spot and relief drilled a larger channel from the back through the powder pocket to the outer 1/16" hole.

I ordered the L&R RPL earlier today and confirmed that the lock is supposed to be a drop-in fit, but like yours, I am betting some wood will have to be removed. I also picked up a 1/4 x 28 starter tap and a bottom tap along with two M10 bolts. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to find any stainless steel bolts, but I'll be on the lookout for some so I can make a spare. I was also thinking that if I had a spare drum, I may try to thread one of them and see how that will work. I know CVA uses the same thread pitch. Thank you for the picture and it looks like yours turned out perfect. I will mock mine up beforehand to see if everything is going to work, but if it doesn't I may just keep the lock and do a scratch build.

 

[Trapper Scott]

My L&R Replacement Lock was for a Dixie Mountain Lock and the flash hole in the stainless liner lines up in the larger plug where it should at the top of the pan dead center. The inside lock mortice had to be relieved a bit to accommodate the larger mainspring. The lock plate on mine was just a tiny bit smaller than the Dixie percussion It replaced but is hardly noticeable. Here is a picture of how the vent lined up. If yours was a drop in for your gun the vent should line up. The alterations on mine were just inside the lock mortice. The hole in the large plug for the vent liner could be drilled a small bit off center one way or another if needed to line up better. I saw where one person just drilled a 1/16" hole in the M10 bolt at the correct spot and relief drilled a larger channel from the back through the powder pocket to the outer 1/16" hole.

It took me two attempts, but I got my plug made today, just need to file it a little bit to smooth it out. It threads into the barrel good and the liners threaded in the plug good also. Just waiting on my lock. Thanks for all your help Sir.

 

[Gtrubicon]

Beautiful rifle

 

[VAN]

Hope yours works out as good as mine did Scott. I really like this method of converting these type of guns to flint. I had no idea it could be done this way until reading this forum and others.

 

[Trapper Scott]

I finally got a good health day where the shaking was tolerable and made the insert for the percussion to flintlock conversion. The original drum is on the left in the pictures and you can see the spark channel is a little different than a CVA. I did widen the cut-out a little more. Thanks, Van for the pointers.