What is it ?

[Lock Nut]

I just aquired this pistol. I was told it was my grandfathers. It seems to be an unfinished kit gun but has no markings anywhere except the back of the lock plate says "Spain" on it. I believe it's .45 cal. I think it can be made shootable. Any info on it would be apperciated.

(Having upload problems, hang on) :cursing:

 

[Lock Nut]

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[Don]

It's a CVA Tower pistol, probably .45 cal with no sights. Inexpensive but like all the CVA guns that I own its probably a good shooter. If you can figure out how to put sights on it you will have a pistol that is pretty accurate.

Don

 

[Billnpatti]

From what I can see in the pictures, it appears to be a gun that was intended to be shot and not a non-firing replica. However, if you have any questions about its servicability, take it to a gunsmith and have him examine it to be sure that it is safe to fire. Meanwhile, I'd go ahead and finish it. Then if it is safe to fire, you are ready to go. If it is determined not to be safe to fire, you will have a nice display piece.

I think I'd polish the barrel and leave it "in the white" and stain and finish the stock. Do not put a high gloss finish on the stock, such a finish just does not look right on this kind of gun. A proper finish would be no more than a satin finish but a flat oil finish would be more correct.

 

[zimmerstutzen]

It is indeed a CVA Tower pistol. It is an early one because it has a bolster instead of a drum and nipple. (The switch from the bolster to the drum and nipple was about 1982 or 1983) They were 45 caliber, rifled and had no sights.

 

[zimmerstutzen]

This shows the later lock with the drum and nipple

 

[zimmerstutzen]

Over the years some of CVA's models were copied by others, especially by traditions. I am aware of no other company selling similar pistols. There were some Asian made Tower pistols, but the were flint with large caliber smooth bore barrels.

It looks unfinished and probably unfired.

Probable load: 20 grains of 3fg, a .010 patch and a .440 ball.

CVA also provided two different quality barrels. The very early ones had shallow rifling. The later ones had very good deep rifling for round ball shooting. They switched to the better barrels a few years before switching the locks and breech systems. You gun has the earliest of CVA's percussion locks. I think you will find that it doesn't even have a sear adjusting screw. (The later locks did)

 

[Lock Nut]

Thankyou all for the help. Especially for providing the extra info on it. Took it all apart to do a major clean-up and will get it operational. After doing alittle more research I find this piece to be far from a replica copy, but being as old as it is, it's somewhat of a relic in it self. The stock appears to be Beech wood instaed of maple or walnut. Trying to get the red staining out of it.

I also agree the barrel should be in the white. Maybe the lock too if I can get it cleaned up enough. The rifling looks good, clean, no rust. Never fired.

It's missing the ramrod and the tang screw is stripped. Anyone know where I can find parts for it. Dixie a no go.

 

[zimmerstutzen]

Deer creek products has the left over cva parts inventory.
No web site just a phone number. The number has been posted on this site frequently.
Tang bolt- trigger alignment is a frequent problem with cva kit guns.

 

[necchi]

Deer Creek Products
765:525:6181.

 

[Zonie]

Although I never recommend using this for a rifle ramrod, a wooden dowel bought at your local Hardware store could easily be sanded down and stained to make a ramrod for your pistol.

As for the stripped screw, if only the loose screw's threads are worn out (they often were poorly threaded by the manufacturer), take the screw to the hardware store and ask them to determine the thread size. It will be a metric thread.

Once you know the size, I'm sure they will have a screw that can be used for your tang.

The screw head might have to be filed down to look right but if you have an electric drill to spin the screw and a metal cutting flat file to reshape the head, this is pretty easy to do.

If the threads down in the trigger plate are stripped you may have to buy the next larger sized screw, a tap and the right sized tap drill and a slightly larger drill bit to bore a newly enlarged clearance hole thru the wood and the tang.

 

[zimmerstutzen]

unless the thimbles are drilled out a dowel won't work. (Too thin) It was intended for a metal ram rod. It is similar to the ram rod of the colonial Pistol, but longer.

 

[Lock Nut]

Thanks for the suggestions.
As for the screw,I'll come up with something. The trigger plate is also stripped so I'll get something alittle over size and tap it out. If I can't find a replacement ram rod, I'll just make a new one outta 1/4 steel rod. The big problem is trying to get the red staining out of the stock. Not sure what got on it. Looks like red chaulk line chaulk that got wet and it sat in it for quite some time. Tried funiture stripper this morning with little result. Maybe bleach?
Looks like I'll be staining it red as I know I'll never get all out.

 

[hawkeye2]

The bleach might work. A good dark walnut stain will cover the red so that is not noticeable. Even though the wood is extremely plain a good stain and an oil finish with the barrel polished and in the white will leave you with a nice looking piece. I would be tempted to replace that side plate with a more authentic one that is large enough to cover the existing mortise and take off some of that excess wood around the lock and side plate.

 

[hunman55]

I have an old Jukar/CVA kit just like it only it's in 50 cal. Hunman

 

[Billnpatti]

You can try wood bleach (oxalic acid) that you can buy at any paint store.

 

[Zonie]

The wood is Beach and it doesn't take oil based stains worth a darn.

If it were mine I would buy a bottle of Birchwood Casey Walnut stain at my local gunstore.

Just to make sure there aren't any oils on the wood I would whisker the stock using denatured alcohol. After applying the alcohol and letting it dry, sand the surface very lightly, just to knock off any whiskers that have popped up.
The denatured alcohol should kill any oils that might be on the wood that could effect the staining.

I would ignore the reddish stain on the stock and apply at least 3 coats of the walnut stain.

Walnut often has reddish tones in it anyway so the existing splotch should just blend in nicely.

I would probably use Boiled Linseed oil on the stained wood but a good Tung oil or Dutch oil cabinet finish will also produce a nice finish without making it glossy.

 

[Lock Nut]

Well, I finished my restoration project. Spent alot time searching for screws and making new parts. But with alittle "spit and polish", I was able to save it from the garbage can. :wink:

 

[Billnpatti]

Holy Cow!!!! Now that's beautiful work. Congrats on really fine salvage work. The only thing I might have done differently was to use a softer, more satin finish on the wood. But that's just a personal preference of mine. You did a fine job and if you want it shiny, you do it to your satisfaction, not someone else's.

 

[Zonie]

Looks good!

I like the lock and barrel left "in the white" (as they say).

It looks like a pistol any officer would be proud to carry. :thumbsup: