New to me, older CVA 50 cal Mountain Rifle

Due to the generosity of a fellow board member I was able to acquire a USA made CVA 50 caliber Mountain Rifle. Rifle looked almost new but really needed a good cleaning. Two of the biggest problems were:

1. One of the barrel wedges would not come out far enough to allow easy removal of the barrel. I was finally able to get the barrel out without any scratches or damage to the stock or the barrel. Took awhile but patience prevailed. I used my dermel tool to remove just enough metal in the wedge slot to allow easy barrel removal.
2. The Double set trigger was awful, heavy and gritty. I disassembled both the lock and trigger assembly and found the main problem, the DST spring screw had broken and was forcing the spring to press hard on the side of the set trigger. If all that makes sense. I cleaned everything and lightly and I mean lightly stoned some of the parts to get burs off. Now, off to the hardware store to get the proper spring screw. I got one that is close and works but I'd like to get an original as it looks like the original is harden and the replacement I got is soft. It may work fine but I like all original and correct parts. Anyway, when I had everything back together and properly lubed the double set triggers and the lock worked like a dream, nice and smooth, I am really impressed. Just need the proper screw. I'm going to try to get to the range tomorrow. I can't wait to see what it can do.


Steve

stevenjay1 said:

Due to the generosity of a fellow board member I was able to acquire a USA made CVA 50 caliber Mountain Rifle. Rifle looked almost new but really needed a good cleaning. Two of the biggest problems were:

1. One of the barrel wedges would not come out far enough to allow easy removal of the barrel. I was finally able to get the barrel out without any scratches or damage to the stock or the barrel. Took awhile but patience prevailed. I used my dermel tool to remove just enough metal in the wedge slot to allow easy barrel removal.
2. The Double set trigger was awful, heavy and gritty. I disassembled both the lock and trigger assembly and found the main problem, the DST spring screw had broken and was forcing the spring to press hard on the side of the set trigger. If all that makes sense. I cleaned everything and lightly and I mean lightly stoned some of the parts to get burs off. Now, off to the hardware store to get the proper spring screw. I got one that is close and works but I'd like to get an original as it looks like the original is harden and the replacement I got is soft. It may work fine but I like all original and correct parts. Anyway, when I had everything back together and properly lubed the double set triggers and the lock worked like a dream, nice and smooth, I am really impressed. Just need the proper screw. I'm going to try to get to the range tomorrow. I can't wait to see what it can do.


Steve

Click to expand...

Congratulations, Steve, for your acquisition and your work, I have two made in USA mountain rifles and treasure them right along with my Ubertis, Pedersolis, etc. Enjoy! Polecat

Those old USA origin barrels have a reputation for being very accurate. Enjoy your Mountain Rifle.

The funny thing about that rifle was how poor a repo of origami plain gun it was. I recall John Baird of the Buckskin report, condemning it to the lowest pots of Hell
I recall definitely having a prejudice against them.
The shot great and were easy on the eyes but they failed in the hc department.
Then I got to really looking at them. If you aged then a bit and put them in with a collection of unsigned plains guns from the 1850s I bet there are few of us that could pick it out.
You gots you a fine gun there my good fellow
And playing with it to work out the kinks has truly made it yours. It should bring you years of joy.

I once had the stock, barrel and some hardware of a CVA mountain rifle. I eventually traded it on a hand built kid's rifle.

Put up a few pictures.

stevenjay1, if you look up Deer Creek Products, they may have the screw you need. I think they probably acquired all or most of the remaining inventory for obsolete CVA rifles. They have a whole section of Mountain Rifle parts. You could just about build a CVA Mountain Rifle from the parts they had in stock, last time I checked.

I remember when the CVA Mountain Rifle was introduced. The first ones had goofy, bulbous-looking ramrod pipes, but they changed these to more sensible ferrules before long. There was a story that a pretty well-known builder worked with CVA on the design of these rifles, which was inspired by an original, but was modified to better fit the requirements of mass production. I know these rifles were heavily criticized by the cognoscenti, but CVA promoted and stood behind them and even issued a challenge: a shooting match between a stock CVA Mountain Rifle and a custom target rifle. I believe they shot over cross-sticks. I think it was Don Davis shooting his custom buffalo rifle, and CVA hired another top shooter to shoot an ordinary, production Mountain Rifle. The story was written up in Muzzle Blasts. If I remember correctly, the shooter with the custom rifle won, but only by a very narrow margin.

I wanted one of those CVA Mountain Rifles in the worst way, but I had very little disposable income and it was that or a guitar, and music took precedence. It was decades later when I started looking for a used Mountain Rifle, and finally found one in like-new condition. It's a great gun. Oddly enough, it is easier to find these now than it was twenty years ago. I think it is likely that the fellows who could afford them back in the seventies hung on to them, and now a lot of those old boys are "going under," and their rifles are hitting the used gun market. Sad, but a real possibility. The bright spot is that there are still people out there who appreciate these guns and will bring them back out into the light of day, to be shot and enjoyed.

Sorry about rambling on...

Notchy Bob

I had a CVA mountain rifle in the eighties. Think I paid about eighty dollars at a pawn shop at Provo Utah. It had a terrible rough bore and loading it didn't inspire any confidence. When pushing a patched ball down it went clunk clunk clunk down to the bottom. It was very accurate and I shot it a lot. Miss that old clunker.

I also got my CVA from a pawn shop in Utah in the 80s but I got mine in or around Clearfield. I think I paid $100 for it but it was and still is in great shape. Stock is a funny shade of dark green. I didn't like it at first but it kind grew on me.

Mine was nice too. Bore was a machining flaw. I lived at Nephi before the interstate was built. It was a fun town then with great dove and deer hunting nearby.
Seemed everyone had a TC, the CVA was different. I liked that.

Can you post a picture or two?

ThreeCrows said:

I called Deer Creek Products yesterday and they have locks listed but no seperate parts but have most other parts are listed. I'd call and ask them about the screw as they may have things not listed. They were very helpful when I called. If DCP can't help you could always get a torch and heat treat the screw yourself. Heat it till it is cherry red and quench it, then reheat until a straw color is acheived and requench. With something like a screw, a MAPP torch would work and maybe even propane. I am sure there many articles on heat treating online that can explain all aspects of the heat treat process.

ThreeCrows

Click to expand...

I called Deer Creek this morning and they had the screw. The screw and a few other thing are on their way.

Here you go, the wood has some figure. My goal is to strip off the factory finish and stain a dark walnut.
Thank

4 screw patch box! Nice!

stevenjay1 said:

Here you go, the wood has some figure. My goal is to strip off the factory finish and stain a dark walnut.
Thank View attachment 40420View attachment 40421View attachment 40422

Click to expand...

Nice looking rifle!

Good shooting production rifle!

You got a good'un! That rifle looks pristine!

Good for you!

Notchy Bob

When you get around to staining it be aware that the typical Beech stocks on the CVA's are hard to take stain. I have had the best luck using Feibings leather dyes. However, your made in USA may very well have a Maple stock. The early ones did. The other item you may run into, and many posts here about it, the trigger plates tend to be inlet a bit too far. This can lead to set trigger operation problems. The solution is to shim the front of the trigger plate where it rests in the inlet. Enjoy your find.

In my opinion they were the best rifle CVA sold. And equal to any other production rifle. You got a good gun treat it well.