Tingle Pistol or CVA Prospector

awebbersr · Jul 19, 2019

I purchased the above pistol because of it's uniqueness. At 20 yards it shoots six inches above point of aim with the front site buried in the rear notch, is this normal?

This is using 433 ball with .010 patch, barrel says Cal 44, Italy

hawkeye2 · Jul 19, 2019

Your rear sight should be adjustable and it's difficult to tell from the photos but it looks like your front sight has not been modified. Cock the gun and see if there is a set screw just above the nipple. If so you could remove the rear sight and fit a shim under it. Just raising the rear sight and shooting it will give you a minimum for the thickness of the shim but the sight could tip if struck since it would pivot on the screw hence the need for a shim (or a bead of epoxy). Another fix would be to make a new taller rear sight. That's not as difficult as it sounds and you could customize the notch or even make an aperture sight. BTW the barrel assembly is removable via the screw underneath at the front of the frame.

Grenadier1758 · Jul 19, 2019

You could aim with the top of the front sight even with the top of the rear sight.

awebbersr · Jul 19, 2019

Having the front sight even with the top of the rear sight raises the point of impact. The shim, or lowering the notch would work as would a taller front sight. I know how to correct the problem, just wondered if this was normal for this firearm. Thanks for the inputs, I think I will try the shimming first.

hawkeye2 · Jul 19, 2019

Duh! Disregard my post!

It's exactly the opposite of what you should do. Worked overnight last night, woke up after a few hours sleep and posted without having coffee, that's a no-no. Maybe I need to put a sticky note reminder on my moniter.

You can file off the top of the rear sight and deepen the notch or remove it and file off the bottom to lower it.

I bought mine a little over a year ago and haven't had a chance to shoot it yet. It's in excelent condition with a light crisp trigger and I really have high expectations for it but I would not be supprised to find mine shot too high as is. I'm sure you will enjoy yours.

zimmerstutzen · Jul 19, 2019

That is the one Italian version loosely after the Tingle. Another was made by Palmetto and came with factory Morini style grips and a trigger adjustable for pull. I had a Prospector and 2 of the Palmetto made copies. The Prospector had a terrible trigger pull. The 2 from Palmetto had very nice light and crisp triggers. Unless you have shot the gun a few dozen shots, your hold could be throwing the shots high, between the trigger let off, the hammer fall and ignition. Some times the point of impact changes after your hand muscles have strengthened and acclimated to holding the pistol, without holding it too tight. I would be hesitant to alter the sights until you have fired it enough to know that the problem is not in your grip. My palmetto made "tingle copies" both dropped the point of impact after I fired a few dozen shots. The other thing that I found made a difference was the light striking the front sight. I kept white and yellow paint and q-tips in my shooting box to just put a touch on the top of the front sight. On hazy or dark cloudy days the paint on the sight made a big difference.

awebbersr · Jul 19, 2019

Your right, shimming is raising the notch when we need to lower it. The problem is I can loosen the screw enough to raise the rear sight but can not remove it. I will have to file down the notch or JBWeld the front sight to raise it.

awebbersr · Jul 19, 2019

zimmerstutzen said:
That is the one Italian version loosely after the Tingle. Another was made by Palmetto and came with factory Morini style grips and a trigger adjustable for pull. I had a Prospector and 2 of the Palmetto made copies. The Prospector had a terrible trigger pull. The 2 from Palmetto had very nice light and crisp triggers. Unless you have shot the gun a few dozen shots, your hold could be throwing the shots high, between the trigger let off, the hammer fall and ignition. Some times the point of impact changes after your hand muscles have strengthened and acclimated to holding the pistol, without holding it too tight. I would be hesitant to alter the sights until you have fired it enough to know that the problem is not in your grip. My palmetto made "tingle copies" both dropped the point of impact after I fired a few dozen shots. The other thing that I found made a difference was the light striking the front sight. I kept white and yellow paint and q-tips in my shooting box to just put a touch on the top of the front sight. On hazy or dark cloudy days the paint on the sight made a big difference.

I have used fingernail polish to brighten the front sight in the past, white, red or green. The past owner glued a piece of wood behind the trigger to stop over travel. It shoots a tight group just not in the right spot. It seems the older guns you always bury the front sight and the new ones have it level.

hawkeye2 · Jul 19, 2019

Inexpensive acrylic paint in old fingernail polish bottles works well too and is easy to remove. One can also keep different colors in the shooting box for different lighting conditions. I have used whiteout too. My wife likes to paint the near side of the back sight blue.

buickmarti · Jul 20, 2019

Kid has the same gun. Made a new rear sight about 1/16" shorter and I shoots better now.

awebbersr · Jul 20, 2019

I would do the same but haven't been able to get the screw to release the rear sight. I can move the sight up and down left and right, just not out.

hawkeye2 · Jul 20, 2019

Have you removed the screw entirely? It's possible there's a burr in there holding the sight. With the screw out I would try gently tapping the sight with a punch.

buickmarti · Jul 20, 2019

i had to tap the sight out. It is made of 12ga (.105" crs).

8 BORE · Jul 21, 2019

zimmerstutzen said:
That is the one Italian version loosely after the Tingle. Another was made by Palmetto and came with factory Morini style grips and a trigger adjustable for pull. I had a Prospector and 2 of the Palmetto made copies. The Prospector had a terrible trigger pull. The 2 from Palmetto had very nice light and crisp triggers. Unless you have shot the gun a few dozen shots, your hold could be throwing the shots high, between the trigger let off, the hammer fall and ignition. Some times the point of impact changes after your hand muscles have strengthened and acclimated to holding the pistol, without holding it too tight. I would be hesitant to alter the sights until you have fired it enough to know that the problem is not in your grip. My palmetto made "tingle copies" both dropped the point of impact after I fired a few dozen shots. The other thing that I found made a difference was the light striking the front sight. I kept white and yellow paint and q-tips in my shooting box to just put a touch on the top of the front sight. On hazy or dark cloudy days the paint on the sight made a big difference.

I also have one imported by Replica Arms, Marietta, Ohio with engraved western scenes on the sides of the frame.

Grenadier1758 · Jul 21, 2019

I have one of the Palmetto Italian variants of the Tingle pistol. It had been set up for on target accuracy. At my gun club's pistol match, I shot one of my best scores ever. At the next match, my scores are over the place. I fount the rear sight loose in the slot. I have yet to get back to that initial level of accuracy. One other member of the club has a Palmetto Tingle and he is often the one to beat on the pistol line. These are good pistols once you get it sighted in. You have all reminded me just how much I need to get to the range and practice.

One of the better aspects of the pistol is that the gun is set up for the hammer to stop on the frame instead of the nipple. It also means that you have to have a percussion cap that has enough thickness to fire on impact. I had better success with magnum caps.

8 BORE · Jul 21, 2019

I also have a similar pistol of the same design in .36 cal. Stainless frame. There NO names or cal size, numbers anywhere. Precision made with wood fore end.

awebbersr · Jul 21, 2019

Mine fires the CCI #11 caps with no problem. Thread on end of screw my be damaged as it does not want to come out.

awebbersr · Jul 25, 2019

Update, I noticed that some that were for sale did not have a rear sight. I know why, I drove out the rear sight and filed off 1/8th of an inch. The notch is now an 1/8th of an inch above the receiver, still shoots high but at least on paper target. Will use JB Weld to raise front sight, this is shooting at 25 yards.

Tingle Pistol or CVA Prospector

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