Which mountain rifle?

So as I’m putting a couple kits together, I’m starting to see the guns I like best. I have a couple customs and really enjoy these guns for for some reason I just can’t get the vision of a mountain man rifle out of my head.. try as I might it won’t go away! My little CVA squirrel I think has me liking the style and then I just picked up a TC Seneca in .36 and I’m hooked. Im looking for a mountain rifle in either 50 or 54 but really leaving towards the 54 but a 50 will do! I’m also leaning towards the an early CVA if I can find one, but what’s your thoughts? Who made a good mountain rifle, which one would you recommend? I know traditions has one out now too but not sure how I feel about it I would probably upgrade the lock on any gun I get.

Jonathan Browning Mountain rifle is great if you can track one down.

CVA were on the cheap side in price n quality. Back during that time period of Spanish made ML's i would opt for the better name Brands in which to purchase a model. Seldom did a Company build a period correct model if that is something your looking for

smokepolehall said:

CVA were on the cheap side in price n quality. Back during that time period of Spanish made ML's i would opt for the better name Brands in which to purchase a model. Seldom did a Company build a period correct model if that is something your looking for

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Not looking for anything period correct on this one, just like the way them mountain rifles in the 70s looked hahah yeah I’m weird I go from custom to production gun usually it’s the other way aroudn

You talking about the Smokey Mountains or the Rockies?? What time period are you wanting to portray and how historically correct do you want to be?? Also, what is the intended use?? Squirrel hunting? Deer?? Target shooting???

nchawkeye said:

You talking about the Smokey Mountains or the Rockies?? What time period are you wanting to portray and how historically correct do you want to be?? Also, what is the intended use?? Squirrel hunting? Deer?? Target shooting???

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not looking for period correct at all, I like the way the CVA mountain rifle looks in either 50 or 54 leaning towards the 54. Going to be a deer gun

Get the Traditions Mountain Rifle.

Being a kit, you can make the rifle YOUR rifle by customizing any way you want to.

And ignore the internet rumors. The Traditions locks are solid. You won't need to replace it.

I have a couple of CVA rifles that shoot as good as any other rifle I own .One is a Mountain Rifle the other a Kentucky CVA usually have good barrels so go for what you like and never look back only one you have to please is yourself

Lots of rifles were/are made that got labeled "mountain rifle", but it's really more marketing than any real definition. The mountain men of old used what they could get, not necessarily what they wanted. Most would have wanted a Hawken... the original Hawken, not the ones made by T/C and others.

The Jonathan Browning Mountain Rifle referenced above is allegedly a "copy" of a rifle supposedly once owned by Jim Bridger. Well, it might have SOME of the measurements right, but it is most certainly NOT a "copy" of any period rifle owned by Jim Bridger or anyone else. I own one of these in .54 caliber. It has a single set trigger, something I doubt Jim Bridger ever saw in his life... though I am not certain. It has a rust finish, which is something that Jim Bridger would have seen.

The 1: 66 twist rate would be a bit of a stretch for anyone shooting more than a hundred yards. They'd almost HAVE to use patched round balls, and maybe Jim Bridger did do that, but nowadays, most folks would want to use conicals for hunting in the mountains. The rear sight is a full "buck horn" type, not always the best for hunting, though some like it. That sight does not really have much range of adjustment. The front sight is a simple blade attached to a base that is dovetailed into the barrel without any beads. Looks kind of like a T/C Renegade front sight.

I generally get nice clover-leaf groups at thirty to fifty yards, and that is where I keep it sighted to as I am in Wisconsin, not the mountains.

The guns are not really custom guns, but they command prices almost at that level. If you decide you want one, then I can't really say that you are wrong. After all I bought one. That said, it isn't pefect and it is expensive.

I would suggest that you make a mental list of exactly what you want and then either go looking for a production rifle that is the closest embodiment of what you have envisioned or have a custom gun made exactly as you want it.

Personally, I would go looking for a T/C Renegade hunter or possibly a White Mountain Carbine in .50 or .54 caliber. Good luck.

lbothell said:

not looking for period correct at all, I like the way the CVA mountain rifle looks in either 50 or 54 leaning towards the 54. Going to be a deer gun

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It sounds as if you want a CVA Mountain Rifle. These have been out of production for many years, but the .50 caliber versions show up pretty regularly on the used gun market. The .58 (actually .575") Big Bore Mountain Rifles were produced in much smaller quantities, but you see them up for sale occasionally. CVA also made the Big Bore Mountain Rifles in .54 caliber, but these are really scarce. The Big Bore Mountain Rifles have a 1" x 32" barrel and no cap box on the buttstock, while the standard CVA Mountain Rifles have a 15/16" x 32" barrel and a German silver cap box. I have one of each, a .58 and a .50. I am small of stature and pretty thin, having lost some muscle mass with aging, but the Big Bore .58 balances very nicely for me. The CVA rear sight looks funny, but I get a very good sight picture with their standard factory sights. The Big Bore CVA Mountain Rifle handles well.

After these went out of production, they were very hard to find for a number of years. There seem to be more used ones for sale now than ever before. It is sad to say, but I'm afraid a lot of the original owners have either "gone under," or have seen the writing on the wall and elected to downsize their collections.

A .54 caliber Lyman Great Plains rifle would probably meet your needs. People who have them seem to like them, and they pop up for sale pretty regularly. The biggest complaint you hear is that they are heavy. Eh? Maybe ten pounds? The original plains rifles were most often in the 12-13 pound range, with many even heavier.

If you really, seriously want a mountain man rifle, you'll be looking for a late, fullstocked flintlock longrifle.

Good luck!

Notchy Bob

If you can find a good clean T/C Renegade in .54 they are a spectacular, compact and durable hunting gun. Will shoot RBI’s as well as slugs, and it is capable of killing any game in NA

WB Selb rifle go with that

tjiann said:

Jonathan Browning Mountain rifle is great if you can track one down.

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Until the mainspring breaks, which they have a reputation of doing quite often! Then all you have is an expensive club. As mainsprings are not obtainable, it will remain a club for a very long time.

Old Hawkeye said:

Until the mainspring breaks, which they have a reputation of doing quite often! Then all you have is an expensive club. As mainsprings are not obtainable, it will remain a club for a very long time.

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"quite often"? I've never heard that. Maybe a few here and there like other guns. They are really high quality American made guns.

I appreciate all the information! I think half the fun is reading and just soaking in as much info as I can! I do like the CVA as stated before. Again I’m not looking for another custom gun just a production gun, and it doesn’t have to be period correct as stated before. By mountain man rifle I’m more or less referring to the “type” or style of gun and not what a mountain man would use per say. I like that they tend to be a little longer then a hawkens. Maybe what I should do is just post on the classifieds and see whAt comes up hahaha

If it helps, I live in the mountains and this is my rifle...

RanchRoper said:

If it helps, I live in the mountains and this is my rifle...
View attachment 192592

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That’s a beautiful rifle! Just got rid of one kinda like it!

64Springer said:

Get the Traditions Mountain Rifle.

Being a kit, you can make the rifle YOUR rifle by customizing any way you want to.

And ignore the internet rumors. The Traditions locks are solid. You won't need to replace it.

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Do you have one of these? If so what do you like about it? From what Iv seen they are pretty accurate for sure

lbothell said:

Not looking for anything period correct on this one, just like the way them mountain rifles in the 70s looked hahah yeah I’m weird I go from custom to production gun usually it’s the other way aroudn

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Pecatonica River have a couple of different authentic Hawken rifle kits, they'll do most of the inletting etc for you, arguably the most affordable way to go nowadays.

Actually the rifles made by the Hawkens clan were somewhat uncommon out west. Those who ventured west usually carried the rifle they already had. They were big, heavy rifles and many wanted to save $$ (Hawkens rifles were rather costly) by just keeping with what they were familiar with. I have a SMR but at .36 caliber it's for squirrels, not deer.