So I have this sad old CVA Mountain Rifle, bought very cheaply at a gun show many, many (many I say) years ago. The dealer had taken it in on trade and just wanted this bubbaed kit-gun gone off his table, along with the two shoe boxes full of accessories and two pounds of powder. Yeah, I jumped on that deal. I was to later find out it was one of the “US” made kit guns (the barrel anyway) and is somewhat desirable. I do like the style and hang of it myself. But at the time I had other BP guns and was not doing a lot of muzzle loading back then anyway so the MR (Mountain Rifle) just sat in the closet collecting dust. Fast forward a decade-plus and I have been getting back into muzzle loading. After missing out on a couple of guns on the auction boards, and not being willing to pony up for some posted for sale here, I decided to scratch the itch for something different by pulling the MR out to see what it needed. So let’s see, few missing screws, ram-rod stuck and would not go all the way in, wedge plates crooked, butt and toe plates loose, would not hold cock, and set trigger would not set. She just needed some love and attention (and who doesn’t?).
Pulling and twisting (and cussing) the rod finally got it to come out, and removing the barrel revealed the problem. The channel was not deep enough to allow full clearance under the front lock bolt. I would address that later. The first project-within-a-project was to get the thing to cock and fire. Without that there was no point in messing with anything else on the old gun. Turns out the front of the trigger group had been grossly over inlet. Tightened the tang bolt pulled the trigger group up so far the sear could not set. I figured to bed the front of the trigger group, but in a moment of reflection realized I had room to put a screw under there. I needed a way to adjust things anyway so I drilled a tiny pilot hole and put a small screw in the stock under the front of the trigger group. After lubing and cleaning the trigger group and lock assembly, I installed them and after a few tries (OK, more than a few) got things set just right to where everything works well. Yea!
Next I put a rasp bit in the Dremel tool and made several light passes in the rod channel test fitting the rod now and then until it would slide all the way in and be retained securely but will come out with a little tug. Success number two (or maybe three). Then I adjusted the fit of the wedge plates and now just need to get a few appropriate screws and secure the butt and toe plates to finish her up (for now). I want to continue this silk purse from a sow’s ear project (maybe polishing a diamond in the rough is a better analogy) but am going to go shoot and enjoy it first. I have high hopes that she is a shooter and will find out next week. I am camping over Thanksgiving down at the range property (I will have it all to myself that week) and plan on making MUCH smoke with several muzzle loaders.
Pulling and twisting (and cussing) the rod finally got it to come out, and removing the barrel revealed the problem. The channel was not deep enough to allow full clearance under the front lock bolt. I would address that later. The first project-within-a-project was to get the thing to cock and fire. Without that there was no point in messing with anything else on the old gun. Turns out the front of the trigger group had been grossly over inlet. Tightened the tang bolt pulled the trigger group up so far the sear could not set. I figured to bed the front of the trigger group, but in a moment of reflection realized I had room to put a screw under there. I needed a way to adjust things anyway so I drilled a tiny pilot hole and put a small screw in the stock under the front of the trigger group. After lubing and cleaning the trigger group and lock assembly, I installed them and after a few tries (OK, more than a few) got things set just right to where everything works well. Yea!
Next I put a rasp bit in the Dremel tool and made several light passes in the rod channel test fitting the rod now and then until it would slide all the way in and be retained securely but will come out with a little tug. Success number two (or maybe three). Then I adjusted the fit of the wedge plates and now just need to get a few appropriate screws and secure the butt and toe plates to finish her up (for now). I want to continue this silk purse from a sow’s ear project (maybe polishing a diamond in the rough is a better analogy) but am going to go shoot and enjoy it first. I have high hopes that she is a shooter and will find out next week. I am camping over Thanksgiving down at the range property (I will have it all to myself that week) and plan on making MUCH smoke with several muzzle loaders.
