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CVA Mountain Rifle... salvageable?

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You could have it refreshed rather than a rebore and it would be just slightly larger.
The CVA / Traditions breech with the drum being drilled into the breech plug poses problems on the reinstallation of the breech plug. Many people who rebore barrels won't rebore a CVA / Traditions barrel. This picture shows the interlocking breech design and also why people are so reluctant to remove the drum and the breech. I'm not saying it can't be done, just that removal of the drum cancels out any warranty claims and its very difficult to get the threads aligned again. I've know machinists who have done the removal and they don't want to remove the drum and breech of a CVA ever again.

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I would buy it, and I would wager that it will still shoot. I can see some of the lands, and they still have good definition. It will take extra cleaning due to pitting. And DO check to make sure it’s not loaded!
 
I have found PB Blaster works well to loosen rust. I have used it in conjunction with steel wool on an undersized bore brush to good effect. It loosens rust much better than WD40.
 
The CVA / Traditions breech with the drum being drilled into the breech plug poses problems on the reinstallation of the breech plug. Many people who rebore barrels won't rebore a CVA / Traditions barrel. This picture shows the interlocking breech design and also why people are so reluctant to remove the drum and the breech. I'm not saying it can't be done, just that removal of the drum cancels out any warranty claims and its very difficult to get the threads aligned again. I've know machinists who have done the removal and they don't want to remove the drum and breech of a CVA ever again.

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Bobby Hoyt won’t touch them and he can probably pull and reinstall almost any other breech without waking up to do it.
 
Gunbroker is listing one as a "gunsmith special" right now too. Made in USA, replaced sights and missing drum. ........it's on a complete stock
Some "gunsmith" probably pulled the drum and breech and couldn't get it back together. Only cure is to cut off the breech and install a new breech plug. Have to move the under lugs and modify the under rib to get the stock to fit.
 
A friend gave me one to clean up for him I could. The barrel bore was so rusty you could not tell it was rifled. I soaked it in kroil over night, cleaned it well with the old stand by 1x1x1 hydrogen peroxide. alcohol , murphy's oil soap. Then lapped it. The result was an excellant shooting rifle. The lock needed cleaned,stoned and reassembled. I truely believe that the CVA mountain rifle with the made in usa barrels were the best rifles CVA made. All told I spent 20 hours on it.
 
I'd offer $50, and go no higher than $100. A great project to learn how rifles are made, and operate. The knowledge you gain will be worth the tuition in the long run.

Clean it up and shoot t to see how it goes. If needed I'd have it "freshed out" to .51 or .52 giving a "talking point" rifle (I already have a .498 mould).
 
Gunbroker is listing one as a "gunsmith special" right now too. Made in USA, replaced sights and missing drum. ........it's on a complete stock
Whoever gets it will have to send it to Deer Creek to get the proper drum installed. They are the only ones with the correct drum for that weird breeching system. They do all installs, and do not sell the drum separately. Check post 23 by Grenadier1758,
 
Anyone who would leave a rifle like this has probably damaged other parts of the rifle, The serial number is usually on the barrel. If the barrel gets tossed, so does the serial number, the front sight is bent and could brake trying to straighten it, but maybe not. Question is, are you willing to risk 300 dollars (assuming you can find a nice used barrel) when you can buy a nice clean used rifle for that price. If it was a 45 or 36, maybe, but 50's are not rare.
 
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