Help ID

[arcticap]

I bought a halfstock caplock at a gunshow this weekend and it looks like an early CVA gun but I'm not sure. The only identifying marks found on the 1 inch octagon barrel are "cal. .45", "THE PLAINSMAN" and "359" on both the underside of the barrel and tang.
Notice how the breech plug has an extended pin that inserts to mate with the tang.
The barrel's rate of twist is 1 in 66" with deep groove rifling, and it's 32" in length. It also has a larger than average sized drum and clean out screw. There are no proof marks on it. The nipple has a slightly golden color to it (but it's definitely not brass:grin and the hammer has a brown lustre.
I thought it was a CVA because of the grey nosecap and Plainsman is the name of a CVA model. I'm guessing that this is an American made barrel and that this rifle is an early model with a low serial number.
Is this a correct assumption, and would this barrel be a Douglas?
I took it out despite the high winds today for a quick tryout and it was very pleasant and accurate to shoot with loads of 45-50 grains of Pyrodex RS, trying both .445 & .440 balls and .010 patches. It had strong ignition and preferred the looser load today, but I didn't have enough time to try out more patches/powders. Seemed to group quite well despite the wind gusts, and the heavy barrel and long sighting radius made it forgiving to shoot offhand.
It's like finding buried treasure! :hatsoff:

 

[R. Miller]

I think you have a Dixie plains rifle . Was my first ML .Back in 68 I bought one with a Dixie mould and a box of caps for $108.It is listed in a 1970 dixie cat at $129.95 cherry stock.
stickwalker

 

[arcticap]

Thanks, that's interesting, the stock does have a very plain reddish stain applied to it, but I still wonder if it was made in the USA for Dixie, maybe by CVA?

 

[R. Miller]

they do call it a plainsman I called it a plains rifle for so long I thought that was its name. Dixie called for a .440 ball stickwalker

 

[Trot]

Most of the Dixie rifles of that era were from Italy, Spain or Belgium. It doesn't really resemble anything from CVA. The Italian barrels were always proof marked I think.

 

[mp510]

Heres a target fired with the above rifle yesterday, at 50 yards. .440 and .445 PRB's, Pyrodex RS (between 45 and 50 grain charges appx). It started a little high, but was quickly brought into the zone.
This is a combined target, fired by Arcticap and myself.

 

[arcticap]

I'm told that this is a Douglas barrel and that they supplied them to Dixie. That's what I call good news! :grin: