A few months ago I purchased this old model CVA Mountain Rifle from a fellow forum member. The rifle is a .54 caliber with a Made in USA barrel. When the rifle arrived it was lacking wood finish and the lock had a short stroke with sporadic spark. I stripped and re-finished the wood with a few drops of blood and Tru-Oil mixed and applied 16 coats. I then rubbed heated pure linseed oil once every 5-days for a month. Lastly, a coating of Min-Wax was buffed to a slight shine. Next I fit a new lockplate and components that spark very well. The touch-hole was re-aligned to the "sunset" position on the pan. I worked on the CVA set triggers to get a safe, consistent "set" and a light, crisp "fire". This required some brass shims in the mortice and some fine stone polishing of the lifters. Once every thing worked I removed the touch-hole. The "hole" was set to 1/16th and the configuration was "coned" in the rear. The browned barrel was given another rust treatment to even it out and cover some wear spots. The barrel was carefully cleaned to get into the patent breach. Everything looked shiny clean with a bore light. The ramrod that came with it is wood. It needed a light sanding and it got a few coats of Tru-Oil. Lastly, I made a frizzen stall from a piece of Ibex goat hide from one that my son had shot.
This rifle went to my oldest son for Christmas. He's 14 years old now. He is intrigued with my flintlock rifle but wanted his own. This one is light enough and of such a stock configuration that he gets along with it very well. The hooked barrel make it easy to clean and the overall investment is much less than a custom rifle so he doesn't have to treat it with kid gloves.
Today the rifle went to the range for sight-in for hunting. I loaded 80 grains FFFg Goex with a .018 pillow tick patch cut at muzzle (7:1 Ballistol/H2O) and a .530 Hornady swaged ball. FFFFg Goex was used for prime with 2 grains being just right. Prior to priming, I used a wire pick and inserted into the touch hole just enough that I could feel the powder was behind the hole.
Ignition was quick and reliable. I fired first at 50-yards just to see where the sights were. Slightly low and left, but the group was one big hole shooting off sandbags on a bench. I moved the sights and fired 5-shots at 50-yards. The 5-shots grouped into 1.5-inches, I was impressed with the rifles potential and the lucky guess on component configuration.
My son shot one bullseye at 50-yards and moved the target right to 100-yards. The first 3 shot group was low and left, but the 3-holes grouped into about and inch.
This rifle loads easily on a clean barrel, however the first reload has a tight spot about a foot down from the muzzle and it requires significant pressure to get past that. The third shot requires still more force, more than my son can create and I had to load any 3rd shot. I Suggested that since he was sighting for hunting that we shoot and clean the breach and barrel after every shot. It was early and we had plenty of time and the range to ourselves.
The cleaning consisted of two blasts of electronic contact cleaner through the touch-hole followed by a double patch soaked with 91% alcohol and then a single dry patch. The pan, flint and frizzen were wiped with a dry patch.
I eased the sight over to the right a nudge and turned the elevation screw one full turn. His next shot was just below and slightly right of the bullseye. He wanted to shoot just one more without cleaning and the next shot landed 3/4-inch to the right of the first.
Now the cleaning was done and I turned the rear sight elevation screw another full turn. The next 5-shots were each from a clean barrel. The result was a 5-shot group about 1.5-inches high and dead center. The group measures 1.5-inches! This rifle is exceptionally accurate and my son is a very good shot! Needless to say, happy Dad and Son and this rifle is ready for the hunt!
This rifle went to my oldest son for Christmas. He's 14 years old now. He is intrigued with my flintlock rifle but wanted his own. This one is light enough and of such a stock configuration that he gets along with it very well. The hooked barrel make it easy to clean and the overall investment is much less than a custom rifle so he doesn't have to treat it with kid gloves.
Today the rifle went to the range for sight-in for hunting. I loaded 80 grains FFFg Goex with a .018 pillow tick patch cut at muzzle (7:1 Ballistol/H2O) and a .530 Hornady swaged ball. FFFFg Goex was used for prime with 2 grains being just right. Prior to priming, I used a wire pick and inserted into the touch hole just enough that I could feel the powder was behind the hole.
Ignition was quick and reliable. I fired first at 50-yards just to see where the sights were. Slightly low and left, but the group was one big hole shooting off sandbags on a bench. I moved the sights and fired 5-shots at 50-yards. The 5-shots grouped into 1.5-inches, I was impressed with the rifles potential and the lucky guess on component configuration.
My son shot one bullseye at 50-yards and moved the target right to 100-yards. The first 3 shot group was low and left, but the 3-holes grouped into about and inch.
This rifle loads easily on a clean barrel, however the first reload has a tight spot about a foot down from the muzzle and it requires significant pressure to get past that. The third shot requires still more force, more than my son can create and I had to load any 3rd shot. I Suggested that since he was sighting for hunting that we shoot and clean the breach and barrel after every shot. It was early and we had plenty of time and the range to ourselves.
The cleaning consisted of two blasts of electronic contact cleaner through the touch-hole followed by a double patch soaked with 91% alcohol and then a single dry patch. The pan, flint and frizzen were wiped with a dry patch.
I eased the sight over to the right a nudge and turned the elevation screw one full turn. His next shot was just below and slightly right of the bullseye. He wanted to shoot just one more without cleaning and the next shot landed 3/4-inch to the right of the first.
Now the cleaning was done and I turned the rear sight elevation screw another full turn. The next 5-shots were each from a clean barrel. The result was a 5-shot group about 1.5-inches high and dead center. The group measures 1.5-inches! This rifle is exceptionally accurate and my son is a very good shot! Needless to say, happy Dad and Son and this rifle is ready for the hunt!
