What CVA 50 cal pistol is this?

[montezuma]

I bought this at a yard sale in Montana about 26 years ago. It was my first muzzle loader . You can barely read Connecticut Valley arms on the barrel. Any ideas what it is?

 

[montezuma]

Pics

 

[BoomStick]

Possibly a CVA Mountain pistol, although more recent kits the forestock ends half of the barrel length. Oval inlet on the side is where a belt hook attaches.

 

[Grenadier1758]

It does appear to be an early version of the CVA Mountain Pistol and it is missing the rear lock bolt. You should be able to get a escutcheon for the rear lock bolt and a lock bolt from Deer Creek.

https://www.deercreekproducts.net/store/p1015/Mountain_Pistol_Lock_Screw.html
The escutcheon is not shown, but it's worth a call to Deer Creek to see if one can be found.

 

[Hawk54]

You could also use a belt hook in that space. Very well may have had a belt hook in that space and someone took it off. I see those on Ebay once in a while.

 

[azmntman]

I agree with Mnt Pistol guess. Is it me or was that tang inlet way off center? Is it a shooter? I had one that hit a quarter EVERY shot at 25 yds and sold it for money when young and dumb to do young and dumb stuff. Few months ago I got another and it looks like it may match it for accuracy but I gotta send off for lock work, thinking the springs weak, when at all dirty it wont stay at full cock and starts not setting of caps, Gonna box it up with a lock from another CVA (rifle) on another REALLY accurate cap lock .50 hawkin and have Deer Creek work em over. See post abve about swiss first shots (I have lost all gumption). But I did get the .36 Sherrif to Mike for Goonerization. Expected a call yesterday but if he's busy as me I be lucky to hear from him NEXT Thursday!

 

[montezuma]

It shoots good. I have the belt hook. I wish it was a 54 like my rifles. I'm thinking about redoing the wood darker.

 

[appalichian hunter]

what cal is it and how thick are the barrel walls, might be able to send it to Bob Hoyt to re bore to a 54.

 

[BoomStick]

I wish it was a 54 like my rifles.

There's plenty of barrel wall that it could probably be bored out to .54, but that might be more than the gun's value...

 

[appalichian hunter]

Guess it all depends on what you want, me I been looking for a flint pistol in .62 cal, it will come along somewhere, seen a few but just not to my liking. I like the ideal of only having to carry the fixins for one cal rifle and pistol.

 

[montezuma]

There's plenty of barrel wall that it could probably be bored out to .54, but that might be more than the gun's value...

I imagine it would be costly. My son has a 50 cal rifle so he'll be getting this pistol some day.

 

[Notchy Bob]

@montezuma ,

I can't answer your question regarding the model name of that pistol, but I would like to say that it looks like a nice one. I am familiar with the now-discontinued CVA Mountain Pistol, but I've only known of it as a half-stock. Also, the familiar Mountain Pistol had a differently shaped butt or grip. I had not heard of an earlier full-stocked version, but I'm not really up to speed on their various models.

The grip looks comfortable, the hammer lines up well with the nipple, and it looks solidly put together. The brass has tarnished to a very appealing "brown mustard" yellow, which I like to see. There is much to like!

This pistol has a few unusual features. The single barrel wedge seems pretty far back, for one thing. That's not a criticism, but just an observation. Also, it appears to have a hooked breech, and the standing breech looks as if it has a rounded profile, as opposed to the octagon barrel. Again, not a criticism, but it seems unusual. I think I see a row of dots along the side of the grip, and a few more near the nose of the forend, suggesting there may have been some brass tacks at one point, but maybe they were removed and the holes filled. The decorative rings around the barrel at the muzzle and the engraved "rays" on and around the tang screw look nice. These unusual features suggest to me that this may be a non-standard or non-catalogued "parts gun" assembled by a knowledgeable hobbyist, or it may have been customized by a previous owner. He did a good job, either way.

As several have mentioned, it looks as if it was intended to have a belt hook. Deer Creek Products has CVA Mountain Pistol belt hooks for $7.50, if you should need a replacement. I don't think they have a plain escutcheon or "filler" for that lock bolt recess, though.

That's a nice pistol, and after 26 years, I would say you have some history with it. If it were mine, I would not change anything. Thanks for showing it!

Notchy Bob

 

[montezuma]

@montezuma ,

I can't answer your question regarding the model name of that pistol, but I would like to say that it looks like a nice one. I am familiar with the now-discontinued CVA Mountain Pistol, but I've only known of it as a half-stock. Also, the familiar Mountain Pistol had a differently shaped butt or grip. I had not heard of an earlier full-stocked version, but I'm not really up to speed on their various models.

The grip looks comfortable, the hammer lines up well with the nipple, and it looks solidly put together. The brass has tarnished to a very appealing "brown mustard" yellow, which I like to see. There is much to like!

This pistol has a few unusual features. The single barrel wedge seems pretty far back, for one thing. That's not a criticism, but just an observation. Also, it appears to have a hooked breech, and the standing breech looks as if it has a rounded profile, as opposed to the octagon barrel. Again, not a criticism, but it seems unusual. I think I see a row of dots along the side of the grip, and a few more near the nose of the forend, suggesting there may have been some brass tacks at one point, but maybe they were removed and the holes filled. The decorative rings around the barrel at the muzzle and the engraved "rays" on and around the tang screw look nice. These unusual features suggest to me that this may be a non-standard or non-catalogued "parts gun" assembled by a knowledgeable hobbyist, or it may have been customized by a previous owner. He did a good job, either way.

As several have mentioned, it looks as if it was intended to have a belt hook. Deer Creek Products has CVA Mountain Pistol belt hooks for $7.50, if you should need a replacement. I don't think they have a plain escutcheon or "filler" for that lock bolt recess, though.

That's a nice pistol, and after 26 years, I would say you have some history with it. If it were mine, I would not change anything. Thanks for showing it!

Notchy Bob

Thank you for the reply. Lots of things you said that I had not thought of like holes filled in from brass tacks, makes sense. I like this old pistol.

 

[Notchy Bob]

Thank you for the reply. Lots of things you said that I had not thought of like holes filled in from brass tacks, makes sense. I like this old pistol.

I like guns with a little character. I think it's a keeper.

Notchy Bob

 

[Notchy Bob]

I agree with Mnt Pistol guess. Is it me or was that tang inlet way off center?

CVA guns have a "rebate" cut in the wood above the lock plate so as to not interfere with the swing of the hammer they use on their locks. As far as I know, they all have this feature, and you can see it, sort of, in the first photo of this pistol. From a top view, this may give the illusion of the stock being thicker on the left side of the tang. Maybe that's what you see.

You have a good eye for detail, though!

Notchy Bob

 

[Hawk54]

You can buy one of those Deer Creek belt hooks and grind the hook off. Then for $7.50 you will have a nice looking escutcheon.