Traditional Muzzleloading Association

Traditional Firearms => Caplock Long Guns => Topic started by: bdog on December 11, 2010, 03:59:54 AM

Title: CVA .45
Post by: bdog on December 11, 2010, 03:59:54 AM: Any info on a CVA Kentucky rifle 45 percussion , I'm looking at one to buy,are they any good,anything I should look for,and what is the going rate for one used good condition?
Thanks.....
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Post by: pathfinder on December 11, 2010, 08:14:06 AM: Pretty good if it's an older one. Most of us started out with 'em back in the day, and loved them! Reliable and fairly accurate I paid $59.95 new as a kit from Gells sporting goods in Livonia,Mich back in '78!
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Post by: Firewalker on December 11, 2010, 08:35:59 AM: Bought one on sale in a kit from Shopko in about the early 70's for $29. Not a bad pistol back then. Now I'd spend the money on a Lyman plains pistol.

Okay RIFLE! Not pistol! :Doh!
Had a couple of them also and as Pathfinder said they weren't a bad rifle for the time.
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Post by: huntinguy on December 12, 2010, 02:40:36 AM: Started with one in kit form 30 plus years back. (darn... I am getting old). It was before the drum changed. I tried very hard to wear it out. I did wear the wood out. Wood is not much. Kept my loads around 60gr of FFF. Wasn't much trouble holding 2 inches at 50 yards using RB and a spit patch.

From what I have seen they are going around $150.00 in the northwest. I would never pay that for one... I guess below $100.00 in good shape would be worth thinking about. It really depends...

Oh, keep in mind the length of pull is SHORT and the butt is small and short... IF you get it shouldered wrong... you won't be shooting for a few days.
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Post by: Breakfast Boy on December 12, 2010, 07:29:08 AM: I can't speak for the gun you're looking at, but I used to have a .50 CVA Sharpshooter that I bought new back around 1995 or so. It was kind of like a cheap looking plains rifle style, sort of. It only cost about $100 at the time (not a kit). It was a cheap gun, but man could that thing shoot. I shot sabots out of it (GASP!) and it was pretty accurate. I gave that gun to my brother when I built my Lyman GPR kit gun.
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Post by: bdog on December 12, 2010, 08:07:47 AM: On the barrel it has...Conneticut Valley Arms Inc. Black Powder Only .45 Cal. Is this a USA made firearm?
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Post by: Loyalist Dave on December 12, 2010, 09:30:28 AM: You may need to pull the whole barrel, as mine says Jukar Spain, and yours might too, below the stock line. It is also possible since some were made as kits that the stamping, which is quite shallow, was polished out.

Mine shoots quite well, and I have no problems or worries shooting PRB from it. 60 grains 3Fg works great. I tried T/C Maxi-Balls from it once, but they flew like a football kicked for a field goal. Mine was $68.99 from Best & Co in 1978.

They are "authentic" enough to qualify for a "traditional" shoot that allows caplocks, but just barely. I kept mine for a loaner gun for BP season and for my kids. I added an Uncle Mikes "hot shot" nipple and a cup around the base of the nipple.

LD
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Post by: bdog on December 12, 2010, 10:19:15 AM: Loyalist Dave,whats involved in pulling the barrel,and the cup around the nipple is that an aftermarket piece or home made,I don't have the gun yet so I don't know much about it,thanks for all the replys guys.....
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Post by: W. Welshman on December 12, 2010, 11:02:09 AM: bdog, Jukar 45 cal was my first rifle. I shoot 70g out to 100yards with it. From the bench bowling pins at a 100 yards with it. Nice little shooter
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Post by: bdog on December 12, 2010, 11:07:53 AM: Hey W.Welshman,would that be 70g of FFF,Im new to all this so bare with me folks.....
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Post by: W. Welshman on December 12, 2010, 11:31:43 AM: Yes 3F, I have gone up 90g with it. 70g is good. Have shot those metal bear target out to 200yards with it. 70g hold around five feet high "ting"
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Post by: bdog on December 12, 2010, 11:51:29 AM: Welshman are ya still shooting the CVA and have you did any upgrades?
Thanks
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Post by: Captchee on December 12, 2010, 11:51:39 AM: if its a US made barrel it will say Made int he USA .
most all were Spanish made . though CVA did have a very limited run of American made barrels on their Kentucky’s
All but one that I have see where also on full one piece stocks . “also a limited run “
But I did see one on a 2 piece stock one time . But im not sure of the circumstances surrounding that piece .
Your barrel is most likely going to say ; Made in Spain or Jukar Spain
Many of these rifles were very good shooters . But take your time and check out the bore and the twist rate .
Main draw back was the lock . Parts are soft and mainsprings often weak.
You can get parts through deer creek as well as traditions .” Traditions depends on the lock you have “
Or you can go to a much , MUCh better lock by going to one of the L&R replacements.
also with alittle work you can restock it into any number of diffrent rifle profiles and hardwear .
so if you find its a real nice shooter . there are alot of things one can do

Today . A CVA kentuck in 45 depending on the shape its in , you should be able to pick up in good shape for 150 or less . a lot of times they are around 100-120 .
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Post by: bdog on December 12, 2010, 11:57:26 AM: Thanks for all the input on this gun guys, I think I'm going to go ahead and make the trade....
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Post by: W. Welshman on December 12, 2010, 12:12:44 PM: bdog, Yes to your ?. Took the finish off the barrel also the finish off the stock. Took a chain to both, Stain the stock dark and darken all the brass. It's the "BOMB". One day I'll change it over to a Flinter.
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Post by: chad1043 on December 12, 2010, 12:55:15 PM: Is it hard to switch over a percussion to a flinter?
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Post by: W. Welshman on December 12, 2010, 01:02:38 PM: No, Someone here did a change on one wasn't bad.
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Post by: chad1043 on December 12, 2010, 01:10:20 PM: Did they do a build thread?
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Post by: W. Welshman on December 12, 2010, 01:11:58 PM: I'll look
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Post by: W. Welshman on December 12, 2010, 01:15:02 PM: Riley had a post
PostPosted: Tue Jul 15, 2008 9:37 pm Post subject: Mountain Rifle Transformation
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Post by: chad1043 on December 12, 2010, 01:24:45 PM: Thanks.
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Post by: Riley/MN on December 12, 2010, 01:45:51 PM: Mine is not finished, as I have Brent Gurtek working on my L&R lock. Basically I just turned out the drum and had William Young make up a brass liner to screw in it's place.

Ridjrunr has completed his conversion and may have a picture or two...
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Post by: chad1043 on December 12, 2010, 01:51:24 PM: Link?
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Post by: Captchee on December 12, 2010, 02:58:10 PM: coverting isnt hard . but you have to know what your have .
IE what bolster was used on your rifle .
small , medium or long neck on the drum bolster .
the hardest part is addressing that issue .
then get you the right L&R or other lock and your good to go
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Post by: chad1043 on December 12, 2010, 03:03:52 PM: Well, when I am ready to make THAT move, I will be asking LOTS of questions.
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Post by: Captchee on December 12, 2010, 03:20:00 PM: not an issue when your read .
also if you deside to stay with the original stock .
if someone has not already done it . she will look a whole lot better if you take the stock wood down alot .
it will also lighten her considerably .
while the wood is beach , it will take just about any color you like .
here is a CVA that i did for a fella many years ago . it was an old abused kit that someone had put together . not alot i could do with it but remove alot of wood .
but just doing that made it a whole lot slimmer and better proportioned

(http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y242/captchee/cva/DSC01032.jpg)

(http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y242/captchee/cva/DSC01029.jpg)

(http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y242/captchee/cva/DSC01027.jpg)

(http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y242/captchee/cva/DSC01026.jpg)
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Post by: W. Welshman on December 12, 2010, 03:47:58 PM: Love that blood red stain
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Post by: bdog on December 21, 2010, 06:22:36 AM: I've heard and read that the lock on the CVA Kentucky could be better,what lock would someone replace it with and where would be the place to get the new lock?Is the new lock a direct replacement or is there work that has to be done to fit the new lock?
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Post by: pathfinder on December 21, 2010, 06:44:00 AM: I've used the L&R replacement lock a few times for guy's on their CVA and Dixie rifles,and not a "drop" in,very easy to install, a little wood to be removed,tahts all. Performance is like putting a V-8 in a six cyl car! It's doubled!
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Post by: Captchee on December 21, 2010, 08:56:04 AM: yep what pathfinder said .
i also have use Johns bailes locks but they take alot more work .
most anywhere that carries L&R locks will carry the RPL lock .
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Post by: bdog on December 21, 2010, 09:47:28 AM: Thanks for the replys ,I should be getting the CVA any day now,according to the previous owner it's a late 70's or early 80's firearm,and in excellant condition,not modified in any way still original,Captchee,the one in the pic you modified sure looks good....
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Post by: Captchee on December 21, 2010, 11:38:49 AM: Quote
Captchee,the one in the pic you modified sure looks good....

Thank you .
Understand though the one I posted in this thread isn’t really modified .
See all to often folks would buy these as kits .
Because the kit is basically just a drop in concerning the parts , they never realized that there was a lot of wood work that needed done .
It didn’t help any that CVA basically did the same thing with the finished rifles .

I do have a number of truly modified CVA rifles posted here in the TMA as well
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Post by: bdog on December 21, 2010, 11:56:57 AM: Captchee,I know what you mean,the pics of the rifle I'm getting,the stock sure could use some work to make it flow and blend more naturally,something I'll look into when it arrives.....
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Post by: ridjrunr on December 21, 2010, 12:34:16 PM: [albumimg:2dvxh54p]4376[/albumimg:2dvxh54p]

There where two locks on the cva. Large and small. Most likely you'll have the small and this is what the L&R ,(rpl) replacement looks like.This conversion is on a cva mountain rifle,but the the conversion would be the same (basically). there's plenty help here when you get to doin.
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Post by: Riley/MN on December 21, 2010, 02:14:37 PM: Ya got that ol' girl lookin pretty sharp there ridjrunr
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Post by: ridjrunr on December 21, 2010, 02:44:33 PM: Thanx Riley.Shure do like that gun. the patina came with it when I bought it in Idaho at a pawn shop. capt intitially helped me tweek it in , triggers/lock tuning but the spring went bad in the original cap lock and after replacing with "another bad spring" I dove in and bought the L&R lock.Conversion went well but ended up the lock had problems and I fought that for way too long before sending it to L&R to be fixed.I tell ya, I sent it to them AND had it back within a week at no charge. It was a bad tumbler.Now it works flawlessly.It was a learning experiance to say the least, but I would do it again without hesitation.

ridjrunr

ps,its 82 degree's right now
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Post by: Captchee on December 21, 2010, 02:54:07 PM: thats the one you brought over to the shop dan ?
very cool . clad to see you got it up and running again
hows the kentuck coming along ?
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Post by: ridjrunr on December 21, 2010, 03:11:39 PM: Kentucky, slow but shure. I drag my feet on that one, but need to get it done ,.I am gonna try and trade it for a pyramid I am using.