Traditional Muzzleloading Association
Craftsmanship => Gun Building and Repair => Topic started by: Ole Scratch on August 31, 2020, 09:47:17 PM
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I have a CVA Bobcat that I got at a garage sale. The drum was twisted off. I tried to drill it out and tried an ease out. Got mad and put it up for a few years. Now I want to fix it and enjoy it. Did I booger the hole up too bad? Is there a drum with threads that I could use after I retapped the hole? I’m an idiot for messing it up in the first place but live and learn. Thanks for any constructive criticism. Ole Scratch
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Yea that hole in your pics looks like it's toast!, you may be able to tap it and make a drum, if all else fails you can probably find a used barrel on ebay
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I'm NOT advising you to do this,.... but if it was my rifle, I'd be tempted to measure the diameter of of what's left of the drum in your breech, and drill it out just a tad bigger and tap it to fit one of these drums. https://www.trackofthewolf.com/Search.aspx?search=powder%20drum
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I was looking at those drums but don’t know for sure which one would fit. I really want to fix it and restock it and put it back in service. I have an old Jukar I am going to put back together as well. I am a po man, all of my stuff is old broke up stuff. One day maybe I will be able to get a really nice flinter
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It's hard to give more of an idea on how I'd proceed without having the rifle "in hand" for a good look at what you have now.
What size bit did you use to drill out what you have now?
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Really not sure about the Bobcats, but a lot of the CVA's and the Traditions rifles had a rather strange set up. Instead of the threads on the drum just going through the barrel wall, it seems like they went completely across the bore and embedded into the far side of the barrel wall. The breachplug then was hollow and a hole was drilled into that little tube. This is why CVA/Traditions advised against removing, loosening or tightening the drum. It could get out of alignment and then where would you be? I am just not sure how well the rifle would work if you replaced the drum with one that just screwed into the barrel. By the way, the drum probably has metric threads.
John (Bigsmoke)
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Really not sure about the Bobcats, but a lot of the CVA's and the Traditions rifles had a rather strange set up. Instead of the threads on the drum just going through the barrel wall, it seems like they went completely across the bore and embedded into the far side of the barrel wall. The breachplug then was hollow and a hole was drilled into that little tube. This is why CVA/Traditions advised against removing, loosening or tightening the drum. It could get out of alignment and then where would you be? I am just not sure how well the rifle would work if you replaced the drum with one that just screwed into the barrel. By the way, the drum probably has metric threads.
John (Bigsmoke)
I'd bet it's what John mentions above... Here's a picture I scrounged up;
(https://i.imgur.com/nybgAUQ.jpg)
IMHO, I don't believe I'd waste my time on it, but rather cut the breech-plug area at the rear of the barrel, tap and thread in a Track of the Wolf breech plug and drum - and no doubt you would have to either modify the stock or make one...
Not so sure it's of any value to go to all that trouble, but it's your call. :shake
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That photo shows how she works, perzactly, except that the bobcat has a (sort of) hooked breech rather than the fixed breech with tang in the picture. Rondo's suggestion would maybe work with what you have, otherwise Joe's suggestion would be next. It would set the barrel back and necessitate cutting a new dovetail or installing a staple for the barrel wedge. Not sure if it would be worth it for a $100 rifle.
I have one with the plastic stock. The stock is now at Pecatonica to see if they can replicate it in wood. I haven't heard back from them yet though. I hope they can and make it a tad longer than factory to balance out the looks of it.
~Kees~
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I don’t know what I am going to do with it. Too ugly a wall ornament. Thank y’all for yalls input. Scratch
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As long as the piece that the nipple gets installed in wasn't turned / blocking the channel to the charge - you may want to try the 1/2" screw in drum...
Blow or take an air hose in the muzzle and see if the passage is still open to the ignition powder chamber...
Have to ask, it is un-loaded, isn't it? :shake
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Yes sir. It is unloaded. I found a new drum amongst my other junk. Gonna see what I can do with it
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Good deal! Keep us posted. :shake