Rifle in the closet...

[Ohio Joe]

Here's a little gem I had forgotten all about until a few days ago when I was rooting around down in the basement closets, and had forgotten all about setting this rifle in the corner there for some reason (which I can't recall from some 15 or more odd years ago I reckon?)

The stock is from an old 32 inch .45 caliber CVA Mountain Rifle, and the barrel is from an old CVA Hawken which carried this 28 inch .54 caliber barrel.

The rifle came about when I used the .45 caliber barrel (shortened to 30 inch on a rifle I built for my wife) and the Stock from this mountain rifle I used to restock a CVA .54 Hawken Rifle that had a hair-line split in the forearm of it. The CVA 28" Hawken was actually gifted to me from a long time friend who said he was done with muzzle loading as he just didn't get out of it what I seem to get.

So that's why the holes for the two wedges are plugged and covered and the single barrel wedge is in place.

I'm gonna get out one of these days and play with this rifle. I don't believe I've ever shot it but a few times and it's a good rifle. I expect I'll have to upgrade my sights on it with a thicker/wider brass blade...  Yes sir, I had forgotten all about this one. 

[rollingb]

Good lookin' rifle Joe. 

Now days,.... when I find somethin' in the closet, I can't remember how it even got there. 

[Ohio Joe]

Good lookin' rifle Joe. 

Now days,.... when I find somethin' in the closet, I can't remember how it even got there. 

 

Well, to be honest I'm not entirely sure why I even put it in the closet...

One of the first things I did on finding this rifle was to go out to my workshop and run a swab down the barrel.  It came out clean as clean can be, so I ran another with some sheath oil on it,,, but i haven't set it back in the closet just yet...  

[Ohio Joe]

Good lookin' rifle Joe. 

Now days,.... when I find somethin' in the closet, I can't remember how it even got there. 

 

Well, to be honest I'm not entirely sure why I even put it in the closet...

One of the first things I did on finding this rifle was to go out to my workshop and run a swab down the barrel.  It came out clean as clean can be, so I ran another with some sheath oil on it,,, but i haven't set it back in the closet just yet...  

I did upgrade my sights on this rifle this afternoon. Now I can see to aim the rifle with a thicker front sight (an old Lyman front sight) and I had a wide/deep "V" notch sight that I had made (who knows when) and it was perfect for this rifle. So, all that's left to do is sight it in. Kind'a anxious to that! 

[rollingb]

 Sounds like she's ready to burn some powder.

[Ohio Joe]

Sounds like she's ready to burn some powder.

She is now.    I replaced those phillip head screws in the old wedge plate (barrel key holes) covers with brass slotted head screws and I'm seriously thinking about getting one of those higher quality L&R Replacement Lock's for this rifle, but the latter hinges on how well this rifle shoots.

Wouldn't this be something if after all the rifles I've built to fit me over the years that if this rifle went "full circle" and became my favorite...  Think of the money I would've saved...    But what the heck, this is my hobby and I get a lot of enjoyment out of it. 

I do like the weight of it with that 28 inch barrel,,, and I shot the heck out of it when it was a .45 CVA Mountain Rifle with a 32 inch barrel... It feels mighty comfortable shouldering it.