CVA .50-cal Hawken in disrepair

308Enfield · August 20, 2005, 03:52 PM

I ran across what was potentially a good deal today, but passed on it as I need to be putting my money in other places. I am curious as to how good a deal this was and what would have been involved in working on it, maybe the information will be handy for somebody else as well.

I was at a gun show today and ran across an old .50 caliber CVA muzzleloader, percussion, Hawken rifle. The blue was worn completely off the barrel down to the white on the right rear of the barrel. The muzzle was in similar condition. The action obviously had some surface rust and the hammer was really stiff, although it did stay at full and half cock and also released when the trigger was pulled. The asking price was $80. I don't currently have a muzzleloader, so don't have the related gear, and in that condition I decided to pass on it today (I'm saving up for a CCW pistol). Just out of curiosity, does anyone have the experience to say what would be involved in getting a rifle in this condition into good shooting shape again?

**4V50 Gary** · August 20, 2005, 11:23 PM

Rough lock. Probably just cleaning. Bluing worn off? No problem. Strip it and brown it in your cellar. One nice thing about browned guns, you don't have to put a glossly polish on it for it to take a brown (unlike a blue job). I'd have bought it (but tried first to haggle the guy down to $50 for the wall hanger).

armedandsafe · August 21, 2005, 11:53 AM

I have recoverd a couple of the CVA rifles and have found the hardest thing is getting parts for the action/trigger group. Many people downgrade the CVAs because they are less expensive than other brands. I have found them to be very accurate and tough guns. At $80, I'd have haggled about the condition, but would have bought it even if he didn't drop the price.

Pops

20cows · August 22, 2005, 02:30 PM

You passed up a good deal. I have repaired and restored several CVA pawn shop rifles for a friends Every one of them came out good looking, good shooting guns. Just this past weekend I finished converting a CVA Mountain Rifle to flintlock.

Parts are availible from Deer Creek Products.

308Enfield · August 22, 2005, 07:39 PM

I knew when I walked out of the show I was going to regret passing up that rifle

Thanks for the great information, I certainly won't make the same mistake again. Maybe I can get lucky running across a similar piece while pawn shopping some day.

**4V50 Gary** · August 22, 2005, 08:29 PM

and learn from it. You'll be a stronger and better person from it and learning from mistakes can teach you more than avoiding risks for fear of making mistakes. Follow the latter and you may just learn nothing. A lot of folks are in this mode. Don't forget, you didn't lose a dime by not buying that gun.

Toney · October 1, 2005, 05:05 PM

the barrels on the cva guns seem good . I dont think the locks are near as good all soft parts

joab · October 1, 2005, 05:58 PM

I would also have tried to haggle, I need the lock for mine

August 20, 2005, 03:52 PM	#1
308Enfield Senior Member Join Date: August 3, 2005 Location: Tennessee Posts: 239	CVA .50-cal Hawken in disrepair I ran across what was potentially a good deal today, but passed on it as I need to be putting my money in other places. I am curious as to how good a deal this was and what would have been involved in working on it, maybe the information will be handy for somebody else as well. I was at a gun show today and ran across an old .50 caliber CVA muzzleloader, percussion, Hawken rifle. The blue was worn completely off the barrel down to the white on the right rear of the barrel. The muzzle was in similar condition. The action obviously had some surface rust and the hammer was really stiff, although it did stay at full and half cock and also released when the trigger was pulled. The asking price was $80. I don't currently have a muzzleloader, so don't have the related gear, and in that condition I decided to pass on it today (I'm saving up for a CCW pistol). Just out of curiosity, does anyone have the experience to say what would be involved in getting a rifle in this condition into good shooting shape again? __________________ "Good people do not need laws to tell them to act responsibly, while bad people will find a way around the laws." - Plato

August 20, 2005, 11:23 PM	#2
4V50 Gary Staff Join Date: November 2, 1998 Location: Colorado Posts: 21,847	Rough lock. Probably just cleaning. Bluing worn off? No problem. Strip it and brown it in your cellar. One nice thing about browned guns, you don't have to put a glossly polish on it for it to take a brown (unlike a blue job). I'd have bought it (but tried first to haggle the guy down to $50 for the wall hanger). __________________ Vigilantibus et non dormientibus jura subveniunt. *Molon Labe!*

August 21, 2005, 11:53 AM	#3
armedandsafe Senior Member Join Date: January 9, 2005 Location: Moses Lake WA Posts: 1,001	I have recoverd a couple of the CVA rifles and have found the hardest thing is getting parts for the action/trigger group. Many people downgrade the CVAs because they are less expensive than other brands. I have found them to be very accurate and tough guns. At $80, I'd have haggled about the condition, but would have bought it even if he didn't drop the price. Pops __________________ Armed and Safe: Not just a theory If it time to bury them, it is time to dig them up. Remember, "Behind every blade of grass."

August 22, 2005, 02:30 PM	#4
20cows Senior Member Join Date: February 22, 2005 Location: West Texas Posts: 376	Cva You passed up a good deal. I have repaired and restored several CVA pawn shop rifles for a friends Every one of them came out good looking, good shooting guns. Just this past weekend I finished converting a CVA Mountain Rifle to flintlock. Parts are availible from Deer Creek Products.

August 22, 2005, 07:39 PM	#5
308Enfield Senior Member Join Date: August 3, 2005 Location: Tennessee Posts: 239	I knew when I walked out of the show I was going to regret passing up that rifle Thanks for the great information, I certainly won't make the same mistake again. Maybe I can get lucky running across a similar piece while pawn shopping some day. __________________ "Good people do not need laws to tell them to act responsibly, while bad people will find a way around the laws." - Plato

August 22, 2005, 08:29 PM	#6
4V50 Gary Staff Join Date: November 2, 1998 Location: Colorado Posts: 21,847	The fortune cookie says, "Accept failure... and learn from it. You'll be a stronger and better person from it and learning from mistakes can teach you more than avoiding risks for fear of making mistakes. Follow the latter and you may just learn nothing. A lot of folks are in this mode. Don't forget, you didn't lose a dime by not buying that gun. __________________ Vigilantibus et non dormientibus jura subveniunt. *Molon Labe!*

October 1, 2005, 05:05 PM	#7
Toney Senior Member Join Date: August 17, 2005 Location: Stillwater Oklahoma Posts: 790	the barrels on the cva guns seem good . I dont think the locks are near as good all soft parts

October 1, 2005, 05:58 PM	#8
joab Senior Member Join Date: November 17, 2002 Location: Orl Fla Posts: 3,254	I would also have tried to haggle, I need the lock for mine __________________ Joab the Bugman Founding member- Lords of Pomposity It's a Yankee Doodle thing