Taking apart and cleaning my CVA Hawken Frontier problem

cloud8a · May 26, 2009, 12:30 AM

First off I do not think the previous owner ever cleaned this gun.

second I do not know what I am doing, this is my first BP rifle.

once I took the barrel off I saw that the inner hammer mechanisms were rusty so I sprayed a little CLP in there.

What is the breach plug? is it the round cylinder that the nipple sits on top of or is it the plug like thing that is directly in the back of the barrel? Once once i got the nipple cylinder off or whatever you call it, it was rusty and the little hole it was in was rusty and grimey.

after putting the gun back together the hammer will not stay cocked. I can feel it catch a little but comes down. also the nipple is lined a little to far back like I screwed the cylinder back on too tight. I could loosen it a hair to get it right but now i am concerned the could be dangerous pressure sensitive area.

I am getting ready to take it to a professional before I tear the thing up. I would like to do this myself to save money and learn but I do not want to harm my gun.

help me out.

the rifleer · May 26, 2009, 12:50 AM

I dont have that model, but these guns are very simple. all they are is a barrel, a lock, a trigger, and a wood stock. thats it. You should never have to take the lock apart. take it off and clean it with soapy water and gun oil. as for the barrel, get a gun cleaning kit.

the breech plug is the part on the end of the barrel. this is what seals the end and what the powder charge sits on.

I dont remove the breech plug on mine because it isnt practical. only do it if you have a breech plug wrench. you dont have to remove it to clean it, but if you can it help alot.

This is NOT the proper way to clean a muzzle loader, but its how i do it and it works with good results. spray a good amount of either gun oil or WD-40 down the barrel put it aside for a few minutes. take a .22 cleaning brush (its brass with a bunch of little bristles) and take a paper towel. rip the towel into about a 4x4'' section and fold it in half, then rotate it 90 degrees and fold it in half. put the center of the 'patch' over the brush and put a good amount of gun oil or bore solvent on it. make sure the bristles catch the paper towel well. send it down the barrel, then pull it back up. do this until its clean. it may take 4 or 5 paper towels to get clean.

good luck

Hawg · May 26, 2009, 04:23 AM

CVA unlike most modern sidelocks uses a bolster or drum if you will for the nipple to screw into. The drum is then screwed into the side of the barrel. If the hammer is too far back just back the drum off till it lines up. If it gets loose after shooting it put some blue NOT red loctite on it next time you take it off. As for the hammer not staying cocked remove the lock and see if it stays cocked out of the rifle. If it does it's probably binding in the stock.

MacGille · May 26, 2009, 05:54 AM

NEVER,NEVER, use petroleum based oil in a black powder gun. Oil reacts with BP and makes a hard gunk that is EXTREMELY hard to remove. Clean with HOT soapy water (make it boil) and the residual heat will evaporate the moisture as you dry it out. Coat the barrel and parts with bore butter or some other Black Powder lube.

I fill a #10 can (3 # coffee) with the HOT soapy water, take out the nipple and put the breech end of the barrel in the can. Use a jag and patch on the ramrod,(I have one I made from a dowel) and pull the soapy water up the barrel. repeat for a long time to make sure every bit of powder residue is gone.(10 strokes or more). Take the barrel out and with a toothbrush clean the nipple drum. Dry the barrel with patches and if possible blow the moisture out with compressed air. (make sure you drain excess water from the compressor tank daily). Then lubricate everything with BP lube. Lube the threads of the nipple after you clean it then replace it in the drum.

I have been shooting BP for 45+ years and have never had an issue with corrosion(rust) on any of my guns. My newest gun was made in 1953. The oldest was in 1897. Take extreme care in cleaning and lubing your guns and they will never let you down.

mykeal · May 26, 2009, 06:01 AM

Good advice from HH - just a little more:

It's likely you've tightened the screws that hold the lock too much, and they're causing the hammer to bind against the wood. You can back those off - they don't need to be more than snug.

The same thing with the drum, as Hawg said. The drum does not need to be removed for cleaning. Once you have it back in the right position, leave it there.

Never, ever remove the breech plug from a CVA barrel. It's very difficult to get it back on right and should only be done by someone with experience and the proper tools.

The lock needs to be cleaned and oiled on a regular basis, although not every time you use the gun. It should be removed from the gun, washed out with soap and water OR a good bp solvent such as Ballistol, Butch's Bore Shine, Hoppe's No. 9 Plus, TC No. 7 or No. 13, etc. Dry it out thoroughly with a hair dryer and use some light machine oil or (preferably) mineral oil (again, Ballistol, etc.) to lubricate it, then reinstall it. It does not need to be taken apart. Again, proper tools (mainspring vise and gunsmith's screwdrivers) and experience are necessary to take it apart and get it back together right.

May 26, 2009, 05:54 AM	#4
MacGille Senior Member Join Date: July 6, 2006 Location: Planet Earth Posts: 976	NEVER,NEVER, use petroleum based oil in a black powder gun. Oil reacts with BP and makes a hard gunk that is EXTREMELY hard to remove. Clean with HOT soapy water (make it boil) and the residual heat will evaporate the moisture as you dry it out. Coat the barrel and parts with bore butter or some other Black Powder lube. I fill a #10 can (3 # coffee) with the HOT soapy water, take out the nipple and put the breech end of the barrel in the can. Use a jag and patch on the ramrod,(I have one I made from a dowel) and pull the soapy water up the barrel. repeat for a long time to make sure every bit of powder residue is gone.(10 strokes or more). Take the barrel out and with a toothbrush clean the nipple drum. Dry the barrel with patches and if possible blow the moisture out with compressed air. (make sure you drain excess water from the compressor tank daily). Then lubricate everything with BP lube. Lube the threads of the nipple after you clean it then replace it in the drum. I have been shooting BP for 45+ years and have never had an issue with corrosion(rust) on any of my guns. My newest gun was made in 1953. The oldest was in 1897. Take extreme care in cleaning and lubing your guns and they will never let you down. __________________ If ye love wealth better than Liberty, the tranquillity of servitude than the animated contest of Freedom, go from us in Peace. We ask not your counsel or Arms. Crouch down and lick the hands which feed you. May your chains sit lightly upon you, and may posterity forget that you were our countrymen. --Samuel Adams--<*ixoye><

May 26, 2009, 12:30 AM	#1
cloud8a Senior Member Join Date: April 27, 2009 Location: Texas Posts: 399	Taking apart and cleaning my CVA Hawken Frontier problem First off I do not think the previous owner ever cleaned this gun. second I do not know what I am doing, this is my first BP rifle. once I took the barrel off I saw that the inner hammer mechanisms were rusty so I sprayed a little CLP in there. What is the breach plug? is it the round cylinder that the nipple sits on top of or is it the plug like thing that is directly in the back of the barrel? Once once i got the nipple cylinder off or whatever you call it, it was rusty and the little hole it was in was rusty and grimey. after putting the gun back together the hammer will not stay cocked. I can feel it catch a little but comes down. also the nipple is lined a little to far back like I screwed the cylinder back on too tight. I could loosen it a hair to get it right but now i am concerned the could be dangerous pressure sensitive area. I am getting ready to take it to a professional before I tear the thing up. I would like to do this myself to save money and learn but I do not want to harm my gun. help me out.

May 26, 2009, 12:50 AM	#2
the rifleer Senior Member Join Date: March 5, 2008 Location: Sunny California Posts: 1,281	I dont have that model, but these guns are very simple. all they are is a barrel, a lock, a trigger, and a wood stock. thats it. You should never have to take the lock apart. take it off and clean it with soapy water and gun oil. as for the barrel, get a gun cleaning kit. the breech plug is the part on the end of the barrel. this is what seals the end and what the powder charge sits on. I dont remove the breech plug on mine because it isnt practical. only do it if you have a breech plug wrench. you dont have to remove it to clean it, but if you can it help alot. This is NOT the proper way to clean a muzzle loader, but its how i do it and it works with good results. spray a good amount of either gun oil or WD-40 down the barrel put it aside for a few minutes. take a .22 cleaning brush (its brass with a bunch of little bristles) and take a paper towel. rip the towel into about a 4x4'' section and fold it in half, then rotate it 90 degrees and fold it in half. put the center of the 'patch' over the brush and put a good amount of gun oil or bore solvent on it. make sure the bristles catch the paper towel well. send it down the barrel, then pull it back up. do this until its clean. it may take 4 or 5 paper towels to get clean. good luck

May 26, 2009, 04:23 AM	#3
Hawg Senior Member Join Date: September 8, 2007 Location: Mississippi Posts: 16,190	CVA unlike most modern sidelocks uses a bolster or drum if you will for the nipple to screw into. The drum is then screwed into the side of the barrel. If the hammer is too far back just back the drum off till it lines up. If it gets loose after shooting it put some blue NOT red loctite on it next time you take it off. As for the hammer not staying cocked remove the lock and see if it stays cocked out of the rifle. If it does it's probably binding in the stock.

May 26, 2009, 06:01 AM	#5
mykeal Senior Member Join Date: October 8, 2006 Location: Northern Michigan Posts: 2,772	Good advice from HH - just a little more: It's likely you've tightened the screws that hold the lock too much, and they're causing the hammer to bind against the wood. You can back those off - they don't need to be more than snug. The same thing with the drum, as Hawg said. The drum does not need to be removed for cleaning. Once you have it back in the right position, leave it there. Never, ever remove the breech plug from a CVA barrel. It's very difficult to get it back on right and should only be done by someone with experience and the proper tools. The lock needs to be cleaned and oiled on a regular basis, although not every time you use the gun. It should be removed from the gun, washed out with soap and water OR a good bp solvent such as Ballistol, Butch's Bore Shine, Hoppe's No. 9 Plus, TC No. 7 or No. 13, etc. Dry it out thoroughly with a hair dryer and use some light machine oil or (preferably) mineral oil (again, Ballistol, etc.) to lubricate it, then reinstall it. It does not need to be taken apart. Again, proper tools (mainspring vise and gunsmith's screwdrivers) and experience are necessary to take it apart and get it back together right.