CVA Mountain rifle

[blackpowderbill]

  Question one: I have an old Mountain rifle that has been upgraded with a Sharon barrel and a Siler lock. Does any one make a nipple for that modle that will accept winged mucket caps without modifying the rifle in any way?
  Question two: I need your opinions. I have been granted an opportunity to take a BP hunt in the mountains in about a month. I can take the CVA or my normal hunting rifle; an old PH 1858 Naval rifle (2 band). The CVA is lighter and at least on paper is more powerful with a RB launched at 1700 fps. The PH is heavy but superbly accurate and dead on at 100 yards, 3 inches high at 50. I can not remember it ever failing to fire except when I forgot to put in the powder.
  My load for the CVA is 75 gr 3f and a .490 bal and .012 path lubed with Ox Yoke 1000.
My load for the PH is 55 gr 3f and a 596 gr Minie lubed with Ox Yoke 100.
I know that either load will handilly punch clean through a big deer.

I would appreciate any input , thanks.

[necchi]

I'd take the Mtn Rifle and not look back!

Usually ignition trouble in those cva/drum types is fouling of some kind in the fire channel. If care is taken too really clean the  drum and breech you won't have any trouble using #11 caps, I've gone to RWS Dynimite Nobels for all my shooting and eliminated 99% of dry fires. An added security thing for hunting, as mentioned by others, is too load as normal, then pull the nipple and trickle a little powder into the drum under the nipple. It's worth while to shoot at the range a few times if you do this as the extra powder can change your group.
I always use a new, clean, proven (aka; shot a few times) nipple for a serious big game hunt.

Another thing I've done to mine is; Take a dremel with a small grinding wheel and "face" the inside of the hammer cup so it strikes the nipple square. Get some inlet black, or some lip stick and cover the end of the nipple. Lower the hammer till it makes contact, The mark on the hammer cup should come away with the grinder until there is a full circle of the nipple top left on the face of the cup. Now the entire force of the hammer is delivered to the full surface of the cap and nipple. It's a big deal, when I checked mine the first time, it was just touching front, top side of the nipple.

Yes they make a Musket nipp that will fit, but you may have to bend the hammer to make it strike proper.
http://www.trackofthewolf.com/(S(yftvv045ic5tey3fzho2bdbo))/Search.aspx?Search=CVA-MA

read this thread;
http://www.gboreloaded.com/forums/index.php/topic,188421.0.html

p.s. that's my Mtn Rifle in the avatar.

[jlchucker]

I agree with necchi.  I had a CVA Mountain Rifle that I had built from a kit that I got in a trade--around 1975 or thereabouts.  It worked well with round balls, bullets in sabots, and maxiballs.  When I moved to my present location, the guy who plows my driveway in the winter had some time to hunt in the muzzle-loading season, and I didn't.  I let him borrow my CVA. A few days later, driving past his place of business, I noticed a large doe hanging from the back of his truck.  He wanted to buy my rifle.  I wasn't ready to sell.  This went on for about 3 years, and finally, after he got 3 more deer, and it looked like I'd never get time to go out during the muzzle loader season, I sold it to him.  I'm a lefty and I needed an excuse for a new one anyway (lefty version).  Short of it is, none of the muzzle loaders I've owed later ever shot as well as that old CVA. 

[Ladobe]

They Mountain rifles were first offered for sale sometime in 1976/77.   

No question my early CVA MR is the most accurate ML I've ever owned (mine only gets fed PRB's).   I have shot TC's since the early 70's and still have several of them, but this MR soon became my favorite and rules the roost.   Wish I had "discovered" them sooner than I did (like before I stopped hunting big game).

[JBlk]

I have a copy of the mountin rifle made by Deer Creek in Waldron, Indiana.I always had trouble with consistant ignition from #11 caps.I tried musket caps and even used and adaptor that fired small rifle primers.I polished the lock, retempered the mainspring, but continued to have inconsistant ignition.The hammer appeared to be centered on the nipple in the down position and striking squarely.I finally heated the hammer and bent it down.My ignition problems were immediately solved.There is probably a logical way to check to see if the same problem is causing your ignition problems.I am sure that a competent gunsmith could check this for you.Even with this ignition problem I harvested alot of whitetails with a .049 roundball and seventy grains of Bp.I just hated to see the ones getaway when the cap didn't ignite.This will always be one of my favorite rifles.

[bckskin2]

I bought one last fall & haven't had time to really ring it out. With the round ball, pillow ticking & 50 gr. REAL BP the first load I tried shot so well I haven't tried any thing else. I would not hesitate to go after deer or black bear with it.
PS with bear it would be nice to have a back up!