CVA Hawken Rifle

[messeduprex]

I was just given an old CVA Hawken rifle. it has a shorter heavy octogon barrel and is a flintlock with 2 triggers. can anybody tell me more about this. i have no clue when it comes to muzzeloaders

[dkf]

The trigger to the rear should be the set trigger. It should say on the barrel what caliber it is. Is it a flintlock or percussion? I think most of them were percussion .50 caliber.

I bought a .32cal CVA for my dad beginning of last year.r it.

[messeduprex]

its a flintlock

it looks like this

[messeduprex]

i know the picture above is of a percussion cap version. mine is a flintlock and is a 50 cal. as far as cleaning it and maint. is there anything i should look out for. i know it hasnt been fired in a long time and as far as i can tell the mfg. date is 89. should the flint still be good? any special way of cleaning?

[Delkal]

You can "dry fire" it to see if the flint is good. If you see a spark it is good to go, Flints are rocks so they don't get old but it will probably need some adjustment

BUT, MAKE SURE THERE IS NOT A CHARGE IN IT FIRST! They still find muzzleloaders still loaded after 100-200 years. Put the ramrod in the barrel all the way and mark it. Then take it out and put in on top of the barrel. It should go slightly past the priming hole in the pan. If it doesn't you have a problem

The only way to clean a Black Powder rifle is with soap and hot water. You will need a cleaning jag for your caliber. It screws on to your ramrod.

[dkf]

If you use a good lube like the bore butter or similar you have a little time to clean it before it starts rusting up.

[Ecclectic Collector]

The CVA line has been around for a while. They are imported actions which have been made by various foreign makers over the years. Quality has varied, but the Hawken type CVAs made in the 1980s was generally fairly good, though not exceptional.

If it is a flintlock the flint needs to be replaced every 7-15 shots anyway. You can buy precut flints at most shops that sell muzzleloading supplies. There are several sizes of flint. Yours most likely uses a 5/8" stone. Just take the old flint in with you to select the right size as this ain't exactly a precision fitted part. The important thing with a flintlock is the quality of the lock. Hopefully yours is a good one. There are shops you can take it to (Like Dixons, near Allentown) to get help if yours is not a good sparker.

Cleaning black powder is simple, but very important. Black powder residue is mildly acidic and causes rust quickly if not cleaned. Simple soap and water breaks down the acid and washes away the fouling. Generally you fill the barrel with hot, soapy water and pump with a ram rod and jag. The fouling will pour out black and gradually become clear. Repeat until your entire kettle of soapy water is gone, then lightly oil. Remove the lock and put in a pan and do this separately before putting your gun back together. When I shoot my muzzleloaders I actually recheck my gun after a few days make sure I got all the residue and re-clean if I see any orange rust forming.

[Bang]

I have a CVA flintlock. It was the kit do it yourself version. The lock is made in Spain. The flint is a proprietary flint marketed by CVA having smooth edges on all planes.

The flint is smaller than normal flints, and the jaws of the action are too small and too weak to reliably hold the flint. It is 50 caliber.

I loved the rifle, hated the lock. I made inquiries of several black powder rifle after-markets and learned that no one made a replacement lock for the gun. It sits in a closet.

Check the barrel for a load with a rod that is longer than muzzle to breech plug. Figure the breech plug us about 3/4" long. The rod down the barrel should stop against the breech plug. Pinch the rod between thumb and finger at the muzzle and withdraw the rod. Lay the rod against the top of the barrel and note where the other end of the rod relates to the barrel. If it is about 3/4" from the breech, the bore is uncharged.

To clean the rifle, pull the wedges and remove the barrel. The best way to clean a black powder long arm is with hot tap water. I fill the bathroom lav with hot soapy water, immerse the breech end into the water. Place a cleaning patch on a cleaning rod with suitable size jag and the rod/jag/patch will create a pump as the rod is worked in and outward. Water will be drawn in through the touch hole. All black powder residue will be pulled up and out the muzzle. I replaced the soapy water with plain water for final rinse. Very hot water heats the barrel. The heated barrel will hasten drying once the bore is wiped with a dry patch. Waiting until the wife isn't home might be needed, depending.

Once the bore is clean and dry, treat it as any other firearm cleaning project.

[Ecclectic Collector]

Bang: flints come in about 4 general sizes: 1/2" (pistol), 5/8", 3/4" and 1" (for muskets)

If your lock's jaw is too small to hold the flints you buy, look for a smaller flint. Yours is likely either for a 1/2" or 5/8".

Again I'll recommend Dixons in Kempville (near Allentown) if you live in the easter half of the state. They sell just about EVERYTHING you'd ever need for shooting a black powder gun and frequently help folks out with gun problems and learning what you need to shoot them. They do have a very well trained gunsmith on staff.

Another, smaller shop for those more in the mid state area is Conocoteague Trading Post in Scotland (near to Chambersburg). Ron knows his stuff and will have most anything you need as well. However he no longer does gunsmithing work.

[messeduprex]

thank you for all the input. i was just given a box of supplies from my grandfather for the rifle. the only thing missing was a powder measure. the box had a bunch of cleaning supplies with a cleaning hose. and powder,balls and a bunch of mini balls. ar these safe to shoot in this rifle?