Connecticut Valley Arms Inc Black Powder Pistol

**Ludedude1992** · June 27th, 2016, 07:55 PM

Can anyone tell me what model this is and its approximate value. I would like to sell it but have know idea where to begin. Would appreciate any insight.

Thanks!
Steve

**Delkal** · June 27th, 2016, 08:07 PM

That rear site looks a lot like the ones on a Contender pistol. Is it round or octagonal on the base? These types of pistols didn't have adjustable sites and its missing the front site.

I would say not much. If you can get $50 you did good.

**Gunsnwater** · June 27th, 2016, 09:19 PM

That was sold as a hawkens pistol. They came in flint and percussion and as complete guns or DIY kits. They didn't all have the adjustable rear sight.

**gghbi** · June 27th, 2016, 09:31 PM

What does the bore look like, the outside seems a bit rough?

**Ludedude1992** · June 28th, 2016, 08:19 AM

The bore does not look bad at all! So the general consensus is 50$?

**gghbi** · June 28th, 2016, 01:56 PM

As it stands, without the front sight $50-80 would be in the range I would expect. Could go a bit more depending on local market, I think Lancaster county is more BP friendly so you may do better. If it had the front sight, I could expect a store to put a retail of $125-150 on it.

Find a local store that does BP stuff and ask them, I am not sure who that is in your neighborhood.

Those things are a blast to shoot, so you might want to consider keeping it and shooting it. YMMV of course

Good luck either way.

**pacodelahoya** · June 28th, 2016, 01:59 PM

I built one of those from a kit in the seventies. I built a Pennsylvania long rifle too....wish I still had em.

**bamboomaster** · June 28th, 2016, 02:52 PM

Originally Posted by gghbi

As it stands, without the front sight $50-80 would be in the range I would expect. Could go a bit more depending on local market, I think Lancaster county is more BP friendly so you may do better. If it had the front sight, I could expect a store to put a retail of $125-150 on it.

Find a local store that does BP stuff and ask them, I am not sure who that is in your neighborhood.

Those things are a blast to shoot, so you might want to consider keeping it and shooting it. YMMV of course

Good luck either way.

The exterior also shows light pitting which looks like it won't "clean up". Somebody didn't love that gun. You should find a front sight and keep it as a shooter. BP is a lot of fun especially when you have the load dialed in.

**Delkal** · June 28th, 2016, 09:03 PM

Originally Posted by bamboomaster

The exterior also shows light pitting which looks like it won't "clean up". Somebody didn't love that gun. You should find a front sight and keep it as a shooter. BP is a lot of fun especially when you have the load dialed in.

My guess is this pistol was put together from a kit. With the early kits the barrels (and some locks) were supplied in the white. A lot of people just left them that way and it looks like I would expect after 30-40 years. Actually for an "antique" pistol I like that look. A little more brown patina and it will look "original". IMO, you shouldn't have a polished blue finish on a firearm like that. The octagon barrel is actually very easy to clean up, everything's flat. The lock will take more time though and to do it right it would have to be case hardened (almost impossible to do yourself).

I put together a Hawken kit in the late 70's. The barrel was in the white and it still had some machining marks. Depending on how anal you were you had to do a lot of finish sanding before finishing (thats what I did). Luckily I decided to Brown the barrel and it turned out great. Sets it apart from the later kits / rifles with blued barrels.