Mountain Rifle

[JonnyReb]

 Although i'm a longtime muzzleloader, i'm new to handmade or original traditional arms. All my rifles are production guns, and for 30 years i've shot my TC's with nary a complaint. I was recently swayed though, with the aquisition of my very first CVA, a newer model of the .50 Mountain rifle.

I bought this from a gentleman who had it willed to him, and said he thought it was unfired. I received it and although i found that yes it was unfired, it was also dinged up a bit, and the original varnish was peeling off. As it was a late model, it was blue and walnut rather than maple and brown. It felt wonderful to shoulder, compared to the beastly TC's and i loved the simple sights and design, it really was ugly though.

I stripped the barrel and lock, and got all the finish off the stock. I hadn't fired it yet but knew it would become my favorite rifle to date if i got it looking a bit more traditional. I used plumb brown on the steel and for two weeks recoated, rusted and carded the barrel, till i got the deep brown i was wanting. I left the lock and hammer in the white, to match the german silver trim on the rifle. The stock got a neat old hand done recipe of 1\3 equal parts of linseed, turp and beeswax. It came out fantastic.

I finally was able to fire my rifle just a week or so ago, for the first time after refinishing. I only had .495 roundballs and soon found that the bore was choked, and so tight i couldn't use even my thinnest patch. I ended up shooting naked roundball and while it wasn't what it'll be with .490 patched rb's, it still shot pretty darned well at the 40 yards i'd shot at. It shows a LOT of promise and the look and feel of the rifle now have me hooked on the more traditional styles of sidehammer, i love the rifle and already have another on the way, a .45 deercreek model.

  Not a bad looking piece eh?

[Watauga]

Very Nice!

[Dogshirt]

  NICE wood!

[pilgrim]

     Very nice     

[Hawken50]

  Excellent. I Like the bright lock.

[William]

That's got a quite nice grain to it JohnnyReb, you did a good job refinishing all that.  I hope she shoots as good as she looks.

[JonnyReb]

  Hey Guys Thanks so much! Was cool to see all those replies about that rifle, it really is pretty wood, i've read that only the last Mt Rifles made by CVA, as well as maybe the very 1st one, were walnut and all the rest were Maple. Mine was made in 89' and i think they ceased production in 90'+\-.  Interesting to note that at some point, a compant bought out the remaining stock of parts and began boring their own barrels with machinery purchased from the defunct Douglas barrel company. This new company who continued offering the mountain rifle kits with their own barrel and CVA parts was called Deercreek. Recently they sold out, and now you can more or less build these guns with all parts available off Ebay, where those new but 30 year old parts are being auctioned off. The one in shipping now is one of these Deercreeks and i look real forward to getting it, but already i'm thinking it needs a fullstock

Thanks William, it really does turn out great everytime i use that 3 part mix for stocks. That this stock has such nice grain is absolute luck, i didn't realize until after the redo just how nice it was, actually i was a bit saddened that it wasn't maple. Glad now that it is what it is.

  Hawken i really debated over whether to brown the lock and hammer but am glad i left it alone. Will have to watch it for rust though probably. I will. Now i MIGHT trade it out for some nice case colors though... :)

Here, in comparison, is another CvA MountainRifle in a rocklock, this one is in need of refinishing rather badly, its an untouched 78 or 79' model kit version. Maple stock. With the right refinishing job this stock will look 1000 times better i'll bet. I found this one after the first, but have already traded it off .I'm saving flintlock for my old age. Really. 

[hotfxr]

Those are mighty fine looking firesticks my friend, good job.

[beowulf]

always liked the cva mountain rifles ! surprised that the newer rifle did`nt have the cap box on the stock !   but still a good find ! I had a big bore .54 cal with the maple stock ! nice rifle if you can find one at a good price ! and you did a nice job of restoring that old gun ! 

[Hanshi]

Those are very nice rifles.  Walnut is even harder to come by than maple, it seems; and it costs more.  I owned and hunted with an old, cheap CVA for many years.  It shot very well, surprisingly well in fact.  A nice, old Mountain Rifle passed through my hands, too.

[JonnyReb]

 Beowulf, i've read that only the Bigbores and the walnut stocked Mountain rifles were missing their patchbox. All others had em. The flintlocks was missing when i got it and i was surprised to find it(patchbox) was still very available online. Was gonna order one but the rifle traded fast.

  Hanshi, the more i read about CVA's, even the ones with foreign parts, the more i like them. They are a bit more ornery outta the box than a TC but i kinda like that too as it makes you have to know your rifle and treat it a certain way. Gives a good reason to work on your stuff. Even better will be to own one you build yourself. Or in my less than talented hands, one someone builds for me .

[hotfxr]

Tell you what, for a true evaluation, just send that old thing out to me and I will test it out and (eventually) return it with a full report. Just trying to help a fellow son of the south.

[JonnyReb]

 Thank you Brother your offer is most appreciated and i completely believe that one day...i'd get it back
thouroughly tested too i'll bet :)     

[Hank12]

JR, you did a good job but dinged up and ugly before??  Most folks that saw it thought it was the best looking Mt. rifle they had ever seen and it still is.  Hank

[JonnyReb]

  Well Hey Hank  
Yeah i gotta say to my eye it was, but everythings to the eye of the beholder and i'm fussy about my guns. Wasn't any slight on you Sir, you said you'd send me an unfired Mt rifle and you did. Any 25 year old guns gonna show some age though. I just brought it back to like new and now i'll get to wear it in. Worked out perfect for me.Appreciate the compliment and agree, its the best looking Mt rifle short of custom that i've ever seen either.