A Muzzleloader - A New Kind Of Longarm For Me

[Glenn B]

I bought a CVA Hawken rifle at an auction in Geneva this weekend. Looks to be in excellent condition. I think it was made from a kit as the bluing on the barrel looks almost like the old WWII style of blotchy camo. Other than that though it looks very clean with just a tad of rust here and there. The bore is clean, maybe unfired.



I emailed CVA to request info and this is what they told me:

Connecticut Valley Arms Inc. was taken over by our company (BPI Outdoors) in 1999. Since we have taken over we have made that brand CVA that it is today we mainly produced break-action style rifles. The old company did not provide us with the information you are looking for. I'm sorry for any inconvenience.

We are sorry to say that we no longer carrying this part. Here is a phone number to a gun dealer that may still have this part. 765-525-6181 the company is called Deer Creek and they are not a part of CVA.

Thank you for contacting us.

So, they essentially gave me almost zero information. While waiting for their reply, which came surprisingly fast (within an hour or so), I found a CVA Sidelock rifle manual online. Low behold, when I got the email from CVA I saw that the manual I had already saved and printed was from the same dealer they had recommended as maybe having it.

Anyway, I am a bit confused as to the projectiles I can use in the gun. The manual seems to indicate I can use something called PowerBelt Bullets, that have a plastic wad like base, but only if the twist rate of the bore is 1:48. They go onto say that conical bullets can be used in barrels wit medium to fast twist rate (an I am presuming that 1:48 fits that spec). They also say that round balls are recommended for a barrel with a slower twist rate of 1:66. My problem is I have no way of knowing the twist rate. is there some easy way to determine the twist rate or figure out which one in in the rife I purchased? If not, can I use round balls in it no matter the twist rate? I understand that round balls require patches.

I doubt it but have to ask: Is there a serialization chart out there for CVA muzzleloaders showing dates of manufacture?

I will be asking more questions as I move along. It will likely be a somewhat slow information gathering process leading up to me and my son taking it out to shoot sooner or later.

Thanks,
Glenn B

 

[Robin]

Congratulations!!!! Ah the dark side, I hope you get as much enjoyment from it as I do from mine. As for finding the rate of twist, run a piece of masking tape up the ramrod, assuming you have a jag for cleaning, screw it into the ramrod, lay a fairly thick, soft, all cotton patch on the jag and start it into the barrel, mark the the tape at the muzzle and run a line up the length of the rod, mark that line at one foot intervals, gently push the ramrod down the barrel letting it ride in the rifling grooves, after two feet, depending where the line ends up you should be able to calculate the twist rate.
1 in 48" rate is still pretty slow to stabilize a bullet, though I'm sure some have done it. My own experimenting has not been successful even with R E A L soft lead bullets and they keyhole. Picture of R E A L bullets
Nothing wrong with patched round balls, they can be made just as accurate as anything else with some patience and experimenting. Every barrel is different and when you find the right combination of powder, patch, and ball, it is amazing how consistently accurate it will be. Best of luck!!!!
Robin

 

[capitalcrew]

Those hawkens are pretty hefty but they're cool as hell. Modern inlines are better for hunting if you do any of that. Experiment with projectiles and loads until you find what works best. They're a lot of fun, just keep it clean

 

[X340]

Totally agree about keeping it clean. Back in the day I had a Thompson Center Renegade, just had a lot of fun with it and I miss it. It did take some
experimenting to find what didn't keyhole. I have no experience with the more modern in lines so I really can't speak to them, but when i recover from
this back surgery I intend to try and find another Renegade for next season.

 

[Robin]

Oh, yeah, use black powder only. Pyrodex and its clones contain percolates that start to rot your barrel even while your loading the second shot. Hodgdon 777 may be of a different nature, I haven't got the rundown on it yet, it is more powerful so read all the warnings on it.

 

[Acer-m14]

@Glenn B
I have one simular to that no storage pan on the stock thou .. .54 cal .. 80 to 100 gr of BP and 54 ball n patch .. flys nice .. do not use a plastic cup and ball .. your ball may roll out the barrel or even act at a obstruction and BOOM goes the barrel .. this was my first BP gun so i want to a
north and south srimage and asked alot of questions .. there website >> Home

 

[Acer-m14]

@Glenn B this should on par for that rifle .. https://www.tcarms.com/pdfs/uploads/manuals/Hawken_Manual.pdf

 

[Acer-m14]

@Glenn B oh and watch out on that set trigger .. wen set to spect .. its under 1 oz pull .. freeking hair trigger on mine ..

 

[Phauxtoe]

They are fun to shoot on occasion but I have no desire to own them not sure why

 

[Glenn B]

They are fun to shoot on occasion but I have no desire to own them not sure why

I bought this one because it looked nice and could be a fun shooter now and again or I might be able to sell it at a small profit and use that money toward another firearm related purchase or because I thought it might make a nice wall hanger decoration. Now that I have it and my son has seen it though, I am pretty sure we will be shooting it at least to try it out to see if we like it and who knows what after that.

 

[John D]

I have a T/C Hawken .50 cal. Have only used patched round balls with 70 gr of Goex ffg. Accurate and loads of fun to shoot.

Good luck, have fun and be safe..

 

[NY Leatherneck]

Just ordered a CVA Optima V2 in nitride. 1st smoke stick for me.

 

[NY Leatherneck]

My smoke stick had arrived....initial thoughts...very lightweight and the checkering is the gripiest I felt in any gun. The trigger guard incorporated break action release is really nice and exceptionally functional. Not bad for just over $300 with factory mounted bdc scope and softshell case.