cva 50cal - The Firearms Forum

cva · 10-10-2007, 11:31 PM

I just got a cva 50cal hawkings the other day, it was my uncle's gun, my problem is I can't get it to shoot, I cleaned it, fired 2 #11 caps, poured in 90grams of pyrodex ffg, rammed a sabot down and fired 5 caps, the caps fired fine but no boom, waited around for a longggg time then pulled the sabot dumped the powder and came home, any suggestions? Thanks

Oneida Steve · 10-11-2007, 07:53 AM

Hmmm .... when you fired the first two caps, did you notice that the "blast" came out of the muzzle? This indicates the bore is clear. If "yes", then this is a mystery.

Is your powder OK? Pyrodex has a long shelf life, but maybe it got contaminated somehow.

polishshooter · 10-11-2007, 10:30 AM

We had that problem with my son's CVA Hawken style Frontier Carbine...the second time we shot it.

In our case it was the cleaning after the first time...some oil got into the drum. I've since found out this can be a problem with any sidelock.

We had cleaned it with soap and water, which dried nicely, then oiled it up to prevent rust in the bore, and evidently some of the oil seeped into the drum from the chamber and when we next fired it, even snapping a couple of caps after running a dry patch down the bore, it would not fire at all the next time we loaded it.

My PROBLEM is at the time I had no bullet puller...

I took off the nipple and the screw in the drum and after a while figured out I had oil in the drum, but no matter what I tried, vent picks, Qtips, whatever, I couldn't get cleaned out enough it to fire.

I finally dribbled a couple of grains of 4Fg priming powder into the drum, replaced the screw and fired it, and it went off. Then I reloaded and it worked fine.

Evidently the oil had blocked the touch hole from the drum into the chamber, and maybe even picked up some crud or fouling and caked it shut, and the 4F ignited by the cap blew it out.

Now I am VERY careful when I oil the bore, to just use a LITTLE on the patch...

I would guess that is your problem. the touch hole is plugged, or your drum/nipple is contaminated.

buffalo jump · 11-07-2007, 10:41 AM

I had the same problem with mine the other day. I took the barrel off and removed the nipple and put it in some hot soapy water and with a patch on my ram rod I started working the ram rod all the way in and almost out. Finally the water started shooting out the barrel where the nipple screws in. Cleaned out good.

polishshooter · 11-08-2007, 07:32 AM

Dixie Gun Works has a blurb in their "info" section on how to "vent" a drum on a sidelock, but doesn't really tell you WHY, but I wonder if this might be one of the reasons...not only to help in firing, but just maybe it might help keep it from getting clogged on loading if there is any contamination present by equalizing the pressure inside?

armedandsafe · 11-09-2007, 11:12 PM

Quote:

Dixie Gun Works has a blurb in their "info" section on how to "vent" a drum on a sidelock,

Can you furnish the link? I'm not finding that.

Pops

polishshooter · 11-09-2007, 11:23 PM

The blurb about venting I was talking about is in the "info and reference" section of their catalogue...I make sure I buy a new one every year, its a fun read, and the info section gets bigger every year too...

If I have some time this weekend maybe I'll try to figure out how to copy what they have in there and post it here... it would be nice I guess if I had a scanner, but I don't...

Their website is www.dixiegunworks.com

BobMcG · 11-12-2007, 06:57 PM

Moral of the story is "wash your touch hole".

On a more serious note: Yes, clean your vent and make sure it's clear of all mater including oil. Lightly oil the bore. Just before putting the weapon back into service by means of loading, prime the pan (or nipple in this case) and fire a fouling or drying shot.

cattman11778 · 01-07-2008, 09:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cva

I just got a cva 50cal hawkings the other day, it was my uncle's gun, my problem is I can't get it to shoot, I cleaned it, fired 2 #11 caps, poured in 90grams of pyrodex ffg, rammed a sabot down and fired 5 caps, the caps fired fine but no boom, waited around for a longggg time then pulled the sabot dumped the powder and came home, any suggestions? Thanks

Make sure your breech plug is clean and dry!!!!

hammybone · 01-08-2008, 06:10 PM

change the nipple or clean out the old one. Try a hotter nipple.

10-11-2007, 07:53 AM	#2
Oneida Steve Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Upstate NY Posts: 1,028	Re: cva 50cal Hmmm .... when you fired the first two caps, did you notice that the "blast" came out of the muzzle? This indicates the bore is clear. If "yes", then this is a mystery. Is your powder OK? Pyrodex has a long shelf life, but maybe it got contaminated somehow.

10-11-2007, 10:30 AM	#3
polishshooter Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2001 Location: Indiana Contributor Posts: 7,863	Re: cva 50cal We had that problem with my son's CVA Hawken style Frontier Carbine...the second time we shot it. In our case it was the cleaning after the first time...some oil got into the drum. I've since found out this can be a problem with any sidelock. We had cleaned it with soap and water, which dried nicely, then oiled it up to prevent rust in the bore, and evidently some of the oil seeped into the drum from the chamber and when we next fired it, even snapping a couple of caps after running a dry patch down the bore, it would not fire at all the next time we loaded it. My PROBLEM is at the time I had no bullet puller... I took off the nipple and the screw in the drum and after a while figured out I had oil in the drum, but no matter what I tried, vent picks, Qtips, whatever, I couldn't get cleaned out enough it to fire. I finally dribbled a couple of grains of 4Fg priming powder into the drum, replaced the screw and fired it, and it went off. Then I reloaded and it worked fine. Evidently the oil had blocked the touch hole from the drum into the chamber, and maybe even picked up some crud or fouling and caked it shut, and the 4F ignited by the cap blew it out. Now I am VERY careful when I oil the bore, to just use a LITTLE on the patch... I would guess that is your problem. the touch hole is plugged, or your drum/nipple is contaminated. __________________ The problems we face today are there because the people who work for a living are outnumbered by those who vote for a living. Last edited by polishshooter; 10-11-2007 at 10:32 AM..

11-07-2007, 10:41 AM	#4
buffalo jump V.I.P. Member Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: pensacola, fl. , escambia county Posts: 496	Re: cva 50cal I had the same problem with mine the other day. I took the barrel off and removed the nipple and put it in some hot soapy water and with a patch on my ram rod I started working the ram rod all the way in and almost out. Finally the water started shooting out the barrel where the nipple screws in. Cleaned out good.

11-08-2007, 07:32 AM	#5
polishshooter Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2001 Location: Indiana Contributor Posts: 7,863	Re: cva 50cal Dixie Gun Works has a blurb in their "info" section on how to "vent" a drum on a sidelock, but doesn't really tell you WHY, but I wonder if this might be one of the reasons...not only to help in firing, but just maybe it might help keep it from getting clogged on loading if there is any contamination present by equalizing the pressure inside? __________________ The problems we face today are there because the people who work for a living are outnumbered by those who vote for a living.

11-09-2007, 11:23 PM	#7
polishshooter Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2001 Location: Indiana Contributor Posts: 7,863	Re: cva 50cal The blurb about venting I was talking about is in the "info and reference" section of their catalogue...I make sure I buy a new one every year, its a fun read, and the info section gets bigger every year too... If I have some time this weekend maybe I'll try to figure out how to copy what they have in there and post it here... it would be nice I guess if I had a scanner, but I don't... Their website is www.dixiegunworks.com __________________ The problems we face today are there because the people who work for a living are outnumbered by those who vote for a living.

10-10-2007, 11:31 PM	#1
cva Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Posts: 2	cva 50cal I just got a cva 50cal hawkings the other day, it was my uncle's gun, my problem is I can't get it to shoot, I cleaned it, fired 2 #11 caps, poured in 90grams of pyrodex ffg, rammed a sabot down and fired 5 caps, the caps fired fine but no boom, waited around for a longggg time then pulled the sabot dumped the powder and came home, any suggestions? Thanks -->

11-12-2007, 06:57 PM	#8
BobMcG Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Somewhere in the Twilight Zone. Contributor Posts: 1,119	Re: cva 50cal Moral of the story is "wash your touch hole". On a more serious note: Yes, clean your vent and make sure it's clear of all mater including oil. Lightly oil the bore. Just before putting the weapon back into service by means of loading, prime the pan (or nipple in this case) and fire a fouling or drying shot.

01-08-2008, 06:10 PM	#10
hammybone Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: south texas Posts: 49	Re: cva 50cal change the nipple or clean out the old one. Try a hotter nipple.