About that CVA Mountain Rifle....

that was gifted me. It has taken on new meaning now. It must be fully restored and stock refinished then taken out to hunt with. My friend has been placed in hospice care at our VA hospital. He has been fighting kidney failure for quite some time. His great great grandfather was a scout of the 7th cav under Custer. He only survived because he had been bucked off a horse 3 days prior and broken his collar bone. Thus Joe was born later in the linage. He served 3 tours of duty in Vietnam as a Green Beret in the US Army. He was an iron worker and when he retired he worked at the school district as a custodian because he liked the youth and energy of kids. He coached youth bowlers, several who had won their division in various tournaments. He was my bowling coach and I wasn't any kid. It was due to his coaching I achieved several 300 games and various awards. This rifle has a very strong meaning now. I must go and spend the night with him. I must be with him right now. He will be with me forever through this rifle. I hope others have special "guns" with such strong meanings and feelings too.

That was my plan. I had ordered the ramrod barrels and ramrod spring from Deer Creek Products and installed them 2 days ago. Unfortunately he is not going to make it. The native passing over ceremony has been given. I will eat some dinner, gather my strength and head to the VA to be with him. Working to make the rifle "shine" once again will be a solemn activity. For me each part shall represent a part of his life. Yes it is strange to think of a rifle in that way but it is what it is.

He is gone now. I am not part of the patriotic hysteria but I have thought of taking what little FFFg I have that is 20 years old out to the range with some aluminum foil and giving him a 21 gun salute. I would do it in the yard but he city police would be here before the 7th "blank" had been discharged. Doubt I will be working on the rifle today. The old fart meant a lot to me. He was literally like a big brother I never had. The rifle will shine again one day in the not too distant future.

The rifle

Ball starter from an old billiard ball. brass is from 357 casings I ad way back when, capper I made and still works as good as the day I made it and measure from a dear antler I had.Made these about 1984 and will use em with this rifle too.

Powder horn from a raw cows horn I got from a slaughter house. They had boxes of em and I took 3. Used what I thought would be the best looking one. Scraped an elk antler, a bears head and blackhawk in it the filled it with ink and wiped off. Crude I know but I like it anyway. BTW still has GEOX 3F in it and still nice and dry with plenty of POOF. Has to be 20 year old powder.

The finished rifle.

More pics. He had upholstery tacks in it. I found some pure brass escutcheon tacks. Low profile and gives it the personal touch I was looking for.