30 some odd year old CVA Kentuckey rifle Kit gun

[kohana]

So I built this kit in the mid to late 70dies and never shot it. It is 45 cal flintlock
It is in decent shape the bore is clear and clean. I know that CVA and all others have upped their products since then so my question is has there been an issue with CVA gun barrels from that period or can I feel safe firing the gun with a 44 cal ball,lubed patch and 60 -80 grains of Goex 3f powder.
I have recently become re interested in BP fire arms.
Thanks for any info
Bob

 

[Loyalist Dave]

I have no problem with the .45 caliber caplock version of that brand and model. Mine has just turned 30. Your barrel was probably made in Spain, no? Oh..., it's a .440 patched round ball. When you write ".44 caliber ball" the guys who only shoot the caplock pistols will think you mean a .451 or .454 pistol ball, as that's what they shoot in their .44's.

LD

 

[kohana]

Thanks Dave I have a 44 1860 that shoots 454 and the 45 cal rifle shoots 44 cal balls with a patch I think. glade to hear yours is good, yes Spain is where CVA was using then.
Bob

 

[Skinny 1950]

I bought an old CVA Kit about a year ago and took three weeks to put it all together. It is .45 cal. and uses .440 balls with a patch. I think you will find the .451 .454 .457 balls are too big to use in that rifle.
Here are some pictures that the seller sent me when I was buying the kit:

 

[arcticap]

... has there been an issue with CVA gun barrels from that period or can I feel safe firing the gun with a 44 cal ball,lubed patch and 60 -80 grains of Goex 3f powder.

AFAIK there weren't any safety issues with CVA traditional gun barrels from that time period or any other.

 

[BHP FAN]

My first BP rifle was the cap lock version of what you have there. It loved sixty grains of 2f Goex and a patched .440 round ball.more powder than that seemed to make it less accurate, not more.

 

[kohana]

Looks like there are still some around, thanks for the responce
Bob

 

[AJumbo]

First kit I ever built, for a friend. I hated the two-piece stock and the screw-on nosecap, but that was a very accurate rifle. I'd actually like to find an old one and build it up just for sentimental kicks.

 

[mykeal]

Here's one I built in the '70's (that's 1970's). Still have it, still shoot it a couple times a year. Lots of rounds have gone down this barrel and it's still going strong.

 

[longrifle346]

Some of those old CVA Kentuckys were pure tack drivers...meet "Sweet Sally". You don't wanna peak around a tree any closer than about 75 yards from her....

Yeh, 60-80 grains of FFFG and a tight-patched 440 works on everything from tree bacon to whitetail.

 

[Armored farmer]

longrifle346,

That's a nice lookin' piece of wood on that Ky rifle.

 

[karlsgunbunker]

I have one I bought 25+ yrs ago.
It was a kit gun some one had assembled poorly.
I bought it as my first BP rifle and as a shooter.
It's a flintlock made by Jagger in Spain.

I've seen several lately at the gun shows.

The recommended load was 70gr IIRC. A knowledgable friend said it should do 3x that w/o issues.
I've shot 200gr of FFFg with no issues except a bruised shoulder.

Only problem is it requires real BP, You can't shoot Pyrodex in it the touch hole is too large and it packs in and acts like a fuse.

 

[arcticap]

The recommended load was 70gr IIRC. A knowledgable friend said it should do 3x that w/o issues.
I've shot 200gr of FFFg with no issues except a bruised shoulder.

Loading 200 grains of powder is not responsibly advised.

 

[longrifle346]

Thanks kbbailey! That was as I got her used, she was a mite shiny for my hunting tastes and had a bunch of extra pounds in wood on her so I "lightened her up considerably" and refinished her more to my liking.

As to the previous post...I agree...not only is it dangerous but it's a waste of powder. There are few barrels that will burn half that, my 32" .62 smoothbore won't completely burn but about 120.

Back in the day when working up a BP load, we'd take a couple of white sheets and lay out a few yards in front of our firing line. We'd start at 45-50 grains and work the load up 5 grains at a time until we started finding unburned powder specks on the sheets. That's usually a really good load, it'll open your eyes to the folly over-stuffing a barrel full of powder and the MOST accurate load was usually just a mite short of there....

 

[V1ROT8]

Thanks to you all for bringing back some fun memories.

 

[karlsgunbunker]

Loading 200 grains of powder is not responsibly advised.

True,
I blame the folly of youth and machismo.