Gun rescue

[44 Dave]

Got a .50 Connecticut Valley Arms Hawken barrel marked Spain.
I don't think $50 was to bad. Two, non-bp shooting friends, passed this down to me. each one selling it for less than they had paid for it.
It has the 28 inch barrel, would that be1:48 twist?
I shot it last year both with a patched ball and once with a sabot, just shooting off hand in the woods it shoots better than I see, figured it would kill a deer. Friend has got his deer in regular gun season the last two years and would rather carry and shoot an inline.
Pictures to follow

 

[Malachi Leviticus Blue]

Yours is not an uncommon story. Plenty of folks ceding their more traditional rifles to the Island of Misfit Toys in favor of the more modern in-lines.

Since you seem to have been happily utilizing it, it was definitely a good deal, although $50 seems to be a pretty common street price for one by an owner who is eager to relinquish their sidelock for an inline.

We may as well take advantage of their eagerness to throw them aside, and look after them ourselves.

At least some (Maybe all) of the CVA's I've owned, had the twist rate marked on the barrel.

 

[D. Buck Stopshere]

According to the Gun Digest, "Black Powder Loading Manual, 3rd Edition", copyright 1995, CVA had two "Hawken" rifle models.

The "Hawken" rifle had a 28" barrel, 1"ATF, .50 caliber, 1:66" twist. No patchbox. The photo seems to show a rubber buttpad on the stock.

The "Santa Fe Hawken" had a 28" barrel, 15/16" ATF, .50 caliber, 1:48" twist. Brass patchbox and furniture.

The optimum load for both barrels is 90 grains of FFG black powder.

Hope this helps.

 

[44 Dave]

Picture as promised.

 

[Crawdad1]

Those older CVA rifles can shoot. You did good Dave, real good.

 

[swathdiver]

If your gun has two lock screws and an un-engraved lock, the barrel is likely 1:66 twist. Early Hawkens with walnut stocks were 1" across the flats, the St Louis model was 15/16" and had "select hardwood" stock.

 

[4v50 Gary]

For $50, you did terrific.

 

[Loyalist Dave]

Yes Indeed, WELL DONE. It will make you lots of venison too. Heck I'd a jumped on that for $100.

LD

 

[sandy4570]

I paid $125 for CVA St. Louis Hawken back in 2002 so you get a heck of a deal .Very nice rifle indeed I haven't shot mine for 10 years , took mine out to the range two weeks ago and missed all the target at 40 yards , got to take mine out to the range more now.

 

[Noz]

Ram a snug patch down the barrel, Place a Sharpie mark on the top of the ramrod aligned with the front sight. Pull the ramrod and patch out allowing the rod to turn in the lands and grooves as you do. When the mark comes back to the top of the barrel and aligns with the front sight mark the ram rod again. Measure the distance from the first mark to the second and you have your rate of twist.

You don't have to be too accurate because in most cases it will be 1/66 or 1/48.