CVA muzzleloader problems

[lostsniper308]

Hi there all, I got a CVA .54cal percussion cap rifle. Its basically the bobcat model, but i think it was one of those kits that even have to have the stock finished. Anyway it has a problem of not setting off the cap,i think my record is like half a dozen attempts before it finally went off, or once it does not set the charge off either. I bought a wider holed nipple but the threads weren't the same, so could i just drill the original wider, of course that doesn't solve the other problem.

[quickdtoo]

Contact CVA and have them send you a new nipple, changing the thread size may or may not work, they're a 6mm nipple I think. Another option might be just try a different brand of caps not all caps are the same size, some will fit the nipple better than others, but the new nipple is probably the best way to go if the old one is really hammered out. Do the caps fit all the way on the nipple? Can you press the cap on the nipple using your thumb on the hammer? Sometimes that's all it takes, just be sure to try it on an uncharged barrel tho, you may be able to clean up the old nipple with a file so it works. You should be using #11 caps, not #10 if you happened to get the wrong ones. Some options for ya.

Tim

http://cva.com/company/service.htm

[lostsniper308]

i didn't mean changing the thread size, i said the hotshot nipple i bought was the wrong size. All the caps i tried actually i have a hard time fitting over the nipple then i had to use the cap speedloader to push the cap down and even that couldn't fully seat the cap. can i get a new hammer spring?

[quickdtoo]

If you can't fully seat the cap, a stronger hammer spring won't help, the cap needs to be seated all the way on the nipple. Bigger caps or new nipple if you can't fix the old one.

Tim

[Buckskins & Black Powder]

had the same problem with my mountain rifle. Just drill the nipple out and it should fix it.  But before you do that, switch over to a stainless steel nipple and drill that one. They dont mushroom like the steel nipples. Mine goes off every time now.

[Ironwood]

Before you do any drilling go to your nearest Academy Sports and Outdoors.  They usually carry CVA nipples.  I changed from the original nipple in my CVA St Louis Hawken to the HotShot nipple.  You can also use a #10 cap instead of a #11, but they are hard to find. 

One thing to try after you have made sure there is no obstruction in the nipple.  Unscrew the nipple.  Trickle a small amount of powder in the nipple hole.  Replace the nipple, recap and fire.  If the rifle fires then you are probably making some sort of mistake in your loading procedure.     

[dmurphy317]

Since you said you have a hard time seating the cap all the way down on the nipple, it sounds like the nipple has been peened to the point that the tip is too large. Try putting the nipple into a drill/driver chuck with the tip sticking out. Then take a flat file and while spinning the nipple in the driver reduce the diameter of the tip with the file a little at a time until a cap will just fully fit on to it. Try snapping a few caps to verify it works. Then go buy the correct hot shot nipple or what ever stainless nipple you prefer and it will last much longer than the standard nipple that came on the gun. Keep the old nipple for emergencies or just in case.

If the gun is firing the caps but not firing the charge, then the problem is elsewhere in the fire channel.

Good luck with it.

[S.S.]

Same exact problem and nothing worked until I
changed the hammer. The striking surface on the hammer was un-even
and not getting a flat blow on the cap. This was a CVA frontier rifle if that is what you have.
You may be able to get it flat enough with careful use of a Dremel tool.

[Cknerr]

I think you are on the right track looking at the tight fit of the cap. Sometimes tolerances get a little out and the OD gets too big. They can't catch all of them, just most of them.

When the cap is not sitting down directly on top of the nipple, there is going to be a problem. The cap has to be crushed a tiny bit until it contacts the top of the nipple. That tiny crush usually provides enough cushion to prevent the cap from going off. The other common problem is a part of a cap stuck inside the hammer's cup. That also provides the same cushion - and no boom. It can be hard to see sometimes.

Replacing the nipple or turning it down should take care of your problem. As pointed out, filing it down works. Careful though - it is REALLY easy to go too far. Then the cap wiggles around and falls off way too easily.

Best of luck,
Chris

[dmurphy317]

SS,
If your hammer was Ok side to side and off front to back, you might have been able to adjust the drum for better allignment. Just use a non maring protector and a wrench to rotate the drum slightly to allign the top of the nipple to the striking surface on the hammer. I had to do that on a 54 Bobcat to get it just right.

[beerhunter]

I have a bobcat and i drilled out the powder hole and put a TC #11 nipple on it, make sure that you lean the gun to the side and hit it with your hand to make sure that powder goes in it.  I always put powder under the nipple before i go hunting with it to make sure that there is no misfire.

[varmitbob]

I have a bobcat, and I replaced the nipple with a stainless one that fit the threads.  It was from cabelas, only $10.  The advice about tilting it toward the precussion cap after loading with powder and tapping on it to make sure some powder gets down below the precussion cap is good advice.  Any time I go hunting, I always fire off a few caps.  Just remember, even though there is not a projectile in the barrel, it must be pointed in a safe direction and do this outside.  Then you can load it with powder and a bullet.  If you follow this, you will not have any more issues.