My first percussion rifle, someone tell me what I have here

[rod251]

Several years ago I bought a T/C Omega to use for muzzleloader season.  For a few years I had fun with it using Triple 7 pellets and sabots, then Louisiana changed the rules and let us use single-shot breechloaders for the newly renamed primitive firearms season, so the T/C got sold off and I bought a Handi Rifle to fill that need.  Anyway, lately I got the percussion rifle bug, so I snagged this one from Gunbroker just to have some fun with.  All the listing said was CVA .50 cal in good used condition.  I'm hoping one of you guys can give me more info based on the pics.  Like the model, approximate year of manufacture, rate of twist, all that good stuff.  I know I took a gamble on the bore condition, but the seller has a great feedback rating and the outside of the rifle looked so pretty that I couldn't resist.  From my reading, I was thinking it is a St. Louis Hawken, but the stock with no patch box has me confused.  I'm still waiting for FedEx to drop it off, but I think I have everything I need once it gets here.  So far I've bought Pyrodex RS powder, #11 caps, brass powder measure, powder horn, lubed pillow ticking patches, spare nipple, bullet puller, patch puller, cleaning jag, cleaning brush, bullet starter, #13 bore cleaner, and a .490 round ball mold.  Just made up a couple hundred pure lead RBs today.  I also read over the CVA sidelock manual online.  Well, here she is:

[Ranger99]

nice.
hope you got a good price on it.
keep it clean and it should outlast you.


if you intend to keep it, get with d.g.w.
and spend 5.00+ on a spare mainspring.
if you have one, you'll probably never need
it, but it's worth the price to have one ready to go.


those are real nice good using guns for what the prices
were on them. i have one of the mountain rifles left.
keep an eye out for some affordable real black powder.
you'll like it better. i prefer goex, but couldn't find
any last time and bought an off brand. it does good.
3f is what i use. you don't need to load that rifle heavy to
make it work good. it'll be a good hunting gun for you
if you do hunt.


good luck with it.

[rod251]

nice.
hope you got a good price on it.
keep it clean and it should outlast you.


if you intend to keep it, get with d.g.w.
and spend 5.00+ on a spare mainspring.
if you have one, you'll probably never need
it, but it's worth the price to have one ready to go.


those are real nice good using guns for what the prices
were on them. i have one of the mountain rifles left.
keep an eye out for some affordable real black powder.
you'll like it better. i prefer goex, but couldn't find
any last time and bought an off brand. it does good.
3f is what i use. you don't need to load that rifle heavy to
make it work good. it'll be a good hunting gun for you
if you do hunt.


good luck with it.

I paid $208 shipped for it.  Is it a St. Louis Hawken? I'm going to start at 60 grains of powder and go up from there (100 grains max).  When it groups good I'll stop.  I'm hoping it likes a load on the lighter side, for both my shoulder and my wallet (powder costs).  I do plan to hunt with it, with probably a 75 yard max.  BTW, thanks for the tip about the mainspring.  I'll have to put one on my next order.

[bubba.50]

it is a cva frontier rifle. the fore-end on the hawken is longer & it has a patchbox. cva also made a model calles the mountain rifle which had 2 wedges & a longer barrel some of which were American made.

[rod251]

it is a cva frontier rifle. the fore-end on the hawken is longer & it has a patchbox. cva also made a model calles the mountain rifle which had 2 wedges & a longer barrel some of which were American made.

Thank you sir!

[rod251]

I was expecting this rifle to arrive Monday but when we got home yesterday evening from a family outing the FedEx man had left me a surprise by my door. She's just as pretty in person as in the pics, and the bore looks great.  It was getting dark, so I only had time to fire a couple rounds and clean her up real good before heading in for supper.  Once I get a load worked up I'll try to post some group pics.

[Ladobe]

As already said, for entry level prices the CVA's are fine shooters, some of the models exceptional shooters even if not as good fit and finish as higher priced brands.
 
It is a Frontier as bubba said. CVA brought the model out in 78/79 with a MSRP of $169.99.   Later they also made a carbine version, dropped the rifle version.
 
Factory rec loads are 50FFG to 100FFG for both RB and conical.   If you use FFFG you'll want to reduce those some to equal them.   Same if you shoot Swiss powder.  They deserve real black powder.   It will shoot fine with far less than the minimum as well for target, small game, etc.
 
While it is true American made barrels did appear on Mountain Rifles, they did not on the production rifles sold to the public.  "Made in USA" does not reflect the fact that barrels on production rifles were Spanish made.   The protype had a Douglas barrel, a couple or more made early for specific people maybe premium barrels as well only.    I still have an early 45 MR (c. about mid 1977), most accurate capper long barrel rifle I've ever owned, will out shoot any of the TC's I've ever owned since my first Hawken in 1970.