The Hot Shot, Knight Red Hot, and Spitfire nipples all provide an alleged advantage in ignition over standard nipples through flame pattern, flash chamber shape, volume, etc. I don't know how much of that is hype and how much is real. I do know they will more securely hold your cap than most factory supplied nipples on the Italian muzzleloaders (which your CVA is).

The only ones currently available for your gun are the MSMs (MSM = Mountain States Muzzleloading = Spitfire) and the AMPCO variety. (I believe you'll need a 6mm x 1mm.) Get a couple of those and a pound of FFG and you'll be set.

I use Hot Shot nipples with good results. I liked the theory at the time but I don't know how much is real either. Plain AMPCO nipples in various other firearms have worked well too,


With the CVA mountain rifle a lot can hide in the drum part of the breech and affect both ignition and the charge. You need to take out the cleanout screw and work a couple Q-Tips through it.

I finish with water displacing oil and patch until dry. Then pull an impressive amount of oil and some water with a swab through the cleanout hole. Probably wouldn't do much for reliability when left loaded, which I've done with no problems.

Thanks guys. Bricktop, I love Pinedale, I was there elk hunting in Sept. My favorite place.

Next time I go, I'll tell the chamber of commerce.

I have a CVA Bobcat that had ignition problems with Pyro. I tried a Musket cap, but did not have enough clearance to use it. Switched to 777, and that solved the problem.

That's nothing more than a placebo effect. Black powder has an ignition temperature of approximately 570 F (I've seen claims of a temperature as low as 450 F); Pyrodex and Triple 7 both have an ignition temperature of approximately 750 F. If for some reason you've led yourself into believing Pyrodex is harder to ignite than Triple 7 or vice-versa, you likely have other factors at work. At any rate, I've shot enough of all three mentioned powders in my T/C and my various Lymans to know better than to believe any claim that Triple 7 is easier to ignite than anything beyond simple dirt.

go to 3F Triple Seven and this will solve your problems if you keep the rifle halve way clean

Uh, no.

If this is an original CVA mountain rifle , then it was made for the most part in the US . Later models are Spanish made starting early on Jukar and then Adesa.
The later guns also will be metric to include the neck of the nipple

Either way I don’t believe it will mater if your using T7 or Pyro . The reason is that your running into an issue of ignition temperatures, as brick top mentioned .
Combined with a flash channel design that’s long and takes 2, 90 deg turns.

Through the years CVA used 3 different bolsters . Their very early drum bolsters were short necked bolsters . By the late 1970’s they went to a medium neck and then a long necked bolster .
What also changed was the flash hole exited from the booster to the main charge .
For some reason some of these long necked bolsters only contain a small slit for the flash to go through . While others have a larger flash channel size hole . Either way your flash is traveling right around ¾ of an inch before it reaches the main charge.

Put the modern powders aside and get you some BP .

I don't understand the two 90's now that you mention it. I will get some BP. Thanks Guys