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Joined: Feb 2013
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I inherited my brother's CVA 50 cal Gamester - Hawken. I've never shot this gun before. The manual is pretty good with the except in the area of the percussion cap. It has a silver device screwed onto the nipple. It appears I put a the percussion cap on the nipple then screw this silver object over top of it...sort of like a firing pin of some kind.

Anyone have experience with one of these?

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sounds like a mag spark 209 primer adapter.

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All I find in the kit box is the No. 11 Caps. No 209's. Looks well used.

The last time I used a muzzle loader the caps just sat on the nipple and that was it. This set up is a little different.

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I figured it out. It's a cap that goes over the percussion cap. It protects it from weather, keep the percussion cap from falling off, it has a firing pin type mechanism.

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I've got EXACTLY the same rifle... a .50 caliber CVA Gamster Hawken with a 28 inch barrel. The rifle has double-set triggers, but no patch-box or brass "furniture", the trigger guard is painted black, it has an adjustable (for windage & elevation) rear sight and is made in Spain.

My rifle is an excellent shooter... I use it as my "target" rifle because it is very accurate.

Using 47 grains of Swiss FFFg, a Hornady swagged, round ball with a .016" denim cut patch liberally lubed with a mixture of bee's wax and Crisco Oil and using standard CCI percussion caps, the rifle is capable of shooting the middle out of bright orange target paster at 50 yards and has done so many times off the bench-rest.

At 25 yards, the rifle is capable of almost "one-hole" three shot groups with an occasional "stray" hole a tad out of the center of the paster which I use as "bullseyes".

The rifle shoots to the SAME point of aim/impact with 47 grains of Goex FFFg as well as 47 grains of Swiss FFFg at 25 yards, but I haven't tested it with Goex at 50 yards yet.

The "cap" to which you are referring must be an after-market item since my rifle doesn't have anything like that on the nipple.

There are two (2) things I'd recommend you change on that rifle... and one thing you don't do when cleaning the rifle after shooting it.
1) Remove and exchange the drum's clean-out slotted screw for a similar screw with a hex-head or Allen-wrench screw. That screw gets unbelievably tight when the rifle is fired and the "crud" coats the screw's threads... and it is very easy to mess up the slot in the screw and then, have to use a Easy-Out to remove the screw. I don't recall if that is a 5mm or a 6mm screw, but definitely replace it ASAP.

Be aware that the nipple screws down into the same area into which the drum screw screws into, so the drum screw must NOT be too long or it will interfere with the proper seating of the nipple. You may have to shorten the new drum screw to avoid that problem.

2) I'd recommend is that you replace the front "bead" sight with a squared-off target front sight with a flat top on the blade. This type of sight makes it MUCH easier to more accurately hold the same site-picture time after time and, thus, considerably improves accuracy.

3) I recommend you do NOT remove the nipple when cleaning the rifle. The fairly soft metal that the nipple screws into is easily "wallowed-out" and the threads messed up. Rather than remove the nipple to clean it, simply run a bent-open paper clip down through the nipple after thoroughly cleaning the rifle. I've never had a mis-fire using this method, but I did have to re-tap the part I screw the nipple into and install the next larger nipple in the firing mechanism because the previous owner had cross-threaded the nipple and stripped a good many of the threads which eventually allowed the nipple to blow out when the rifle was fired and, fortunately, missed my forehead and imbedded itself in the outer wall of an old barn (which was immediately behind me) instead of my head.

The #11 percussion cap should fit tightly on the rifle's nipple, you don't need that "cover" except that it would tend to keep your percussion cap dry. It sounds like a good thing for a hunting rifle which will be used out in all kinds of weather.

If your inherited rifle is anything like mine, you've got yourself a mighty fine little rifle for target shooting, plinking or some very serious deer hunting.

Incidentally, my deer hunting load is 70 grains of Swiss FFFg which shoots almost as accurately as the 47 grain "target" load. I limit the range at which I'll take a shot at a deer to 80 yards or less... preferably less. grin


Strength & Honor...

Ron T.



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Pay attention to Ron here-he knows from whence he speaks. I agree on the clean out screw too. I did that exact replacement on mine, as the slot got buggered up and was going to present some challenges if I kept using it. I replaced mine with a hex head screw and have never had any trouble with it. I always put just a very light bit of oil on the cleanout screw threads before reassembly. I've always snapped a perc. cap after putting the gun back together just to make sure I get every bit of moisture out of there. 'Can't vouch for others, but this has always worked for me. My gun's a .54 cal. CVA Hawkins, and is very accurate with a .530 round ball, lubed .015 Ox Yoke patch and 90 grains of FF.

Last edited by gophergunner; 02/24/13.

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Yours covers a percussion cap? I'd have preferred that. I had an adapter for my hawkin that permitted use of small rifle primers. (Uncle Mikes brand maybe? Uncle Josh's? no, thats the pork rind... ) anyway from your description they are similar products.

I found that in practice it was more of a PITA that anything else. The little anvils would break free and get lodged in the flash channel.



Originally Posted by Archerhunter

Quit giving in inch by inch then looking back to lament the mile behind ya and wonder how to preserve those few feet left in front of ya. They'll never stop until they're stopped. That's a fact.
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Originally Posted by gophergunner
Pay attention to Ron here-he knows from whence he speaks. I agree on the clean out screw too. I did that exact replacement on mine, as the slot got buggered up and was going to present some challenges if I kept using it. I replaced mine with a hex head screw and have never had any trouble with it. I always put just a very light bit of oil on the cleanout screw threads before reassembly. I've always snapped a perc. cap after putting the gun back together just to make sure I get every bit of moisture out of there. 'Can't vouch for others, but this has always worked for me. My gun's a .54 cal. CVA Hawkins, and is very accurate with a .530 round ball, lubed .015 Ox Yoke patch and 90 grains of FF.


***************************************************

Jeff (Gophergunner), when did you get the .54 caliber CVA? I didn't know you were "into" black powder... that's GREAT, ol' buddy!!!

Sorry you couldn't get over to Pennsylvania for the Opener last year... Harry and I had fun, but the deer were sparse.

Had "brunch" with Dale, his wife, Kalan and his folks at the Ft. Worth Restaurant in DuBois, PA., but didn't hunt Dale's Dad's (Leon) farm.

I'll send ya an email and chat a while... smile


Ron


It's smart to hang around old guys 'cause they know lotsa stuff...


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