First, I found this forum on a google search, and it's like I struck gold. The valuable information everyone shares and the overall helpfulness, is pretty outstanding and seldom seen in today's age. I am impressed.
I want to provide a little background about my experience, as it may help in tailor fitting any advice you may offer, so please bare with me. 4 years ago I purchased a CVA Optima. I liked everything about it when I purchased it (price, options, simplicity) however, when I brought it to the range, I could not get on paper at 25 yds. I took it to a local gunsmith, who theorized that the barrel had been improperly drilled and instructed me to send it back to CVA, which I did and was offered a full refund. I was a little upset about the gun and was unwilling to give them another "shot", but their CS was pretty outstanding. I took the a small portion of the money from their reimbursement and bought a never fired 15y/o TC System 1 inline from a family member. I hunted with this firearm for a couple of years and put at least 25 rounds though it, and never had a problem until this year. I had a thirty yard shot on an 8pt, when I pulled the trigger, a hang fired occurred. Sorry to say, I don't have venison on my table. Later that weekend, I went to clear my ML'er and pulled the trigger and this time a misfire occurred. I was not hunting in extremely miserable conditions, so I don't believe precipitation or moisture are to blame. Anyways, the bottom line is I have lost total confidence in my System 1 and would like to pick-up something more traditional. The moral of that story is that I have some ML'ing experience, however, I would still consider myself a novice.
I have an opportunity to buy an 80's era CVA Hawken for $200. I did a thorough inspection and everything seemed to check out wonderfully. I am also considering purchasing a Cabela's flinter brand new, however, I am open to any ML'er that has a traditional feel to it. I do not want to purchase an in-line. I am getting in to the sport with a very small network of local people who enjoy traditional ML'ing. Whatever decision I make, I need to ensure that the proper resources (parts, people, support) exist. Your help would be greatly appreciated. I realize I just wrote a novel, but I wanted to provide as much info as possible.
Thank you!
Last edited by UPhunterJeff; 12-16-2011 at 10:32 AM.
You probably couldn't beat the current deal 3rd Generation Shooting supply has on the Lyman rifles. The Great Plains and Trade Rifles are both fine rifles by all accounts and definitly have a traditional look and feel. They are made in Italy by Investarms
But, no matter the rifle, it is imperative to keep everything as clean as possible, all flame channels fully open, and get all oil - preservative out of the bore/plug/nipple before loading. There is a post at http://forums.accuratereloading.com/...3/m/9531011861 which you might want to view.
I meant to add that you could surely get any parts needed from Track of the Wolf, Cain's Outdoor, and several other suppliers. The rifles have a pretty big following so there should be plenty of folks available and willing to advise you here and at several other m/l forums.
One more edit... I highly recommend Swiss 2 or 3 powder - you can get that at several places and will likely have to pay a HAZMAT fee - but it is great black powder.
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WHUT?
Last edited by Underclocked; 12-16-2011 at 10:48 AM.
Lymans are a great rifle if you want to purchase new. They are reasonable compared to some other rifles, very high quality and great shooters. I have both the Great Plains and the Trade Rifle. If its a roundball shooter you want, get a .54 caliber. I have nothing against the CVA Hawkins. I have three CVA Sidelocks. They go off. Two of them are IMO very short range weapons, but then they are carbines. Anything past 50 yards and they seem to wander off.
T/C makes nice rifles in the Hawkins, Renegades, PA Hunter, New Englander, Black Mountain Magnum, Firestorm, etc.. but they do cost more them most people like to pay. Especially new. I think its outrageous to ask $500.00 for one. But then some pay more for an inline.. so there you go.
Welcome to the forum by the way. Glad you found us. As for your system #1 rifle.. I am sure there is a reason for the misfire. All it would take is a little looking into and it would be good as new.
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"Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, a total wreck, screaming Yahoo, with a big smile on your face."
Hello from the lower half of the state. I have shot ML's for a lot of years and have also had your experiences. I thought I had a perfectly clean rifle with a perfectly good load only to have a hang fire or misfire. Fortunately this has only happened to me on the range. But that doesn't matter because it still destroys your confidence in your rilfe.
Anyway, I have found a new trick that seems to work for me. When getting the rifle out to go to the range or the hunting blind, I will run a one patch soaked with rubbing alcohol down the bore. The patch should be wet enough that alcohol goes through the breech plug. The alcohol will remove any excess oil from the bore and the plug. By the time you get to the range or the field the alcohol will be completely evaporated and the rifle will be ready for you first load. This works for me to prevent oil related misfires. It also eases my mind when I am going hunting.
I use a lot of BH209 in my inlines. However it is really hard to ignite and requires full strentgh 209 primers. Triple Seven powder is a little dirtier in terms of fouling but it is a lot easier to ignite. T7 even works well with n.11 percusion caps. (Actually it make an order of magnitude more fouling than BH209. But is it still great powder; cheaper to.)
Sorry to hear about your misfortune. I would suspect the culprit was oil. I doesn't take much oil to ruin a charge/primer. Now if you want something to really test your sanity, try hunting a with a flintlock in rain or wet snow.
As for the Lymans they are good rifles. Solid and well made and very accurate with the right load combo.
__________________ PLEASE NOTE THAT DUE TO THE RISING COST IN AMMO PRICES I WILL NO LONGER BE FIRING A WARNING SHOT.
A government big enough to give you everything you want is big enough to take away everything you have.
I'm not as good as I'm gonna get - but I'm better than I used to be. "Life without God is like an unsharpened pencil - it has no point."
I'd opt for a TC Hawken over a CVA. Some great deals can be had on some old used ones (many like new). Always liked the Lyman Great Plains too.
On a side note, was just checking some areas of the web, had to pick my jaw off the floor..............the old Jonathan Browning Mountain Rifles............YIKES!
BTW, I still hunt with a TC Hawken. I use T7 granulated and a Maxihunter. Switched to musket cap nipple. Works pretty good but the T7 is still very moisture sensitive, can't leave a charge overight (never do to hunt but might have one stay overnight until I go to buds farm to bast it out- have seen an occassional delay in ignition).
Blow it out after a full day of hunting- it is immediate in firing
My Hawken (Silver Eite) indeed is a face buster. 100gr FFg and 385gr GP bullet my first loads through it. Purple cheek the result in 5 shots. Took a 200lb buck with it from stem to stern though.
Normally run 100gr powder and a 275gr bullet, still get a smack now and then, but usually OK.
Drop to 90 grains and it's a *****cat.
I've thought about adding a 1/8" spacer under the rear sight and swapping out the front to a .500". That ought to get me a little less cheeksmack.
Funny, my bud's old .54 Hawken never smacks me, but drop from one stock to another can differ, his isn't as straight
Starting to Get Serious about MLing...Please Help
