CVA -Customer Service
 

Having a problem with my Optima,thought I'd email CVA and ask them.
Well here's my answer:


Dear BPI Customer,

Due to unforeseen personnel shortages within our Customer Service Department, we will not be able to read or respond to your e-mail. If your message is urgent, please use one of the following methods to contact us:

1) Send your request by fax to (770) 242-8546 using the form below, or
2) Call us at (770) 449-4687.

We recommend that you visit the FAQ section of our website for answers to the most common questions we receive.

Thank you for your understanding.
Blackpowder Products Customer Service


Please visit our websites for current product catalogs and additional news & information.

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URGENT FAX -- PLEASE DELIVER TO CVA CUSTOMER SERVICE

NAME_______________________________
ADDRESS____________________________
____________________________________
CITY, STATE, ZIP_________________________________
TELEPHONE NUMBER____________________________
FAX NUMBER____________________________
E-MAIL_____________________________
MODEL OF GUN_______________________________

QUESTION OR NATURE OF PROBLEM:
__________________________________________________ ____________________
__________________________________________________ ____________________
__________________________________________________ ____________________
__________________________________________________ ____________________
__________________________________________________ ____________________
__________________________________________________ ____________________
__________________________________________________ ____________________
__________________________________________________ ____________________
__________________________________________________ ____________________
__________________________________________________ ____________________

RE: CVA -Customer Service
 

Have you tried calling? How long is the wait time?

RE: CVA -Customer Service
 

This is not all that strange of an occurrance. It will probably be tempory at best. Or at least I hope so. BPI always had good customer service in the past, I see no reason why the future would change that. Call them on the telephone. Be sure to let us know how they do.

RE: CVA -Customer Service
 

Give them a call. I've always gotten better responses and service with any company by picking up the phone and getting a voice on the line. I've had great service from CVA in the past.

RE: CVA -Customer Service
 

Maybe, they are giving most everyone some time off for the holidays and running a skeleton crew? They probably twiddle their thumbs alot around the holidays. I am still curious about the wait time for reaching someone for help.

RE: CVA -Customer Service
 

No I didn't bother calling.I've had bad experiances with Remington,Beretta etc -you know, waiting for what seems like forever.I was just looking for a simple yes or no answer.
The problem I was having, had to do with the hammer not locking back in the "ready to fire" position with the gun together.When I'd break the gun open the hammer would "lock" no problem.I cleaned it out, but didn't find anything,no debris -nothing.
With the gun locked up I could get the hammer to "lock" but only after applying quite a bit(A LOT) of pressure.
What I wanted to know was wether or not my warranty would be voided if I knocked the pins out and took the trigger assembly out.-After looking at the pins I decided it probably wasn't a good idea(they didn't look like the ones in shotgun recievers).
Well after monkeying with it for a while(and getting madder by the minute) I decided to lock the gun up hard-well, low and behold,the hammer's locking normal again.
Don't know what, how or why but everythings back to normal and life is good again.

I was a little P.O'd after getting an automated reply.I wasn't expecting an immediate response,but this time of year and this "day n age" I would expect a company to have enough personnel to respond within a day or so to emails.Our muzzleloader season just ended as I'm sure other states are still active or just finishing up...
Oh well - All is well again and I'm ready for the late "does only" season.
I'm glad this all happened at the range and at home vs. in the deer blind.
-Gary

RE: CVA -Customer Service
 

sounds like the breachplug is not all the way in . Check it out that could be the problem , had that happen to my Encore once .
Charlie

RE: CVA -Customer Service
 

I bought a CVA sidelock about 6 years ago.It never worked right, it would only go off about every third try and it cost me several deer that first year i owned it.Turned out the hammer wasnt lined up right with the nipple.

I emailed them, called them, and everything else for about four months, they never responded to my emails and when I called they would tell me the customer service guys were all busy, please leave my name and number and theyd get back to me.I wound up buying a new Knight inline before season that fall because I couldnt get a reply and ran out of time.The gun still in my closet, still not working right and hasnt been out in 5 years.Ive talked to others whove had better luck with them however, not sure what the problem was with getting back ahold of me[:'(]

I almost forgot I had it, maybe I should get that old sidelock back out and try bending the hammer myself now that I feel a little more comfortable toying with them:eek:

RE: CVA -Customer Service
 

WOW! I must live under a lucky star. I have called them anytime I wanted and never waited more then a few minutes to speak to a customer service technician who answered my questions or authorized me to mail the rifle back to them for repairs.

I bought a CVA Stalker Carbine a while back and had to mail it in twice (for the same thing I might add) because the trigger went from #12 pounds to #0 pounds after they mailed it back, and finally they have it at a nice #3.5 pounds.

They have also answered my emails when I sent them. Perhaps the email thing is because of the season of the increase in sales have driven them to that point. I know I was upset when Thompson Center did the no email thing too.. But all I had to do was call them as well for questions.

RE: CVA -Customer Service
 

Hang tight despite the auto-response. I thought the exact same thing as you when I sent an email Mon. about getting a parts schematic for my new APEX. I got the same auto-response and was annoyed that in this "day andage" no one was there toreply.

However, I just got a response from BPI/CVA/Win. MLing this morningwith the .pdf file I requested. They musthave turned that auto-response on so they can avoid the stupid questions but are still checking the email account to answer easy/quick questions. You may get a response yet.

RE: CVA -Customer Service
 

Have had to get parts for repairing guns a number of times, you can eventually get them the most sucessfull way is to send them an order for parts and a bank check. It had gotten to the point where I refused to work on them it wasmore trouble than was willing to put up with.Lee

RE: CVA -Customer Service
 

Yeah,I thought about that too,but the problem was still there even with the breech plug removed.
I don't think the barrel was able to seat all the way and the barrel release lever wasn't allowed to engage completely(forward position).
With the gun broke open the hammer worked and the barrel release lever was in the foremost position. -This is what I believe was happening.
I don't like to slam the gun back together,but after doing so I can close it up normally again and the hammer works fine.

Maybe CVA is a better company to work for than mine,and the give their people more time off around the holidays. Hmmm,I wonder if they're hiring;)
-Gary

RE: CVA -Customer Service
 

used them twice great service,no problems!:)

RE: CVA -Customer Service
 

Well zuren1cs,you were spot on. Just got an email today:

Try this open the action and close it hard then push the release lever forward toward the muzzle now cock the gun this should fit it and after a short break in period you will not have any problem
[/align] [/align] [/align] [/align] David H. Meredith[/align] Customer Service Manager[/align] Public Relations[/align] [/align] 5988 Peachtree Corners East[/align] Norcross, GA 30071-1336[/align] 770-4494687 Ext 111[/align]



I guess maybe I should of had a little more patience,or maybe they should rephrase their auto-response.
I'm still curious as to wether or not removing the trigger assembly would void the warranty.
-Hopefully I'll never have to come to that bridge.
-Gary

RE: CVA -Customer Service
 

Glad you got a response.

The parts schematic for my APEX says NOT to "open" the falling block assembly, but mentions nothing about removing it entirely. If it needs repair, it looks like the whole falling block/trigger mechanism is replaced. I can only assume yours is similar.

RE: CVA -Customer Service
 

zuren1cs,

Have you shot your Apex yet? I've decided to do nothing with the Apex trigger. The palm swell, trigger placement in the guard, and overall extra size of the trigger guard allow my to just hand-shake it.With thesecond joint of the index finger resting on the trigger,a gentle squeeze of the hand causes the trigger to break awesome!

RE: CVA -Customer Service
 

I have not been able to shoot yet. I'm hoping to get to the range tomorrow if the weather cooperates, then I plan to take it and my shotgun up to my buddy's place to get 1 last morning of deer hunting in this year. I have large, thin hands (can palm a basketball) so I have noticed no issues with bringing the gun up and being ready to fire.I'll just have to get use tohaving to cock the hammer. The trigger seems lighter thanmy RemingtonMdl 700 .270 Win. and my Rem. 870 12 ga. I can shoot a0.25-0.5" group at 100 yds. with the .270, so I don't think the trigger break on the APEX will affect anything.

RE: CVA -Customer Service
 

funny this thread came up. i bought my brothers the optima last year. one of them is a lefty . when i went to switch the hammer extension over to the other side i snapped it off. the thread is opposite and i didnt know. i called and had to wait about 20 minutes to talk to a person but bottom line even though i was the one who broke it they are sending me a new one. good company!