Update on CVA Weather Shield Chipping!!
 

A while back I bought a CVA Acura Mountain Rifle. I had a ball shooting it and fell in love with the accuracy. But after getting it home i noticed when cleaning it that the weather shield coating on the barrel and frame was chipping off. I got back with CVA and had a conversation with customer support. Was told to keep the rifle until after deer season and then get back with them for a replacement. They didn't have any rifles with a new coating process. They understood that the weather coating was not installed properly.

Well after the season I called back and they still didn't have the new guns. I gave it another month and got back and they started to give me a little hemming and hawing and I had to get hard with the guy. He got back to me and sent me a new rifle.

Now this is the part that kills me. The new gun has coating chipping off of the frame. I haven't even shot it yet. I am waiting to hear from the guy I have been dealing with. He is supposed to be back in the office on friday.

I am at a total loss as what to do. I really love this gun, but why in the hell did they coat a SS gun with an obviously faulty coating process??? Ruger doesn't have any problem coating their guns. Other gun companies don't have any problems with the guns they coat. What is CVA's problem???

The first batch was suppose to be a few guns that didn't get the oil cleaned off them good before the coating . You waited a long time , now a new batch arrive with the same problem . Don't sound like the first reason holds up in light of that. I hope it works out for you and I hope your CS experience isn't as bad as mine was .yhanks to their CS I will never own a CVA . Good luck , especially since you really like the gun .
And in all fairness to CVA , it might depend on who you get on the phone . For me, I got a real lulu .

Actually the guy I have been talking to has been very receptive to my problem. I don't have a problems with him but the process they are using to coat these rifles. I can't believe that this problem is not being addressed at the company. Do people just say screw it and don't complain about it? Good question. :confused0024:

Just for the record. The one I sold started to chip after he had it for awhile too.

If it was mine, and I really liked the gun. I'd have that crap sandblasted off.

If the coating is bad, they should just offer them in stainless steel.

Man that stinks. I have probably had the worse luck with that company than anyone so I feel your pain somewhat.

Hope they work it out for you, that stinks. I have to agree...why coat a SS barrel?

Is that the ONLY way they offer the gun, with the coating?

If they offered it in stainless I would have one. The coating is just a sales gimmick. There is no reason to coat a stainless barell.

I think the Apex is the same style gun and is SS. But the Apex is a variable barrel gun and would have to be sent to an FFL if they wanted to replace my gun. Im thinking they wouldn't offer that gun and I don't care much for the other guns in their line up. I would just ask for my money back.

Tell them to refund half your money and you will take care of the problem yourself .

Sorry to hear your Issues rafsob, I also think they should have stopped the coating process and sold them without it and offered just a SS version. Stupid idea to begin with, if they'd just left a good MLer with a bad idea alone it would have been a great seller. Now I bet sales are way down and CVA is now getting a bad name after working so hard to get themselves back in the game.
(BP)

Hey BP glad to hear from you brother. I know what you mean. It just doesn't make any sense with this problem. I can't believe I am the only person having this problem!!! If I can't them to help on this, I will get the coating off and press on with a great shooting gun. They have a great product, but please get rid of the coating or get it done correctly.

What buggs the hell out of me is that if this would happen to anyone, it will invariably be me!!! Im the type of guy who gets in a long line at the bank and just before I get to the teller window, she puts up the "Out to lunch" sign!!! If I didn't have bad luck, I wouldn't have any. :confused0024:

Good to hear from you too rafsob :wave:
I thought a few others were having the same problem also, or did they get new MLers and the new ones they got didn't chip? If you can get the coating off without ruing the finish I'd go that route, I know it's not what you want but then you'd have a one of a kind.
Im with you on only having bad luck, I expect it and when it happens Im so used to it, it doesn't bother me anymore. I've been slacking off this winter doing my normal winter things and waiting for Spring, my excitement for the winter has been we finally got High Speed Internet out here in the coiuntry where I live. So I have that and bought a new computer to go along with it, I now see what I've been missing for the last 10+ years having "Dial Up"
Now if I can only find some powder, primers, and bullets I'll be a happy camper, Damn NYS!!!!!!!!!!!!
(BP)

Hey BP, I was fortunate to have a good stock of reloading supplies on hand. Just did an inventory and I am looking good. As to NYS, I hear your pain. That governor of yours is a chip off the old block. It is all about politics for sure. I personally think he is a horses rear!!! but he has a very high approval rating, so :confused0024: !!!!!

Was headed to the range today, but weather turned to crap quick. I picked up a new hunting rifle, a Winchester Highwall 1885 in .45-70. It is in a sporter configuration. I love my ML and side locks, but I still love my 19th century firearms, original or repro! Will send a photo of it later.

I know what it was like and how shocked I was to go from dialup to modern high speed!!! Have fun my friend.

I am very skeptical about this whole thing in the first place so take this with the proverbial 'grain of salt'.... The are many grades of stainless steel and the all qualify to be called 'stainless' and the ones that they use for 'ordinance' steel are just that 'ordinance', but depending on the ingrediants used in the stainless formula it can and does have a different outward appearance.

Could it be the steel they are using is or does not have the luster that we commonly associate with 'stainless' - so to cover this they coat it.

Also I want you notice I am not trying to refer to a lesser quality stainless. But everyone wants to reduce the cost of manufacturing to increase the bottom line. True 4140 is not cheap!

Hey SB, so you think It may not be in advantageous to me to keep the gun and have the coating removed? I know the barrel is SS, but not sure about the frame. The gun is much lighter then the Apex and the frame may be made of aluminum. If that is the case, I don't know how well it will keep under heavy hunting conditions.

Now I am feeling screwed!!!

I would keep pushing on CVA for a REAL solution to your problem. They should be able to fix it, (either with a coating that won't come off, or by not coating it at all) or someone is telling the ML community a load of BS, imo. If they can't, I'd tell them you are frustrated but you'll put up with it if they refund you half and you keep the gun (assuming that makes you happy). Then you could blast it off, and worst case if that didn't look like you wanted, go get the whole gun dipped.

The ML community will probably never know the truth as to why they decided to put that stupid coating on to begin with. Whoever had that bright idea is probably hating life. Sabotloader might be right. What BP said is also true, the MR is a black eye on what has become a pretty good company in the eyes of most.

And rafsob, I hardly think you are the only one with that problem. Most folks that have ever posted about the MR seemed to have the same issue. Heck, you don't hardly see anyone post about it all....makes you wonder how many they sold. Not many I would guess.

No.. I do not trying to say that at all... If you like the gun; shoot!! If I liked the gun - it would be terribly hard to give it up.

I am just thinking, and I do not know for sure at all, but there must be a reason thay are adding the coating to the rifle. That is not a inexpensive operation... The other thing I would suggest... I think stainless is the preferred option for many people... CVA has to know this, I know that TC does, but the cost of stainless creates a problem when you are trying to offer a less expensive ML.

There is also another possibility that comes to mind... Since the recieiver is aluminum and the barrel is stainless are they just trying to match the aluminum color of the reciever to the stainless color on the barrel. In that case a coating would be the perfect answer cosmetic answer.

Whatever it is still the pits if the coating will not stay on.

The guys that apply Black Ice Coatings seem to have that problem whipped.

That was going to be my suggestion - see if they will refund you half and then have it black ice coated or something similar. It's probably a better coating overall and gets great reviews. And I don't think it's that expensive either.

I could be wrong but I seriously doubt CVA is going to refund half his money so he can go somewhere else to get the thing coated, especially when they are coating the guns themselves. That would be admitting that their coating is junk and that they pretty much had to pay for a customer to get their gun coated elsewhere because they don't know how to do it. I doubt that happens, they would rather just not have you as a customer then do that.

Carlos is selling a bunch of the black MR's. They're supposed to be fixed from chipping. Maybe you can ask for one of those?

Rafsob, I just sent you a PM. We will resolve this issue one way or another. If you have not shot the gun they sent you to replace the old one, don't. I will do what ever is necessary to help you out.
Carlos

Sabotloader, my Accura V1 has a Aluminum frame and the SS barrel. CVA painted the aluminum frame to match the color of the barrel, it's not perfect but close. Im thinking CVA was just trying to jump on the wagon with the others and coat the SS barrel to sell more, for some reason people are buying coated SS barrels and for what reason I have no clue but they like em.
Im sure the SS CVA uses is of good grade, it was just a bad idea to coat them.
(BP)

What do you mean black ones?? Are they blued barrels and frames?
I didn't know the had this style version. They don't show it at the website.

rafsob, with Carlos in your corner this is sure to work out positively. Take him up on the help he is so generously offering - he can get 'er done.

http://www.cva.com/CVA-Product-View.php?id=393


it's the same rifle with a black coating instead of camo ... my personal opinion is that coatings suck.

I did gett back to Carlos and he will help me. I hope it all works out. Thanks for the help from all. I'm thinking positive!!! :)

Hey guys, I have been talking to Carlos. He is the gentleman who sold me the rifle. He is helping me with this problem and will let everyone know what happens. Hopefully it ain't the fecal matter kind!!!

He told me that he has the same rifle but with the black coating and he has fired his over 100 times with no signs of chipping. So far I have not fired the new gun and am waiting to hear from Carlos. Later gang.

Carlos, are you going to the Dixie Deer Classic this weekend???

Not to answer for him but, seen over on ganders site he has said he is attending...

Yes, I will be at the DIXIE DEER CLASSIC this weekend. Will be leaving tomorrow to set up.
Carlos

Boy this is getting to be a real soap opera!!!

Latest update is the company got back with me and I sent them back the latests Mountain Rifle. It had some coating chipping off the frame. They are sending me the MR with the black coating. Will see how this one turns out.

Frustrated yet? I really hope it works out for you. I generally don't have much bad to say about CVA, but this is getting a little, er, a lot ridiculous. I will say that I'm glad they're still working with you instead of leaving you stuck with a chipped rifle.
Good luck!

Thanks pal. I wouldn't be doing this if the gun wasn't worth it. It does exactly what they say it should and that is why I put up with this crap!!! I never had an inline that was as accurate as this Mountain Rifle. Just wish the company would get off their butts and get this coating problem fixed!!!