WOODTICK49

Hello All! I am new to this forum.I have observed for a while, but, this is my first post.
An old hunting buddy asked me to clean his old sidelock.CVA Sharpshooter 50 cal.
stamped on the barrel.Resembles a Pedersoli Country Hunter.The serial number ends with
46 as best I can make out. Anyone know about this rifle?Any info appreciated.
Thanks

frontier gander

never heard of it. Best to email cva and ask for info. [email protected]

cayugad

Welcome to the forum. It is good to have you here.

That sounds like an old rifle. Actually some of the old CVA were excellent shooters. Figure out the twist. Make sure the rifle is empty, clean the rifle and then start your loads light and work up. Also give CVA a call and ask them the history of the rifle. Be sure to tell us all about it.

WOODTICK49

thanks,gander I'll try that . was hopeing someone might have heard of it.

WOODTICK49

My friend who owns the rifle (is 80 years old this week) says it is a real tack driver. He bought it from some one who didn"t
use it anymore. He says he has been shooting 3 Pyrodex pellets and doesn't remember which saboted bullet.No twist rate stamped on
the barrel ,so,it probably is more than 10 years old.

frontier gander

I HIGHLY suggest you do NOT use 3 pellet loads. The MAX powder charge is 110 grains of the old CVA's. Over charging the barrel can cause it to burst in your face. Please get the rifles info before someone gets hurt or killed.

wabi

I agree!!!!!!!!!! WAY TOO MUCH POWDER!!!!!!!!!
I'd recommend loose powder and start with a light load (I like to start around 70 or 80 grains) then work up checking for loss in accuracy or any signs of excessive pressure (like blowing caps off the nipple).

WOODTICK49

my reaction was the same when my friend told me that he was shooting 150gr.
I was very surprised that the rifle had no evidence of cracks in the stock.
I will cetainly try to stop him from doing that in the future.I personally never use more than 100gr(2 pellets) in anything.

cayugad

I am surprised this old "sidelock" will even shoot pellets efficiently. I would guess he might begetting a flaming hail Mary out of it. I've even seen the new inlines throw a flaming pellet. Kind of cool to see, a waste of money, and no way it is doing you any good for accuracy.

If this is an old CVA a lot of them had Douglas barrels, when a Douglas barrel really meant something. I am almost positive that is what my friends old CVA Mountain Rifle had on it. Of course that was many years ago, and my memory is not what it used to me. But the old CVA's were good rifles. And very very accurate. I could really tell some stories of what we used to do with his old .58 mountain rifle. Well made, good steel and while they were rated for 110 grains of powder max would take a lot more then that. Not that I would recommend it.

I would enjoy seeing a photo of the rifle if that is possible. I looked the rifle up on the site I check models and their specifications and it is not listed. I was hoping to see what twist it had. Most the of the old ones were 1-66 or 1-48 but 1-66 was real common in the old one because all we really had to shoot back then was round ball.

WOODTICK49

When I cleaned the rifle there were a lot of unburnt grains of powder stuck back against the breechplug. the outside of the breechplug showed tool marks where
someone had either removed or tried to remove it. I thinksome of that powder
was from the original owner.it didn,t look like fouling that i've seen from pellets.
I e-mailed CVA today and asked for age,twist rate,year of manufacture,and max load.
I don,t feel good about my friend hot loading it that way.