# Help! with CVA hawkin side lock.



## jp94 (Sep 13, 2010)

I recently aquired a hawken 50 cal. . I was wondering if anyone knows of someone that could work on it and getting it shooting again. Sometimes it goes off and sometimes it doesn't. Thought maybe someone on here might know a good gunsmith to call.  Thanks for any help yall can offer.


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## Nicodemus (Sep 13, 2010)

jp94 said:


> I recently aquired a hawken 50 cal. . I was wondering if anyone knows of someone that could work on it and getting it shooting again. Sometimes it goes off and sometimes it doesn't. Thought maybe someone on here might know a good gunsmith to call.  Thanks for any help yall can offer.



Take the nipple off and clean it and the channel good. While your at it, give the entire works a thorough cleanin`. Chances are, that will cure your problem. keep us posted.


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## NCHillbilly (Sep 13, 2010)

What Nic said. 90% of misfires are caused by a clogged nipple or bolster. Also be sure to seat your powder good-when I dump the powder down the barrel, I gently slap the base of the barrel a time or two before I seat the ball. What powder and cap are you shooting?


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## 7Mag Hunter (Sep 13, 2010)

Nicodemus said:


> Take the nipple off and clean it and the channel good. While your at it, give the entire works a thorough cleanin`. Chances are, that will cure your problem. keep us posted.



Yep....


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## FrontierGander (Sep 13, 2010)

Ive owned a few/ worked on a couple others.  If you need help getting it back into top condition i can help you out. They are really good shooters!


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## tv_racin_fan (Sep 13, 2010)

What powder are you using and what caps. Some substitutes wont run well with regular #11 caps. Substitutes wont run well with a flintlock at all THO you can make them run decently with a duplex load.


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## Flintrock (Sep 14, 2010)

jp94 said:


> I recently aquired a hawken 50 cal. . I was wondering if anyone knows of someone that could work on it and getting it shooting again. Sometimes it goes off and sometimes it doesn't. Thought maybe someone on here might know a good gunsmith to call.  Thanks for any help yall can offer.




All the previous replies are correct.
.
To help narrow down your problem it would help to know
 What is your definition of not going off ?
.
Is your lock not popping the cap  ?
or is the cap popping and the charge not going off?
What type of powder and caps are you using?


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## kvistads (Sep 14, 2010)

I would first see if you have good blow-by through the nipple channel to the barrel by snapping a few caps and watching if it'll move something like leaves on the ground.  It should move something dry and lite very easily.  If it doesn't, I suspect your passage way is clogged as previously suggested.  The best and easiest way to unclog old, tough, dried black power is to soften the crud by leaving 10 to 12 drops of 3 in 1 oil sitting in the breech for a few days.  By propping up the rifle against the wall (barrel up) squirt the oil down the muzzle end of the barrel and let sit.  After sitting a few days, you should be able to clean the crud out by using the correct brass jag, patch, and solvent made for the barrel.

If the caps won't snap every time, you need a new nipple.  Never dry fire without something over the nipple protecting it.

BTW, remove the nipple and use a torch head cleaner to clean the breech.  You can also use it to clean the nipple, but be careful not to open the size of what it was originally designed.


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## jp94 (Sep 17, 2010)

Sorry It took so long to check. I appreciate all of the advice. 


After shooting it twice the cap goes off but nothing happens.  I would remove the nipple to clean it if I could figure out how. The screw has had the head striped. I not sure how to get it out.

I am using pyrodex powder and CCI #11 caps. I am not sure how old they are, I am going to buy some new pw and caps this weekend.

Check the picture below  of the nipple and you can see the gun was not taken care of very well. I guess that why the guy gave it to me. Once again thanks for the help.


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## neotoxo (Sep 17, 2010)

Man is that the ML your talking about...looks like it wasn't well taken care of...
Time for a good ole boiling water and dish washing liquid bath...
Pull the nipple, take that side screw out, take the barrel off and use your ram rod and a good tight patch to pump hot soapy water in and out of it...
Once it gets to pumping and moving water draw it all the way to the top or just about coming out of the barrel...that will clean and soften any crud...a good wire brushing of the inside and outside is needed...
You can use a pipe-cleaner to clean out the nipple and hole in the
back of the barrel where the fire gets to the powder....

It will get hot and after it is heated up good...stand it muzzle side down in corner on a towel and it will be dryer than a popcorn Edited to Remove Profanity ----Edited to Remove Profanity ----Edited to Remove Profanity ----Edited to Remove Profanity ---- within a few minutes...when it cools down proceed to wire brush it and lightly oil it...

IF it won't go off after that you have some real problems that a gunsmith needs to address


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## kvistads (Sep 17, 2010)

By the looks of the outside, I'd question whether or not the bore is rusted beyond repair.  Why don't you contact CVA and see if they have a replacement barrel?  That drum should be screwed onto the side of the barrel.  It may be tough getting the nipple, clean-out screw or drum to unscrew the way things look.  If you want to try, prop it up in the corner of the room and pour some Break Free oil down the barrel and let sit for a week.  Then you can take something like a pair of vice grips and try to unscrew the entire drum.  Remove the barrel from the stock first.  Good luck.


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## 7Mag Hunter (Sep 17, 2010)

You should be able to get the nipple out of the bolster, but
I doubt the screw in the bolster will come out....I would leave it in
and clean it inside as best you can...Might need some Navel
Jelly to clean the bolster after you remove the nipple...Just
don't break the nipple off.....The nipple screws off counterclockwise..
Use a good wrench when you try to remove it
After you get the nipple out, remove and clean bolster with
wire brush...Inside and out....
If you take the barrel off the stock you can get the bolster out easier...
Likely have to use vise grips....


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## FrontierGander (Sep 18, 2010)

wow i'd be spending the $85 on a new barrel from deer creek......


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## tv_racin_fan (Sep 18, 2010)

BOO HISS I bet it aint that bad.

Gimmie a shout I will come check it out, heck I may have a bolster for it if it needs it. We could always sand it smooth on the inside and make it a smoothie. It would still be good enough for Deer out to bout 75 yards I bet. Little CLR to get the rust off and rebrown her and she be gooder den new. If you dont like that idea we can do some fancy stuff wif some vinegar and make er look like a damascus barreled masterpiece.

If the lock is bad I might even have  CVA lock that will fit...that is a stretch tho since that is a Hawken you got.


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## 7Mag Hunter (Sep 18, 2010)

tv_racin_fan said:


> BOO HISS I bet it aint that bad.
> 
> Gimmie a shout I will come check it out, heck I may have a bolster for it if it needs it. We could always sand it smooth on the inside and make it a smoothie. It would still be good enough for Deer out to bout 75 yards I bet. Little CLR to get the rust off and rebrown her and she be gooder den new. If you dont like that idea we can do some fancy stuff wif some vinegar and make er look like a damascus barreled masterpiece.
> 
> If the lock is bad I might even have  CVA lock that will fit...that is a stretch tho since that is a Hawken you got.



Yeah, I agree....Just gotta take it apart and wire
brush it....I would polish the barrel on a fine wheel
and bench grinder and reblue....Same with bolster,
wirebrush/navel jelly...Problem may be gettin the
nipple out, if it is really rusted in....You ain't gettin
the bolster screw out, I bet.....Inside the barrel, I
would soak in oil and use brushes, then soapy water,
and more oil and brushes till clean....
Take some good before and after pics.....You know
how we like pictures !!!!


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## Flintrock (Sep 18, 2010)

jp94 said:


> I am using pyrodex powder and CCI #11 caps. I am not sure how old they are, I am going to buy some new pw and caps this weekend.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


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## jp94 (Sep 20, 2010)

Thanks for all the help!  I have found some one local that is willing to help me with the gun. We have located replacement parts from an identical gun in about the same neglected condition this weekend at a yard sale($20.00).  I really appreciate all the advice and will post pics when finished.


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