50 Caliber CVA Staghorn Muzzle Loader Bolt Project
This is one of the projects that I have been working on during this social distance/isolation period.
My neighbor gave me an old 50 Caliber CVA Staghorn Muzzle Loading rifle last winter. It uses #11 primer caps to ignite the powder charge.
I don't know much about muzzle loaders. Most everyone I talked to told me I needed to convert it to use 209 shotgun primers to be more reliable. It seems the #11 primer caps are prone to misfires and the 209 primers are not.
Here in lies the problem...
The breach plug (the small part in the photos) for the 209 primers can be bought most anywhere.
The bolt can not be found any where and is no longer manufactured.
So, I am making my own 209 primer bolt on the metal lathe that a good friend gave me a few years ago.
I am using a Grade 8, 3/4" diameter bolt for the starting point.
I have the "New" bolt turned to the proper diameter as well as having the primer end pretty much done.
Got the two taper areas turned and finished as well as the through hole for the cocking handle.
I finished up my "Home-Brewed" CVA Staghorn 209 Shotgun Primer Bolt.
In the photos below, the first photo, the Original #11 primer cap bolt is top one and my "Home-Brewed" CVA Staghorn 209 Shotgun Primer Bolt is the bottom one.
In the other two photos, the Original #11 primer cap bolt is left one and my "Home-Brewed" CVA Staghorn 209 Shotgun Primer Bolt is the right one.
In the second photo the hole in the left bolt looks off center. It is not, it is just the way the light is shining on it.
I have put the gun back together with my "New" "Home-Brewed" bolt and test fired it.
The forth photo is an un-fired 209 primer on the left and a fried 209 primer on the right.
Works Great...
This is one of the projects that I have been working on during this social distance/isolation period.
My neighbor gave me an old 50 Caliber CVA Staghorn Muzzle Loading rifle last winter. It uses #11 primer caps to ignite the powder charge.
I don't know much about muzzle loaders. Most everyone I talked to told me I needed to convert it to use 209 shotgun primers to be more reliable. It seems the #11 primer caps are prone to misfires and the 209 primers are not.
Here in lies the problem...
The breach plug (the small part in the photos) for the 209 primers can be bought most anywhere.
The bolt can not be found any where and is no longer manufactured.
So, I am making my own 209 primer bolt on the metal lathe that a good friend gave me a few years ago.
I am using a Grade 8, 3/4" diameter bolt for the starting point.
I have the "New" bolt turned to the proper diameter as well as having the primer end pretty much done.
Got the two taper areas turned and finished as well as the through hole for the cocking handle.
I finished up my "Home-Brewed" CVA Staghorn 209 Shotgun Primer Bolt.
In the photos below, the first photo, the Original #11 primer cap bolt is top one and my "Home-Brewed" CVA Staghorn 209 Shotgun Primer Bolt is the bottom one.
In the other two photos, the Original #11 primer cap bolt is left one and my "Home-Brewed" CVA Staghorn 209 Shotgun Primer Bolt is the right one.
In the second photo the hole in the left bolt looks off center. It is not, it is just the way the light is shining on it.
I have put the gun back together with my "New" "Home-Brewed" bolt and test fired it.
The forth photo is an un-fired 209 primer on the left and a fried 209 primer on the right.
Works Great...