CVA 1860 ARMY barrel

T

test drive

New member
just got a old cva 1860 army (.44) from a friend who bought it many years ago when he was in to civil war re-enactment. he bought it new had the nipples removed and never shot it but it was carried alot. anyway i like the gun but hate the 8inch bbl. is there any where to fined shorter barrels like the "sherif mod. i could cut this one down, but dont know what to do about the loading lever. any ideas?
 
That was helpful, zullo74. I'll have to remember that the next time you ask a question.

Barrel assemblies are not generally available from the sutlers, so about the only chance you'll have is getting one from a parts gun via classified ads.

A few people have cut down Colt c&b revolver barrels, but the trick is getting the loading lever right. If you're adventuresome I suggest you purchase a loading lever for the shorter barreled gun from a sutler (they're pretty much available) and then once you get it, cut the barrel down to fit it yourself.

After that, the only option I can imagine is just outright buying a new gun.
 
Another good place to look is the online gun auction companies, and although seldom, sometimes the gun parts companies may have one along and along.

I prefer the longer barrels myself- and of course it's just personal taste.
I don't know if you have purchased some nipples yet, but if you haven't- I recommend the Treso nipples- they work wonderfully. (I mistaknenly thought they were Italian made sometime back on here, but they are most definitely American made! They are the best investment if you plan on shooting the revolver lots and often.)
 
Sheeeesh!

But back on the topic.....

Cutting down the loading lever is not so terribly hard.

If you have the equipment to do the dovetail in the barrel for the lever catch you probably can do the loading lever. (I know that some can do that dovetail with a set of files but I am not that good.)

I think that pistol was built by ASM. I have two of them and I like them.
Regarding the shortening of the lever, the length is critical in order for the lever to stay in place during discharge.

I think a good technique would be to make it about a sixteenth inch too long and then work it down, trying it as you go.

This gives you a good opportunity to stretch the spring a little for some additional holding force on the catch. (Or perhaps not drill the hole quite as deep as the original.
 
+1 to the advice given by Mykeal and Doc - if you have some basic metalworking skills you shouldn't have any problems in cutting down the barrel and fitting a loading lever. I have two CVAs - one a '61 Colt Navy and the other a '62 pocket police - both are nice revolvers and are very well built.

I had an old Navy Arms .36 (1851 style) that had the shorter barrel - it was nice but I did have some issues seating balls in the cylinder with the shorter loading lever - easily take care of though by carrying a short piece of tubing to slide over the loading lever which gave it enough leverage to seat the balls easily. I traded it off a couple of years ago towards a vintage Colt Army Special. Now I'm kicking myself as I enjoyed the shorter barrel length - was handy and easy to carry on the farm to scare woodchucks.

Good luck with your project! :)

Doc - Mykeal - hope I've used my capitals correctly!? :D
 
As popular as the short barrel guns are I am amazed that nobody makes a paterson style loading tool for the things.
 
Well

.....To me one of the primary advantages to loading outside of the frame is that fact that it eliminates the loading stress on the frame, and more particularly on the arbor of a Colt. So if you have to take the pistol apart to load it, you should be loading with a press.

Just an opinion.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top