Hi Everyone, I am new here and new to muzzleloading. I recently bought a CVA .50cal Hawken caplock. It is in pretty good looking condition, but I have not shot it yet. I bought a replacement lock with engraving to make it look a little dressed up. I had a little trouble with the lock as it had a boss around the front screw hole. I had the boss removed so it is flat and got the lock installed. However, another problem appeared. The hammer and nipple do not line up properly. See attached pictures. I also noticed the bolster screw is stripped, as I tried to remove it to see if the bolster could be rotated a bit to improve the alignment of the hammer/nipple. I did NOT strip it, it was like that. I couldn't get it to budge by hand. My question is, how do I resolve the hammer/nipple alignment problem with this new lock?
Hammer / Nipple Alignment Problem
- Thread starter Matt1128
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I may be wrong, but I think that the screw you are referring to is a clean-out screw, removed to aid in clearing blockages and carbon build-up ahead of the breech plug. I think that the housing itself is threaded and turned into the barrel.
Did the old lock/hammer fall squarely on the nipple? If it did, can you switch the hammers without losing the decorated lock?
Did the old lock/hammer fall squarely on the nipple? If it did, can you switch the hammers without losing the decorated lock?
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Pic not to good but looks like you need to rotate the drum back a bit until lines up
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It also looks like the drum is not centered in the lock recess
Thank you for replies so far. Yes! The original lock/hammer assemble was lined up much better and the hammer fell properly on the nipple. Changing hammer is an option but then I loose the engraving on the hammer.
How do I turn the bolster counterclockwise just a little bit?
How do I turn the bolster counterclockwise just a little bit?
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You'll have to drill it out and get a super out I think there called you can get a set of them at depot
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Had a screw get damaged on my CVA mountain rifle once too.
For that Drum/clean screw you can take the barrel off. If you have a set of needle files You can first try cleaning up the flats on the screw a bit to give your screwdriver a better grip, or a Dremel with a cut off disk if your steady would work too. Next remove the nipple and stand it up an a container of Boiling water till it is so hot it is hard to hold. You can also take a patch and put it on the jag and run that up and down the bore (pumps the water up and down through the drum) to help speed up the heating. This will also remove any carbon around the bottom of the screw. Then try to remove it. If you have some one to hold it so you can use both hands try pressing down on the screw driver as hard as you can and try turning it and at the same time smack the screw driver with a small hammer, for of works like an impact hammer. Just the heating may be enough Also I would use a hollow ground screw driver or screw driver bit, they are not Wedge shaped like a standard screw driver and will prevent damaging the screw like it is now. A bit of never seize would also help.
If that don't work then you will have to do as mentioned and try drilling it out and using an EZ-Out. You have to be very careful to be centered and small enough to not damage the drum threads
As for the positioning of the hammer to nipple. If you just try to screw that drum in farther you may well just snap it off. look to see of the back of the larger part is already bottomed out on the barrel flats. If so it might require you to remove the drum and use a lathe to remove a few thousands off the back to get it to re-time with the hammer.
Have you checked to make sure the lock functions with the triggers ok? Set back that much would affect the positioning of the sear too.
For that Drum/clean screw you can take the barrel off. If you have a set of needle files You can first try cleaning up the flats on the screw a bit to give your screwdriver a better grip, or a Dremel with a cut off disk if your steady would work too. Next remove the nipple and stand it up an a container of Boiling water till it is so hot it is hard to hold. You can also take a patch and put it on the jag and run that up and down the bore (pumps the water up and down through the drum) to help speed up the heating. This will also remove any carbon around the bottom of the screw. Then try to remove it. If you have some one to hold it so you can use both hands try pressing down on the screw driver as hard as you can and try turning it and at the same time smack the screw driver with a small hammer, for of works like an impact hammer. Just the heating may be enough Also I would use a hollow ground screw driver or screw driver bit, they are not Wedge shaped like a standard screw driver and will prevent damaging the screw like it is now. A bit of never seize would also help.
If that don't work then you will have to do as mentioned and try drilling it out and using an EZ-Out. You have to be very careful to be centered and small enough to not damage the drum threads
As for the positioning of the hammer to nipple. If you just try to screw that drum in farther you may well just snap it off. look to see of the back of the larger part is already bottomed out on the barrel flats. If so it might require you to remove the drum and use a lathe to remove a few thousands off the back to get it to re-time with the hammer.
Have you checked to make sure the lock functions with the triggers ok? Set back that much would affect the positioning of the sear too.
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Clean out screw just like the nipple needs anti-seize.
