MountainDevil54, I really like that you took the time to take a "before" photo in the same spot as you would later take your "after" photo. It really shows the difference. My compliments on the beautiful work.
I have a CVA Mountain Rifle, circa 1978, and to this day I think this model is one of the most traditional, accurate, and beautiful rifles out there today. I bought it from a friend in Texas who owned it for over thirty years after first building the kit, and during that time he overhauled the whole rifle. It looks more like your "after" photo, although at this time it's been many years since the overhaul. I try to keep it looking that way.
He hunted deer with it every year; that was how I first laid eyes on it. I must admit, I bought it for the looks; I wanted that beauty over my mantle. To him, it was never just for looks. From the late seventies to 2010, he always got his deer.
The toughest thing with these traditional rifles is telling whether the bore is in good shape. Sure, I cleaned it and sealed it, but years went by before I finally got my hands on a drop-in bore light. What a relief it was to find the bore was clean and shiny, and just like new.
The Mountain Rifle lives over my mantle, and with several other MLs in my safe, I clean and shine her several times a year, but she rarely sees powder and ball these days. The few times I have taken her out to shoot her, I was stunned at how accurate this beautiful old rifle is. Not just another pretty face! There are a lot of Hawkens-style traditionals around, but you don't often see a CVA Mountain Rifle, much less a fine example like this.
Here's a photo of mine. You can see that some of the accessories that were originally steel or pewter are now brass. There was a rare 1893 coin fitted into the stock, but it was the one thing he wouldn't part with, so I've added my own. I think it's a two dollar coin (not actually rare, but uncommon). When people come to my home, they always seem to gather at the mantle for a few minutes, and the CVA Mountain Rifle is a real conversation piece.
