I recently purchase a CVA Hawken type rifle. After moving the sights about as far as I can, I've come to the conculsion the barrel is bent. I put a straight edge down one side of the barrel and there was play at the muzzle. With the straight edge on the other side the straight edge dragged at the muzzle end.

My question is: How do I straighten the barrel? I've thought about putting the barrel between two trees and trying to straighten it that way. Maybe doing it like you would a bent nail. Lay the barrel on a hard, flat surface and use a sledge on it? Both of these methods might do more damage than good. Any suggestions?

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Born in the Pineywoods of East Texas a long long time ago.

Hi Ironwood
I too have a rifle with a bent barrel.Mine is warped in a downward angle. It is because the factory welded the wedge bracket to the bottom of the barrel and the under rib was welded on at both ends.This caused a shrinkage in the metal. I haven't yet figured a good way to fix this. I suppose I lack a good way to prove that I made it straight .It all seems so crude. Ned

I have heard of putting the barrell in the crotch of a tree and pulling (or pushing) then checking with a streight edge. I HAVE NOT DONE THIS MYSELF but would if necessary.

Whitebear, I heard that also... It will be my luck that I will bend it to far.. and have to try bending it back.

_________________
Born in the Pineywoods of East Texas a long long time ago.

If you can't return the gun perhaps the best course would be to shorten the barrel well past the bend and make a 'hawk, blade, etc. out of the off cut.
Warm fires,
RooT'awg!

Thanks for the suggestion Root'wang but it looks like the bend starts about at the end of the half stock. There is no manufacturer indicated on this rifle. The tang looks like it might be the same people that made the traditional type muzzleloaders for CVA. Here's a photo of the rifle.

_________________
Born in the Pineywoods of East Texas a long long time ago.

Hi Ironwood.
I cant tell from you pic. Its it using a drum? . Was it made from a kit?
I recently tried to affect one of my barrels by supporting it on both ends and standing on the middle and bouncing my bulky body on it. Didn't do a thing. The search continues. Ned

There's no manufacturers name on the rifle. But it looks like a CVA. I bought the rifle from a lady that said she bought it new for her husband about 15 years ago. The husband says he has never fired the rifle. Does that mean someone else might have fired it? The rifle has the short tang of a CVA. Also has a small lock like the CVA Plainsman etc.

Here are some more photos.

_________________
Born in the Pineywoods of East Texas a long long time ago.

Hi Ironwood
I believe it to be made at the same place as the latter CVA's. I have a CVA mountain stalker that has the exact tang and breach end of the barrel. Lock looks the same too. What it looks like is A CVA frontier rifle. They had just about everything this one does. Bent barrel and all,how does it shoot?
I'm thinking strongly about making something to straighten these problem barrels. I already have something made that takes me most of the way there. Ned

Ned, I haven't had much of a chance to shoot the rifle. I'll try to get out to the range soon. most of the firing I've done with the rifle was just trying to get in on paper at 50 yards.. It's pretty close now so I can do some groups when I'm able to get back out to the range.

I have two CVA rifles. A St. Louis Hawken and a Frontier. Both have the same short, straight tang. Th St. Louis Hawken has a larger lock, but the Frontier has the same small lock as the one pictured above.

_________________
Born in the Pineywoods of East Texas a long long time ago.

Ironwood,
I'm new to this, so I hope I get it right. I believe what you have there is a Springfield Hawkens, by Traditions. They carry a lifetime warrenty so you should be able to get an idea from them on what to do about a bent barrel.
I hope this helps.
graybear

GrayBear, Thanks for the info. I'll see if I can get in touch with them.

_________________
Born in the Pineywoods of East Texas a long long time ago.

At the risk of sounding trite, if it is bent "up" just use it for uphill shots, or long range,,,<grin>

Badeye,
At the risk of sounding like a wise guy, if the barrel were bent up the topic would not be here.

_________________
Born in the Pineywoods of East Texas a long long time ago.

A bottle jack applied as near to the center of the bend as you can calculate would probably provide enough pressure to bend the barrel, and would have the advantage of being controllable (as opposed to jumping up and down on the tube or yanking on it with all your might....). Problem would be anchoring the two ends of the barrel so the jack could do its thing.

The rifle in question does indeed look like a CVA. It's certainly a product of the same factory in Spain than turned out not only CVA, but Traditions, Jukar, and several other lesser-known brand names. I'd consider finding a used or NOS barrel that's compatible and swap them out.