doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion Classic & Custom Single Barreled Sporting Rifles @ doublegunshop.com Does CPA have a competitor?

Just looking at the pics I can see alot of things that point me in the direction of poor quality workmanship. Those already mentioned like the poor fit of the upper tang, the poor fit of the lower tang with it's back end protruding a 1/16" out of the wood and the upper portion sunk in near same amt.
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The poor fit of the butt stock to the rear of the action especially at the bottom edges.
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The action itself has rounded edges at the bottom where the lower tang fits.
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It looks to me that the reline job uses the liner to tighten up the action by letting it protrude from the breech face to bear against the breech block. Maybe it's just the pic.
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The checkering has already been hit upon. Very coarse & not well done IMHO.
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Many of the screws have been tweeked with a screwdriver bit.
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The lever pin is too long and it's small set screw is also damaged.
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The blueing is said to be '100% original'. I'll take that to mean original style. It may just be the pics again but it looks to slicky to be a rust blue and even if it is it should be a bit more matted in appearance.
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I've not handled a CPA rifle so I can't comment on those. I've had CPA turn some wood for me and they've always done a nice job with that. I have a set of wood for a Stevens project now sitting here waiting for some time to complete.
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I like the lines and overall looks of the rifle in question as I said earlier, but then again I like the Stevens sporting and Schuetzen looks. It does look good to me 'from a distance'. The fine details are lacking though and that is where I judge a piece of work.
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The auction ended at $1800 w/o reaching reserve so I have no idea what value the owner places on it.
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Listed as a "custom piece for the discriminating collector" but sold "as-is" doesn't really link up in my mind. I'd personally rather put the money into a 44 or 44 1/2 action or barreled action and build my own.

Another opinion on CPA's

Turn of the century Stevens built a popular priced rifle for the mass market, and had a shop tuning out target rifles on the same actions to order. They were never considered high grade rifles. CPA is exactly the same Target rifles on new and upgraded design Stevens style actions.

As far as I know Paul Shuttleworth has never intended to build "fancy" rifles. Most of CPA's rifles are sold with unfinished wood, in the beginning they would not finish stocks but now will send them out to several stock makers to finish if the buyer desires. Like all target rifles they run from hard working well worn owner modified guns to embellished and fancy finished firearms.

Modern CPA's have won many single shot matches perhaps more than any other.

Boats

Gentlemens:

I sure don't want y'all to think I am throwing any rocks at CPA. The CPA Stevens is built to a price point (as were the originals) and is an excellent product for the money. They are safe, sound rifles with good triggers and fine accuracy potential. They are not finely finished, (again like the originals) and that is reflected in the price. They have indeed won a lot of matches, including at least one National BPCR Silhouette title. CPA has done a real service by providing a competitive rifle at a price significantly lower than anything else that is available. The fact that it has been a successful business for as long as it has proves this.

CPA's color finish is just like the original, and every bit as ugly. I never did like that tiger stripe look. When finished in conventional pack color hardening, or blued or grayed, it is a very handsome action.

The design's only real flaw is the stock mounting system. There is no through bolt, or in fact even a screw that goes through the wrist from upper to lower tang. The stock is mounted with wood screws. Howsomever, this shortcoming seems to be more perceived than real, because both the original and CPA rifles I have worked with shot quite well.

Glenn