Final 12 months, I wrote about my customized CVA .50 cal blackpowder pistol setup — my favourite firearm for muzzleloader looking. This construct was made potential by a buffer tube adapter manufactured by FarrowTech. This aftermarket half permits the addition of any buffer tube and brace to CVA’s Optima V2 pistols.
Nicely, I used to be lately excited to study that Farrow Tech has launched a brand new brace adapter, and this new improve is full of options.
Scouting for Optimas
FarrowTech offers a welcome oasis within the desert of choices for CVA pistols — a shortage little doubt brought on by CVA’s resolution to discontinue most of their break barrel single shot pistols. Initially, CVA had many variations of the pistol – which glided by a number of names: the Optima V2 Pistol for the muzzle loading model, and the V2 Scout Pistol for the centerfire variations. CVA used to supply centerfire pistols in quite a lot of calibers, together with .243, 300 Black Out, 44 Magnum, 6.5 Grendale, and – most excitingly — .223/5.56.
Since manufacturing discontinued, these pistols have largely vanished, and might solely be obtained by way of secondary markets. Should you’re fortunate, you may often discover a used or outdated inventory .243, 44, or 6.5, however the .223 variants have seemingly vanished from the face of the Earth. CVA, should you’re studying this – please carry them again!
Luckily, CVA continues to distribute the .50 caliber blackpowder variations of the pistol by way of muzzle-loaders.com, although they’re often backordered resulting from low manufacturing.
In any case, that’s all to say: I’m very grateful that FarrowTech is placing within the effort and time to supply high quality elements for this obscure pistol.
FarrowTech’s authentic buffer tube/Brace adapter was strong, reliable, and precisely what you’d anticipate from a 3D printed gun piece – the deal with had apparent printing marks, with the common vestigial imperfections that consequence from printing a chunk that has multiple axis. As anyone who’s dabbled in 3D printing is aware of, any type of multi-axis form requires helps constructed in all places a characteristic on the half overhangs the construct plate, and these “mid air” sections lack a easy end and have apparent printing strains:
PICTURE OF 3D PRINTED-NESS
Nevertheless, the unique brace was printed in Nylon, which is the strongest and most sturdy 3D printing materials. To offer a fast crash course in 3D printing, the commonest printing supplies are PLA, which may be very straightforward to make use of and pretty weak, and ABS, which is barely extra finicky, however stronger. Nylon surpasses PLA and ABS in each of those classes – it’s each very tough to efficiently print with (the filament and mattress have to be heated considerably hotter than PLA and ABS), and it’s considerably stronger. (Try this hyperlink for an intensive comparability of Nylon to different 3D printing supplies, in addition to some cool take a look at movies). Nylon additionally has a a lot larger warmth ranking. For these causes, Nylon is the go-to materials for any gun accent.
In abstract, the unique brace was purposeful, however featureless. Enter Farrow Tech’s adapter brace Model Dos.
The elevated high quality of the brand new brace is straight away apparent:
*****NEED PICTURE; OLD BRACE + NEW BRACE********
The elevated high quality arises from FarrowTech’s new manufacturing course of — as a substitute of utilizing normal extruded filament printing, FarrowTech makes the brand new brace adapters utilizing “Selective Laser Sintering,” or SLS. SLS printing is broadly revered within the maker group for creating sturdy, purposeful elements. FarrowTech continued to make use of Nylon 12 for the brand new elements, and the character of SLS printing means the grip and brace adapter are printing at 100% infill (No hole sections). Should you’re questioning how this compares to a daily rifle inventory, many polymer shares are additionally constructed from nylon, however they’re hardly ever strong, often incorporating some type of inner honeycomb construction. As a result of SLS course of which creates full solids, the Farrow Tech brace/grip may truly be stronger than the unique manufacturing facility grip.
FarrowTech didn’t simply get a elaborate new printer and reprint the unique mannequin – the redesigned the adapter from the bottom up.
The grip now has customized hatching for higher hand traction:
Two New Variations
Importantly, CVA designed the brace adapter in two kinds – the traditional Buffer Tube, and an up to date picatinny rail model:
The Picatinny model appears completely geared to the numerous side-folding picatinny braces on the market, such because the Sig Sauer folding PCB brace:
At the moment, my CVA pistol is about up with the buffer tube adapter, and a side-folding buffer tube attachment:
It must be famous that my side-folding attachment provides nearly 1 inch to rig when collapsed, so the general size of the picatinny model can be that a lot lowered:
As soon as assembled with the offered bolt and chateau nut, the Farrow Tech brace turns into part of the gun. It appears as becoming on the firearm as the unique manufacturing facility grip:
New Sling Fixtures
As you may see from the images above, FarrowTech packed much more options into the brand new brace – on the backside of the grip is a fast launch sling swivel socket, permitting you to simply connect a single level sling:
I actually like this characteristic, since I steadily use the pistol in a tree stand. It’s good to have it dummy corded off because it’s such a small gun and might be dropped simply.
Nevertheless, the underside of the grip is a barely unusual place to place a sling swivel. It’s in all probability positioned there as a result of there’s no different place to place it. Inserting a ½ inch hole into the aspect of the plastic would compromise the structural integrity on the key location the place the buffer tube or picatinny rail is transferring the drive of the receoil to the inventory and your shoulder. The underside of the grip is probably going the very best place for it, structurally.
I used to be curious how this location would work when utilizing a single level sling to stabilize for a shot:
Right here:
And right here:
Conclusion about stabilization, and what I came upon.
Conclusion
Better of all, FarrowTech gives the brand new stabilizing brace with a lifetime guarantee. Should you’re fortunate sufficient to personal a CVA pistol, the FarrowTech brace adapter is a must have accent. And, should you had been holding off on buying one because of the apparent 3D printing-features of the outdated mannequin, all that’s modified with the brand new mannequin – it’s a high quality piece of gun furnishings you received’t remorse proudly owning.
