Early CVA Mountain Rifles: Sort of authentic?

[RattlesnakeJack]

Dale, if you are looking for a reasonably authentic looking half-stock "Hawken-style" rifle, I would highly recommend trying to find an early-production Lyman "Great Plains" rifle.  As I recall, they were actually made in Japan by Miroku (... who made one of the best-sparking and reliiable reproduction Brown Bess muskets, ever ...).  The .50 percussion one that I had for a fair number of years had a browned barrel and all the other metal furniture was browned, as well, and I loved it. 

Although still offered, the less desirable current-production Lyman Great Plains is made by Pedersoli, with blued (or "blackened") barrel and furniture.  I have seen a number of lfairly unfavourable comments and reviews of them.