Traditions Pistols

[Texas Reb]

I saw three different models. There is the Kentucky, the Trapper, and the Pioneer.

Looks alone, the Pioneer is my favorite. Which do you like?

 

[Hawg]

They show a fullstock flintlock with a round barrel and brass butt cap but they give no price or info on it.

 

[Texas Reb]

This is the one I like, but they are sold out at the moment. I went to the Traditions site and notice they only show the Trapper and the Kentucky pistols now.


https://www.sportsmansguide.com/product/index/traditions-45-cal-percussion-pioneer-pistol?a=264839

 

[Texas Reb]

I see there is a pirate pistol too, but I still like that Pioneer for some reason.

 

[WarPig1976]

That's the first pistol I built over twenty years ago. Still have it.

 

[Texas Reb]

How you like it?

 

[FrontierGander]

I love my kentucky If you have small hands, the trapper is not for you as it has a long trigger reach.

 

[WarPig1976]

I enjoyed every minute of building it. I didn't have the proper tools or knowledge at the time but ignorance is bliss when your 20yrs old. I penned the barrel instead of the sight to tighten up the dovetail...LoL...kids.
I take it out every so often and play with it. How do I like it? It is what it is, a single shot percussion, but It's priceless to me.

 

[Model12Win]

I don't think the Pirate is made anymore.

Their Kentucky was on sale for 199.99 last week at Midway USA, completed (not the kit). Tempting, but I wasn't sure of the long term durability so decided against it. These Spanish made guns don't have as good a reputation as the Italian ones.

They might be awesome pistols but there is very little information I could find about current Ardesa (the folks that makes these) quality. I do know that past Ardesa is not considered great. I have personally handled old cheap Ardesa pistols at gun shows and almost every one had lock problems or very title spring tension left.

I've also read numerous reports of poor customer service from Traditions regarding parts and service for their guns. If the one I decide to buy has issues, or breaks later on and I need parts, from my reading it looks like I'll be in for a slog.

Without further persuasion, my choice is with Pedersoli. I own one of their pistols and it has never let me down in hundreds of shots and when I needed some small parts (screws I buggered) I emailed them and they sent me two spare sets in the mail, from Italy, free of charge. I think you'll find opinions of them to be high. They are probably well worth the extra cost of admission, and have almost any kind of single shot black powder pistol you could want.

https://www.davide-pedersoli.com/guns-rifles.asp/l_en/partenza_0/idl_1/pistols/pistols.html

 

[Texas Reb]

Model12Win,

This one here is very nice! It even has checkered grip. I didn't see any prices though.

https://www.davide-pedersoli.com/sc...ntinental-target-pistol-percussion-model.html

 

[Hawg]

Ardessa makes some pretty good guns and some not so good ones. All of CVA's sidelock rifles and pistols were made in Ardessa. Traditions sells some of the same guns that CVA sold.

 

[Hawg]

This one here is very nice! It even has checkered grip. I didn't see any prices though.

https://www.davide-pedersoli.com/sch...ion-model.html

http://www.cherrys.com/ped_pist.htm

 

[4V50 Gary]

Re: the Trapper, the stock design is wrong. There's too much wood between the bottom of the lockplate and the trigger guard. If you look at the other side of the stock, the panel where a sideplate would go also has way too much wood. You can't fix it anyway because of the rib which makes lowers the position of the ramrod. Removing wood from the bottom may possibly expose the hole drilled for the ramrod.

 

[Texas Reb]

4V50 Gary,
Plus the Trapper just don't look good. At least it didn't to me.

Hawg,
Thanks for the link. I shoulda been born with more money instead of my good looks. Heh Heh

 

[Tidewater_Kid]

Another place you might shop. I have purchased from them.

https://www.muzzle-loaders.com/pistols.html

TK

 

[Model12Win]

Re: the Trapper, the stock design is wrong. There's too much wood between the bottom of the lockplate and the trigger guard. If you look at the other side of the stock, the panel where a sideplate would go also has way too much wood. You can't fix it anyway because of the rib which makes lowers the position of the ramrod. Removing wood from the bottom may possibly expose the hole drilled for the ramrod.

The stock shape is wrong compared to what?

In actuality, I have never seen a period muzzle loading pistol that looks even remotely like the Trapper. It really is just a modern fantasy piece.

 

[4V50 Gary]

Model12Win - Compared to what? Any decent pistol. Pistols are not supposed to be fat. Slender and pleasing to the eye. You don't need to know the Golden Means to know it's ugly. Like you said, it's a modern fantasy piece.

 

[Gaucho Gringo]

Over 40 years ago I bought a .45 pistol kit for $19.95 to use in my pirate costume at a Halloween party. Great fun firing the percussion caps off. They sure have gone up in price.

 

[Old Stony]

I've gotta agree with Gary....muzzleloading pistols should be slim and ergonomic. Unfortunately some of the imported stuff on the market has not learned this yet. Some of that stuff could use a good rasp and sandpaper treatment!

 

[FrontierGander]

the trapper, lyman plains pistol and most other pistols are not reproductions of actual pistols that existed but fillers in todays market. You ever see Jedediah Smiths actual pistol? It is far from slim. Perhaps the easterns dueling pistol was slim and fancy.

The trapper is more of a shooters pistol, copied after the TC Patriot.

I for one do not carry a pistol around for hunting as its a pain and not legal for hunting.