Pedersoli Kuchenreuter pistol review w/ Match tuning

After shooting and competing with most target type Caplock repos and many originals I only recently acquired a Pedersoli Kuchenreuter. Always wanting to test one for match shooting use. This one is .40 caliber. Will the Kutch replace my Pedersoli Cap Lapage as my primary capper? But first, just like any other new to me match pistol...Tuning...Some have asked for details on my tuning and my answer is always "depends on what each gun needs". I will provide some details here. Not a "How To" guide. Just What and Why. Barrel tuning; Crown shape and polish. Why. To prevent patch damage and ease starting. Bore Taper-Lapping and Polishing. Why. Ease of loading, less fouling build up and ease of cleaning. Front sight. Reshape to straight side with a taper from front to rear. Why. Better sight picture in various light conditions without distracting reflections changing your point of aim. Wedge and tenon under barrel and breech wedge fit and tension. Why. Preventing point of aim drift... Hook breach with rear sight and tension screw; Proper screw tension needed to prevent point of aim shift. Replaced V notch rear sight with a U notch for better sight picture. Fixed internal adjustments for rear sight.Why. Did not work, now works and will not randomly change adjustment...Lock; Polish , Stone and adjust Fly, Sear, Tumbler and screw tension. Why; Faster, smoother and more consistent operation... Trigger; Polishing, Stoning and adjusting. Why; For a fine match trigger... I also removed the factory "Plastic looking" finish. The new finish is a oil blend type like you will see on original guns... Were all these improvements, adjustments or tuning needed? Yes. Is this much needed tuning typical? Yes. Would you not shoot a new gun first to "find out" it`s tuning needs? No, not any more. Point or aim shifting, poor trigger and poor sights is not worth a range day...Pictures and 2 days of range testing to follow...nsp

Nice review .... but .... NO PICS?!?!?

No before pictures as this is not a "HowTo"...nsp

Nice color case hardening and fine browned barrel by Pedersoli... some might call this a defarbed finish. The reason for this no gloss matt type finish is for a better non-slip grip for match use. Very easy to maintain.

The rear sight screw (seen behind the rear sight) needed replacement with a custom turned and fitted type with a coil spring inserted to prevent rear sight shift. Other Pedersoli pistols with similar sights need the same treatment in my experience. Examples include 2 Cook Underhammers, 5 LePage Caplocks, 4 LePage Flintlocks and an Original Swiss target type Caplock. Without this fitting the adjustments were erratic, very limited and prone to shifting. I show the sight picture here because it has been cut, leveled and shaped for a easy to see sight picture. The original sights on all these pistols were at best only usable in the best light conditions by someone with great eyesight. The picture here is not as good as my range sight picture with these sights, just the best I could manage with my camera...nsp

Range report; The final results after two days of load development, sight adjustment and finding my best hand position were much better than I would expect from a new to me pistol with a grip not like my any of my others. On the NRA B 8 at 25 yards 97 , 98 and 99. NRA B 6 at 50 yards; 87 and 90. That's a good day with any ML match pistol. On the second day I shot targets side by side. Trading off from my favorite Caplock LePage. 36 to the Kutcher to see if I might prefer one over the other. After two 25s and two 50s with close scores...No, for the first time my favorite has a challenger...Other Kutcher superizes. A .395 RB 17 thousands patch and just 10 grains Swiss for 25 yards and 18 grains at 50 yards no sight adjustment with a 6 O'clock hold. Recoil seems no more than my .36 LePage with the 12 grains Swiss at 25 yards and 18 at 50 yards. Even loading both than shooting one after the other. The grip on the Kutcher is a bit larger and it's a couple ounces more but balance and feel while holding and sighting still feel just right. The lock time or speed is the fastest I have seen due to a hammer stroke measured at about half of my LePage Caplock. The hammer strikes with less force also resulting in less strike bobble while firing. I expected to find something I didn't like compared to my LePage Caplock. Most likely the .40 caliber being a bit much for my arthritic sensitivity these days. Even the 18 grains of Swiss recoil was no more than my .36 caliber LePage. The little extra weight and slightly fuller grip may be the answer. Also thought the fluted grip of the Kutcher would be inferior to the nice fine chechering of the LePage. Nope. Thought the lack of a heel rest on the Kutcher vs. the LePage's perfectly fitting heel rest for my hand would be missing. No. Nothing missing. The Kutcher just doesn't need it to be great just the way it was built. No wonder to me now that the Kutchenruter Caplock of the 1840s was and is considered the epitome of target pistols of it's era...nsp

Nice pics!! What a gorgeous little lady. And beautiful job on the finish redo & tuning.

No second place said:

No before pictures as this is not a "HowTo"...nsp

Click to expand...

"Before" and "after" comparisons help to show off the "after", but frankly, in the case of this gun, the "after" is self-evident.

looks really nice. . as always very impressive shooting. I have the .44 Le Page and not happy with how the lock is tuned. If I set the trigger with no creep its way too light and I get unintentional drops. If I set it so that it won't fire by tapping the side of the pistol with my hand it has considerable creep. The lock was completely non functioning when I bought the new pistol and I had to send it to Missouri for warrantee work. It came back with still too touchy of a trigger but at least the hammer would drop. . hammer drops with a shake of the pistol touchy. I increased the travel of the trigger so that I can rest my finger on the trigger while sighting without an AD but now I have that extra travel to deal with.. and I still occasionally have the set trigger snap but the hammer doesn't drop.. that was how it came out of the box. not very often but once or twice every thousand rnds. Just enough to remind me something is not proper in there.

In my opinion the Kuchenreuter shops built the finest target pistols of their time.
I have enjoyed mine for 30 years and it remains my favorite.

nick_1 said:

looks really nice. . as always very impressive shooting. I have the .44 Le Page and not happy with how the lock is tuned. If I set the trigger with no creep its way too light and I get unintentional drops. If I set it so that it won't fire by tapping the side of the pistol with my hand it has considerable creep. The lock was completely non functioning when I bought the new pistol and I had to send it to Missouri for warrantee work. It came back with still too touchy of a trigger but at least the hammer would drop. . hammer drops with a shake of the pistol touchy. I increased the travel of the trigger so that I can rest my finger on the trigger while sighting without an AD but now I have that extra travel to deal with.. and I still occasionally have the set trigger snap but the hammer doesn't drop.. that was how it came out of the box. not very often but once or twice every thousand rnds. Just enough to remind me something is not proper in there.

Click to expand...

The trigger adjustments are accessible only by removing the trigger block and adjusting the trapped coil spring screw and large flat spring screw. The adjustment behind the trigger is just a minor sear adjustment screw that only has value once the trigger has been tuned internally. Sometimes this may include stoning or even replacement of pins and springs. Just removing the the trigger ɓlock from it's
mortise takes patience and skill. Not a "how to" Just a FYI your trigger is not adjustable with only the little sear screw in front of the trigger. These Italian repos are made to a price point that does not include the fine tuning the original guns may have recieved that cost thousands more. But , my fine original Swiss target Caplock had to be torn down to remove the trigger block to track down a inconsistent trigger pull problem. A very small loose screw was the culprit. Easy fix with Teflon tape. Tip; No lock tight around the trigger area...nsp
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This small screw is used for only minor sear engagement adjustment. The sear engagement not only determines trigger weight to a small degree, it also determines creep or sear travel before the break. A crisp break is possible or a Rolling trigger/ Sliding trigger is possible. My preferred trigger weight is 1.5 Oz. My preferred trigger action is Rolling/Sliding type to a small degree. This action is also known as creep. Many shooters believe a perfect break is as crisp or sudden as possible but many top competitors use a Rolling break trigger and pay extra to gun smith's known to provide this more complicated tune. I'm including other shooting sports that use other types of triggers and guns. Keep in mind that what ever type of trigger tune you have with the trigger block out of the gun will not likely be the same once installed in the mortise with the gun fully assembled due to assembly stresses. So turning this small screw does not amount to tuning. It is the final part of the tuning and used to adjust for wear and temperature change stresses. Most pistols with this screw need it removed and wrapped with Teflon tape to prevent it from changing in use and still allow for minor adjustments...nsp

Lock tune preparation. Consider this a "how to " at your own risk. Only the most patient and careful should apply. Proper screw drivers, extra fine diamond files1500- 4000 grit paper and fine stones. I have had no issues using vice grips for removing main springs but would only suggest a proper mainspring vice for less risk...nsp

That's probably beyond my pay grade. Being a hack I probably put a dab of super glue on that little screw..

nick_1 said:

That's probably beyond my pay grade. Being a hack I probably put a dab of super glue on that little screw..

Click to expand...

Hope that's a joke. Teflon tape not glue or locktite allows for proper maintenance adjustments...nsp

A light stoning of the flat load bearing moving parts was all that was needed...Why. Smooth bearing surfaces improve lock speed, reduce vibration and stay cleaner longer...nsp

Teflon tape on the Bridal screws. Why. Bridal screws tend to shoot/vibrate loose as do hammer screws.Just the right amount of tape may take experimentation. Even loose wood screws take Teflon tape well...nsp

Proper fitting of the mainspring to the top retention screw not done at the factory. Notice the notch on top of mainspring now fits inside the top screw. Why. If the top of the mainspring were to slip off this notch inside the mortise it would or could cause damage to the mortise. Just a common "Made to a price point " shortcut...nsp

The extra sheen that strikes me as a warm glow is hand rubbed pure beeswax. If your hand gets dry breeth on it before setting your grip. Beeswax works best with a little moisture. Why; this part of my tuning is for a better grip surface. Less effort and slippage in your grip helps with consistency...nsp