.50 cal Percussion Traditions Kentucky Rifle

[lonewolf172]

Hi. If you own one of these can you PM me? I'm thinking about getting one instead of a .50 cal Investarm Gemmer Hawken,

 

[bang]

I built one last year. It's a decent rifle.

 

[lonewolf172]

Just decent?

 

[Fifty Four]

Well, the price tag alone should provide some clues. The percussion Traditions Kentucky is no beauty queen. It is the most generic approximation of a "long rifle" available (and not particularly long at that). It has a two-piece beechwood stock (plain jane, ugly to some, but a very good gun stock wood). There are any number of other things to criticize or nitpick about them. That said, they tend to have really good barrels and are accurate, reliable shooters. To me, that outweighs all other considerations, and is what makes a $300 sidelock rifle worth bothering with.

 

[William Lincoln]

When you are out in the woods on a cold freezing morning what counts is
reliable ignition and a good barrel. The CVA/Traditions long guns are great
shooters. But so are Investarms. My Carbine is from Investarms and having
had more than a few BP rifles I am sweet on this one due to light weight
and reliable, accurate little gun. Both of the guns you are considering will
do the job fine. Both Brands are from people who deliver quality for the
buck. Take the time to do some shooting and sighting in. Be a careful but
decisive shooter. Remember you must make that one shot count. If you
cannot make up your mind Flip a coin or ask a woman--she will tell you what
(at least my lady will) you need to know. Then get on with it.

 

[deermanok]

I have the mate to the Kentucky rifle, the Traditions Tennessee. To my eyes, it's a good looking rifle. Wood to metal fit is very good. I don't have a lot of shots through it yet but the last time out with it, I was shooting good groups at 50 yards. It's not an inexpensive gun, as I paid $500.00 for it. Definitely a keeper.

 

[William Lincoln]

All these rifles are going up. $500 is a deal for a good rifle. I like to sight in at 75 yds. Having just
one shot I sometimes let the game move some for a clearer shot, rarely does it come closer.
I find that sighting at 75 makes a 50 or 100 yd shot easier to compensate for and nail. Also,
the barrels are better now days and with inflation $500 is cheap cheap and rising fast.

 

[hanshi]

I like that little Tennessee rifle. I always thought they were very nice looking. I've owned a few CVA & Traditions and was NEVER disappointed by one.

 

[lonewolf172]

I just want to make sure I don't waste my money and get a good reliable accurate (II know I have to do my part) well made Ml, . The one thing I don't really care about a whole lot about the Kentucky is the take down to totally clean it

 

[Tumbledown]

I just want to make sure I don't waste my money and get a good reliable accurate (II know I have to do my part) well made Ml, . The one thing I don't really care about a whole lot about the Kentucky is the take down to totally clean it

What take down? I have 2, a flint and a percussion. I never pull the barrel, only plug the flash hole or nipple (and pull the lock on the flint.)

 

[hanshi]

What JB67 said!

 

[sportster73hp]

I have the same Tennessee right down to the laced on sling. My first muzzleloader.

 

[Rock Home Isle]

My dad will buy any gun if he thinks it’s a good deal...In his incredibly broad collection, he has two of these guns. Both of them are pretty accurate. One is a single hole-r at 50 yards. The other shoots consistently 1” to 1.5“ groups at the same distance.

To me, they don’t have lots of eye appeal, but you cannot really knock them for function-ability and performance.

 

[hanshi]

And performance is where the rubber meets the road, so to speak. That's 90% of a good gun.