Are Traditions a good value for the price?

[oldarmy]

I can't find any flinlocks in the gunstores up here in northern NH. Black powder hunters all use modern inlines and of course the gundealers stock what sells SO the only flintlocks I can find are on the web, or out of catalogs.
I want to buy a decent flintlock rifle for a christmas present for my son. Soon to come home on leave from "indian country" Iraq. He is "YOUNG ARMY"
He has expressed interest in trying to shoot flint-I have been writing him about my new interest- and want to buy him a decent rifle to learn to shot with without spending an arm and a leg in case he decides he really would rather just shoot his modern centerfire rifles. He has a very nice collection by the way.
In addition,all of the guns in the price range I am looking at all are made in Italy any way.
I was looking at a Traditions Hawken Flint in .50 cal with the double set triggers for $250 + shipping these are Italian made not Spanish
When I looked at the track of the wolf's wed site, they said that the tradions "Italian made" can be upgraded in the future with a Green MT barrel if he becomes interested and wants an upgraded rifle.
What do you all think?

 

[coalkickin]

I had a Traditions....didn't really like it that much. Wasn't very reliable ignition...I developed a very bad flinching habit because of it (Yeah that's it) Anyway my best friend has a Traditions Hawken, he swears by it. I would suggest spending a few more bucks and getting a Lyman. I have the Deerstalker model, and ignition is fast and sure. You could also look into purchasing a used flintlock...although then you may be purchasing someone elses headaches.

 

[[email protected]]

I shoot a TRADITIONS SHENNANDOAH FLINTLOCK.
Love it.....no problems at all
well made for the $.
Shot it today...also shot my lyman trade rifle.
Both shot 1 1/2 groups at 75 yds.
need I say more?

 

[Rebel]

Check out the Cabela's Traditional Hawken. It is made by the same company,(Investarms) that make the Lyman rifles, IE Great Plains, Tradegun, Deerstalker. And Cabela's has a very good return policy.

 

[Cmabie]

Old Army,

I have been shooting a Traditions 50 cal. Pennsylvania flintlock rifle for years. It is very accurate, shooting 1" ( jagged hole) groups at 50 yards. It is a traditional rifle with a full stock, brass patch box, and brass inlays. There is nothing wrong with Traditions rifles. The only problems I have witnessed are those created by people fooling around with the internal lock mechanism when they do not know what they are doing. At present they are around $ 400. Also they are made in Spain. My 93 year father shoots a Traditions Hawken rifle. He is a crack shot with it. :thumbsup: :m2c:

 

[Flintleather]

I think for the money you cant go wrong with a lyman great plains with the ball barrel.I own a 54 and it shoots like a dream! very accurate! :m2c:

 

[Stoots]

oldarmy, I have a Traditions Kentucky kit that I will build this winter after hunting season. From what I've seen so far it appears to be of good quality. I also have a Lyman GPR and highly recommend that also. :imo:

Out of curiosity; are you the same oldarmy from the RugerForum?


Jason

 

[2172]

agree on the Lyman...haven't shot a Traditions, so have no opinion...I noticed that there have been a couple of T/C flinters on[url] Auctionarms.com[/url] in the past couple of weeks..went for about $160...worth looking at...Hank

 

[gordy]

Don't know if this will help,but i bought one of My Grandsons a Traditions Panther about 5 years ago.I have since restocked it in wood.It is made in Spain,I have never had it and the Bobcat I bought for another grandson,side by side, but I believe the two are interchangeble,Both were bought at Wal-Mart I paid $104.00 in the U.P. Mi.for the Panther ,and $58.00 for the CVA Bobcat in Fla.I've examined the Pann. and the Shen.but never fired either.The ones I looked at seemed to be well fitted for production guns.If You shop around,theres quite a difference in retail prices on them.As much as $50.00 depending on the dealer.As was said, You might shop for a used weapon and save much more.The T/C and Lyman are owned by many on this Forum ,and few have had serious problems with them.T/Cs Waranty is great. Good Luck, and let Us know how you do. :redthumb:

 

[oldarmy]

No Jason,
I am not, but I did take the name from the OLDARMY RUGER PISTOL.
Thanks for the advise. I Think I will order it,Who knows it might shoot better then my Thompson Hawken.
Worce come to worce, He can always sell it and buy a higher end model, or order a kit and have his dad "me" build it while he is deployed.
While I was shopping for this I found out that Wal-mart carries GPR's in both kit and complete guns and the prices are the best I have ever seen.They are a special order item and you have to ask for the catalog.
$266 for a flintlock kit and around $320 if my memory serves me for the complete gun. That is the delievered price to the store with no shipping and handling fees.
While I am not overly found of Wal-Mart. That is a great price.
just though you all would like to know. I would expect their prices to go up when they publish their new catalog around the first of the year

 

[kentucky bucky]

Hello,
A flinter is not the gun to buy cheaply. Most of the cheaper production guns aren't very reliable in flint. I'm sure there are a few exceptions, but an inexpensive flintlock can be an endless source of frustration. It could ruin the whole experience for your son and instead of loving them like I do, he could swear them off for good! I don't know how much money you want to spend, but you may want to research the several custom and semi-custom gun builders that make bare bones "poor boy" rifles. They are built with the same quality parts as the more expensive "high dollar guns, but without the fancy wood or hardware. You can get options like fancier wood, patchboxes, etc., if you want to pay a little more. To mention a few, Early Rustic Arms, Tennessee Valley Muzzleloaders, Narragansett Arms. Track of the Wolf website has guns for sale and there are many gun auction sites that have some good deals if you look hard enough. If I were going to buy a production flintlock, I believe it would be a Cabelas Blue Ridge rifle. It's the same as the Pedersoli (Italian) Frontier rifle, and most of the feedback I've seen was favorable. They look nice to...great lines. Just a little ramble from a hillbilly on a post Thanksgiving "Turkey High".

PS...The other guys are right about the Lyman and Thompson rifles, I'd rather have a good used one than a new Traditions or CVA. Great for the price, but I like full stock longrifles best, they look cool! You might check out the Austin & Halleck Mountain rifle also, a buddy of mine loves his.

 

[papellet]

I have a Traditions hawkens and love the rifle. It shoots great and have had no problem with it. Though its not as well built as my lymans, the deer I have killed with it dont know the difference. Mine was built in Spain not Italy.

 

[kentucky bucky]

There are some flinters for sale in the classified ads on this forum.

 

[oldarmy]

First of all let me say, this is a great forum and I wish I had been smart enought to find it before I bought my first muzzle loader. I wouldn't have made the misstakes I did.
I have decided to cancel the Traditions. First the dealer I ordered it from took too long to ship it. They couldn't decide if NH had an FFL requirement even thought I told them we didn't.
Second after talking to my son, whom I WIL BE SEEING FOR THE FIRST TIME IN A YEAR on Sunday 11/28.
He didn't seem to be that thrilled will a flintlock for christmas and would rather indulge his M1 Garand Jones.
He likes old US military weapons. Don't know where he picked up that habit
I have decided to save up and buy him an American made one. Even if it takes a year.
If any one knows a gunsmith that would give a service man serving with the 1st Infantry Division in Iraq a good deal on an american made one let me know.It can be a plain "poor boy" as long as it's American made
thanks and God Bless

 

[rayb]

Welcome home. Thanks for your service.

Remember that "old military weapons" could include flintlocks as well.

rayb

 

[Jim Baker]

I own a Traditions 50 cal. Hawken. Ignitions is less than reliable.
The pan is not aligned properly with the flash hole. The pan is too high.
Also, I believe that the frizzen is not tempered properly.
It does not make a good shower of sparks no matter what flint I use.
I don't trust it for hunting.

Jim

 

[bejohnson]

I own a 50 cal hawkin and a 50 cal shanendowa and both of these guns are very reliable and I have had 0 trouble with either.

 

[Twisted_1in66]

Hi Old Army,

I've got a Traditions Pennsylvania Flintlock Rifle and I like it A LOT! Got a great price on it while I was in Oregon, there was no sales tax, and they shipped it out to me in Vermont for $10. The wood on this particular one is superb. It was the display gun and the walnut stock was far superior to the one they had unopened in a box. So, I took the display model.

The lock is solid and fast, and ignition is superb as long as you use a sharp flint and pay attention to the fouling from the powder (wipe off the underside of the flint from time to time), and don't overfill the pan. I use it for Rev War reenactments and will typically fire it at least 30 times in an afternoon - very reliable igintion. The rifle has a flash hole liner that is coned on the pan side, and that is one of the details that helps with good ignition.

I also use it on the target range and plan to hunt with it in about a week when the muzzleloader season opens around here. Shot raggedly holes with it at 25 and 50 yards and rang the 3'x3' hanging steel target with it at 200 yards using the open sights. Very accurate and the long sighting plane helps (40

 

[oldarmy]

I looked at the traditions Pennsylvania and they looked like nicely made rilfles, they were considerably more then the Hawken that I ordered and then canceled.
I will keep looking around and buy him a nice one.
You are right OLD MILITARY does include flitlocks.

 

[Rat]

I think RayB is right on...there are some good replicas of military flintlocks, I forget which are rifled. Maybe the 1816?

What about the Harper Ferry 1804? Now that's a cool rifle, with much historical and military legacy, and I bet a good used one could be found. Again that is a NEAT rifle. The older replicas were in .58", which is very cool, and the newer ones are in .54" per the originals, which is also very cool. Dixie may even sell one in kit form.

I would not worry about spending too much money...as you can sell the weapon later. You might lose a little bit, but not all that much. And, he might not be all that fired up about it now, but I bet when he gets a nice rifle like that in his hands and shoots it he will probably really love it. I too am into modern military rifles, but I love my flinters just as much. If not, again you can sell it with little or no loss, especially if you find a good used rifle. Brand new rifle will see some depreciation. Heck, I'd just keep a Harper's Ferry for myself if my son didn't like it!!!!!

Glad to hear your son is doing his part. My son is also in the Army, 1st Armor. Go ARMY!! HOOOOOOOOOOOOOAH!

Rat

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