Ndnchf,
I would love too! I'll shoot you a pm and we'll set it up.
Thanks,
Sharps54
I would love too! I'll shoot you a pm and we'll set it up.
Thanks,
Sharps54
Best kit for unskilled builder
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deanscamaro
45 Cal.
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Okay, as a newby in muzzle loaders, I am going to throw my two cents worth in (notice I didn't say two bits, because I'm not that experienced yet).
I just bought the Traditions Kentucky Percussion pistol, 50 caliber, and am in the midst of putting it together (my first kit). I am to the point of stock finishing and browning the barrel (it came as white metal). Here is what I have run into with this kit:
1. In general, the bolts are longer than what is needed to be able to put it together (maybe this is standard with kits). Watch that; as I put the tang bolt down from the top and into the trigger/trigger guard, the length forced the guard down and broke off its cast brass end. You have to grind the bolt off to the right length. I had to quickly learn brazing brass to repair the trigger guard.
2. One lock plate bolt that goes through from the side to hold the lock plate was too long and forced its length into the back of the hammer. It took me awhile to figure why the hammer wouldn't cock. You have to grind the bolt off.
3. The brass nose cap has two screws that go into the underside of the barrel. When I put it on, it left the nose cap about 1/8" away from the front end of the stock. I could have cut wood away from the stock in the area of the tang, where the barrel seated against the stock, but decided that it fit so well in that area that I would live with the front-end gap.
4. The ramrod is somewhat bent. That probably isn't a problem, but I think I might change it with all the talk about ramrods breaking and putting splinters through fingers.
5. Other than that, there is some trimming back on stock wood in some places, but not a lot (getting the trigger guard into its slot, getting the lock plate to fit its slot, things like that).
Other than that, the kit worked pretty well to this point. I don't know what a person should expect with the kits, but this didn't seem too bad.
:grin:
I just bought the Traditions Kentucky Percussion pistol, 50 caliber, and am in the midst of putting it together (my first kit). I am to the point of stock finishing and browning the barrel (it came as white metal). Here is what I have run into with this kit:
1. In general, the bolts are longer than what is needed to be able to put it together (maybe this is standard with kits). Watch that; as I put the tang bolt down from the top and into the trigger/trigger guard, the length forced the guard down and broke off its cast brass end. You have to grind the bolt off to the right length. I had to quickly learn brazing brass to repair the trigger guard.
2. One lock plate bolt that goes through from the side to hold the lock plate was too long and forced its length into the back of the hammer. It took me awhile to figure why the hammer wouldn't cock. You have to grind the bolt off.
3. The brass nose cap has two screws that go into the underside of the barrel. When I put it on, it left the nose cap about 1/8" away from the front end of the stock. I could have cut wood away from the stock in the area of the tang, where the barrel seated against the stock, but decided that it fit so well in that area that I would live with the front-end gap.
4. The ramrod is somewhat bent. That probably isn't a problem, but I think I might change it with all the talk about ramrods breaking and putting splinters through fingers.
5. Other than that, there is some trimming back on stock wood in some places, but not a lot (getting the trigger guard into its slot, getting the lock plate to fit its slot, things like that).
Other than that, the kit worked pretty well to this point. I don't know what a person should expect with the kits, but this didn't seem too bad.
:grin:
Thanks for sharing your experiences! I got to visit with ndnchf on Saturday and check out his GPR kit. We also went shooting, I was able to fire his Brown Bess (I think I'm in love :bow:, with Bess that is :nono: ) and some wonderful firearms we don't talk about here like his original 50-70 trapdoor.
After seeing his partially completed kit I am pretty sure I can handle it. I may have to ask for help at times but I'm not too proud to do that! His GPR kit had a few minor issues, for example the the stock came with a few holes in the wrong place that he had to fill and redrill. I think with access to a drill press I wouldn't feel bad with an undrilled stock that had been inletted for the barrel, ramrod, lock, and trigger group like those sold by TOTW. I could even use that as an excuse to visit a buddy with a drill press. :thumbsup:
The parts I ordered from Traditions to fix up the Jukar pistol showed up this weekend so I will have a new thread about that up in a week or so. Once I have "practiced" by restoring it I will be ready for the first kit, a pistol build with my stepson.
After seeing his partially completed kit I am pretty sure I can handle it. I may have to ask for help at times but I'm not too proud to do that! His GPR kit had a few minor issues, for example the the stock came with a few holes in the wrong place that he had to fill and redrill. I think with access to a drill press I wouldn't feel bad with an undrilled stock that had been inletted for the barrel, ramrod, lock, and trigger group like those sold by TOTW. I could even use that as an excuse to visit a buddy with a drill press. :thumbsup:
The parts I ordered from Traditions to fix up the Jukar pistol showed up this weekend so I will have a new thread about that up in a week or so. Once I have "practiced" by restoring it I will be ready for the first kit, a pistol build with my stepson.
deano said:
Just so ya know, the ramrod is not supposed to be Perfectly Straight. If it is, ya can't keep it in the rifle when walking & hunting. Low & behold the lil sucker will creep out on ya as you are walking in the woods, hang a vine & Uh-Ohh........ Broke the RR off......
The main thing on the RR is tht it has no grain runout to the edge of the wood. If it is straight grained & has a slight bow to it, that is ideal.... When I build a rifle, if I have one that is straight, I intentionally bow it. And I keep all of my blanks leaning in a corner so they will bow.
:thumbsup:
deanscamaro
45 Cal.
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Good feedback! I'll remember that.
:v
:v
The talk about breaking ramrods is usually talking about those with grain "runout".
If the grain is running continuously from one end to the other, you will never see what looks like this:
If your ramrod has grain breaking out of the side of the shaft then think seriously about getting a replacement.
If there is no "grain runout" as shown in the sketch your quite safe using the ramrod you have.
I must add here that as good as the Thompson Center rifles are the newer ones often have ramrods with severe grain runout and they are accidents waiting to happen.
Oh, by the way, the other major cause of wooden ramrods breaking is that the user grabs it too far up away from the muzzle and then tries to ram the ball home in one motion.
That is a sure fire way to break even a good ramrod which does not have any grain runout at all.
If the grain is running continuously from one end to the other, you will never see what looks like this:
If your ramrod has grain breaking out of the side of the shaft then think seriously about getting a replacement.
If there is no "grain runout" as shown in the sketch your quite safe using the ramrod you have.
I must add here that as good as the Thompson Center rifles are the newer ones often have ramrods with severe grain runout and they are accidents waiting to happen.
Oh, by the way, the other major cause of wooden ramrods breaking is that the user grabs it too far up away from the muzzle and then tries to ram the ball home in one motion.
That is a sure fire way to break even a good ramrod which does not have any grain runout at all.
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