Beware Traditions

[john1964]

Good morning all,

Well, I have tried to stay away from saying anything openly negative about Traditions, but after my conversation this morning I think it is necessary.

As you may know I ordered a Traditions Shenandoah. After first receiving the wrong gun (Kentucky), I have found the gun to be poorly designed. It seems the design is flawed and results in numerous misfires as the main charge does not iginite.

Because of this I was forced to attempt to pull a ball as I could not get the gun to fire. In attempting to do so, the ramrod broke off in the barrel. Of course, now I know that these ramrods are not robust enough for this purpose.

So I called Traditions and ordered two replacement ramrods. After a two week wait, and no ramrods, I called them and asked where my order was. They said they "were sent yesterday". I asked why such a delay. They said because they were busy - aren't we all.

Then the ramrods arrive. But they are the wrong rods. They contain no threads on either end like the one that came with the Shenendoah. So I call the company and tell them.

First, they say I need to return them at my expense. Second, the customer service person tells he shipped what I ordered. I say, ah no, I ordered ramrods for the Shenendoah. He says that's what I got. I say, but they have no threads. He says, the replace ramrods have no threads. Like any reasonable person would think a replacement part would be different from the original. How am I suppose to clean my gun with a threadless ramrod, and what reasonable person would utlilize the logic displayed in this conversation?

I am so completely disgusted with this company I can't even express it in words.

My advice - stay clear - this outfit is a joke. There are MUCH better choices like Lyman, TC, and Cabelas


Take care,
john

 

[Mike Brooks]

This is what you can expect from companies that manufacture guns outside the USA. The replace ment rod would have to come from what ever country the gun was made in....Italy?....Spain?
I would suggest you either purchase or make a good wood or steel cleaning rod with a muzzle protecting collar on it and go from there.
I'd advise buying a USA made product in the near future. :thumbsup:

 

[Pittsburghunter]

When I got my Crockett it had a few little problems that didn't seem to affect the funtionallity of the weapon but bugged me no the least.
1- The tang screw was drilled off center almost to the point of having the hole open one side of the tang.
2- the inletting of the lock although looks perfect from the outside left bearing suface behind it totally missing in a couple of spots.
3- The breechplug threads are shorter than the threads cut into the receiver so when cleaning you get your patch stuck on the threads if you a cleaning with a normal sized patch.

The gun does shoot and look great so I just choose to deal with the problems myself as I was afraid if I sent it back I may get something worse in return. :shocked2:

I really did expect it to be made a bit better than it was.

 

[Bob Riegl]

:hmm: I am sorry that you had a bad deal with Traditions---My Shenandoah in .36 hasn't given me one moment of problems. The "ramrod" is a joke and I replaced it immediately with a brass rod whcih I use when not at the range and a range rod for obvious purposes. I would return their favor and order another one. As far as GPR is concerned they are also made in Spain---mebbe the same guys---and the wooden rod that comes with the GPS is a piece of manure also and the brass fittings are not pinned---if you try to buy an american made gun---you are going to have a gun built for you by any number of people---and wait for at least 6 months to a year---otherwise anything out there in a boxed gun is made in Italy or Spain. :hatsoff:

 

[dougeee]

Sachem,misery loves company.Before Christmas I bought a TradtionsShenandoah rifle for myself and a kentucky pistol for my 9 year old son.I am a novice builder but adequate with tools.The rifle was tolerable though the toe plate was[url] missing.In[/url] my line of work I have plenty of brass and did not mind makin' one.The pistol on the other hand is a complete mess.I bought it to teach my son the BASICS of gun building.I knew beforehand there would be inletting problems and the like but not like what we've run into.Some the inletting is off by as much as three sixteenths to a quarter.I am blessed to have a very patient long time gunbuilder in my area that I can now call a friend :grin: He said when he first saw what we had that with kits they just throw in what doesn't pass QC in their shop.I can handle the disappointment with rifle but my sons pistol gets to me.Trigger guard has to be moved and the trigger shimmed and a lot of other good stuff.All of this will be no problem for my new friend but I wanted this to be somethin' my son could work on with my help.Now with all my whinin' over I think I got what I paid for.I just couldn't see payin more for a kit for a 9 yr. old to learn on.Oh well,I'll never buy another one.I have heard they shoot pretty good.Thanks for lettin' me vent.I really hope the ramrod problem was all you ran into :grin:

 

[john1964]

Thanks everyone for the input.

Just for the record, there is no comparison between my GPR and the Shenandoah, and the GPR was $60 cheaper.

Also, the GPR has an Italian barrel, similar/same as TC Hawken.

Can anyone recommend a nice ramrod for each of these guns? I figure I can leave the ramroads that came with the guns on as decoration and use something else at the range.

Thanks again,
john

 

[CrackStock]

I hope that you paid these people with a credit card so you can contest the charge.

I would contact October Country or another good vendor to have a good range rod made.

Eddy May of Georgia sold me at least one -- good fella, wish I had his number handy...

CS

 

[buckknife]

The replacement rod they sent sounds like the one that came with a kentucky rifle i bought new off em.The wood started craking were the 2 piece stock came togeather after 10 or 15 shots.I figuared im taken it back anyway so i kept shooten.After a few more shots it developed a 3 inch crack at the rear of the precusion lock.I returned it to the store.Swore id never own another traditions,then my wife bought me a shenndhoa flint used here awhile back.Its staying in one piece so far.Although it took a lot of monkeying around to get it to fire reliably.Id never buy one if the wife hadnt stuck me with it.
Course i tell her i like it :thumbsup:

 

[Arrowstorm]

Actually, my experiences with traditions has been quite agreeable. The few problems I did have, I called and asked for the same lady that helped me the first time. Once, I ordered a new frizzen. They shipped me one that wasn't drilled correctly. So they shipped me another. I snapped the main frizzen spring trying to get the new one on and called back and asked to speak to the same lady that helped me the first time. Instead of making me order a new frizzen spring, she just said, "ship us the whole lock and we'll take care of it". They sent me the "new and improved" flintlock for my model, the pennyslvania. It was a fast lock, and throws sparks for me every time. Now, every time i need something, I call and ask for the same lady. I've never had a problem with Tradition's customer service or thier products. i'm quite happy with all 4 of my traditions firearms. But.... guess I might have just gotten the luck of the draw, y'know?

 

[buckknife]

I talked to that same lady here awhile back.She is very polite and said the part will be shiped at no cost to me.Seems like a real nice gal.

 

[dmills]

I do believe the GPR is made in Italy by Investarms, which also makes the Cabelas rifles. Not that it makes any big difference either way to me. Made in Italy or Made in Spain is just not Made in the USA. :thumbsup:

 

[Mad Professor]

:hmm: I am sorry that you had a bad deal with Traditions---My Shenandoah in .36 hasn't given me one moment of problems. The "ramrod" is a joke and I replaced it immediately with a brass rod whcih I use when not at the range and a range rod for obvious purposes. I would return their favor and order another one. As far as GPR is concerned they are also made in Spain---mebbe the same guys---and the wooden rod that comes with the GPS is a piece of manure also and the brass fittings are not pinned---if you try to buy an american made gun---you are going to have a gun built for you by any number of people---and wait for at least 6 months to a year---otherwise anything out there in a boxed gun is made in Italy or Spain. :hatsoff:

Has New Hampshire rebeled and succeded from the States? :shocked2:

TCs are made there :grin:

 

[LRB]

As Mike said, buy American and leave the cheap imports alone. They don't look correct, they aren't made correct, and many don't work correct. American factory made will often give you enough problems without buying the imported junk. People buy this junk in order to save money, but all too often this cheap manure just doesn't get it done. A buyer ends up with a product that won't perform and ends up dissapointed, and sells to to another poor sap, losing money on the deal, and still has no gun.
Save your money, or borrow, and buy a proper made gun from a maker that you can trust. You will be money ahead in the long run. You will have a gun that works as it should, and it, with proper care, will last you a lifetime. If you ever decide to sell it, for whatever reason, you can get most of your money back on it, especially if it came from a known maker. Even if money is a problem, as it often is in these times, at least go as far as buying one in the white from a reputable source. Even if you do no more than stain it, and varnish it, you will be ahead. Way ahead.

 

[mikee51848]

have found the gun to be poorly designed. It seems the design is flawed and results in numerous misfires as the main charge does not iginite.

Are you getting sparks? Hard to believe the design is wrong or else everybody would be having the same problem. :hmm: Change flints to a good English one, make sure your touch hole is clear. Were you swabbing between shots? If you are, is the breech dry after swabbing? Damp powder up against the touch hole will not ignite.

 

[Pittsburghunter]

Has New Hampshire rebeled and succeded from the States?

One could only hope and pray for this to occure :grin:

I would love to live in the smallest country of the Americas :v

As it is The Old man of the Mountains looked to his right saw how VT was doing looked to his left saw everything happening in Maine looked south to Mass and just gave up.

 

[Cmabie]

Guys, thanks for the information. I built a Thompson Center "Hawken" percussion rifle from a kit. It has never given me any problems and shoots 3" groups at 50 yards. Also, I built a DGW Tenn. flintlock mountain rifle. It has a beautiful cherry wood stock. No problems and it shoots as accurate as the "Hawken" Rifle. I purchased a Traditions Pennsylvania flintlock rifle. It has a lot of brass inlays on the stock. It is the most accurate of the three muzzle loaders that I shoot. I will have to post the target, if I can find it, as the holes are all touching. I usually keep the targets and put them in a folder. The rifle was made in Spain. I use about 50gr. of FFg powder and a 49 caliber patched ball in it. My advice is not to use the loading rod that comes with the rifle for pulling balls. I have seen too many of them break. Get a steel or aluminum rod for this. By the way, in studying the stocks on a few original long rifles that I restored, for my dad, I noticed the butt of the rifle is held a little differently that modern guns. They seem to fit uppermost part of the arm where it joins the shoulder. Check one out.
:thumbsup:

 

[Eric/WV]

Wow, I had almost the exact thing happen to me a few years ago. I had a ball get stuck the first time I shot my Shenandoah. I tried to pull the ball, and the ramrod broke. I ordered a replacement, and it didn't have threads on the ramrod. After a few years of suffering through misfires, I finally sold it and got a custom flintlock. There's a big difference between the two guns. I haven't had a single misfire with my new gun. I would never own another traditons. Good luck

 

As Mike said, buy American and leave the cheap imports alone. They don't look correct, they aren't made correct, and many don't work correct. American factory made will often give you enough problems without buying the imported junk. People buy this junk in order to save money, but all too often this cheap manure just doesn't get it done. A buyer ends up with a product that won't perform and ends up dissapointed, and sells to to another poor sap, losing money on the deal, and still has no gun.
Save your money, or borrow, and buy a proper made gun from a maker that you can trust. You will be money ahead in the long run. You will have a gun that works as it should, and it, with proper care, will last you a lifetime. If you ever decide to sell it, for whatever reason, you can get most of your money back on it, especially if it came from a known maker. Even if money is a problem, as it often is in these times, at least go as far as buying one in the white from a reputable source. Even if you do no more than stain it, and varnish it, you will be ahead. Way ahead.

So us poor people should save our money for years on end,not shooting anything at all till we have enough saved to buy a rifle?Ill stick with my cheap Lymans.They shoot and function perfectly :grin:

 

[TN.Frank]

Dixie TN. Mt.Rifle is made in Japan IIRC. With the thousands of guns these companies turn out a month you'd figure that a lemon would slip thru from time to time. I look at most imports as bing "kit" guns that'll need some tweekin' and some work to get em' shooting right. My Austin n' Halleck worked flawlessly right out of the box. The flintlock sparks 100% and I can't say that I've EVER had a misfire with it. Do a bit of tweekin' on your gun and I'm sure you'll be able to bring it around to shoot decent.

 

[mastrsgt]

Frank,

OK, call me dumb. I have seen this on other forums as well as here. What the @&*$# does IIRC mean?

Don R