Crockett Rifle Questions

[John Wasmuth]

If this has been posted before I apologize. I just bought a Traditions .32 cal Crockett Rifle and expect it to arrive soon. Does anyone here have any past experience with this rifle, what loads it likes, how does it shoot, things of that nature. Any thing will help.
Thanks.

 

[jethro224]

I bought my Crockett earlier this fall to use for squirrel hunting.
It's a great little rifle for the $. The fit and finish could be better but it shoots real good. I'm getting 1" groups with 20 grains of 3f, .310 round ball and Wal-mart pillow ticking patches. I think I could do better with a bit more load development time but I was ready to go huntin' so I'm satisfied for now. Come springtime, I'll get back to the range.
The one thing to look out for is the breech is weird. If you run a tight patch on a jag all the way to the bottom it will get stuck. It feels like the breech is slichtly larger diameter than the bore with a sharp step down there. I had a heck of a time getting it back out. Ever since, I use a bore brush with a patch instead of a jag to clean the last couple inches at the bottom.
I really like my Crockett. It's cheap to shoot, accurate, lots of fun, don't kick, and knocks the stuffin's right out of a squirrels head. :thumbsup:
I think you'll like yours too! Just don't expect a custom quality rifle for a cheapo price.

 

[Rebel]

I had 2 of them. They were both extremely accurate and easy to carry. I used .310 rd balls, 20-30 gr Pyrodex P, and a Wal-Mart pillow ticking patch. They would shoot 1 hole, 3 shot groups, at 25 yds and 1"- 1 1/2" groups at 50 yds. I think you will really like yours.

 

[davy]

The one thing to look out for is the breech is weird. If you run a tight patch on a jag all the way to the bottom it will get stuck. It feels like the breech is slichtly larger diameter than the bore with a sharp step down there. I had a heck of a time getting it back out. Ever since, I use a bore brush with a patch instead of a jag to clean the last couple inches at the bottom.

Hola amigos ..

There is a possibility that like some touchholes in flint rifles the drum is protruding into the bore form the inside and hanging up your ramrod and patches as you reach the point that it breeches the bore.

You might have this checked by a competent gunsmith to resolve the issue ... at the very least you could put your mind at ease as to what it is that is hanging you up down there!

just a thought!

Davy

 

[John Wasmuth]

Thanks for all the great replies! I own several CVA rifles, a couple of traditions, and all of them shoot great and feel good. I did a few searches looking for reviews on the Crockett, but didn't find much. We do have a CVA "Squirrel" rifle that is a lot of fun to shoot. I've been using 30 grains of FFg and .o15 wounder patch and it will touch em at 40 yards on a good day. Every time we go to the Alamo I stare at the .32 Cal that Crockett owned and do some sketches of the inlay and brass work, great looking rifle, which I presume Traditions tried to copy to some extent. Hope this one arrives soon and we can get smokin with it! Thanks again.

 

[davy]

Thanks for all the great replies! I own several CVA rifles, a couple of traditions, and all of them shoot great and feel good. I did a few searches looking for reviews on the Crockett, but didn't find much. We do have a CVA "Squirrel" rifle that is a lot of fun to shoot. I've been using 30 grains of FFg and .o15 wounder patch and it will touch em at 40 yards on a good day. Every time we go to the Alamo I stare at the .32 Cal that Crockett owned and do some sketches of the inlay and brass work, great looking rifle, which I presume Traditions tried to copy to some extent. Hope this one arrives soon and we can get smokin with it! Thanks again.

Well if your a Davy Crockett fan .. then perhaps you will enjoy this photo of a gentleman I had the pleasure to meet last March in Bejar ... David Patton Crockett, Davy C's real to life great ... great grandson! A nice gentleman for sure! :grin:

Davy

 

[DannyB]

I hope that you enjoy yours as much as I do mine. Great little shooter. I'm still playing with a load, but at 20g of FFFg with a .310 PRB, it'll knock the snot out of a tree-rat.

 

[walruskid1]

there are a couple of past threads on the crockett that you may want to search. i just bought one last month and had a lot of the same questions. the way it hangs onto patches in the chamber i would reccommend a good range rod or at the minimum a ball handle that screws into the factory rod. i sure do love mine and it is a good shooter. i would still like to know if anybody mounted a peep sight of any type on theirs.

 

[swoter]

I've got a buckhorn on the back of mine, while not a peep by any means, it seems to help line up the sights better. May just be my imagination also.

 

[John Wasmuth]

Thanks for all the great replies! I own several CVA rifles, a couple of traditions, and all of them shoot great and feel good. I did a few searches looking for reviews on the Crockett, but didn't find much. We do have a CVA "Squirrel" rifle that is a lot of fun to shoot. I've been using 30 grains of FFg and .o15 wounder patch and it will touch em at 40 yards on a good day. Every time we go to the Alamo I stare at the .32 Cal that Crockett owned and do some sketches of the inlay and brass work, great looking rifle, which I presume Traditions tried to copy to some extent. Hope this one arrives soon and we can get smokin with it! Thanks again.

Well if your a Davy Crockett fan .. then perhaps you will enjoy this photo of a gentleman I had the pleasure to meet last March in Bejar ... David Patton Crockett, Davy C's real to life great ... great grandson! A nice gentleman for sure! :grin:

Davy

Wow! Thats really neat! I've been studying Crockett since I was a child, long long time. Fasinating man, at least to me. They have some what changed the display in the long barrack, and added what I presume is one of the last rifles David Crockett owned. It's a percussion long rifle in what appears to be .50 or .52 caliber. They also have his "tin" box there, along with his hair brush. I get down to Bexar about once a month and never miss a chance to go visit the Alamo. Appreciate the replis from all. Thanks. I think that this will be one heck of a fun rifle to shot.

 

[davy]

Wow! Thats really neat! I've been studying Crockett since I was a child, long long time. Fasinating man, at least to me. They have some what changed the display in the long barrack, and added what I presume is one of the last rifles David Crockett owned. It's a percussion long rifle in what appears to be .50 or .52 caliber. They also have his "tin" box there, along with his hair brush. I get down to Bexar about once a month and never miss a chance to go visit the Alamo. Appreciate the replis from all. Thanks. I think that this will be one heck of a fun rifle to shot.

Well I believe they still have the Andy Thomas "Crockett" rifle on display in the newly organized Long Barracks as well, so they actually have two of his rifles on display at the Alamo. I was there last month after the new LB exhibit opened ... and the Painted murals are very nice! :grin:

If you are around there on March 6th Alamo Dawn Ceremony weekend this next year .... look me up, we will be there carousin at the Menger Bar! :hatsoff: There have usually been a few of the Crockett family that show up every year for the celebration as well .. so come on down!

Also there is a new Crockett book out called "Davy Crockett ..Hero of the Common Man" which has just come out by the author Bill Groneman, a gentleman that I happen to know and respect! Worth a look at!

In the meantime here is another picture you mite like to see ...

Recoginize ol Davy Crockett/ Dan Boone Fess Parker? The ladies with him are two of Davy Crocketts great grandaughters as well!

Davy :hatsoff:

 

[John Wasmuth]

Wow! Thats freakin cool! Davy, sure appreciate the warm welcome!

 

[John Wasmuth]

I hope this works, here's some of the "Crockett" garb I make.

 

[davy]

Looks great! You would fit rite in with a few fellers I know down Bejar way! :grin:

Davy

 

[John Wasmuth]

Sounds great! We were down last March and watched some great things unfolding. Heck we are only 70 miles from there, and after deer season wraps up, maybe we can get together fer a horn.

 

[6mmppc]

I just read your post regarding the Crockett rifles on display at the Alamo. Is there a chance you have seen the long barreled rifle close enough to know if there are initials on the barrel?

I descend from the NC Gillespie family and supposedly that rifle was made by one of the Gillespie riflemakers and given to D. Crockett. I have several versions of the family story but no proof any are true. I was told by a family member that on his visit to the Alamo they allowed him to get a better view of the rifle and there were H. J. G initials on the barrel. The barrel was supposed to be 5 Ft. 3 inches! Many of the Gillespie's stamped their initials on the barrel. Also, some of the Gillespie's married Crockett's and vice versa. A branch of the family moved to Washington County VA and later into KY/TN.

Thanks
Dennis[url] www.GillespieRifles.com[/url]

 

[davy]

Well Mica I am a Ft.Worth boy .. why shucks only about 300 miles apart .. were practically neighbors! :grin: I will probably be down that way some time after the first of the year, and do some BP shootin with John Hinnant in Bejar, as that is where he is livin! And certainly will be there come March, so mebee we can hook up then!

6mm ... I do not remember the barrels of either of those Crockett guns at the Alamo being that long, but I could be mistaken, and perhaps one was shortened ... they are kinda hard to get to as they are in glass cases that are large enuff to keep you from getting too close if you know what I mean!

Perhaps Bruce Winders the Alamo curator can answer those questions ... the Andy Thomas rifle has a very heavy barrel on it, but its presentation case is against the wall, and so you cannot get to see the top of the barrel.

Davy

 

[John Wasmuth]

They got his .32 in the noncombatent room, has some writen on it but my eyes aint as good as they used to be. The long rifle is in the long barrack museum, it's set at an angleso it's hard to see anything on the barrel. They got a few others that were used during the battle also.

 

[John Wasmuth]

Well Mica I am a Ft.Worth boy .. why shucks only about 300 miles apart .. were practically neighbors! :grin: I will probably be down that way some time after the first of the year, and do some BP shootin with John Hinnant in Bejar, as that is where he is livin! And certainly will be there come March, so mebee we can hook up then!

6mm ... I do not remember the barrels of either of those Crockett guns at the Alamo being that long, but I could be mistaken, and perhaps one was shortened ... they are kinda hard to get to as they are in glass cases that are large enuff to keep you from getting too close if you know what I mean!

Perhaps Bruce Winders the Alamo curator can answer those questions ... the Andy Thomas rifle has a very heavy barrel on it, but its presentation case is against the wall, and so you cannot get to see the top of the barrel.

Davy

Heck ya, look forward to it. Genoooooo, he just signed up here today, he's out in san dieago, but was visiting us over the weekend. We took em to the Alamo yestarday, needless to say he was awed. Got em hooked on black powder whilst he was here.

 

[6mmppc]

Perhaps Bruce Winders the Alamo curator can answer those questions ... the Andy Thomas rifle has a very heavy barrel on it, but its presentation case is against the wall, and so you cannot get to see the top of the barrel.

I emailed Bruce with the description/story of the long barreled rifle and he confirmed that there was a rifle like that on display but he did not know about the story. I later emailed and asked about the initials with no reply. This past Oct we had planned a trip and emailed asking if we could view the rifle and was told "that should not be a problem" then with the huricane's we delayed our trip. Probably will go in the spring. Hope we will be able to get a closer look.
Thanks
Dennis