Finally decided on a Crockett Rifle

[Capt Augustus]

Well, after pestering everyone with my many questions, I finally decided on the Crockett Rifle. The BlueRidge sure looked good in .36, but at this stage I had to go with the lighter, shorter rifle.

I am concerned about quality, and will have to check it out when it arrives, especially the breech. I had a CVA Kentucky rifle in the beginning, the one with the brass band. We shot it for about 20 years, with up to 100 gr of BP. Well, I pulled the breech one day and there was at least 1/8 inch where the breech didn't seat. So all those years a bomb was sitting next to our heads when we fired it.

 

[Rat Trapper]

Before you order one, please check out the past post on this rifle. All the Crockett's I've ever seen were pretty poor quality. I know couple guys who have them and have had lock problems. That said there are some who post here who have not had problems with their Crockett rifles?? I went with the TC Seneca and TC Cherokee. I have one in 36 & one in 32. Put a post in the adds here for what you want and see what happens, it worked for me.

 

[boar]

Well I hope the rifle is better then their pistol. My grandson Silent Sniper sent his pistol back three times and it still was not right. First, Water ran out the breechplug threads, second ran out nipple threads bad,third water ran out breech-plug again, they said it would be ok. Dilly

 

[John Wasmuth]

Never had a moments problem with my crockett, shoots better than I can, carrys easy, and looks good. No problems with fit and finish on it at all. Have fun with it.

 

[Rick Callison]

I've had my Crockett over 10 years, no problems. I was surprised to read that quite a few people have experienced problems. I'm just lucky, I guess.

 

[hanshi]

While the Crockett is not in the same league with the Seneca or Cherokee, I've found them to be handy, accurate rifles for small game. No problems with mine and I've been shooting it for about 10 years.

 

[misher]

Only had one for a couple of weeks now. the only problem I have had is that after firing the cap has expanded to fill the entire inside of the hammer and has to be dug out. This might just be because it is new,I don't know. This is the first "New" one that I have had so maybe it is something that always happens. Maybe I should oil the area and try that.

It's a good shooter though!!

 

[Zonie]

The cap almost always expands and adheres to the inside of the hammer on my .50 and .54 TC Hawkens.

I've noted that at least with those two guns the presence of the old cap doesn't seem to have any bad effects on the next cap firing.

I suppose I might be called lazy for not looking for this while I'm shooting at the range but more than once after a days shooting I've had to dig out 4 or 5 cap shells from the hammer when I am cleaning the gun at home. :redface:

 

[paulvallandigham]

Jim: grind a "hair-lip"( ie. a narrow "V" notch, the full length of the skirt) in the front of the skirt on the hammer, to give the cap somewhere to expand, SAFELY, ( ie. away from your eyes, and face) so that the cap loosens. If a cap does stick in the skirt, the hair-lip give you an easy opening to use to pick the cap out, often only using your fingernail.

Also, use a long narrow grinding bit sold for Dremel tools, to grind a slight angle to the inside of the skirt on the hammer. The end, where the skirt opens, should be thinner than the thickness of the skirt back at the hammer's face. Coning that skirt will help prevent the caps from sticking. A bevel of only 1 or 2 degrees is all that is required.

This is exactly how I cured my percussion gun from grabbing spent caps.

 

[torn moc]

Great advice Paul ! You beat me to the post...
I did my .40 Mowrey that way and no problems occur now....

 

[hbennett]

I've also had a Crockett for a number of years. Never once had a problem with it. Found mine to be quite accurate once I figured out what load it liked.

 

[shmrck1]

I suppose I might be called lazy for not looking for this while I'm shooting at the range but more than once after a days shooting I've had to dig out 4 or 5 cap shells from the hammer when I am cleaning the gun at home. :redface:

Oh no,Zonie being lazy! Lost another hero! :rotf:
snake-eyes:surrender: :bow:

 

[shdwlkr]

If it were me my first choice would be a TC Seneca or Cherokee that is if I had time to find one. If not then I would most likely go with the crockett. As to quality I think that depends on the one that you get as I have read here that some seem to be good and some seem to less than desirable.
Today there isn't to much choice on small caliber muzzle loaders and I don't know what I would do if I had to get something today.
I have my TC,s and waited almost 20 years to find my second ones at a price I was willing to pay. You can find them for $450-600 quite often and that was just to steep for me so I waited and got a Seneca and a Cherokee for a good price as the dealer wanted to unload them.

 

[Capt Augustus]

Well, she arrived from Midsouth, and I felt 35 years younger. The balance and fit are perfect for me. The sights line up perfect when shouldered. I always need a lot of drop to get to the sights. Must be the bowling ball I call a head.

Next week I'll get to run some balls, then we'll see how accurate she is.

I think I'll name her Lil m, after my wife of 47 years.

 

[hanshi]

Well, she arrived from Midsouth, and I felt 35 years younger. The balance and fit are perfect for me. The sights line up perfect when shouldered. I always need a lot of drop to get to the sights. Must be the bowling ball I call a head.

Next week I'll get to run some balls, then we'll see how accurate she is.

I think I'll name her Lil m, after my wife of 47 years.

I think you'll be pleasantly surprised at how precisely your Crockett will place shots at 25 yards. Even at 50 yards you can still get "bragging groups". 30 grains 3f, ..310-.311 ball and .015 patch lubed with Hoppes #9 Plus, Black solve or even just plain spit will get you going nicely. Want to hunt? Try 15 - 20 grains 3f.

 

[cptleo1]

My Crockett has NEVER given me a problem.

 

[Billnpatti]

The solution that some manufacturers, such as T/C, have applied to this problem is to put a notch in the nose of the hammer. This allows the shooter to more easily remove the spent primer. I have had rifles that did not have the notch and I had the same problem that you are having. I took a triangular file and carefully filed a notch the full depth of the skirt on the nose of the hammer. Problem solved! :thumbsup:

 

[Capt Augustus]

Well, I managed to find some Hornady .310 balls, so I set out to the range today. I set up a target at 25 yards, and the first shot hit it center. Fired a few more, and got minute of squirrel with it, needless to say I was happy. I only made one mistake, I shot another muzzleloader after the Crockett, so yup I had two rifles to clean.

The Crockett's breech is surely a grabber. I used a loop cleaning fitting, although I really like a jag better. I managed to get the loop caught with a double patch, but I put the end of the rod over the fence and managed to pull the rod.

One big question, where do you get a nipple wrench that will fit this rifle? I ground one down until it fit, but I can tell it won't last long.

Thanks everyone for the help.

 

[misher]

I just use a regular wrench, seems to fit everything I have. At first I could'nt get it tight enough. I could take it off with my fingers. Seems ok now. I'll check it often for a while till I'm confident it will stay on. Don't need it blowing off into my face. That's my only not so bad Crockett problem.

 

[arcticap]

It's nice to hear that your Crockett rifle shoots really good.

Go to ebay.com and enter auction 120422721020 into the search box. There's a CVA nipple wrench with nipple pick that you can buy it now for $7.99 + $2.65 shipping.

If the item has been sold, there's another auction for the same wrench that's 140346139694 for $6.99 buy it now + $4.13 shipping.

There's some others available too, just type the words "nipple wrench" into the searchbox on ebay to view the listings.