The only markings on my percussion rifle is Ardesa Spain,50 cal. and the serial #, along with what I believe is the makers marks. Which look like 3 cannon balls,700Kp/cm h*2.Can anyone tell me about this rifle? My father-in-law gave me this gun but he doesn't know anything about it. :hmm:
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Is my 50 cal. a Traditions?
- Thread starter Daddybear
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The only markings on my percussion rifle is Ardesa Spain,50 cal. and the serial #, along with what I believe is the makers marks. Which look like 3 cannon balls,700Kp/cm h*2.Can anyone tell me about this rifle? My father-in-law gave me this gun but he doesn't know anything about it. :hmm:
The three cannon balls and 700Kp/cm h*2 is a Spanish Black Powder Proof mark.
Ardesa is a Spanish company that has made muzzleloaders for CVA and Traditions for years.
They not only supply guns to these American distributors but they sell many of their guns in Europe and the U.K.
Without photos of your gun it is difficult to nail down just exactly what you have but generally speaking the Ardesa guns are low cost and very functional.
There are better guns made but dollar to dollar the Spanish guns are worth the money.
Again, generally speaking these guns will have a 1:48 twist that is suitable for shooting patched roundballs or lead slugs.
If you decide to shoot your gun it would be happy with a .490 diameter pure lead roundball patched with .015 thick pure cotton patches.
The patches can be lubricated with spit, Crisco, Olive oil, Castor oil, or one of the lubricants made for muzzleloading guns by several different makers.
Because your gun is a Caplock, or percussion gun it will work with Pyrodex, 777 or one of the other synthetic black powders. It will work best with real black powder in the FFg or FFFg granulation size.
A word of warning here: NEVER try to use ANY SMOKELESS POWDER of any kind in your gun.
It will explode from even the smallest load of modern smokeless powder.
Because many of the modern smokeless powders are colored black some unfortunate people think that they are all right to use in their muzzleloaders.
They are NOT.
A load which will work well with the .490 diameter roundball would be 60-75 grains of powder.
This powder should be measured with a powder measure which can be purchased at gun stores which deal in muzzleloading arms.
Your gun will use a standard #11 percussion cap to ignite the powder charge.
The recoil from firing your gun with the above powder/ball load will be slightly less than you could expect from a .30-30.
Black powder guns recoil is also different when compared with modern smokeless cartridge guns.
Rather than a sharp WHACK on the shoulder black powder guns give a quick hard push which makes shooting them much more enjoyable than modern guns.
A tongue in cheek warning though.
If you take your new gun out and shoot it you will find that it is so much fun that you will be hooked for life.
The first shot is usually the greatest.
A look of doubt on the face. The careful aiming. The thoughts that this old fashioned thing probably won't work. Then the BOOM followed by a large cloud of white smoke and an ear to ear grin!
If you decide to shoot it, feel free to ask any question you may have. We will be more than glad to answer anything you want to know.
Ardesa is a Spanish company that has made muzzleloaders for CVA and Traditions for years.
They not only supply guns to these American distributors but they sell many of their guns in Europe and the U.K.
Without photos of your gun it is difficult to nail down just exactly what you have but generally speaking the Ardesa guns are low cost and very functional.
There are better guns made but dollar to dollar the Spanish guns are worth the money.
Again, generally speaking these guns will have a 1:48 twist that is suitable for shooting patched roundballs or lead slugs.
If you decide to shoot your gun it would be happy with a .490 diameter pure lead roundball patched with .015 thick pure cotton patches.
The patches can be lubricated with spit, Crisco, Olive oil, Castor oil, or one of the lubricants made for muzzleloading guns by several different makers.
Because your gun is a Caplock, or percussion gun it will work with Pyrodex, 777 or one of the other synthetic black powders. It will work best with real black powder in the FFg or FFFg granulation size.
A word of warning here: NEVER try to use ANY SMOKELESS POWDER of any kind in your gun.
It will explode from even the smallest load of modern smokeless powder.
Because many of the modern smokeless powders are colored black some unfortunate people think that they are all right to use in their muzzleloaders.
They are NOT.
A load which will work well with the .490 diameter roundball would be 60-75 grains of powder.
This powder should be measured with a powder measure which can be purchased at gun stores which deal in muzzleloading arms.
Your gun will use a standard #11 percussion cap to ignite the powder charge.
The recoil from firing your gun with the above powder/ball load will be slightly less than you could expect from a .30-30.
Black powder guns recoil is also different when compared with modern smokeless cartridge guns.
Rather than a sharp WHACK on the shoulder black powder guns give a quick hard push which makes shooting them much more enjoyable than modern guns.
A tongue in cheek warning though.
If you take your new gun out and shoot it you will find that it is so much fun that you will be hooked for life.
The first shot is usually the greatest.
A look of doubt on the face. The careful aiming. The thoughts that this old fashioned thing probably won't work. Then the BOOM followed by a large cloud of white smoke and an ear to ear grin!
If you decide to shoot it, feel free to ask any question you may have. We will be more than glad to answer anything you want to know.
paulvallandigham
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Why do you think the nipple needs to be replaced? Don't fix it if it ain't Broke!
That nipple sounds like one of Uncle Mike's Hot Shot nipples, if the hole are up in the top of the trunk of the nipple, and are covered by a percussion cap placed on top of the nipple.
The purpose of these holes is to vent gas to break the copper caps Free of the nipple when they are fired. That allows easy removal from the nipple before loading the next charge. Without such holes, many caps stick to the trunk of the nipple, and it takes a sharp knife, or pliers to get the darn things off! Hot Shot nipples have very good track records.
Only if the orifice on the inside BOTTOM of the nipple becomes enlarged, or if the top of the nipple becomes Peened down so that its difficult to put a cap on the nipple, do you need to consider replacing the nipple.
That nipple sounds like one of Uncle Mike's Hot Shot nipples, if the hole are up in the top of the trunk of the nipple, and are covered by a percussion cap placed on top of the nipple.
The purpose of these holes is to vent gas to break the copper caps Free of the nipple when they are fired. That allows easy removal from the nipple before loading the next charge. Without such holes, many caps stick to the trunk of the nipple, and it takes a sharp knife, or pliers to get the darn things off! Hot Shot nipples have very good track records.
Only if the orifice on the inside BOTTOM of the nipple becomes enlarged, or if the top of the nipple becomes Peened down so that its difficult to put a cap on the nipple, do you need to consider replacing the nipple.
paulvallandigham
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He is asking for thread size, I believe, but without knowing the exact MAKE of his gun, or seeing a picture of the gun at least, Its impossible to advise him.
His best bet is to go to a hardware store or a machine shop, where they have thread guages, and ask them to measure the treads on the nipple, which he takes with him for that purpose. Once he knows the thread size, he can order nipples from any of the many suppliers that have links on this forum.
His best bet is to go to a hardware store or a machine shop, where they have thread guages, and ask them to measure the treads on the nipple, which he takes with him for that purpose. Once he knows the thread size, he can order nipples from any of the many suppliers that have links on this forum.
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