Pedersoli Kentucky .50

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Kapow

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BUGGER! New Gunstore opened up around the corner. Guess what is on the rack? If you said, "Pedersoli Kentucky .50" - good guess!
Looks to be in good nick for second hand rifle. Bore looks good with bore light. Couple of questions:

1. Wants $495 for it, may get it for $450. Sounds reasonable?? They retail new here for $840. Not sure of age.

2. How much gap should there be between flint edge and frizzen at full cock/ At the moment it is touching. It seems to throw a reasonable spark and the frizzen lays open after firing but there is no strike.

3. There seems to be a little bit of forward play (slop) in the hammer - about 2 - 3 mm of travel. Is that normal and/or an easy fix?

4. What are the Pedersoli locks like generally speaking?

5. The Pedersoli website says that this gun weighs 8.15lbs. No way it weighs that much. It feels more like 7lbs or is that balance?

6. The website also lists the R.O.T. at 1:48. Would that be slow enough for heavy loads with roundballs?

7. Any other thoughts or feedback from anyone who owns one of these?


Money is a bit tight and a Kentucky was not high on my list of priorities but I can really see myself hunting with this rifle as it handles so well. It seems that the barrel is fairly thin walled like 13/16 maybe?
 
Kapow said:
BUGGER! New Gunstore opened up around the corner. Guess what is on the rack? If you said, "Pedersoli Kentucky .50" - good guess!
Looks to be in good nick for second hand rifle. Bore looks good with bore light. Couple of questions:

1. Wants $495 for it, may get it for $450. Sounds reasonable?? They retail new here for $840. Not sure of age.

2. How much gap should there be between flint edge and frizzen at full cock/ At the moment it is touching. It seems to throw a reasonable spark and the frizzen lays open after firing but there is no strike.

3. There seems to be a little bit of forward play (slop) in the hammer - about 2 - 3 mm of travel. Is that normal and/or an easy fix?

4. What are the Pedersoli locks like generally speaking?

5. The Pedersoli website says that this gun weighs 8.15lbs. No way it weighs that much. It feels more like 7lbs or is that balance?

6. The website also lists the R.O.T. at 1:48. Would that be slow enough for heavy loads with roundballs?

7. Any other thoughts or feedback from anyone who owns one of these?


Money is a bit tight and a Kentucky was not high on my list of priorities but I can really see myself hunting with this rifle as it handles so well. It seems that the barrel is fairly thin walled like 13/16 maybe?
Click to expand...

Normally I'd say that's a good price, but, maybe a little too good from a shop for a reason...

Unless it's a really long flint with some leather or lead behind it and the jaw screw it isn't right. The cock is on a square mandrel thru the lock -- ideally it should be perfectly tight. Sounds like it is loose and that means it will get rounded and looser over time I believe.

Generally I find the locks quite good.

Weight I cant speak to.

I have a Pedersoli Kentucky and it shoots PRB pretty darn well though I've never put conicals through it (have I -- hmmm?). Still, I couldn't swear to the rate of twist (would presume it's whatever they publish today).
 
Kapow said:
1. Wants $495 for it, may get it for $450. Sounds reasonable?? They retail new here for $840. Not sure of age. $350-450 on Gunbroker

2. How much gap should there be between flint edge and frizzen at full cock/ At the moment it is touching. It seems to throw a reasonable spark and the frizzen lays open after firing but there is no strike. If it is touching at full cock, then the flint is way too large, or somebody modified the cock or has it in the wrong position on the tumbler.

3. There seems to be a little bit of forward play (slop) in the hammer - about 2 - 3 mm of travel. Is that normal and/or an easy fix?I agree with Alden that there should be no play

4. What are the Pedersoli locks like generally speaking? The KY rifle and pistol I had, and the pistol I have nnow have good sparking locks, but use a small flint...1/2" or 5/8"

5. The Pedersoli website says that this gun weighs 8.15lbs. No way it weighs that much. It feels more like 7lbs or is that balance? @7 lbs.

6. The website also lists the R.O.T. at 1:48. Would that be slow enough for heavy loads with roundballs? 1:48 is correct. Shoots PRB and conicals

7. Any other thoughts or feedback from anyone who owns one of these? I liked my Kentucky rifle, just wanted something else at the time. Was stupid to sell it!


Money is a bit tight and a Kentucky was not high on my list of priorities but I can really see myself hunting with this rifle as it handles so well. It seems that the barrel is fairly thin walled like 13/16 maybe? Unless you are going to go with a load greater than 100gr, the barrel is good. Never had a problem with mine, and have not heard an issue with others.
Click to expand...

My answers in red, and add that the KY rifle is a pretty sweet gun. But in this case, I would personally pass on it, with the slop in the cock. Mainly because you don't want to put money into a gun right away, and Pedersoli tumblers will run a bit higher than others.

Rusty
 
The first thing to do is to check the bore.

The price may be due to the year the gun was bought. In the past decade the prices for Italian made guns, Pedersoli or otherwise, have spiked a bit. If the rifle is 15 years old (for example), the price might be fair compared to what the gunshop paid for it. Also, the owner may not have known what it was worth, it might have been a gift at one time, or it may have been one of several rifles and guns sold to the gunshop in a group... and the person didn't really worry too much about getting full fair market value. Heck the thing might've been won in a raffle, and the cost to the previous owner was like $5.00; the cost of the ticket.

As for the cock being loose, see if the "hammer screw" is tight. The cock can often be peened to fit tighter.

As for locks, Pedersoli usually have good locks, not great locks, but good. The springs can be "iffy", and normally the frizzens are properly hardened.

A 1:48 twist will work fine with say a 60 - 70 grain load of 3Fg. You really don't more than that for deer with a .490 patched round ball.

You might want to swap-out the front sight post for something thinner, or both sights, to get the most out of the Pedersoli barrel. The steel front sight posts they sometimes use are like looking at a quarter on top of a 2x4 when it comes to sight picture.

The only real problem with Pedersoli rifle reliability is the patent breech that is often used. You need a .22 caliber wire brush sometimes to get down into the "chamber" at the breech to keep crud from building up. If it hasn't been fired much sometimes the Pedersoli barrel lands are sharp, so if you buy it check very hard for cut patches.

LD
 
thats a touch call.....i would personally pass on i t..I bought my pedersoli of this site for 450 $$ and it was in perfect shape....someone just recently had one on here in .45 for 425.00...so i would say that while its fair ....it already has some issues ....and your only going to run into more issues later on...replacing lock (150$) etc ...i would reccommend the advice that was given to me ....be patient and check the for sale frequently ...someone will eventually have what your looking for. I did not listen and i regret it now ...but i would avoid that rifle
 
All great advice, which I thank you for. The trouble with my location is that I might only see one decent rifle per year for sale so to pass on it would be pretty fair to say I would never see another one.

I know that the new owner of the shop - which he just opened didn't know what it was worth and he did buy it as part of a lot from an older couple, perhaps a deceased (or soon to be deceased) estate.

He just took a punt and put what he thought it was worth on it. It has been on the shelf a few months so I might run a jag down the bore and have a closer inspection of the lock then offer him a fire sale price. That way if the lock doesn't come good I am not too bad off. At least I can get parts for it.

I noticed that the flint he had in it was wrapped in a fine piece of lead but it was only a couple of mill's thick.

Maybe a week to cool off on it is what is needed...

...damned if you do, damned if you don't. There is no way I am buying a new one at $800 plus and I am not going through the headache of importing again so I suppose that makes it a one off opportunity.
 
FYI, as a basis for comparison, the Pedersoli Kentucky Rifle at Cabela's is presently on sale for $549 brand new. You can check it out on their website if you wish.
 
The difference in the Cabelas vs. Namebrand, is the Cabelas doesn't have the brass patch box and is double set triggers.

The "Pedersoli" KY comes with the solid brass PB that is not as great looking one as the older ones, which had ribboned (not sure that is the term) edges with inletted wood. It also has a single (not set type) trigger.
 
He's in Australia, mate!

"Queensland Cabela's," that's what they need. With stuffed dingos and 'roo's and kuala (sp?) bears and plaque-carrying swarms of mice and a shark in a rain puddle...

Is the implication Pedersoli makes a Cabela's-Special Kentucky sans patchbox but with a set-trigger! Damnit to hell -- I could USE a nice "little" gun like that. I LOVE the balance of my 36" single-trigger Pedersoli .50 Kentucky and had heard of them with set-triggers but presumed they were actually 39" Pedersoli Frontiers (which is my max ability length in a full-octagonal). That's not what we're talking about here is it Rusty? Is that Cabela's even a Pedersoli!?
 
Alden said:
He's in Australia, mate!

"Queensland Cabela's," that's what they need. With stuffed dingos and 'roo's and kuala (sp?) bears and plaque-carrying swarms of mice and a shark in a rain puddle...

Go easy on the meth...! I am trying to picture a swarm of mice carrying a plaque...what would it say? "make more cheese"? I hope Cabelas never comes here. It would kill small businesses. Back to the questions in the original post...
Click to expand...
 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zWVw-j8eYSk

Well, I TYPED plague and thought the "g" looked a little "q"ish... LOL Of course Australia has many horid things and the infestations of swarms of mice that carry many diseases is but one. Now let me get this straight...

You're convinced you'll never see another even half-broken Pedersoli Kentucky rifle in your lifetime and Cabela's would be another horror there would it!?

:hmm:
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Gees you are leading with your chin pal. Haven't seen any plague infested mice hordes but am aware of Lyme disease in the U.S.A. I'm not sure where the shark in the puddle comment came from, just assumed you are on something? I'd be happy if Cabelas stay put and just drop their ridiculous shipping charges.

The last time I imported a rifle from Track of the Wolf it was a nightmare to get it through customs. Thanks to 911 we are all regarded as criminals. I am just waiting for the hammer to drop on black powder, as if it isn't hard enough to get hold of now. Surprised it didn't after the Boston marathon incident.

Anyway thanks for your input.
 
Australians... Criminals? Now who could ever have thought such a thing Sir!?

Tell ya what my bloody wombat, we won't export Cabela's if you take back Paul Hogan.
 
Only those in the former colony of New South Wales come from convict stock and after 200 years they still haven't mastered the game of football :rotf: :wink: sorry :)
 
Pedersoli's realy hold their value down here , Forbe's in Vic. are the distributers and Green River in SA should be able to carry out any lock repairs and tuning , you will find there is no troubles bringing in small service parts for a b/p gun you have on paper . :)
 
I believe that the Cabelas Pedersoli ky without patchbox is their 'frontier' model. Pedersoli's, that is.
 
I think you may be right about that. I offered him $350 and he took $400 so merry Christmas to me! Pretty happy with that deal. I put a few swabs though the bore and it appears perfect. I tightened the retaining bolt on the lock hammer which removed most of the slop so happy about that too. I didn't want to fix it too much and lose my leverage on the negotiations!

It will take a while for the permit and other paperwork to get sorted but that will give me time to pay it off and have it ready for next deer season (March). Looking forward to shooting it. It is one of those rifles that just felt "right" in my hands.

Thanks to those who contributed with helpful comments.
 

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