Pedersoli Kentucky pistol help

[Loja man]

Good afternoon all,
I’m currently working on a Pedersoli Kentucky percussion kit that I was given for Christmas! here’s one of my current issues I’m trying to resolve. Other than my dad‘s old Jukar Kentucky pistol from the early 80s I’ve not had any hands-on experience with this style of Pistol. I ordered a butt cap from Track but it seems really small. It even seems a little small on my dad‘s pistol. His pistol already feels a little spindly in my hand. A lot of the pictures I see online where the pistol has a butt cap the handles look very broomstickish. I currently like the feel of how it currently is. Obviously need to refine quite a bit but I don’t know that I wanna take a ton of wood off of it.

So to you that have this kind of pistol or similar is it pretty common for the handle to be very round and seeming small? Or do you know of larger cast but caps that are available?
Thanks

 

[Loja man]

Also do any of you know if this trigger guard will fit my pistol?

https://www.trackofthewolf.com/Categories/PartDetail.aspx/930/1/TG-MA-120-B

 

[Alan O]

Hi. I'm struggling with the same issue with the same kit (but FL not perc). I've done some research and I'm beginning to think that the cap doesn't have to cover the entire butt of the pistol and that there can be some wood on the trigger side of it with the cap almost inlaid. Here's an example of what I mean:

 

[SmokepoleSam]

Why do you want to put a butt cap on it? I don't think I've seen a Kentucky with one on it but it's your gun and if you like it that's all that matters. I personally don't like the look of the pictured half covered butt but that's just me. If you could get a larger cap I think it would look fine. Why do you want to replace the trigger guard that came with the kit is it just for looks or is there something wrong with it. Again there's nothing wrong with changing anything it's your gun so why not make it yours. I'm just nosey. Good luck with your build and post pictures.

 

[Loja man]

Alan that would probably work but I don’t love the look:-(
Sam I’m just trying to dress it up a little. In regards to the butt cap…I know I have not seen one that comes with a kit but it seems many of the original “ Pennsylvania/Kentucky” pistols that I have seen pics of have them. I am not educated enough to know weather the Kentucky kits are a lose interpretation and to cut cost don’t include the butt cap. This is my suspicion yet I know not. I don’t know thet I have seen a original pistol that has a handle shape like the kits do. Yet that again is just from what I can find on the net. As far as the trigger guard goes I am just trying to dress it up some.

 

[Loja man]

Sam I also am looking to switch out the ram rod pipes. The original rear pipe is straight ( doesn’t step down to the skirt) as well as has no skirt at all. Witch I feel makes shaping the transition in the stock harder. I thought I might change the trigger guard to match the pipes a little better. These are the pipes I’m looking at. This tiger guard acutely might match the pipes better.

 

[Alan O]

Alan that would probably work but I don’t love the look:-(
Sam I’m just trying to dress it up a little. In regards to the butt cap…I know I have not seen one that comes with a kit but it seems many of the original “ Pennsylvania/Kentucky” pistols that I have seen pics of have them. I am not educated enough to know weather the Kentucky kits are a lose interpretation and to cut cost don’t include the butt cap. This is my suspicion yet I know not. I don’t know thet I have seen a original pistol that has a handle shape like the kits do. Yet that again is just from what I can find on the net. As far as the trigger guard goes I am just trying to dress it up some.

no worries! I've seen some examples dating from the 1700s-1800s and that look isn't for everyone, but I like it because you don't have to thin the stock to get the cap to cover the whole butt. OTH, the butt cap *is* brass so maybe you can flatten/stretch it a little! Now there's a thought, and wondering if any of our MLF brethren have done that...

 

[Loja man]

I’m really hoping the more experience builders will chime in here. I was talking to Track yesterday about the butt cap and they no longer sell a larger one. Apparently they had a guy that made a larger one for them but sometime ago he has passed away!

 

[Dave Dworshak]

this might be a long way around what you want, but if you make a template of the pistol and add the butt and trigger guard and what ever else you want to add, see what you like or what is too hard to do. also it will be good practice. Its your pistol, make it the way you want. good luck! Use a nice piece of wood. you might want to keep it.

 

[morehops52]

Post production help here. Sorry I can't answer your question but I hope this helps later on. I have a Ped Ken Pistol in 50 (not a kit) and the original trigger pull I would estimate to be at least 12 lb maybe more. I put some graphite lube on the trigger and worked the lock many times to get it a "reasonable" 6-8 lb. Also, my 50 could not be fed anything larger than a .480 RB with patch. Good luck they're great guns.

 

[Compressorguy]

I just finished a Pedersoli flint build recently. I can’t answer the butt cap question but did go with one of tracks trigger guards (TG-MA-19-B) as well as other embellishments. Original was too spindly looking and very poorly shaped. In hindsight I do wish I would have changed the entry pipe as well. I also made a new trigger out of some flat bar stock and got my trigger pull to 3-3.5lbs with very little creep and nice clean break. The original, like others have said, had 1/4-3/8” inch play and 10-12lb pull. Great pistols and shooters. Good luck with your build. Would love to see finished photos.

 

[Loja man]

Compressorguy,
Thanks for the tip on the trigger guard. Did you replace the muzzle cap as well? If so do remember what one you ordered? At this piont I am not going to make a new trigger. Mine dose have some play in it. My plan was to inlet the trigger more. By moving it closer to the sear it should eliminate play. Also it is that much more I can slim the gun down.
I am just going to send the butt cap back. I may make something myself. We will see. I also ordered a new nose cap for it but it doesn’t seem like a good fit either! It looks like it it is to “low”. It obviously needs cut down. It is also on backwards but that is just ti see how it will sit.

 

[Compressorguy]

Yes, that’s what I did regarding making a new trigger, I made it “taller” so its closer to the sear bar. There is actually pressure on it even uncocked. I purposely oversized it so I could file it back to the desired “pre-load”. Initially installed it would not let the sear set. I then filed it down until it would securely hold the sear, even with a severe blow to it, so as to not accidentally discharge but also at a much reduced trigger pull weight. Has remained consistent after many cleaning removals and reinstalls and is about 3.5lbs.

Regarding the muzzle cap, I did replace it with a more traditional style because I didn’t like the one with the screw set up, plus I wanted it in brass. The one I bought was the long grooved 7/8” one MC-GR-14-B because it appeared to match the main contour of the stock most closely. I wanted it flush with the rest of the stock. That way I could cut it to length. I also “built up” extended the front end with a wood shim and epoxied it on. Worked extremely well. These additions also allowed me to take ALOT of wood off because I wanted a very slim profile pistol as well.

Note: if you do go the brass muzzle cap route, be sure to cut the cap long enough, at least 1” “plus” long, so that it sits far enough back in the stock to get past the end curvature of the stock and step that Pedersoli did but also long enough to reach the end of the barrel. You want it to just start in the “straight” section of the end fore stock as you greatly sand it down. If that’s the look your going for. Hopefully this will make sense.

Here’s a link to the post on my build with some additional info and pics.

https://www.muzzleloadingforum.com/threads/pedersoli-kentucky-pistol-kit.137436/

 

[Nameless Hunter]

From a couple of auctions, there seems to be some were made with butt plates.

 

[Loja man]

Thanks Compressorguy, I had actually looked over your build thread before.
Nameless Hunter I like the butt cap on the last photo!

 

[Nameless Hunter]

Thanks Compressorguy, I had actually looked over your build thread before.
Nameless Hunter I like the butt cap on the last photo!

Did you check out the butt caps from Muzzleloader Builders Supply?
https://www.muzzleloaderbuilderssupply.com/mbs3cart/agora.cgi?cart_id=1054497.20297&product=ButtCaps

 

[Loja man]

Did you check out the butt caps from Muzzleloader Builders Supply?
https://www.muzzleloaderbuilderssupply.com/mbs3cart/agora.cgi?cart_id=1054497.20297&product=ButtCaps

Yes, I did. The ones they have are a little different shape but still have the same overall measurement.

 

[Loja man]

So I return the muzzle cap and butt cap. Ordered a new trigger guard and new ramrod thimbles. I’m going to look into just making a butt cap as well as the muzzle cap.

 

[Loja man]

So my trigger guard and thimbles are in! Actually they have been in for a while. I have been busy working on some knives! Yet I now just about have the new thimbles ready to pin.
So this may be a crazy idea… i’ve noticed that many of the flint locks that are more original have a domed face or the edges chamfered. Obviously this is a percussion not a flintlock. But if I was to add a chamfer to the edge of the lock I could thin down the wood around the lock even more. Trying to slim the lock area down as much as possible. If I took a chamfer to the tape lines that would allow me to take at least the 16th off the wood around the lock. If I took 1/16 off on the plate side I would thin the stock down by 1/8.
Is that crazy talk?

 

[Loja man]

Well….. dog gone it! I didn’t compare the new trigger guard to the old soon enough. I cut the lug off the bottom of the new one and the new one is too short. The trigger hits it!!! Thier goes $17 down the drain!!