Pedersoli Kuchenreuter pistol review w/ Match tuning

[No second place]

After shooting and competing with most target type Caplock repos and many originals I only recently acquired a Pedersoli Kuchenreuter. Always wanting to test one for match shooting use. This one is .40 caliber. Will the Kutch replace my Pedersoli Cap Lapage as my primary capper? But first, just like any other new to me match pistol...Tuning...Some have asked for details on my tuning and my answer is always "depends on what each gun needs". I will provide some details here. Not a "How To" guide. Just What and Why. Barrel tuning; Crown shape and polish. Why. To prevent patch damage and ease starting. Bore Taper-Lapping and Polishing. Why. Ease of loading, less fouling build up and ease of cleaning. Front sight. Reshape to straight side with a taper from front to rear. Why. Better sight picture in various light conditions without distracting reflections changing your point of aim. Wedge and tenon under barrel and breech wedge fit and tension. Why. Preventing point of aim drift... Hook breach with rear sight and tension screw; Proper screw tension needed to prevent point of aim shift. Replaced V notch rear sight with a U notch for better sight picture. Fixed internal adjustments for rear sight.Why. Did not work, now works and will not randomly change adjustment...Lock; Polish , Stone and adjust Fly, Sear, Tumbler and screw tension. Why; Faster, smoother and more consistent operation... Trigger; Polishing, Stoning and adjusting. Why; For a fine match trigger... I also removed the factory "Plastic looking" finish. The new finish is a oil blend type like you will see on original guns... Were all these improvements, adjustments or tuning needed? Yes. Is this much needed tuning typical? Yes. Would you not shoot a new gun first to "find out" it`s tuning needs? No, not any more. Point or aim shifting, poor trigger and poor sights is not worth a range day...Pictures and 2 days of range testing to follow...nsp

 

[wiscoaster]

Nice review .... but .... NO PICS?!?!?

 

[No second place]

No before pictures as this is not a "HowTo"...nsp

 

[No second place]

Nice color case hardening and fine browned barrel by Pedersoli...

some might call this a defarbed finish. The reason for this no gloss matt type finish is for a better non-slip grip for match use. Very easy to maintain.

 

[No second place]

 

[No second place]

The rear sight screw (seen behind the rear sight) needed replacement with a custom turned and fitted type with a coil spring inserted to prevent rear sight shift. Other Pedersoli pistols with similar sights need the same treatment in my experience. Examples include 2 Cook Underhammers, 5 LePage Caplocks, 4 LePage Flintlocks and an Original Swiss target type Caplock. Without this fitting the adjustments were erratic, very limited and prone to shifting. I show the sight picture here because it has been cut, leveled and shaped for a easy to see sight picture. The original sights on all these pistols were at best only usable in the best light conditions by someone with great eyesight. The picture here is not as good as my range sight picture with these sights, just the best I could manage with my camera...nsp

 

[No second place]

Range report; The final results after two days of load development, sight adjustment and finding my best hand position were much better than I would expect from a new to me pistol with a grip not like my any of my others. On the NRA B 8 at 25 yards 97 , 98 and 99. NRA B 6 at 50 yards; 87 and 90. That's a good day with any ML match pistol. On the second day I shot targets side by side. Trading off from my favorite Caplock LePage. 36 to the Kutcher to see if I might prefer one over the other. After two 25s and two 50s with close scores...No, for the first time my favorite has a challenger...Other Kutcher superizes. A .395 RB 17 thousands patch and just 10 grains Swiss for 25 yards and 18 grains at 50 yards no sight adjustment with a 6 O'clock hold. Recoil seems no more than my .36 LePage with the 12 grains Swiss at 25 yards and 18 at 50 yards. Even loading both than shooting one after the other. The grip on the Kutcher is a bit larger and it's a couple ounces more but balance and feel while holding and sighting still feel just right. The lock time or speed is the fastest I have seen due to a hammer stroke measured at about half of my LePage Caplock. The hammer strikes with less force also resulting in less strike bobble while firing. I expected to find something I didn't like compared to my LePage Caplock. Most likely the .40 caliber being a bit much for my arthritic sensitivity these days. Even the 18 grains of Swiss recoil was no more than my .36 caliber LePage. The little extra weight and slightly fuller grip may be the answer. Also thought the fluted grip of the Kutcher would be inferior to the nice fine chechering of the LePage. Nope. Thought the lack of a heel rest on the Kutcher vs. the LePage's perfectly fitting heel rest for my hand would be missing. No. Nothing missing. The Kutcher just doesn't need it to be great just the way it was built. No wonder to me now that the Kutchenruter Caplock of the 1840s was and is considered the epitome of target pistols of it's era...nsp