Pedersoli or Traditions flintlock?

[fstreed]

I want to buy a flintlock pistol in .50 caliber. I have narrowed it down to either the Pedersoli Kentucky, the Traditions Kentucky (assuming someone still has the Traditions flinter in stock), or the Traditions Trapper flintlock. The Possible Shop and a few others still list the Traditions Kentucky in the flintlock version, although it seems to be no longer made.

I just recently obtained a Traditions Kentucky Percussion, and I mostly like it. It is accurate, it has a decent trigger, and I like the overall balance of it. I like the looks of the Pedersoli better, it just seems to have cleaner lines, the way the lock fits, and the stock is walnut as opposed to the beech of the Spanish pistols.

The Pedersoli pistols are about a hundred dollars more, which is OK if it is a hundred dollars more gun, but I guess that is the question. Does anyone have any advice or opinions to offer?

 

[fstreed]

Update. I just found the Pedersoli Kentucky Flintlock in .50 caliber on Dixie Gun Works web site for $295.00. So I bought it. This is actually cheaper than they are selling the caplock version, they have the percussion tagged at $325 for the .50.

They describe it as having a steel nosecap, color casehardened, with the rest of the furniture in brass. Pedersoli's website shows current models with a brass nosecap, maybe this is last years model or something. I would prefer it all in steel but will settle for brass. Whatever, the price I regard as relatively friendly, even for a cheapskate hillbilly like me, so I couldn't pass it up.

This kind of brings me full circle. My first muzzleloading pistol was a little kit I bought from Dixie Gun Works when I was I high school, back around '68 or '69. It was a Spanish made kit, smooth bore, I think .40 cal. if I remember correctly, either a 4" or 6" barrel, and required a lot of work to make a gun out of it. I built it in high school wood shop class. The teacher, an ol'guy we called The Toad, never batted an eye when I told him I wanted to build a gun for my class project. Times sure have changed. One of my brothers borrowed the pistol a few years later to use on his trap line and as far as I know still has it.

Anyhow, I'm excited! Nothing like that new gun smell. Now I better head on over to Graf and Sons and get some Goex 3f on the way.

 

[sanbar]

I just got back into muzzleloaders after a almost 40 year absense. About 3 weeks ago I bought a Traditions Kentucky flint pistol from the shop in Springfield Oregon for $ 215. Havent shot it yet, but it sparks well. The build quality is actually better than the Pedersoli Frontier rifle I bought last year. I do agree that the Pedersoli pistol looks better at least in the pictures on their website. Let us know how it shoots.

 

[fstreed]

I am impressed with my Traditions caplock pistol. I have put about 250 shots through it now and have kind of got the loading procedure worked out. On my best day with it I put 4 5-shot groups in a row under 2" at 25 yards. Last time I was out with it I fired several groups and couldn't get one under 3" at the same distance. I think that is me, not the pistol. I have been shooting Triple 7 in 3f, but ordered a supply of Goex just before I posted this, I am looking forward to trying that.

Flintlocks are kind of new to me. I have shot several of them belonging to other people over the years but the only one I ever owned was one of the Jap made Tower pistols that DGW used to sell back in the day, and that doesn't really count, although I did manage to get it to go off a few times.