Pedersoli Traditional Hawken Percussion Rifle

[Notchy Bob]

I know this is an old thread, but what did you do to remove the barrel? I have a Pedersoli Traditional Hawken on the way, & I just found out, it doesn't have a hooked breach for easy barrel removal. Any information will be greatly appreciated.

I don’t own that particular rifle, but I have disassembled a lot of traditional muzzleloaders that don’t have a hooked breech.

The first thing to do when you get the rifle, and I am not being sarcastic, is to read the manual which comes with it. In between all of the dire warnings and precautions may be the information you seek. Pedersoli literature usually includes an “exploded” diagram of the firearm which is also worth some study before you start turning screws.

Put an empty sardine can on your workbench.

Generally speaking, when you disassemble a traditional muzzleloader, start by removing the ramrod. Put the lock on half-cock and turn the lock bolt(s) almost all the way out, but not quite. The threads should still be engaged. Turn the rifle lock side down and press the lock bolt(s) with your thumb(s) to push the lock out of its mortise. Pedersoli is renowned for very tight tolerances, and you may need to lightly tap the bolt heads with a wood or rawhide mallet to push the lock out.

Once the lock is part way out of its mortise, remove the lock bolt(s) the rest of the way and put them in the sardine can. If there are two, it’s a good idea to check them for length. If they are not identical, you’ll need to make sure they are put back in the same holes they came from. Gently wiggle to lock the rest of the way out of its mortise and set it aside.

Remove the tang screw and put it in the sardine can. Drive out the barrel wedge. I use a wooden drift made from one leg of a wooden clothespin for this, with the small end filed and sanded to fit the end of the wedge. Put the wedge in the sardine can.

The barrel should now be free, but stop here and think. Again, Pedersoli tolerances are very tight. If you just lift the muzzle to lever the barrel out, you may bend the tang, and it is a real challenge to bend it back to its proper curve. Ideally, you lift the barrel straight out, or tip it out tang first. The padded wedge inserted through the lock mortise under the breech of the barrel, suggested in a previous post, may be one way to address this.

If you have gotten this far and the barrel still won’t come out, check back in with the forum.

Good luck! Enjoy that new rifle!

Notchy Bob

 

[JohnnM257]

I don’t own that particular rifle, but I have disassembled a lot of traditional muzzleloaders that don’t have a hooked breech.

The first thing to do when you get the rifle, and I am not being sarcastic, is to read the manual which comes with it. In between all of the dire warnings and precautions may be the information you seek. Pedersoli literature usually includes an “exploded” diagram of the firearm which is also worth some study before you start turning screws.

Put an empty sardine can on your workbench.

Generally speaking, when you disassemble a traditional muzzleloader, start by removing the ramrod. Put the lock on half-cock and turn the lock bolt(s) almost all the way out, but not quite. The threads should still be engaged. Turn the rifle lock side down and press the lock bolt(s) with your thumb(s) to push the lock out of its mortise. Pedersoli is renowned for very tight tolerances, and you may need to lightly tap the bolt heads with a wood or rawhide mallet to push the lock out.

Once the lock is part way out of its mortise, remove the lock bolt(s) the rest of the way and put them in the sardine can. If there are two, it’s a good idea to check them for length. If they are not identical, you’ll need to make sure they are put back in the same holes they came from. Gently wiggle to lock the rest of the way out of its mortise and set it aside.

Remove the tang screw and put it in the sardine can. Drive out the barrel wedge. I use a wooden drift made from one leg of a wooden clothespin for this, with the small end filed and sanded to fit the end of the wedge. Put the wedge in the sardine can.

The barrel should now be free, but stop here and think. Again, Pedersoli tolerances are very tight. If you just lift the muzzle to lever the barrel out, you may bend the tang, and it is a real challenge to bend it back to its proper curve. Ideally, you lift the barrel straight out, or tip it out tang first. The padded wedge inserted through the lock mortise under the breech of the barrel, suggested in a previous post, may be one way to address this.

If you have gotten this far and the barrel still won’t come out, check back in with the forum.

Good luck! Enjoy that new rifle!

Notchy Bob

I was just concerned with cleaning it properly, I have a Investarms Bridger Hawken 50cal that I bought last month, & a friend of mine showed me how he cleans his barrel in a 5 gallon bucket of hot soapy water with cleaning patches and his ramrod. I will read the manual thuraly, as soon as I get it. Hopefully it will arrive today. Thank you for the detailed information I appreciate it.

 

[Tasbay]

Cleanimg: I remove the nipple, run 3-4 sopping wet patches up and down the barrel. Stand rifle up and pour a jug of boiling water down the barrel, part way through tip rifle barrel down and black crud will come out. Stand back up and continue to empty jug down the barrel. While its hot run dry patches through barrel till clean (only takes a few). Then a couple of patches with CRC sprayed on them. Clean nipple area and spray a little CRC down flash channel. Clean outside of gun and nipple, re install nipple. Job done.

 

[JohnnM257]

Cleanimg: I remove the nipple, run 3-4 sopping wet patches up and down the barrel. Stand rifle up and pour a jug of boiling water down the barrel, part way through tip rifle barrel down and black manure will come out. Stand back up and continue to empty jug down the barrel. While its hot run dry patches through barrel till clean (only takes a few). Then a couple of patches with CRC sprayed on them. Clean nipple area and spray a little CRC down flash channel. Clean outside of gun and nipple, re install nipple. Job done.

Thank you.for the detailed information, I was concerned with proper cleaning procedure.

 

[Grenadier1758]

@JohnnM257, you can make a very effective flush kit by using one of Track's flush nipples and the appropriate plastic tubing and a weight on the end to keep the tubing in the cleaning solution.

https://www.trackofthewolf.com/List/Item.aspx/66/1