pistol kits?

[kgs113]

I've been thinking about getting the traditions trapper kit. Anybody have any experience with the traditions kits in general or built one of these kits?
Thanks

 

[jderrick]

Hey, I just finished up a Traditions Kentucky flintlock rifle kit. I've got photos, links to vid and columns on my blog --[url] jderrickstar.blogspot.com[/url]. My take on the kit is that it generally went together pretty well, taught me (a newbie) a lot, not a top notch museum piece, not historically precise, but it's been fun putting together, fun firing, and has well suited the niche I got it for.

 

[Pittsburghunter]

They are nice looking pistols and if you build it yourself you can customize it to your own taste.

 

[jdixon]

Traditions Kentucky pistol kit 'eh? Never looked at that one - how does it compare with Track's Kentucky pistol kit in quality and price? Track's kit runs around $350.00, more if you have them do some of the metal work for you.

 

[kgs113]

Trapper kit. Closer to a saw handle and double set trigger. Hope the link works.[url] http://www.traditionsfirearms.com/eshop/10Expand.asp?ProductCode=KP5100[/url]

I'm sure its not the quality of TOW or others that use good domestic products but I'm just getting it to have some fun and learn before I tackle some more ambitious projects in the same vein.

 

[jdixon]

thanks for the link. For the money looks like a good starter kit. You are doing it smart, starting out with an inexpensive (comparitively speaking) pistol kit and cutting your teeth on that. That is the route I have suggested to several others just starting out.

 

For not much more you could get the Pedersoli Kentucky kit from DGW. I built one of these for my first kit, and it was easy, and the results were fantastic.

Here's a link to the kit I built:
[url] http://www.dixiegunworks.com/product_info.php?cPath=22_162_195&products_id=3528[/url]

And here's a photo of the finished gun:

 

[Norskie]

The Trapper pistol was my first kit gun. Good kit, neatly inletted, fair instructions. Fast twist barrel, 1 in 20". Downside is the dopey looking square nose cap. The stock is beech, which I stained with aqua fortis, came out a good dark reddish brown.
It is a tack driver. From a two handed kneeling stance I was able to ring the 100 yard gong at Fort Old Abe pretty regularly.
Now that I've improved my skill level, I'd like to make another one, and maybe use another nose cap and put in an entry pipe.

 

[bob1961]

don't fergit a chambers or pecatonica river kit too....saw one of chambers at dixons fer bout 400.00 real nice and it had a swamped barrel too.................bob

 

[Desert Rat]

The Trapper kit was my first muzzleloader ever, went together great, turned out to be a good solid pistol, real accurate to. Funny thing is it's the only .50 cal I have and I haven't shot it in years.

 

[Smokestick]

I put together a CVA plains pistol kit in .50 cal about two years ago. I don't think they sell them any more. But it's really similar to the Traditions your asking about, and super easy to put together. The metal was already finished/blued on the kit I got, so it was a simple matter of finishing the wood and making sure everything fit right. It was my first (and so far only) build, but I'm happy with the results. Shoots well too.