I would like to assemble a Kentucky pistol for a Christmas Gift. Can anyone suggest where I might find one, at a reasonable price, that is easy for a beginner to put together? Prices on line are of considerable range and I am not sure what I should be looking for. Advice is welcome.
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Pistol Kits
- Thread starter Firedanse
- Start date
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Welcome Firedanse,
Have you had any experience building a kit and is it a flintlock or percussion pistol you want to build?
Have you had any experience building a kit and is it a flintlock or percussion pistol you want to build?
www.dixiegunworks.com sells lots of kits for all level of builders. Some are 95% done while others are more like only 50%. Something for every taste and skill level. :imo: :thumbsup:
Guest
Also what price range, a good top of the line kit will run around 250.00 US or more depending on the options and style.
Are you looking for the lines of a true Kentucky or are you just looking for a long stock and long barrel pistol in a Kentucky style.
If something along just the style is what you are looking for and this is your first kit then I would look along the lines of a production kit like Lyman.
I may get some flack on this but the traditions kit can be had for around 115.00. And I have seen them turned into very, very nice pistols.
Here however is my take, even though the cost of parts to make a kit from someone like Chambers or Pecatonica River seems high it really isn
Are you looking for the lines of a true Kentucky or are you just looking for a long stock and long barrel pistol in a Kentucky style.
If something along just the style is what you are looking for and this is your first kit then I would look along the lines of a production kit like Lyman.
I may get some flack on this but the traditions kit can be had for around 115.00. And I have seen them turned into very, very nice pistols.
Here however is my take, even though the cost of parts to make a kit from someone like Chambers or Pecatonica River seems high it really isn
Guest
Captchee is right! I got the Traditions Trapper kit in flint and had to do alot of EXTRA work!
I had to shim the tang to get the vent to hold over the pan proper, inlet the rear of the trigger deeper just so the lever of the "set" trigger would contact the sear and disassemble the lock for a good "stoneing" too remove the all burrs and get it to run smooth. Barrel was "raw" needed draw fileing and finish. Whew! it woudn't have been a good "First" kit gun.. Nice piece of wood though,,turned out OK,,shoot's gud'nuff,,,, :m2c:
I had to shim the tang to get the vent to hold over the pan proper, inlet the rear of the trigger deeper just so the lever of the "set" trigger would contact the sear and disassemble the lock for a good "stoneing" too remove the all burrs and get it to run smooth. Barrel was "raw" needed draw fileing and finish. Whew! it woudn't have been a good "First" kit gun.. Nice piece of wood though,,turned out OK,,shoot's gud'nuff,,,, :m2c:
Welcome to you Firedanse: With only a couple of months until Christmas, if I were to choose from the kits I have built I would go with the Pedersoli Kentucky Style pistol kit or the Pedersoli Queen Anne Pistol kit.
Both kits are rather straight forward and easy to finish.
With either of these kits, there are no instructions but you have assembled here on this site some of the most helpful people you would ever want to have. All you will have to do is ask if you have any questions.
The Queen Anne is a .50 caliber smooth bore pistol with a "cannon" shaped barrel. That is, it has an enlarged band just behind the muzzle which makes it look like a cannon.
Last years Dixie Gunworks Catalog part number was FH0421. Last years price was $195 plus shipping.
The Queen Anne looks like this:
The Kentucky is also a flintlock and was (in 2003) available in .50 and .54 caliber. It was priced at $162.50 for the .50 caliber and $175 for the .54.
I don't have a photo of this gun. The Dixie part numbers were FH0320 for the .50 and FK0432 for the .54.
Either of these kits are about 95% finished when you get them.
They will require some wood removal at the back of the barrel, and perhaps in the lock inlet.
The wood will require sanding and perhaps staining if you want it darker. You can finish it with Boiled Linseed oil or something better like Birchwood Casey Tru-Oil.
You can leave the barrel finished "in the white" (no finish) blued with a Cold Blueing available at a gun store or browned. All of these finishes would be correct.
I might mention that Dixie Gun Works (800-238-6785) doesn't change many things from year to year except their prices so expect the price to be higher than I gave.
Both kits are rather straight forward and easy to finish.
With either of these kits, there are no instructions but you have assembled here on this site some of the most helpful people you would ever want to have. All you will have to do is ask if you have any questions.
The Queen Anne is a .50 caliber smooth bore pistol with a "cannon" shaped barrel. That is, it has an enlarged band just behind the muzzle which makes it look like a cannon.
Last years Dixie Gunworks Catalog part number was FH0421. Last years price was $195 plus shipping.
The Queen Anne looks like this:
The Kentucky is also a flintlock and was (in 2003) available in .50 and .54 caliber. It was priced at $162.50 for the .50 caliber and $175 for the .54.
I don't have a photo of this gun. The Dixie part numbers were FH0320 for the .50 and FK0432 for the .54.
Either of these kits are about 95% finished when you get them.
They will require some wood removal at the back of the barrel, and perhaps in the lock inlet.
The wood will require sanding and perhaps staining if you want it darker. You can finish it with Boiled Linseed oil or something better like Birchwood Casey Tru-Oil.
You can leave the barrel finished "in the white" (no finish) blued with a Cold Blueing available at a gun store or browned. All of these finishes would be correct.
I might mention that Dixie Gun Works (800-238-6785) doesn't change many things from year to year except their prices so expect the price to be higher than I gave.
Firedanse: I'm going by memory and that can be dangerous but for the Queen Anne: you have to own and know how to run a screwdriver.
You have to know how to sand wood, and that the flint and garnet papers are for wood. The black Wet/Dry paper is for metal. You will need some of both.
Having a #2 Pointed blade Exacto knife is useful to trim the wood in the lock mortise around the edges of the lockplate.
Having a good file is useful. If you know little or nothing about files, use the Forum search engine and put in "FILING 101" IN QUOTES. Set it for a date before this week. FILING 101 will tell you more about files and their use than you ever wanted to know.
The Search results will also show a post about "What kind of tools will I need to build a kit".
The answers for THAT post are for a kit that is more difficult than the Queen Anne, so if you open and read it, keep that in mind.
The Queen Anne Kit, and the Kentucky Pistol Kit I mentioned don't require very much except some knowledge on how to finish the wood and perhaps sand the barrel.
To finish up either of these kits, you will need a 1/2 wide Flint and a small piece of leather to hold the flint in the jaws of the Cock (hammer).
You have to know how to sand wood, and that the flint and garnet papers are for wood. The black Wet/Dry paper is for metal. You will need some of both.
Having a #2 Pointed blade Exacto knife is useful to trim the wood in the lock mortise around the edges of the lockplate.
Having a good file is useful. If you know little or nothing about files, use the Forum search engine and put in "FILING 101" IN QUOTES. Set it for a date before this week. FILING 101 will tell you more about files and their use than you ever wanted to know.
The Search results will also show a post about "What kind of tools will I need to build a kit".
The answers for THAT post are for a kit that is more difficult than the Queen Anne, so if you open and read it, keep that in mind.
The Queen Anne Kit, and the Kentucky Pistol Kit I mentioned don't require very much except some knowledge on how to finish the wood and perhaps sand the barrel.
To finish up either of these kits, you will need a 1/2 wide Flint and a small piece of leather to hold the flint in the jaws of the Cock (hammer).
Guest
yep just ask and post questions in the builders forum with a pic of where your at on your project and where you are stuck , you will get all the help you need :thumbsup:
Guest
Firedanse , you sound like my kind of woman ! Are you married ? ::
Guest
Zonie , your pistol looks great , good job ! I hope I can do as well when I get mine . :thumbsup:
Thanks for the compliment.
If you build one of these kits, before you apply any type of finish, take the stock outside. Pour some water on the wood and look at the color in bright sunlight. The wet wood will be exactly the same color as the oiled stock.
Some of these stocks are a tad light in color for my tastes.
I think (it's been years sense I built it) I might have stained the wood with some water based Walnut stain to get it as dark is it is.
If you like the wet color then proceed with applying some finish like Tru-Oil, Boiled Linseed or Tung Oil.
If you build one of these kits, before you apply any type of finish, take the stock outside. Pour some water on the wood and look at the color in bright sunlight. The wet wood will be exactly the same color as the oiled stock.
Some of these stocks are a tad light in color for my tastes.
I think (it's been years sense I built it) I might have stained the wood with some water based Walnut stain to get it as dark is it is.
If you like the wet color then proceed with applying some finish like Tru-Oil, Boiled Linseed or Tung Oil.
This is great information! I've been looking into stock information. Anyone familiar with the different grades of curly maple? That is the stock of the gun I am trying to match (mind you, without actually seeing the rifle). THe premium grade has "extra curl". Need more information on this before I put in my order. Thanks.
Guest
Thanks for the tips Zonie , I saw your pistol and liked it so much I ordered one from DGW last night . I've already built 3 caplock rifles and 1 caplock Kentucky pistol from kits . After I finish this pistol I want to do a flintlock rifle , maybe after Christmas . :hmm:
Guest
THe premium grade has "extra curl". Need more information on this before I put in my order. Thanks.
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premium grade ????
whose premium grade. :results:, normaly stock are graded as
Premium = to 0-30% curl
P++ or 2P = 35 -60% curl
P+++ or 3P = 70-85% curl
P++++ or 4P 90 to 100 % curl
Now the % is the amount of curl through out the stock so with a premium you could have very little to no curl. I have seen a P+++++ or 5P and it was UN real, looked like the complete stock was cut from one big Burrell and resembled fiddle back, there was no clear section in the stock at all IMO it was almost to much and distracted from the rifle .
You have to be careful with the wording as many companies list their stocks just as premium grade. When they do this ask specifically the % of curl through out the stock don
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premium grade ????
whose premium grade. :results:, normaly stock are graded as
Premium = to 0-30% curl
P++ or 2P = 35 -60% curl
P+++ or 3P = 70-85% curl
P++++ or 4P 90 to 100 % curl
Now the % is the amount of curl through out the stock so with a premium you could have very little to no curl. I have seen a P+++++ or 5P and it was UN real, looked like the complete stock was cut from one big Burrell and resembled fiddle back, there was no clear section in the stock at all IMO it was almost to much and distracted from the rifle .
You have to be careful with the wording as many companies list their stocks just as premium grade. When they do this ask specifically the % of curl through out the stock don
Pardon me Firedanse, but did we just switch gears? The simple kits I was referring to don't have Curly Maple as an option ::. They have European Walnut Stocks.
If we are speaking of the the kind of pistol 'kits' which have Curley Maple stocks, we are talking a whole different game.
The only "kits" that I am aware of that have Curly Maple, or Cherry stocks are the kind sold by Track of the Wolf, Pecatonica River, Jim Chambers... In other words, the Hard Kind, where you often have to do a lot of work to install the lock, the barrel, the trigger, the trigger guard, the ramrod pipes, the sideplate, the barrel breech plug, the sights.....
In other words, there is a LOT of work envolved even if you pay the supplier to do things like mill the dovetails for the sights, breech the barrel, inlet the lock, trigger, barrel...
I'm sure there are some folks at this Site who could build this level of pistol in less than 2 months, but I am not among them. I would figure at least 150 hours of work.
As I have said before, building one of the Top of the Line Pistols is almost as much work as building a Top of the Line Custom Rifle.
If I may make a guess, because you said you were trying to match a gun with a curly maple stock it most likely is patterned after a period later than a Queen Anne (1710ish).
The "Kentucky" style might be more in order (1780-1830ish).
On the other hand, anyone who has a Curly Maple muzzleloader would be more than happy to get any new gun, be it Kentucky style or Queen Anne for Christmas whether it matched what they currently have, or not. ::
Guest
mmmm zonie
i think 54 Renegade ask about the curly maple stocks .
:agree:
I agree though around 150 hours at a min for me to do a pistol and probably more like 200 .
IMO a pistol can in most cases be harder to do then a long gun
i think 54 Renegade ask about the curly maple stocks .
:agree:
I agree though around 150 hours at a min for me to do a pistol and probably more like 200 .
IMO a pistol can in most cases be harder to do then a long gun
