Red’s Incredible Traditions Kentucky Build: Probably not what you would have done…

[Colonialnerd]

I’m planning on buying one myself… I’m looking forward to seeing what you do with yours.

 

[Panama Red]

I’m planning on buying one myself… I’m looking forward to seeing what you do with yours.

Was just out in the shop, test fitting pieces. The lock doesn’t fit. I’ll need to inlet it some more, and the trigger guard doesn’t fit, both issues everyone has with them. When I was just holding the two stock halves together, I was a bit disappointed with it, nothing seemed to line up very well. But when I put the pins in and joined them, it looks much better.
Lots of sanding to get it where I want it though.
Start a thread, call it “Colonialnerd’s Amazing Traditions Kentucky Build: A Whole Bunch Better Than Red’s Poop Build” and post up a bunch of pictures. Looking forward to following your build as well!
-Red, master of self deprecating humor…

 

[Panama Red]

I’m planning on buying one myself… I’m looking forward to seeing what you do with yours.

Also, I went through Muzzle-Loaders.com to buy this one. Good site, easy to navigate, decent prices, and a 10% discount if you will post your build up in a forum and link to them!
See what I did there? 10% off baby!!!
-Red, taking advantage of the discounts…

 

[Loja man]

I passed mine on to my oldest son over Christmas. It shoots better than the GPR that I am calling “mine” for now. The GPR has a little roughtness in the barrel somewhere. I tried to embellish it a little. A couple photos after being finished and one of its first season in the woods. If doing it again I would take some wood off the nose. It slaps m check some.

 

[Panama Red]

I passed mine on to my oldest son over Christmas. It shoots better than the GPR that I am calling “mine” for now. The GPR has a little roughtness in the barrel somewhere. I tried to embellish it a little. A couple photos after being finished and one of its first season in the woods. If doing it again I would take some wood off the nose. It slaps m check some.

Nice job on the rifle! Did you YouTube this build, or have I seen it on here? I swear I’ve seen it… maybe not. Might be a conglomeration of a dozen different rifles I’ve seen. Looks great though!
Did you just glue the two halves together without a spacer? I’ve seen that down a couple times, but seems like there was work you had to do to the nose cap to make it work…
And, nice buck! My best has been a cow horned spike so far, but I was all archery, and I was more about 3d competition than I was hunting. I found out no matter how incredibly accurate you can be on a 3d target, when that deer steps out, it’s a whole new world! I had shot thousands of arrows at bags and foam targets. At one point I was making a hundred shots a day minimum. 3 shot groups at 40 yards would be right where I wanted them, all with fletches touching. When that first deer walked out, I did everything wrong, shot it high in the hip, and watched it run past me with blood spreading on its back and hip… I’m like, well, that one’s going to the next county. It crashed in about 30 yards. The arrow went in by its hip bone, exited at the knee, and sliced its thigh open all the way down. Bled out from the femoral artery… in a hurry! Slightly different angle, and that would have been a gut shot deer that would have died two counties over. Pure luck… lots of credit to a YUGE Rage broadhead that made a giant slice.
All that to say, I really like that rifle, and the buck!
-Red, using many words to say very little…

 

[vintovka]

$459.00!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1

 

[Panama Red]

$459.00!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1

There were a few places that listed it cheaper, but non that had it in stock when I ordered. Even Traditions themselves list it as out of stock.
Muzzle-loaders.com gives a 10% discount for posting about the build online. So at that point, we are down to $414. The next closest flintlock was a Pedersoli at $750, and then the Mack-daddy kit of them all, Kibler, at $1180. I’ll have this one built, and own all the tools to build it, for less than the Pedersoli.
Next build will be to carve my own stock for this one. Then on to a totally custom gun.
-Red, looking to the future…

 

[Loja man]

Nice job on the rifle! Did you YouTube this build, or have I seen it on here? I swear I’ve seen it… maybe not. Might be a conglomeration of a dozen different rifles I’ve seen. Looks great though!
Did you just glue the two halves together without a spacer? I’ve seen that down a couple times, but seems like there was work you had to do to the nose cap to make it work…
And, nice buck! My best has been a cow horned spike so far, but I was all archery, and I was more about 3d competition than I was hunting. I found out no matter how incredibly accurate you can be on a 3d target, when that deer steps out, it’s a whole new world! I had shot thousands of arrows at bags and foam targets. At one point I was making a hundred shots a day minimum. 3 shot groups at 40 yards would be right where I wanted them, all with fletches touching. When that first deer walked out, I did everything wrong, shot it high in the hip, and watched it run past me with blood spreading on its back and hip… I’m like, well, that one’s going to the next county. It crashed in about 30 yards. The arrow went in by its hip bone, exited at the knee, and sliced its thigh open all the way down. Bled out from the femoral artery… in a hurry! Slightly different angle, and that would have been a gut shot deer that would have died two counties over. Pure luck… lots of credit to a YUGE Rage broadhead that made a giant slice.
All that to say, I really like that rifle, and the buck!
-Red, using many words to say very little…

No YouTube. I think I had a thread on building it. I have posted pic of it before. It was my first build. I glued the stock together without a spacer. The I braized a brass extension onto the nose cap.

 

[Loja man]

My build thread. Hope it’s helpful.

https://www.muzzleloadingforum.com/threads/kentucky-rifle-build-questions.131310/

 

[Panama Red]

My build thread. Hope it’s helpful.

https://www.muzzleloadingforum.com/threads/kentucky-rifle-build-questions.131310/

Just read the whole thing. Thanks! It must have been a different one. I thought I had read all of them on the Kentucky. Man, Oldwood had some cool stuff to say.
I liked your side plate. Not sure I will do one though… probably just stick with the screws and washers.
I need to do more research before I start filing on this thing. I really would like to make it long and lean looking, even if it is a foot shorter than most… (insert “That’s what she said!” here.)
Thanks for the link. I’ll be referring to it with quite a few others as I go.
-Red, stealing ideas one at a time…

 

[vintovka]

OP's is pretty nicely done. FWIW Saw one of these with a cover for the splice made in the form of a brass bottom wear plate with artful fleur de lis up the sides and wrapped over the top of forearm to barrel. Also had a fore end cap and toe plate to match. Had to look twice to make sure it was a cva type rifle.

 

[Rawhide67]

I’ll be getting to it… I swear, I retired Jan of 2020, and today I have no idea how I ever had time for a job. My wife walks by as I’m trying to get pics for this thread, and says, “Let’s go. You ain’t got time for that now. We have appointments…”
I promise more by this evening.
-Red, a very busy man…

Couldn't agree more. I had more spare time when I worked. It feels like I retired so I would have time for Dr appointments and projects for the wife and my mother.

 

[Panama Red]

Couldn't agree more. In had more spare time when I worked. It feels like I retired so I would have time for Dr appointments and projects for the wife and my mother.

Brother, that’s the truth right there! I retired early to help my father take care of my mother with Alzheimer’s. She passed almost two years ago, and now we have moved in with my father, last month, to help him. His eyesight is failing, and I can’t keep the old fart off of step ladders, LOL! Dr appointments are continuous… luckily my sister also lives nearby and shared that duty with us.
-Dr Red, keeping old farts off ladders since March of ‘23…

 

[HSmithTX]

Building always goes better in flip flops, as does putting your car out when it catches on fire and stomping the field out that your burning car caught on fire but that is a story for another day.......

 

[longcruise]

Just a couple things. Take everything i say for what you think it's worth. .02 might be overpricing it!!

A basic rule, or better stated "fact" is that the hardware and barrel selected determine the shape. So, in order to thin the stock around the barrel you will have to reshape the nosecap. Otherwise your entire forestock from the lock panel forward will have to fit with the "as issued" shape of the nosecap. So, decide the shape (architecture) of the forward portion of the stock that you want and then shape the nosecap to it. You can probably best just leave the nosecap untouched and re shape it when the stock suits you. Clear as mud I'm sure!

Finishing with BLO seems to be much more popular now than it was during the historical period of the longrifle. The drying times defy practicality. Many of the old guns appear to have been finished with varnish as made by violin makers of day. My suggestion is to research those varnish recipes and recreate them carefully documented here to save me the time and trouble of doing it myself.

The ultimate practical present day finish is probably Birchwood Casey True Oil. Sold in small quantities that is more than enough for several stocks. It's linseed oil adjusted to act like a finish should. Usually dry in 24 hours but +/- depending on climate.

So, there you are. Subsequent comments will both amplify and destroy my suggestions bringing you to the point of confusion and regret and ultimately driving you into a dark place making you safe from us Internet Monsters

 

[Phil Coffins]

I did one of those kits and maybe you will find something useful for your build.
https://www.muzzleloadingforum.com/threads/traditions-kit-modified-build.112396/

 

[64Springer]

Page 1 section 1 paragraph 1 of the instruction booklet says to throw the brass nose cap in the garbage.

Then get busy thinning that stock.

If the OP is feeling really industrious, cut the barrel back the length of the nose cap.

Or put a wooden spacer between the butt and fore stock the length of the nose cap.

 

[sturmkatze]

&459….. “Elizabeth honey, I’m a comin’ ta join ya.” I bought my CVA flint kit of the same rifle for $115 and I had to save. Of course that was 1979. I had Charles Streaks redo it into a Lancaster rifle a couple of years ago. He’sa lot more skilled than I. I love that gun.

 

[sussexmuzllodr]

Good Luck on the build and finding you lost shaker of salt in the Bahamas also.....

 

[OldRust]

@Panama Red

Red,
I hope you have at least half the enjoyment building that rifle as I have had reading your posts this morning.
You made my day. Please keep us posted on the build.

Thanks,
O.R.

You will get a lot of valuable build suggestions from the folks here on the forum, here is my 2 cents worth
Those beechwood stocks can be tough to get a good stain. I have gotten some really good results with leather dye