Micah Clark
45 Cal.
- Joined
- Dec 9, 2010
- Messages
- 623
- Reaction score
- 4
Hi Gang,
I have a story and a dilemma concerning my Traditions Crockett .32 rifle, which I bought used 4 years ago from a store called the Log Cabin Shop at a local primitives show.
For 4 years I have shot the gun (around 250 times) using every load, ball, powder, patch, lube, rod pressure combo that I can think of as well as new sights and new nipple. I could never get the gun to group well enough to squirrel hunt with it, though I did do so, but with not very pretty results, which I prefer not to share.
I am not an expert, but I do have a Lyman GPR 50 in Flintlock that I can group in 2 inches or less, so I am doing something right many times. It was a piece of cake compared to the Crockett. In fact, had I spent as much time with it, as the Crockett, I can only imagine how good of a shot I'd be with the Lyman.
Finally, I gave up. I called Traditions about a new barrel, thinking that must be it. They were very nice, and said, it sounds like you've tried everything, send it to us and we will range test it and let you know the load we use if we can get it to group well. I wrote a long letter detailing everything I had tried and my inability to get small groups the size needed.
I have seen stories and pics of people grouping the Crockett and placing a quarter coin over three shots. My groups off a bench were more like a softball size, or the bottom of a coffee cup (though not always, but never satisfactory enough or consistent enough for humanely hunting squirrel even at 20 yards.)
So, I dropped $50 sending the gun out to Connecticut. It came back not long after, with an outside packing note invoice saying range tested, "groups fine." So, I pulled the target out of the box and it read 25 grains of FFFG pyrodex (I've used that stuff but much prefer Goex or the Schuetzen that I am using now). So I thought well, I'm not proud, I'll use Pyrodex if necessary.
Then I unfolded the target -- They range tested it at 50 yards (which I think is pretty stupid, err, too far for what I want, but hey, they are the factory experts, right? )
The group is four shots that are a full four inches apart left and right, north and south. I can practically place my i-phone on it and not cover it. That may be OK for deer, but the squirrels in Indiana aren't that big !!!
I sent pics of the target back and told them that I could shoot groups like that all day before I sent it to them. It doesn't fix my accuracy problem. They said this meets their specs and that they did all they can, (and more for a used gun), and that they were sorry that I didn't like the process. (It's not the process, they were nice, but the results do me no good whatsoever.)
So now I am thinking about selling this (with some hesitation) hoping to get my $250 out of it . and looking at a Pedersoli .32, though I love the size of the Crockett. . and Pedersoli is expensive. . big time. . or a used Seneca or Cherokee, if I can find one. . . I guess.
I've asked Traditions about a new barrel several times, but not gotten a response . . and now, I wonder what good that would do me if their factory accuracy standards are so poor. I've been nice, but let them know this wasn't what I had hoped for . . . I don't think Traditions wants to deal with me anymore.
Any suggestions anyone has would be very welcome. . .
I have a story and a dilemma concerning my Traditions Crockett .32 rifle, which I bought used 4 years ago from a store called the Log Cabin Shop at a local primitives show.
For 4 years I have shot the gun (around 250 times) using every load, ball, powder, patch, lube, rod pressure combo that I can think of as well as new sights and new nipple. I could never get the gun to group well enough to squirrel hunt with it, though I did do so, but with not very pretty results, which I prefer not to share.
I am not an expert, but I do have a Lyman GPR 50 in Flintlock that I can group in 2 inches or less, so I am doing something right many times. It was a piece of cake compared to the Crockett. In fact, had I spent as much time with it, as the Crockett, I can only imagine how good of a shot I'd be with the Lyman.
Finally, I gave up. I called Traditions about a new barrel, thinking that must be it. They were very nice, and said, it sounds like you've tried everything, send it to us and we will range test it and let you know the load we use if we can get it to group well. I wrote a long letter detailing everything I had tried and my inability to get small groups the size needed.
I have seen stories and pics of people grouping the Crockett and placing a quarter coin over three shots. My groups off a bench were more like a softball size, or the bottom of a coffee cup (though not always, but never satisfactory enough or consistent enough for humanely hunting squirrel even at 20 yards.)
So, I dropped $50 sending the gun out to Connecticut. It came back not long after, with an outside packing note invoice saying range tested, "groups fine." So, I pulled the target out of the box and it read 25 grains of FFFG pyrodex (I've used that stuff but much prefer Goex or the Schuetzen that I am using now). So I thought well, I'm not proud, I'll use Pyrodex if necessary.
Then I unfolded the target -- They range tested it at 50 yards (which I think is pretty stupid, err, too far for what I want, but hey, they are the factory experts, right? )
The group is four shots that are a full four inches apart left and right, north and south. I can practically place my i-phone on it and not cover it. That may be OK for deer, but the squirrels in Indiana aren't that big !!!
I sent pics of the target back and told them that I could shoot groups like that all day before I sent it to them. It doesn't fix my accuracy problem. They said this meets their specs and that they did all they can, (and more for a used gun), and that they were sorry that I didn't like the process. (It's not the process, they were nice, but the results do me no good whatsoever.)
So now I am thinking about selling this (with some hesitation) hoping to get my $250 out of it . and looking at a Pedersoli .32, though I love the size of the Crockett. . and Pedersoli is expensive. . big time. . or a used Seneca or Cherokee, if I can find one. . . I guess.
I've asked Traditions about a new barrel several times, but not gotten a response . . and now, I wonder what good that would do me if their factory accuracy standards are so poor. I've been nice, but let them know this wasn't what I had hoped for . . . I don't think Traditions wants to deal with me anymore.
Any suggestions anyone has would be very welcome. . .