Traditions Woodsman Hawken arrival

[FrontierMuzzleloading]

This one was back ordered for over 2 months and when I called, they said they had percussion models in stock. I figured, ok, thats fine!

They shipped it 3 day fedex and when it arrived..

It was a flintlock!

I wasn't expecting that but its what I originally wanted so why complain? LOL

I cleaned the lock and removed the vasoline stuff on the frizzen spring, relubed with my anti rust lube, insides got a coating of barricade, installed a new french amber flint wrapped in leather.

At first, the frizzen wouldnt completely open. The flint was striking less than half way on the frizzen, so I flipped it and it was almost hitting the top of the frizzen. Gave that a try and she threw a nice shower of sparks into the pan with sat down there sizzling for at least 1/2 a second before going out. I did it about a dozen more times with excellent results.

Overall, I am very happy with the rifle! Bore looks clean and feels super smooth. Some scratches in the rifling but I will take care of that easily. Nice clean trigger, great looking stock.

I'll have more pics and info later when I get to shooting her.

 

[Obi-Wan Cannoli]

Some scratches in the rifling but I will take care of that easily.

how?

nice rifle by the way :grin:

 

[coloradoclyde]

Please tell me the sights aren't plastic... :shocked2:

 

[FrontierMuzzleloading]

of course not,and if they were, I am smart enough to know how easily they could be replaced :wink:

They are either steel or aluminum. The ramrod is plastic but guess what, that's ok because I have spare wood rammers in the closet lol.

This is what I have planned for her in a day or two.

 

[Obi-Wan Cannoli]

I still don't understand what you are doing to your bore?

 

[coloradoclyde]

:thumbsup:

 

[Gene L]

In looking at your photos of the bore, I don't see anything wrong with it. Certainly nothing that can't be addressed with working up a load and ball/patch compatibility. I doubt you're ever going to achieve a "perfect" bore, not in this world, at least.

Shoot the gun and have fun is my advice. This ain't rocket science.

 

[coloradoclyde]

In looking at your photos of the bore, I don't see anything wrong with it. Certainly nothing that can't be addressed with working up a load and ball/patch compatibility. I doubt you're ever going to achieve a "perfect" bore, not in this world, at least.

Shoot the gun and have fun is my advice. This ain't rocket science.

Yep! I've seen many ugly bores that were tack drivers and many "perfect" bores that shot terrible....I never do anything to a new gun accept clean it, until I know how it shoots....

I had a friend that bought some magic miracle bore treatment that was suppose to make his gun shoot better.....All it did was make it shoot worse.....in the end it ruined his barrel.

 

[Crewdawg445]

I have a woodsman... That said it's a very accurate rifle and I enjoy shooting it. However, there were ALLOT of issues with the rifle IMO that can be improved with ease.

The biggest concern is the lock, it may work now but it'll start giving you grief (I re-built the lock) not even worth the time of messing with! It's a cheap rifle with a cheap lock, and it'll always be a cheap lock. Drop in a replacement from L&R and allot of trouble a fussing will be solved right away.

Next a good vent liner makes a dramatic difference in ignition speed.

Sights are easily changed and the metal/ wood fit can be worked easily for a more custom touch if you desire.

I spent a good amount of time working and customizing the rifle, I received mine in kit form for an exceptional price, personally being a traditions gun I never would have contemplated purchasing one new, however it's turned into one of my favorites due to its accuracy, feel and all the work I've put into de-traditioning the rifle!

Your bores fine, don't fuss about things not worth fussing about. If your worried, take some scotch brite wrapped around a jag or small caliber brush. Apply some oil and swab the bore to remove any patch grabbing boogers left from the factory. I'd bet money you'll play heck ripping patches if you dont. :wink:

 

[SgtErv]

Have fun with that rifle, and congrats

 

[uno676]

I just got the cva St. Louis rifle in Flintlock basically same rifle. Mine was new old stock it. Congrats should be good gun.

 

[Larry Beach]

What kind of problems will the lock have? One of my rifles is a Traditions Deerhunter, and beside running a 1/16th drill bit through the touch hole and putting a very small polished cone on it to focus the flash into the touch hole I have had 0 problems with the lock over close to 10 years now? It isn't an expensive lock but it ignites as well or better than my $700.00 Lyman.
I must have put 5k rounds through it.
What kind of issues have you had? Thanks for the heads up.

 

[FrontierMuzzleloading]

Ok for those that said the bore above looks fine.

If this were your gun, would you be ok with the pics above, or with how the bore looks NOW in these pictures? :blah: There is always room for improvement in a bore. Any unknowns can be addressed and remove all doubt.

And yes, the pics were taken at the same sections of barrel as I do mark my camera cord with tape.

 

[FrontierMuzzleloading]

Got my Woodsman Hawken flintlock out to 75 yards today and used the ATV pulled sideways to shoot off the seat as my shooting sticks are packed away for the trip.

I used that nice upside down V between the bears legs ( yes, not a hog but still useable!) and squeezed off my first shot. LOVED IT! I figured out the pan charge perfectly and she fired quick.

I loaded up #2 shot and let a little light shine through in that V and missed LOL. Its sighted in perfectly with the tip of the front sight.

Loaded #3 and aimed at the other leg, center mass and cut it perfectly. That 3rd shot hurt as the seat bounced back the pans flash and hit me along the right side of my face. But hey, I took it like a pro and felt a huge relief at how she shoots.

So any hog that comes within 75 yards of his flinter is a goner! If I do my part of course.

 

[FrontierMuzzleloading]

Took her on the 6th with the new flinter!

A friend of mine off a forum invited my self, dad and brother out to Oklahoma for a hog hunt ( still there too!) and the evening we showed up, we went out into the property to get a feel for it and I spotted this one down in the swampy pond and got with 47-50 yards ( range finder was used the neck day)and dropped her on the spot with a single .490" ball behind the shoulder driven by 80gr Goex 2fg. Rifle fired instantly.

 

[Cowboy]

Congrats to you and your rifle! I see a freezer full of bacon!

Hope the rest of your time there is as successful as it was today. Thanks for sharing the pic.
Respectfully, Cowboy :thumbsup:

 

[Don]

Us New Englanders don't have the feral hog problem they have down south but if we did I'd be out hog hunting as often as I could. Nice piggy, I think a BBQ is in the near future.

Don

 

[FrontierMuzzleloading]

While butchering the hog, I started cutting up the opposite shoulder where I thought the ball might be trapped. I was right!

The .490" 177gr round ball penetrated both front shoulders, completely breaking the actual round bone and I recovered the ball in the meat.

The recovered weight is 169.6 grains.

 

[amcmullen]

I realize that I am a little late to the party but nice shot! I like that the ball expanded but stayed in tact. Nice rifle too. I know Traditions gets a bad rap but they are good shooting and (as long as the frizzen is a good one) fast igniting. I have a "Springfield Hawken" from '95 and a trapper pistol and enjoy them both!

 

[Austrian]

Nice hog and good shooting! :hatsoff:

I have a buddy who owns a couple of traditions made rifles and they all shoot excellent despite the ''not so great'' reputation.