Upgrade from a Traditions Trapper

[6thtexas]

I got a Trapper last year and absolutely love shooting it. I never thought a cheap pistol like this would be this accurate. It is my first single shot ML pistol and range sessions with it are very pleasant and almost therapeutic. I would like to get a bit higher quality , better handling, smaller caliber pistol. This will be used 99% of the time for informal target shooting. What is the consensus? Should I try to find a T/C Patriot, or save my nickels and get a Pedersoli. Do any of the Kentucky pistols have adjustable triggers?

 

[DanL]

The Trapper is a good pistol and most every owner has found good accuracy from them. The Patriot is quite a step-up from the trapper in quality and can be very accurate. The Patriot was made in .36 and .45. It is a joy to shoot. Finding one in decent condition is getting more difficult these days and quite pricy. There is a Lyman plains pistol which is well built and like the Trapper, it comes in .50 or .54. My Lyman plains pistol is a very good & Accurate shooter. A Pedersoli is generally a very nicely made production pistol and does come in .45 if you can find one. There is a variety of CVA pistols out there that are no longer produced. Some of the older CVA single shot pistols came in .45 also and are somewhat desirable by many folks because the early quality was pretty good..

Again, finding and acquiring a nice single shot muzzleloading pistol is getting more difficult. There are fewer manufactures willing to market these fine and fun pistols. Keep a diligent eye out for one and you will be able to acquire on for your enjoyment. I enjoy hunting with my Lyman plains pistol and my T/C Patriot. They are deadly accurate.

Good luck in your pursuit of a fine pistol,
Dan

 

[gpsd55]

I hope the trapper is better then the Crockett. My grandson got one for Christmas,a .32. Has sent it back for issues,water coming out the breech-plug,twice and once for nipple leaking bad. Last time he got it back,leaking at breech,they said it would be ok, would stop in time. ?

 

[nick_1]

My trapper is a real tack driver but its a big heavy pistol

I would love to find a .45 patriot in good condition but that seems to be like finding the holy grail. not sure what my options really are for a lighter target pistol with set trigger???

 

[ZUG]

I purchased one for target shooting but found it to be a HEAVY club of a pistol. I shot it at two club pistol matches and I just could not do well with it because of its weight. If I had the extra cash I would try the Pedersoli Le Page pistol.

 

[nick_1]

the lepage is FUGLY INMOP. trapper is good for biathlon where they let you use two hands but it is a lot of weight to hold out there one handed for bullseye...

 

[1sgt]

My trapper is a real tack driver but its a big heavy pistol
View attachment 200558
I would love to find a .45 patriot in good condition but that seems to be like finding the holy grail. not sure what my options really are for a lighter target pistol with set trigger???

Good shooting Nick. Nice pistol. I just got one in .45. I have not shot it yet. Eric and Bryan shoot at Friendship. Bryan beats me sometimes in the Any Old Muzzleloading Pistol match. He beat me in September. We both had a score of 39. I shoot a .45 cal. Patriot and it does very well. You must have done some fine shooting to win the match with competition like Brian and Eric.

 

[nick_1]

I must have lit a fire under his butt with that win because he has been shooting really well ever since. I have tied his hits a few times in biathlons since then but he runs faster..

 

[6thtexas]

Well, I bought a nice worked over Traditions Crockett from No Second Place here on the forum. I really love this little popper! It is superbly accurate. Quick question for the competition shooters-What is the diameter of the black bullseye on the target you shoot at 25 yds? Is it larger than the B-16?

 

[nick_1]

I am so new at bullseye shooting that i really don't know... maybe 6 inches?

 

[Hermit Tim]

So far all of my single shot pistols have been and are CVA and Jukar. I find the KY pistols in .45 to be very accurate and mine does have an adjustable trigger. When I first got it the trigger was so stiff I could hardly pull it. Took it apart, turned a little screw, and now she is light as a feather. Good luck with your search. And don't completely rule out the cheap guns like Jukars. I've always found them to be quite fun and accurate.

 

[hunter thompson]

I had a yazel that was in 36 the top 10 highest scores ever was with these guns..Friend has it..hoping he would shoot it more. The 45 patriot ill take this year to the vermont state championship..Never shoot pistol at the matches ..but this year ill be doing it...I like that trophy.

 

[nick_1]

is it possible that I have shot my trapper out? I have only put maybe 4k rounds through this thing but it loads super easy now with same patch and ball combo that used to be really stiff to load? does not seem as tight group wise either but don't have a really good bench set up to test that with.

 

[SmokepoleSam]

Nick, I doubt you have shot it out just try a thicker patch or ball. I would try the patch first. Good luck

 

[nick_1]

the rifeling looks good but its obviously breaking in and needs a thicker patch.

 

[hunter thompson]

i shot one out...and another guy i know did.. under 1000 roundballs ..the other guys pistol had no rifling 4 -5 inches down from the muzzle.They are good shooters because of this being soft as with a certain rifles as...ive heard some other companys being imported are soft steel that i wont mention for not wanting a BIG thing from it on here.But shoot great...but dont last,,,think of it... how many people on the average reg folk shoot 600-1000 times from a imported production gun>? nodda lotta

 

[Smokey Plainsman]

the lepage is FUGLY INMOP. trapper is good for biathlon where they let you use two hands but it is a lot of weight to hold out there one handed for bullseye...

You think the LePage is ugly but the Trapper isn’t??

 

[Hermit Tim]

You think the LePage is ugly but the Trapper isn’t??

I love 'em both.

 

[Smokey Plainsman]

I love 'em both.

Nice.

 

[nick_1]

My bad. I was thinking of that under hammer thing. I would buy a lepage in a second if it was available and I had the money.