What would you do?

[jbtusa]

Go with the GPR. They work and are amazingly accurate once the barrel settles. I've seen too many problems with the Ped.

 

[buford87]

With all prices similar, which rifle fits you best? Even though the Pedersoli hasn't been fired, if it has has been snapped to flash with a pan full of powder and not been cleaned well after, that would be a deal breaker for me. Whatever you choose keep us informed post pictures and make good smoke................watch yer top knot........

 

[ebiggs1]

Personally I would trade a “bolt action” shotgun for just about anything! :shocked2: WOW, man jump on this and get'er done. :thumbsup:

The Pedersoli's do have some issues but so does the Lyman GPR. Don't let the nay sayers bother you.
Get the gun, try it and come back and some of us will guide you through how to get it to work just fine.
I have three flintlock Pedersoli's and all in all they are very nice guns that work well. Yes, after some minor tweaks but like I say a GPR is not a very good rifle out of the box either.
You will learn to whom you can trust for advice, here. :hmm:

 

[armymedic.2]

crazy if you don't jump on it.

 

[Dphar]

Pedersoli in flint. Never ever again.
A gun is not a good gun, if it needs work, because this and that was not done correctly.
The barrel is fine, the breech is a pain and may be too small creating ignition problems.
See it on this .50 cal here: http://pedersolilancaster.rsengineering.de/

Picture of the cut off piece in left bottom on first gallery page.
It can probably bored open, if you know what you do. I was so fed up with it, that I finally just cut it off and installed a correct flint breach and restocked the whole rifle. The lock is a good sparker, but a flint eater. I got about 15 shots per flint, then the flint broke.
Problem with Pedersoli: They probably know what junk they produce, but never changed anything on their flinters in 20 years to make them better guns. This breech works fairly well with percussion ignition.

None of the factory guns are "done correctly". Period.
For the most part the makers only know that they can make money selling cheaply made MLs because the average ML shoot won't pay for a good one.
People buy the cheap, poorly designed and assembled factory ML and wonder it does not function right. Duh!
They are made to SELL not work. They are made to a standard that will reduce the number of complaints, nothing more.
Its like buying a Yugo at a used car lot then being disappointed when it is not competitive against a 1969 Camaro with an L88 427 at the NHRA Winter Nationals.

If the shooter wants a good gun he has to pay the good gun price and above all he has to KNOW what a GOOD flintlock IS in the first place.
Most people here apparently have never been exposed to one.


Dan

 

[Billnpatti]

Dan, not only have I been exposed to them, I have four of them in my gunsafe. but, his question was not whether he should buy a custom gun vs a factory gun. It was a choice between three different factory guns. Of his choices, I thought the GPR was the best. I have owned several Pedersoli rifles both flint and caplock and found them to be quite servicable guns. they were not in the same class as a custom made gun but were good none the less. However, my preference, among those he listed, is for the Lyman GPR. I have owned two of them and as a factory gun, they are one of the best. Neither could hold a candle to the .54 plains rifle I have that was built by a man by the name of Boltinghouse. It is a showpiece and a tackdriver. They are not even in the same class but then the GPR cost only about a fourth as much as my Bolting house rifle. No question, the custom made guns and the factory made guns are not in the same class. But not everyone can afford a custom made gun. Unless one is wealthy, it is the factory gun that gets them into the hobby and then at some time they are ready to plunk down the money that a custom gun costs. Maybe our friend, Bruce-007, will make his selection from one of the guns he listed and then later make the investment in a custom gun.

 

[Bruce Roberts]

UPDATE. I did the trade today and now have the unfired Pedersoli Pennsylvania for equivalent of $125. As a total beginner I think it is a good place to start. I can always upgrade if I want to later.

I need to locate a BP gunsmith in southern WI to check it out. Know any?? That way if any problems I know it is my technique. Thanks all. :wink:

 

[BE Wild Willy]

Congrats, you done good. I wouldn't think that you'd have to take it to a gunsmith, but that's up to you. I'd search this section for how to use and let it rip.

How about some pics...

 

[pargent]

:thumbsup: Just find some flinters in your area and cut loose , post range results etc. :thumbsup:

 

[Jumpshot]

If it's never been fired, you shouldn't need to take it to a gunsmith (assuming the bore wasn't allowed to rust away). Just put a flint in it and try the lock, see if it sparks okay. If that's good, make sure there's no lube or anything blocking the touch hole. I assume you already checked out the bore, give it a cleaning if necessary. If it looks okay, it should be ready to shoot.

 

[Many Klatch]

Check out the National Muzzleloading Rifle Association http://www.nmlra.org/ All of the member clubs have their shoots listed once a quarter in the Muzzle Blasts Magazine. Find a local club, meet the shooters. Then you will find the gunsmiths. Most muzzleloading gunsmiths that I know don't have shops and mostly work for friends.

Many Klatch

 

[F.G. Ford]

Most new guns need a little fine tuneing to make them reliable.
Make sure the touch hole is just right, a good sharp 5/64 drill bit will do that. But you need somebody that can do it carefully, without breaking the drill bit in the hole.
Set your flint right in the cock.
Have the right flint, how to sharpen it.
Understand your patches, get the right patch material (very important !) they should be almost reuseable, you should see rifleing impressions on the patch, without burnout or tearing.
Read a recovered ball, it should have weave impressions and rifleing impressions on the ball.
Use only black powder in a flint!
These are not MAGNUM rifles, don't try and make them that way, and you will enjoy them better.
Get a copy of Dutch Shultz (spelling) loading procedures. Well worth it!
Old Ford

 

[Bruce Roberts]

Thanks!! Great resource, I wasn't aware of them. :wink:

 

[Bruce Roberts]

I was not aware of the book, this is all new to me. I'll check it out, thanks, Bruce.

 

[ebiggs1]

You did good. Like I said before now you have it, try it, and come back if all isn't as it should be. I guess from reading the replies you have noticed which guy(s) to ignore and which to follow.

PS. Real black powder, GOEX 3f.

 

[Bruce Roberts]

Yes I did notice, but still appreciate all points of view. Thanks, Bruce.

 

[Isiah1103]

I have a .45 Pedersoli Pennsylvania Flintlock purchased around '94-'95. It's a fine firearm. It's small, light, accurate with the right load (1"@ 50 yds. open sights). Killed many deer. I did drill out and cone the touch hole but have never done anything else to it. I don't think you can go wrong with it.

 

[Bruce Roberts]

Ya, I may need smaller balls too. I used micrometer in the .45 cal. and get .45 in the valleys and .41 on the lands, seems to be a big difference. Your .433 balls with a patch might be difficult with .41 on lands? Starting to get confused.

 

[Jumpshot]

Yeah, I don't think you could even drop a bare ball down a bore that small. Mine's a bit on the tight side, but just regarding ease of loading with the usual .440 ball. Nothing like what you're seeing. That sounds way off the mark. I don't mean to sound insulting, but are you sure you measured it correctly?

Also, is it stamped ".45" on the barrel (near the breech)? I ask because that rifle is also available in .32 caliber. Maybe it's possible that someone took a .32 and bored it out to .40?

 

[Bruce Roberts]

Thanks for reply, it made me measure again. Gun barrel does say Cal. 45. Human error, just wait till you get to my age! The 20yr old gun was never shot. Upon closer review I see there was some "gunk" in barrel, maybe a coating to protect it. I cleaned that out. So valleys still measure .45 and lands now measure .435 to .44.

Do you think .433 balls should be first to buy and try?? Thanks for the help, Bruce