Traditions long rifles?????

OK, here I go again. Does any one know anything about Traditions 50 cal Pa or Kentucky long rifles. Like how do they shoot (accurate) finish, etc. They look the same except the Pa 50 has a fancy stock on it. Thanks in advance.

Hi. I started out with a Traditions Kentucky and Traditions Springfield Hawken. I found both to be very accurate. However, please realize that these are entry level rifles. That's not saying they're bad, just that they don't have the quality of most other muzzleloaders in my opinion. I eventually sold mine and upgraded to a Pedersoli Rocky Mountain Hawken and a TC Renegade with Green Mountain barrel. But that being said, I got my first deer (and a couple more) with the Traditions, and was very satisfied with them while I had them. So I guess it's all relative. If you get them cheap enough, and are looking for entry level, then enjoy. They got me going in this great sport.

Pennsylvania Features:

.50 Caliber
40.25" Blued Barrel with Percussion Ignition System
Walnut Stock
1:66 Twist
Double-Set Triggers
Adj,/Blade Sights

Kentucky Rifle Features:

.50 caliber
33.5" Blued Barrel with Percussion ignition system
1:66" Twist
Single Trigger
Fixed/Blade Sights
Select Hardwoods Stock

Both will shoot better than you will unless you are a world class target shooter, so no worries there.

Both, as stated, are a decent rifle to get you going in the sport, whether hunting or target shooting/plinking and they won't strain the wallet to the same degree a custom/semi-custom would.

You may not stay with the sport so you won't have a ton invested. If you do stay, you will move up to another rifle.

From the specs above here's my take:

The longer barrel on the Penn (40'ish vice 33'ish) will make it "appear" more accurate. The longer the sight distance the better the average person tends to shoot.

However, that is an extra 7" of barrel which may be awkward in "your" particular situation (that's personal).

The Penn has double set triggers, the Kentucky single trigger. While double set's look "cool" they have almost zero benefit for "hunting". If your sole purpose is hunting, the single trigger is fine/desirable.

The Penn stock is Walnut, the Kentucky is listed as "hardwood" (probably Beech). With a bit of refinishing you can make the Walnut look "awesome", the "hardwood" is always going to look like a chunk of lumber from Lowe's.

The Penn has "adjustable" sights so you can "dial it in" with practice. The Kentucky has "fixed" sights which you would either learn to live with (many use fixed sights on traditional arms) but many who simply use these as hunting rifles for a week or two during the year would invest in adjustable sights and replace the fixed ones.

The Pennsylvania is a "whole lot more rifle" than the Kentucky, but that is reflected in the price.

The Penn will not kill a deer any "deader" than the Kentucky but may look a whole lot "cooler" doing it - that's my take...

I can't speak for either the Penn or Ken rifles but can speak for Traditions rifles in general. I've killed an enormous amount of deer with a .50 and squirrels with a .32. Entry level? Well, yeah, I guess. But don't think for one minute that the basic quality is not there. The barrels rival custom made barrels.

Hanshi is correct. I'm a meat hunter and am so ugly they don't make a gun sharp enough to distract looks n stares. Mine are tack drivers (or get sold rather quickly). I rather use the extra money I could spend on custom stuff to get more sausage n jerky. Gonna start tryin to make my own this fall (I hope).

the beech wood is some real pretty stuff and looks nothing like lumber yard 4x4. A lot of folks are to simple to realize that a lot of high price furniture is made from beech. With the right stain you can really make the beech wood come to life. I love the birchwood casey rusty walnut on beech wood. A good piece of beech will have a lot of figure in it.

If you look a a great deal of tc rifles they come with an orangish color plain, no figure walnut. Used to be a time they made fancy stuff but it was easier to sell the cheaper walnut for the same price IMO.

Love my traditons kentucky flinter. It actually is the the only flintlock i've kept out of all the flinters ive owned, including the lyman guns.

the beech wood is some real pretty stuff and looks nothing like lumber yard 4x4. A lot of folks are to simple to realize that a lot of high price furniture is made from beech. With the right stain you can really make the beech wood come to life. I love the birchwood casey rusty walnut on beech wood. A good piece of beech will have a lot of figure in it.

If you look a a great deal of tc rifles they come with an orangish color plain, no figure walnut.

I have a problem with the ones that have the two piece stocks. I understand that it holds the price down but to me they don't look right.

Geo. T.

since when do LOOKS make something not perform?

Sure its split in half, but it doesnt hurt its function in any way.

A good shooters a good shooter reguardless of what someone thinks about looks. I don't like the looks of the KY traditions but one mans treasure is another mans junk. The score board doesn't care either way what a gun looks like.

I'm mostly into accuracy but looks are a bit important? Like a girlfriend/wife, she cant be fat AND ugly?

I like half stocks or i pcs long rifles bet but the CVA or traditions Kentucky, to me, looks better then the shorter Tennessee. IMO which around her lately is not worth much since I'm busted with a recent moment of weakness purchase.

azmntman said:

I'm mostly into accuracy but looks are a bit important? Like a girlfriend/wife, she cant be fat AND ugly?

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:thumbsup: :haha:

Who cares if she is fat or ugly....... can she cook? :haha: cheers Paul

Fat , plain looking Wemen need Love too! And most will give a Man a whole lot of Loven'! At the Table and in the Bedroom! Now as fer the Rifle it will shoot better than most men a Holden it! side's everybody ain't got Deep Pockets!

Silliness aside, the Traditions is now carrying the same line CVA started decades ago. The original CVA Kentucky-style was a .45 were as the current Traditions is a .50 and uses a thin spacer rather than the original wide sheet brass wrap. Some folks have trouble with the idea of a two piece stock, the guns will shoot well and I've seen any number of the old .45's actually win local matches. Through the years, many of us moved on to something shinier and more authentic...that did't make the guns any less accurate or useful. They'll put venison in the freezer and bunnies in the pot. Go strictly head shot on bunnies with a .50...other wise you'll have hassenpfeffer seasoning! :wink: :haha:

In the dark all women are beautiful! :idunno:

ohio ramrod said:

In the dark all women are beautiful! :idunno:

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:bow: :bow: :bow:

Fat and plain looking is acceptable, but at AND ugly? I don't think so.

That'd be like a worn out ol Kentucky rifle that wont shoot straight! Now the same rifle that shoots a good group has a place in the woods OR on the range. Or perhaps a beautiful one that has engraving and shiny stuff embedded here and there that wont shoot good can still be ogled and pawed at but not a bit good for filling the freezer of winning a match!

Beauty is only skin deep ,ugly is to the bone,beauty will someday fade away but ugly gonna hold it's own :rotf:

So they say !!