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I just picked up 2 long rifles, need help identifying them.

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On the flintlock, I built a CVA kit that looked very much like that around 1975 including the sheet brass to cover the two piece stock. If I remember right the barrel was marked juke. The frizzen was a problem on my kit and would not spark and I had no success at the time in getting it to harden. With a replacement frizzen I shot it a few time, but had moved on to a TC Hawken. I just threw that out as another possibility for where it may have come from. Mine was 45 caliber.
 
A friend of mine built a rifle similar to the percussion rifle you have. It was a .50 cal CVA Plainsman. He got it in the late ‘80’s or early ‘90’s.
 
Butt plate for the Kentucky should be here by December 28th.

I am rather excited to see what happens with this Kentucky orphan once I get it all together.
I have been doing a lot of reading here, and elsewhere, on flintlocks, and as this is my first ever flintlock, I guess I will just have to load her up and see what happens... yes, a very small load to begin with, and maybe set off with a rather long string.

You are correct, I am just a touch a'feard of it due to what I have been reading.

There are so many opinions, experiences, etc. that I am going to try it as is for now prior to investing any more into it.
In my opinion, it sparks quite well, but I do need to learn more about them.

I have been lucky enough to run into a gentleman that lives very close to me on the internet, that is a fanatic about any muzzleloader... new, cheap kit built, rifle and handgun, and appreciates them all for what they are, that is willing to help me out with the flint when I am ready and have some .45 lead to shoot.

All I have now is .44 for the pistols, and .50 for the rifles...…
I don't even have anything to shoot the Crockett with yet.... and that so far is my favorite feeling rifle.

Thanks for all the input here on these two orphans.

Like I said previously, I am having fun with them already, even though I have not shot any of my recent pistols or rifles (with one exception... hehheh, but we will not go into details on that event :rolleyes:) to date..... that will happen for sure this spring at the latest.
 
I have to be completely honest in saying I wouldn't have. The option has presented itself numerous times, actually a few weeks ago as a matter of fact... I had a friend offer me his Traditions KY rifle for $120. My mindset shifts to "What work will be involved to make this rifle acceptable" which ends up eating more time than it's worth in the end. That precious time could have been spent on my other builds and projects that will likely be more of a investment in the end, which I view my rifles as such.

I started my ML journey when I was seven, first front stuffer I ever shot was a .36 flinter my grandfather built when he was in his twenties. I'd give anything to have that rifle today. Moving on, I can attest my journey didn't start with a Spanish gun and while I have owned a Traditions rifle that was a kit, it received many upgrades and was a fine shooter, I wouldn't buy one for over a Benjamin Franklin. Just my .2 cents that isn't worth even that, I'm a firm believer in a traditional spirit and the creativity of these fine rifles. They are works of art, a representation of it's creator which just isn't there with the mass produced repos that flood the market. We all are on different roads of the journey though!

Also, offer stands for the beer money! ;)

I own a traditions you put a lot of work into, I love it nice lightweight and with 65 grains of Olde Eynesford 3F .490 roundball .015 patch. ive put over 200 balls downrange so far, not the first hang or misfire. working on my 2nd flint. this rifle gets a lot of attention when I carry it around when asked what the make is a traditions Hawken woodsman people are shocked I literraly have to show them. one of my best investments and still my only flinter
 
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No reason to worry on the ultrahigh Kentucky.
I have the same gun in percussion it was one of my first muzzle loaders which I put together from a kit(notice I didn't say built,as it is far from it) in the mid seventies.
I still shoot it and it's very accurate,but not with the massive loads I thought I needed in my foolish days. It survived that,so I don't think you need to worry about safety with reasonable loads.
It was made by Miroku in Japan who built some high quality guns. It is easily comparable to a cva or jukar kentucky quality wise.
Not a valuable gun to most,but one of the few I have that I will not part with.
 
I own a traditions you put a lot of work into, I love it nice lightweight and with 65 grains of Olde Eynesford 3F .490 roundball .015 patch. ive put over 200 balls downrange so far, not the first hang or misfire. working on my 2nd flint. this rifle gets a lot of attention when I carry it around when asked what the make is a traditions Hawken woodsman people are shocked I literraly have to show them. one of my best investments and still my only flinter

I too still like my traditions kits, and the longer I have them, the more they become me by changing this, tweaking that, etc.
My original CVA Mountain was quite the shooter back in the late 1970's, figure 8's at 100 yards, but the eyes and hands were a bit more steady back then.
It sounds like you have made it "yours", and that is a good thing.
If you get a chance, throw a picture up of it.

No reason to worry on the ultrahigh Kentucky.
I have the same gun in percussion it was one of my first muzzle loaders which I put together from a kit(notice I didn't say built,as it is far from it) in the mid seventies.
I still shoot it and it's very accurate,but not with the massive loads I thought I needed in my foolish days. It survived that,so I don't think you need to worry about safety with reasonable loads.
It was made by Miroku in Japan who built some high quality guns. It is easily comparable to a cva or jukar kentucky quality wise.
Not a valuable gun to most,but one of the few I have that I will not part with.

Very good to hear, the Kentucky is getting its butt plate tomorrow, so I cannot wait for the post office to open.
I hear you about the massive loads that youth seems to think it needs, there are better ways to hurt yourself.... Heheh

I did run into some quite good reviews on Miroku when I was searching, and the only Kentucky I could find that looked like this one was the Ultra Hi, so feeling pretty good about it.
Miroku built many a barrel back when they were doing that for others, and today Browning shotgun barrels are made by them according to what my research has told me.
 
I picked up the butt plate for the Ultra Hi Kentucky today.... it is way too big to fit, so onward looking for another one.
This was advertised as only fitting a .45 cal. CVA, TC, or Tradition's Kentucky, so I took a chance as it was the only one I could find that said it fit only a .45 Kentucky and would not fit a .50 cal..

If I were to file / grind this one down to fit, I would not have any brass left...… it actually fits over the stock on the sides and top. It looks like I will need to leave it as is for now while I continue looking.
Better than nothing, at least the stock is protected a bit now.

If anyone has access to, or knows of a butt plate for this particular model of Kentucky, contact me please.
I want to shoot this one by summer.

no go.jpg
 
Get a copy of the Track of the Wolf catalog. They have full size pictures of most items. You should be able to match a butt plate to your stock. I would have hoped that the Traditions parts would have been very close to your stock.
 
Typical production lock that "likely" will give you more trouble than going off. Looks like a old ultra hi lock, essentially the same lock traditions uses today.


:confused::eek:

That is Not the same lock used by Traditions today. They have a bridled tumbler.
 
Get a copy of the Track of the Wolf catalog. They have full size pictures of most items. You should be able to match a butt plate to your stock. I would have hoped that the Traditions parts would have been very close to your stock.

Unfortunately it is out of print at the moment, so I did download the pdf. for it.
I will see if I find anything close to what I need there.
Thanks for the tip.
 
Just a quick update to these two.... yeah, I am still fiddling around some here and there with all of them.
I do like blondes, (my wife is one... heheh), but not on my rifles!

This particular one seems to be a cross between a CVA Hawken and CVA Frontier from what I have found.
Made by the same people that made the CVA rifles back in the day.

I did not like the Muzzelloading Armoury stock color or shapes, so I made it mine over the past few days.

I reduced the "2x4" and profiled it just a bit, thinned the stock a bit near the butt plate, (it was very fat), adjusted the grip to fit me, and re-stained it with my favorite Kona stain followed by boiled linseed oil,... a coat or two after sanding the whole stock back to raw wood.

I am still having fun with these inexpensive kits, and love making them mine. :rolleyes:

redone 1.jpg


redone 2.jpg


It is now at the number 3 spot of my favorite rifles I own out of all 7.
The Crockett is still number 1, but shooting them all this coming spring will determine the best of the bunch.
Not a "classic period correct / historically accurate" percussion, but something I actually like now, it feels very comfortable to me, and is truly mine.

I was going to literally give this particular one away, but after working on it, I like it quite a bit and will be keeping it in my "collection".

Still thinking about the "Ultra Hi" Kentucky..... any suggestions on what to do with that one?
 
Just a quick update to these two.... yeah, I am still fiddling around some here and there with all of them.
I do like blondes, (my wife is one... heheh), but not on my rifles!

This particular one seems to be a cross between a CVA Hawken and CVA Frontier from what I have found.
Made by the same people that made the CVA rifles back in the day.

I did not like the Muzzelloading Armoury stock color or shapes, so I made it mine over the past few days.

I reduced the "2x4" and profiled it just a bit, thinned the stock a bit near the butt plate, (it was very fat), adjusted the grip to fit me, and re-stained it with my favorite Kona stain followed by boiled linseed oil,... a coat or two after sanding the whole stock back to raw wood.

I am still having fun with these inexpensive kits, and love making them mine. :rolleyes:

View attachment 3203

View attachment 3204

It is now at the number 3 spot of my favorite rifles I own out of all 7.
The Crockett is still number 1, but shooting them all this coming spring will determine the best of the bunch.
Not a "classic period correct / historically accurate" percussion, but something I actually like now, it feels very comfortable to me, and is truly mine.

I was going to literally give this particular one away, but after working on it, I like it quite a bit and will be keeping it in my "collection".

Still thinking about the "Ultra Hi" Kentucky..... any suggestions on what to do with that one?
I had a CVA just like that.. I think it was called a PLAINSRIFLE.. or PLAINSMAN... can’t remember. Mine was really light and very accurate. I’d love to find another someday. I done some customizing just as you have to yours, defarbbed the barrel and took the bluing off, reblued and carded it back to a light grey, made my own lock plate. Mine was percussion. Good luck and enjoy!
 
Just a question for our viewers out there, bit wasn't Ultra High made by Miroku in Japan?

According to everything I have found, it was made by Miroku in Japan.
That is the only rifle I have been able to find that used the wide brass stock separator band, so I would have to say this one is Miroku, which has a very good reputation for the quality of their rifles / shotguns even to this day.
 
Mirouku modern rifles and shotguns, their Brown Bess and the Dixie Tennessee Rifle have good reputations. Some of their muzzleloading production are dangerous. Determine what you have. I would be leery of one with the two piece stock and an octagon to round barrel.

If your rifle goes from octagon to round, you may have a two part barrel with round part threaded into the octagon part. The joint between the to sections may not mate perfectly and you have an obstruction in the barrel.
 
Mirouku modern rifles and shotguns, their Brown Bess and the Dixie Tennessee Rifle have good reputations. Some of their muzzleloading production are dangerous. Determine what you have. I would be leery of one with the two piece stock and an octagon to round barrel.

If your rifle goes from octagon to round, you may have a two part barrel with round part threaded into the octagon part. The joint between the to sections may not mate perfectly and you have an obstruction in the barrel.

Thanks Grenadier1758,
I had read that myself, and fortunately mine is a solid octagon, and is stamped "SPAIN" on the barrel.
No proofs, nothing but Spain.

That is the only markings on it though, so it is really difficult to say who the "manufacturer" was other than looking for similar pictures.
The only other Kentucky I was able to find, was the Miroku Ultra Hi Kentucky.

More than likely it will just be hung on the wall.
 
There were some early CVA rifles with 2 piece stocks. The barrels were made in Spain. Okay percussion locks but generally poor flintlocks. The Spanish barrels were accurate if you can get the rifle to shoot.
 
Both look to me like being made in Italy by Investarm , they are sold on their name and many other brands I have a .54 cal Hawken flint by them that has been my meat getter for 30 plus years ... don't ever try to re-harden the frizzen on these.. don't know how they are made but it never works a new one is easy to get if you search a bit... mine now has "fire sights" for my old age vision and a very non period correct sling for hunting
 
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