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My Traditions Kentucky rifle project complete

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kyron4

50 Cal.
Joined
Dec 25, 2021
Messages
1,062
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2,102
Location
Indiana
Here's my recently finished Traditions Kentucky rifle; this is my first kit build and my first flintlock. It was a fun project and I'm happy with the final results. I wasn't going for the artistic look with engraving and inlays, but wanted more of a "poor boy" look ; that every day working rifle of the poor settler or trapper. All the brass was darkened with cold blue and the barrel was browned with LMF browning solution . The stock was finished with a couple coats of BC Walnut stain and topped with a couple coats of hand rubbed Minwax Antique Oil finish , which gave me that satin low sheen look I was going for. The faux color hardening on the lock was removed and blued to a dark black color.
I ditched the brass spacer and used a six inch section of 1/2" aluminum tubing along with the two pins to join the stocks. Drilled out the ramrod hole slightly on both pieces and pressed in the tube . Also plugged and redrilled for the two pins to get a better fit and alignment. Used some Woodtite glue to hold together for a very solid once piece stock. I plugged and redrilled the nose cap holes to line up with the threaded holes in the barrel and got a perfect fit.

If I had any complaints about the kit it would be ,
1. the screws are made of butter. Seriously these have to be the softest screws I've ever worked with, so care must be taken not to strip threads or damage the slot.
2. the stock being beech was difficult to stain and had a horrible grain pattern. I get that it's a bottom tier kit but that wood was a challenge to get close to the look I wanted.

On the range , after some trail and error, I got it firing 100% with 2f in the pan and barrel. 50 gr. of Goex with a PRB produced one ragged hole at 25 yds. and about 2" at 50 yds. Given the crude sight and my pathetic eyesight, more than impressed. It did hit about 4 1/2" high at 50, so I will be fabricating a new taller front blade.

In all I'm quite pleased and want to thank everyone who offer advice and information along the way. In my lifetime I have shot belt feed machine guns, sub guns, 50 cal BMG and cannon size revolvers and nothing has compared to the rush of firing that flintlock. It was a most unique experience.

Here's a picture, please excuse the poor photo quality with my potato camera, it does look better than the picture .
GEDC1439-2.JPG


*I also posted this in the builder forum, so I hope it's okay to also post it here since people on both forums helped along the way.*
 
One fine looking rifle, and I really like the "poor boy look" as I am not a big fan of the polished brass look. The lock looks so much better that way as well. I can only hope that I can complete my kit half as good as your looks. I think you did a fabulous job on the rifle.
 
I ditched the brass spacer and used a six inch section of 1/2" aluminum tubing along with the two pins to join the stocks. Drilled out the ramrod hole slightly on both pieces and pressed in the tube . Also plugged and redrilled for the two pins to get a better fit and alignment. Used some Woodtite glue to hold together for a very solid once piece stock. I plugged and redrilled the nose cap holes to line up with the threaded holes in the barrel and got a perfect fit.
Nice looking gun. You have likely already taken care of this, but because you made a one piece stock out of the two pieces and eliminated the brass spacer, did you slot the pin holes in the barrel tenons? Reason I ask is that I have seen these two piece stocks separate quite a bit from temperature and humidity over years (actually have an unfired one in the safe from about 1980 that has opened up). Now that you essentially have a one piece stock you have to allow for the wood to naturally expand and contract or you will have troubles, though some folks don’t believe this is an issue to be concerned about. Guess that’s because you don’t see it on a typical one piece stock until things pull apart in the tang breech plug area or you start investigating POI changes or vertical stringing.

Below is a photograph of the gun mentioned above. Unfired, factory made, 40 plus years in a humidity controlled environment (Heat/AC plus dehumidifier in the safe). It’s been on my todo list for years to slot the tenons, but with a gun that’s never been shot it just doesn’t get to the top of the list.
1651889428024.jpeg
 
Here's my recently finished Traditions Kentucky rifle; this is my first kit build and my first flintlock. It was a fun project and I'm happy with the final results. I wasn't going for the artistic look with engraving and inlays, but wanted more of a "poor boy" look ; that every day working rifle of the poor settler or trapper. All the brass was darkened with cold blue and the barrel was browned with LMF browning solution . The stock was finished with a couple coats of BC Walnut stain and topped with a couple coats of hand rubbed Minwax Antique Oil finish , which gave me that satin low sheen look I was going for. The faux color hardening on the lock was removed and blued to a dark black color.
I ditched the brass spacer and used a six inch section of 1/2" aluminum tubing along with the two pins to join the stocks. Drilled out the ramrod hole slightly on both pieces and pressed in the tube . Also plugged and redrilled for the two pins to get a better fit and alignment. Used some Woodtite glue to hold together for a very solid once piece stock. I plugged and redrilled the nose cap holes to line up with the threaded holes in the barrel and got a perfect fit.

If I had any complaints about the kit it would be ,
1. the screws are made of butter. Seriously these have to be the softest screws I've ever worked with, so care must be taken not to strip threads or damage the slot.
2. the stock being beech was difficult to stain and had a horrible grain pattern. I get that it's a bottom tier kit but that wood was a challenge to get close to the look I wanted.

On the range , after some trail and error, I got it firing 100% with 2f in the pan and barrel. 50 gr. of Goex with a PRB produced one ragged hole at 25 yds. and about 2" at 50 yds. Given the crude sight and my pathetic eyesight, more than impressed. It did hit about 4 1/2" high at 50, so I will be fabricating a new taller front blade.

In all I'm quite pleased and want to thank everyone who offer advice and information along the way. In my lifetime I have shot belt feed machine guns, sub guns, 50 cal BMG and cannon size revolvers and nothing has compared to the rush of firing that flintlock. It was a most unique experience.

Here's a picture, please excuse the poor photo quality with my potato camera, it does look better than the picture .
View attachment 138206

*I also posted this in the builder forum, so I hope it's okay to also post it here since people on both forums helped along the way.*
I volunteer to field test it!! I really like it. Very clean
 
Nice looking gun. You have likely already taken care of this, but because you made a one piece stock out of the two pieces and eliminated the brass spacer, did you slot the pin holes in the barrel tenons? Reason I ask is that I have seen these two piece stocks separate quite a bit from temperature and humidity over years (actually have an unfired one in the safe from about 1980 that has opened up). Now that you essentially have a one piece stock you have to allow for the wood to naturally expand and contract or you will have troubles, though some folks don’t believe this is an issue to be concerned about. Guess that’s because you don’t see it on a typical one piece stock until things pull apart in the tang breech plug area or you start investigating POI changes or vertical stringing.

Below is a photograph of the gun mentioned above. Unfired, factory made, 40 plus years in a humidity controlled environment (Heat/AC plus dehumidifier in the safe). It’s been on my todo list for years to slot the tenons, but with a gun that’s never been shot it just doesn’t get to the top of the list.
View attachment 138271
Yes, tenons were slotted as were the nose cap screw holes (elongated rather than slotted) .
 
Nice job. I'm planning on putting a Traditions Kentucky flintlock together as a winter project so your experiences on your project is most helpful.
 
Here's my recently finished Traditions Kentucky rifle; this is my first kit build and my first flintlock. It was a fun project and I'm happy with the final results. I wasn't going for the artistic look with engraving and inlays, but wanted more of a "poor boy" look ; that every day working rifle of the poor settler or trapper. All the brass was darkened with cold blue and the barrel was browned with LMF browning solution . The stock was finished with a couple coats of BC Walnut stain and topped with a couple coats of hand rubbed Minwax Antique Oil finish , which gave me that satin low sheen look I was going for. The faux color hardening on the lock was removed and blued to a dark black color.
I ditched the brass spacer and used a six inch section of 1/2" aluminum tubing along with the two pins to join the stocks. Drilled out the ramrod hole slightly on both pieces and pressed in the tube . Also plugged and redrilled for the two pins to get a better fit and alignment. Used some Woodtite glue to hold together for a very solid once piece stock. I plugged and redrilled the nose cap holes to line up with the threaded holes in the barrel and got a perfect fit.

If I had any complaints about the kit it would be ,
1. the screws are made of butter. Seriously these have to be the softest screws I've ever worked with, so care must be taken not to strip threads or damage the slot.
2. the stock being beech was difficult to stain and had a horrible grain pattern. I get that it's a bottom tier kit but that wood was a challenge to get close to the look I wanted.

On the range , after some trail and error, I got it firing 100% with 2f in the pan and barrel. 50 gr. of Goex with a PRB produced one ragged hole at 25 yds. and about 2" at 50 yds. Given the crude sight and my pathetic eyesight, more than impressed. It did hit about 4 1/2" high at 50, so I will be fabricating a new taller front blade.

In all I'm quite pleased and want to thank everyone who offer advice and information along the way. In my lifetime I have shot belt feed machine guns, sub guns, 50 cal BMG and cannon size revolvers and nothing has compared to the rush of firing that flintlock. It was a most unique experience.

Here's a picture, please excuse the poor photo quality with my potato camera, it does look better than the picture .
View attachment 138206

*I also posted this in the builder forum, so I hope it's okay to also post it here since people on both forums helped along the way.*
Looks great!
 
Nice looking gun. You have likely already taken care of this, but because you made a one piece stock out of the two pieces and eliminated the brass spacer, did you slot the pin holes in the barrel tenons? Reason I ask is that I have seen these two piece stocks separate quite a bit from temperature and humidity over years (actually have an unfired one in the safe from about 1980 that has opened up). Now that you essentially have a one piece stock you have to allow for the wood to naturally expand and contract or you will have troubles, though some folks don’t believe this is an issue to be concerned about. Guess that’s because you don’t see it on a typical one piece stock until things pull apart in the tang breech plug area or you start investigating POI changes or vertical stringing.

Below is a photograph of the gun mentioned above. Unfired, factory made, 40 plus years in a humidity controlled environment (Heat/AC plus dehumidifier in the safe). It’s been on my todo list for years to slot the tenons, but with a gun that’s never been shot it just doesn’t get to the top of the list.
View attachment 138271
I built one of these with the exact same gapping result. I is a very good shooter however.
 

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