New to flintlocks - Advice welcome

[steam1993]

I hope to get my Traditions.50 out when it warms up agin, gets cold in Minnesota. I just have to harden the frizzen, i have test fired it using a match. I am use to the powder flash as i have shot match locks.

 

[Crewdawg445]

The stock is secured to the barrel via the two small screws through the thimbles or pipes.

A less than desirable method of securing the stock, but it indeed works.

The threaded portions are actually a standard dovetail and drift right out allowing you to use two barrel tenons up front and one in the rear for a total of three. The rear base for the tenon must be cut and slotted but a very easy task.

I'm not a fan of production guns at all, however I do favor the blue ridge, it is indeed one of the best production guns out there for the money.

You may find the mainspring to be rather strong. I gave my production lock away to a fellow member before fiddling with it. My observation was very stiff springs but a great sparker. If you find the springs are heavy, they can easily be filed down with patience and a little time, being they are hardened and tempered.

You'll have a ball with your new toy, good choice for a first flinter IMO. :thumbsup:

 

[Black Hand]

I just have to harden the frizzen...

Why?
The frizzen should have come hardened and shouldn't need any work.

 

[Crewdawg445]

I was thinking the same thing... However, it is a traditions frizzen... :shocked2:

I did a re-harden on a frizzen in my crucible for a guy at work on his traditions gun. Something you shouldn't have to do IMO... Yet I will say it is a good sparker after fixing all the production errors on the lock. Cock and frizzen geometry was off by a mile.

 

[smoothshooter]

Remember, on full-stocked guns don't take the barrel off to clean it. They were meant to be cleaned in the stock.

 

[Pacobillie]

My Blue Ridge cap lock rifle needed the front sight filed down some so take a file to the range with you at first. Mine shot WAY low, so don't be disappointed if yours does. That was a long time ago, though. Maybe they have changed it down a little.

I own the flintlock Pedersoli Frontier rifle (which is similar to the Blue Ridge, albeit a bit more upscale). The rearsight is a buckhorn, with a notch at the bottom. No need to file down the front blade. Just use different sight pictures, depending on distance.

As to ball size and patch, mine has a surprisingly tight bore and shoots best with a .480 ball and .018 pillow ticking patch. A .490 ball is very hard to push down the bore, and the .495 ball will not go down at all.

I get very reliable ignition from the stock lock, using 3F Goex. Only complaint is that the lock spring is quite stiff and flints tend to chip quickly as a result. No issue with frizzen hardness. It sparks very well.

 

[Crewdawg445]

They are the same rifles. The rear sight on the blue ridge is a buckhorn as well. There's nothing more "upscale" or special about the pedersoli versus the blue ridge.

Before they both were what they are today, they were manufactured as Hatfield rifles.

 

[Loyalist Dave]

Actually, Pedersoli does offer a Frontier that is upscale from the standard rifles that are currently used as the Blue Ridge Hunter, and also were once sold under the Hatifield name. The Hatfield version was ordered by that company with better than average wood, and had an externally polished barrel...but the polishing was machine done and the edges on the barrel flats were rounded as a result. :barf: I think Pacobillie might be referring to the Deluxe version.

LD

 

[SgtErv]

How far down was the finish on the Pedersoli? Ive redone a CVA and had to sand a ton! Thinking about redoing the Bess over the winter, wondering how much of a pain the factory finish is to remove

 

[SgtErv]

A good jag will do you wonders if you're considering accessories. Track of the Wolf has a really good one. It will really help with cleaning.

A lot of us have different preferences for how tight the patch/ball combo should be. Some like them easier to load, opting for, say, .490 ball and .015 patch. I'm one of those, but my barrel has such deep rifling that I have to use .018. Others don't mind having to use a wooden mallet. It's a balance between ease of loading and accuracy for me.

Changing one element at a time (patch, lube, ball, charge), you will be able to tell what she likes. Be patient though, becausecwith a flitter there are so many factors in working up a load that it'll take time to figure out. Which means more shooting, darn that luck, eh? Once you're shooting a ragged home at 50 yards, you'll be stoked. It'll happen!

Remember the fundamentals, esp follow through and trigger squeeze, and have some fun. Welcome to the dark side! Lots of good folks on the forum here willing to answer about any question you've got

 

[Black Hand]

I've redone a CVA and had to sand a ton! Thinking about redoing the Bess over the winter, wondering how much of a pain the factory finish is to remove

Why would you sand to remove the finish? It is like using a teaspoon to empty a bathtub - it will do the job eventually but you waste so much time and it isn't the best tool for the job. Use a good-quality stripper to remove the finish then continue...

 

[Pacobillie]

They are the same rifles. The rear sight on the blue ridge is a buckhorn as well. There's nothing more "upscale" or special about the pedersoli versus the blue ridge.

Before they both were what they are today, they were manufactured as Hatfield rifles.

My Frontier has a patch box, which the Blue Ridge does not have, as well as a series of decorative brass tacks on the stock. The wood is also nicer, although not maple burl, like on the Deluxe version. So, in terms of finish and materials, it sits between the plain Blue ridge, and the deluxe version.

 

[Crewdawg445]

Never came across a frontier with what you describe, sure it's not the pedersoli Pennsylvania rifle? Pictures would be helpful.

 

[Pacobillie]

Never came across a frontier with what you describe, sure it's not the pedersoli Pennsylvania rifle? Pictures would be helpful.

I stand corrected about the patch box. It does not have one. My Hawken does. But it does have decorative tacks in the stock, near the butt and in front of the lock. And indeed, the model shown on the Pedersoli website does not have that feature. For the rest, it is a Frontier.

 

[Gene L]

Not sure why one would oppose filing down the front sight to raise the point of impact. It's how one adjusts a fixed sight. Impossible to get a good sight picture by elevating the barrel above the slot in the rear sight...I mean, you can occasionally hit the target, but I see no reason not to have the sight in the sweet spot.

I modified my rifle by putting iron furniture on it and a poor boy trigger guard. I think it looks fine. The original brass trigger guard broke off, so watch yours.

 

[Crewdawg445]

Sounds right :thumbsup: those tacks would have been added by a previous owner, which is very likely if the rifle was purchased used.

Pedersoli does offer brass tacks with certain gun kits, not sure if the frontier was ever offered as a kit... To my knowledge it was not.

 

[Pacobillie]

Not sure why one would oppose filing down the front sight to raise the point of impact. It's how one adjusts a fixed sight. Impossible to get a good sight picture by elevating the barrel above the slot in the rear sight...I mean, you can occasionally hit the target, but I see no reason not to have the sight in the sweet spot.

Because a buckhorn sight is meant to be used differently from a V or U groove rear sight. It does not move up and down. So, you adjust for distance by changing the sight picture. Here is a link to a picture of what I mean: Link

 

[Gene L]

That assumes a zero in the top-to-top position. As illustrated in example one. Are there any advantages for a rifle shooting low? I can't think of any.

 

[Pacobillie]

That assumes a zero in the top-to-top position. As illustrated in example one.

Not sure that I unerstand what you mean. The Frontier has a V notch at the bottom of the buckhorn. That is to be used for the closest zero. Then as distances increase, the top of the blade will be positioned progressively higher.

On my Frontier, the top of the blade positioned even with the notch is good for 25 yard shots. For 50 yard shots, I have the bottom of the blade even with the bottom of the buckhorn. (Whole blade shows, but no barrel is visible) For 100 yards, the top of the blade is even with the top of the buckhorn.

 

[Docgp]

I don't think the idea was not to file. I think the idea was not to get in a hurry. Play with the rifle and loadings, find out what it likes and what distance you want it sighted in, then file.

I may have missed something though!! Wouldn't be the first time.

Doc