Pedersoli Blue Ridge/Frontier questions

[hulk]

Hello all,
I bought a Pedersoli Blue Ridge/Frontier .50 cal Flintlock rifle last year and was wondering what time frame a rifle like this is supposed to fit in? I know that it is not the most HC rifle but is it a loose copy of say a a rifle from the 1720s, 40s, 70s, etc? Also, I am currently just using pre lubed commercial patches from cabelas, what would you recommend for this rifle? Thank you.

 

[Baby Huey]

I have the same rifle and have been told it is the same as the "Hatfield" type. Mine works well with a 490 PRB, 70 grains of FFF Goex BP, and a .18 (approximately) patch of pillow ticking. I use Crisco for a lube and spit for additional ease of loading when fouling makes it difficult to push the ball down the tube. Accuracy is OK. I can usually put a 5 ball group into an area the size of my hand at 100 yards. That's from a seated position with both elbows on the bench. OK. I do have a big hand.

 

[54ball]

The blue ridge most resembles a rifle built from 1800-1830 in the
Southern Appalatchians. Sort of....It also has some attributes of the Lauks of western Virginia.

 

[hulk]

Thank you for the replies! I guess I was way off base with the years. I just assumed it was more of a pre or revolutionary war era rifle. I have been pretty pleased with it so far but honestly do not have much to compare it against with this being my first and only muzzleloader and no friends or family that shoot muzzleloaders either.

 

[Loyalist Dave]

It really doesn't "fit" anywhere well (imho). The stock is sorta shaped like post 1800 and the rear sight is buckhorn so is very much post 1800, BUT the lock is very large and the caliber of .54 in a 39" barrel is more pre-AWI. No wooden patch box nor metal patch box (unless you buy the "deluxe" version) nor even a tallow hole..., and the use of the ramrod thimbles as "washers" to hold the barrel to the stock is circa 1970's and later. :wink:

Some people say the "Hatfield" rifle was based on an original owned by the family, but I have yet to find out if the original "Hatfield" rifle is being confused with the Pedersoli Frontier, which was ordered by Hatfield with better than basic wood, and a polish and blue on the barrel, in the latter years of that company. One assertion I read was the Pedersoli Frontier was a copy of the Hatfield family's rifle, but I think that's conjecture, blending the original Hatfield story with the later Italian rifle contracted by the Hatfield Company and assuming the story refers to the Frontier from Pedersoli.

I suspect this because the stock shape of the Frontier is very different from any other style that would have been present when the "original Hatfield rifle" would have been made, and its shape would not have been easy to produce. Further, Pedersoli (I'm confident) would not miss the opportunity to tell its customers if they were selling a copy of an original rifle, although they say it "reproduces faithfully" a copy of a long rifle from 1760-1840. :shocked2: Which is a pretty long time in the evolution of the American Long Rifle and many many changes took place in those 8 decades. :shake:

It works as the best currently produced, factory, flintlock "long rifle" useable for big game and available in a caliber larger than .50. Under .54 you have the Traditions Pennsylvania flintlock in .50 and the Pedersoli Pennsylvania flintlock in .45.

Now as a factory flintlock they are good looking rifles, and shoot pretty well. I liked mine in the past and I'm thinking when the go on sale again (usually after New Year's) I will buy one for my son. I missed the sale this year..., too slow on my part.

LD

 

[54ball]

I want to correct my comment. I said the Blue Eidge resembled or had some attributes of the Lauks of Virginia. That is incorrect.....

It is the Sheetz family of gun builders that built a similar profile in the late flint early percussion era.

 

[Critter Getter]

I have the same rifle as yours. The Blue Ridge/ Frontier does very much resemble the Hatfield. I also own the Hatfield as well. I read an article that claimed Ted Hatfield made his Squirrel Rifle to resemble a rifle he owned that was his Great Grandfather's or his Grandfathers. ( I don't remember which he said after 30 some years!) That article never did say when the original was made tho, just who it belonged to. I have read that same article on the internet so a little searching around for articles containing Ted Hatfield might give you an answer. Greg

 

[plunkster]

A little off topic, but I bought the same rifle, used, from a guy that didn't clean the barrel properly and it was trashed completely. I had it rebarreled with a .40 Green Mountain and love it!