Pedersoli Harpers Ferry pistol

[Fly103]

Hi everyone,
I picked up this Pedersoli Harpers ferry pistol at the local gun show today. Date code indicates 1997 and with the browned barrel I'm guessing a kit built gun. She exibits no frizzen wear so i am thinking she was someones wall hanger and never fired.

Can anyone share any info about her, preferred patch/ball combo, recommended powder charge? From doing some dry fire practice she has a really heavy trigger, any advice on lightening it up? Im quite excited to have my first flint pistol, i cant wake to take some shots with her.

 

[jcs266]

I know I've always liked this pistol, I'd love to pick one up if I get the chance. Let us know how you like it as time goes on.

 

[Fly103]

I disassembled the lock today, cleaned out alot of what looked and smelled like cosmoline, tweaked the sear spring a bit and oiled her up. Trigger pull is still a bit heavy but a tenfold improvement over how she was before.

Chris

 

[Notchy Bob]

Many times, that heavy trigger is due to the engagement of the sear nose with the full-cock notch in the tumbler. This can be improved by stoning, but you need to know what you are doing. I don't own one of those pistols, but they have been available for many, many years, and have been written up several times. Some writers have issues with Pedersoli flint locks, reporting suboptimal sparking. The heavy trigger pull is a common issue with production-made muzzleloaders.

If it were mine, I would send the lock to Brad Emig of Cabin Creek Muzzleloading, the "Lock Doctor," for a general tune up. I can assure you, it will be time and money well spent. I've sent two locks to brad, one L&R and one Pedersoli, and the difference in function was like night and day.

You have a very nice and historic pistol. I hope you enjoy it to the fullest!

Notchy Bob

 

[Fly103]

The sear, tumbler geometry seems pretty good, didnt see any wear on either. I did file back the end of the sear spring a bit as it was riding in the radius of the sear arm and binding up a bit. That and tweaking it to remove a bit of tension cut the trigger pull weight in half.

As for pedersoli locks, this is my second pedersoli flinter, the other being a pennsylvania rifle. Lock feometry on the rifle is ok and can be fixed by shimming the back of the flint up a bit. The geometry on the harpers ferry is awful, i think i am going to find another cock of the same style used on the penn rifle and swap them out, other than that my only option is to cut a bit out of the front side of the loop, bend the jaws down, and reweld it. Decisions decisions.......

Chris