Pedersolis Are Like Rabbits (New Frontier .45 Cal Flintlock)

I put a couple of Pedersolis in my closet and in no time at all there was another one! And another one. And another one.

The FedEx stork brought me the seventh Pedersoli. It's the Frontier flintlock rifle in .45 caliber.

I got the standard walnut version. Although I was thinking that I would like the maple version better I decided to keep it plain as this rifle will be out in the weather, getting rained on and catching some snowflakes.

What surprised me was that the wood and finish looked better than I expected. The only other Frontier rifle that I've held in my hands was the Cabela's Blue Ridge version in .50 caliber. The Blue Ridge fit and finish doesn't look as nice as the one that I got yesterday.

I have to work today then go out of town for a few days. So it will be several days before I get a chance to shoot it.

So I'm curious about what loads anyone else is using in their .45 caliber Frontier rifles.

 

I shoot a .445 ball with a .010 mink lubed patch with 60gr of 3f. (As suggested in the Pedersoli load chart)
I have it sighted in at 50 yards for a perfect bullseye.
I took it to the 100 yard target line and shot at a B-27 target. Aiming at the center of the head, it placed a 3-4" spread in the mid throat area of the target.
That one makes me smile, I really enjoy it. It shoots nice and easy and better than my eyes are able to see at 100 yards.
Only thing I would change to mine would be to sharpen/thin the front sight. At 100 yards it pretty much covers the head area of the target.

 

Did you have any problems with the rifle shooting low and having to file down the front sight?

 

I bought the 45 rifle used and the previous owner had changed the sights out. They were super tall.
I changed out the rear sight and as a result had to file down the front sight.
So I assume your question is concerning factory sights, which I cannot answer for.
On my new .54 Frontier, I changed out the rear for a peep dovetail mounted barrel setback peep which is adjustable so I did not need to change the height of the front sight on that one, I calibrated using the rear sight height.

 

I have a Hatfield 45 and mine likes .440 ball Wal-Mart pillow ticking patch and 70 grains of fffg. 50 yards is all I've shot mine out to . good accuracy 1in groups from the bench . I'm sure it shoots better than I do. The front sight is a bit thick for anything past 50 yards. Going to change it out someday.

 

My .32 Frontier shot really low. I had to file the sight down quite a ways to get it on zero. Since it's a squirrel gun, I sighted it in at 25 yards. You may not have to go quite as far. I did narrow the front sight as well. As Griz said, they are quite wide. I think eventually I will order a narrow silver front sight. I like a lighter colored front sight for squirrels...just a personal preference. The factory sight will work if you just file it down.

 

TPIUWP.

 

Would be nice....

 

Here is some rifle porn for you perverts

 

Very nice! Whether you call them a “Petraselli”, “Pedrosoldi”, “Persadelli”, or any other manner of variants I’ve heard on this forum over the years, Pedersolis are very nice shooters!

 

They aren't hard to look at either! That one is a beaut!

 

I still have three .45s. Depending on the rifle, 60 to 70 grains of 3F work great out to 100 yards or thereabouts. The .440" and .445" ball are totally interchangeable in two of the rifles; the third likes a .435" to .440" ball. I lube with mink oil in the hunting bush and Hoppes at the range. My two favorites shoot canvas (.024") patches.

 

The wood and finish on that one looks pretty nice. Only thing I see is that the grain runs straight across the wrist. Hopefully with a smaller caliber and a lot less recoil it won't turn into a problem.

I've owned a number of Pedersoli's myself including two Frontiers. All of them have been really good shooters...very accurate. The front sights on the Frontiers are huge and generally need a lot of filing with that full buckhorn rear sight they provide (which I'd change out based on my personal preference.) With a front sight that tall, I like to take a small piece of masking tape and put it across the sight part way up and use the top line of it if it were the top of my sight to give me an idea of just how much I might have to file off. Moving that tape piece up or down a bit and trying some shots may give you a good idea of how much to take off the first time and save filing a little and trying, then filing a little more, etc. Be sure to not take too much off that first time, though.

 

The file a little and try it is half the fun. Just an excuse for staying and shooting a lot more and longer than necessary.

 

I have my second Pedersoli coming. Does this mean I shouldn't put them both in the safe at the same time?

 

I don’t care what they say. Even if there is a cover over it, accidents still happen.

 

Won't make any difference, one of mine is so long that it won't even fit in the safe. Did not keep another little one from showing up....

 

I'm afraid they also cross breed. My Frontier with the .32 Cal. 39" barrel was next to my TC Hawken .50 Cal 29" barrel. Now I have a Kentucky with a .45 Cal. 35 9/16" barrel on the way. Someone's been naughty .

 

You people really should practice safe gun storage. I guess I should not talk

 

Pot...meet Kettle.