Traditions Kentucky?

[Road_Clam]

Anyone have thoughts on the Traditions Kentucky Rifle Flintlock .50 Caliber?

I'm looking to get back into flintlocks but don't have much money to spend. Other than the brass band, it looks very authentic to me. I'd probably put rawhide on the band to make it look like a native american stock repair.

Do these shoot well? For $400, would it be worth it? I'm mainly a percussion shooter but want to try flintlocks, and in no way shape or form can I afford a custom gun. This appears to be the only full stock flintlock I can afford. The Pedersoli is something like $700+.

Thoughts?

I have the Traditions Penn version (looks about identical) so here's what I can offer. My Traditions Penn has a less than ideal "patent" breech design. This means the touch hole is drilled into a much smaller hole at the rear of the barrel. The touch hole does not enter directly into the bore. This has caused some inconsistent ignitions for me. Granted i'm a very new flinter and the good news is i'm learning how to get my Penn to ignite consistently but it's been a frustrating learning curve. The other issue is the very high comb on the stock. With my Penn you really need to cheek weld very far back on the stock to get a clean sight picture. My lock does seem to be tough on flints as well but still I really like my Penn.

 

[coloradoclyde]

My Traditions Penn has a less than ideal "patent" breech design.

:hmm: ...Never considered that...You might be onto something....

I wonder if (members name who I can't remember ) ever did any testing on breech designs vs. ignition time.

 

[tacking]

Funny, I just built this kit yesterday. Had it for about a year and due to it being too cold to do anything else, I wipped this out in a single day. I like my stuff looking really old. Shot it today. Fun.
How to make an inexpensive riffle look interesting. :wink:
Sorry, not great pics..
It's the bottom one.

 

[azmntman]

:thumbsup: Looks like a well cared for original!! One day was FAST!

 

[coloradoclyde]

I think the dark stain was a good choice.... :thumbsup:

 

[Sasquash]

If they made their percussion locks in the same way they have improved their flintlocks (plain with a beautiful hammer) their rifles would be way more attractive.

 

[carl lafong]

I picked up the Traditions Kentucky in .50 cal. , I have scraped the stock to take off the Permalin finish, have mustered down the outside of the barrel, changing out the rear sight, 1 coat of gamboge, a yellow 1st stain for a violin,... for the newly sanded stock, a red maple finish stain, and then will use 3-4 coats of Shellac, used in finishing guitars, and was the norm back in the day . I even carved my first C scroll..... now I just have to learn how to put up my pictures...I've used Muzzleloaders a long time, and this one will be for sale, with a brand new L&R Lock, when done ...all to get a Kibler kit. C.L.

 

[Brazos John]

I'm new to flintlocks, and bought a Traditions Frontier .50 cal. for reenacting. I use it for salutes and battles with the Texas Army. We beat Santa Ana again this year at San Jacinto.
I've seen comments regarding quality, and I bought this online, but it fires powder for salutes just fine.
Y'all know the details that make a rifle a Hawken, a Pa rifle, or many other types.
What historical rifle does this most look like?
Thasnks for your help.
Brazos John
SASS 33047

 

[kje54]

I'm new to flintlocks, and bought a Traditions Frontier .50 cal. for reenacting. I use it for salutes and battles with the Texas Army. We beat Santa Ana again this year at San Jacinto.
I've seen comments regarding quality, and I bought this online, but it fires powder for salutes just fine.
Y'all know the details that make a rifle a Hawken, a Pa rifle, or many other types.
What historical rifle does this most look like?
Thasnks for your help.
Brazos John
SASS 33047

Welcome to the site, we have some "Hawken" experts here that should be able to chime in I hope.

 

[kje54]

I'm new to flintlocks, and bought a Traditions Frontier .50 cal. for reenacting. I use it for salutes and battles with the Texas Army. We beat Santa Ana again this year at San Jacinto.
I've seen comments regarding quality, and I bought this online, but it fires powder for salutes just fine.
Y'all know the details that make a rifle a Hawken, a Pa rifle, or many other types.
What historical rifle does this most look like?
Thasnks for your help.
Brazos John
SASS 33047

I will relay a couple things I have learned since being on this site. First off there are many "Hawken" styles, yours appears to be a generic conglomerate that doesn't exactly match any of them. Secondly (to the best of my knowledge) there are no historic halfstock Hawkens that were ever made in flintlock, someone may dispute that, I don't know. Back to the "Hawken" styles. Many believe the "Hawken" name became synonymous with all similar halfstocks like Kleenex is today for facial tissue. There are historic references from famous figures to their "Hawken" rifle that was not produced by any of the Hawken Brothers. Could a "Hawken" rifle been used In Texas during that period? Maybe but most likely it would have been a fullstock if it was a flintlock.

 

[Brazos John]

That's the kind of info I'm looking for. Thanks.
I had suspected that it was a mutt, since it was a kit, but the price was right, and I got a lot of compliments on the stock. I've been learning about the Hawken name, and you confirmed my research.
But, since I'm a Colonel in the Texas Army, I need to be as historically-correct as I can be.
I guess I need something more period correct. Damn, now I have to buy another gun!

 

[kje54]

That's the kind of info I'm looking for. Thanks.
I had suspected that it was a mutt, since it was a kit, but the price was right, and I got a lot of compliments on the stock. I've been learning about the Hawken name, and you confirmed my research.
But, since I'm a Colonel in the Texas Army, I need to be as historically-correct as I can be.
I guess I need something more period correct. Damn, now I have to buy another gun!

You can check out guns of the Alamo. It's primarily supposition based on a some historic facts. The Siege of Bexar provided the Texas Volunteer Army with Baker rifles and Brown Besses, both of which the Mexican Army were supplied with. It would not have been uncommon for the Texans to have "Kentucky" rifles both flintlock and percussion as well as trade guns and French fussils/fins as well as (possibly) model 1812 Springfields.
The Besses were most likely 1796 3rd model India Pattern.

 

[Ballshooter]

My vote is a Lyman Great Plains Rifle..love mine.

 

[Grenadier1758]

I think @kje54 is on the right track on rifles and smoothbores that would be suitable. I recall a Deringer rifle on display at the Alamo, lending credence to the use of a Pennsylvania Rifle built for the western trade.

A colonel in the Texas Army could have owned a rifle such as one of those shown in Hanson's "Trade Rifle Sketchbook". There are several half stock flintlock rifles in the English style and several full stock rifles. Sadly Track shows the book as out of print. A Leman or Henry rifle would be good. Perhaps the Pedersoli Tryon in 50 or 54 caliber but replace the adjustable sight. If looking for a flint lock rifle, then the Pedersoli Pennsylvania Rifle could be considered.

Trade Rifle Sketchbook by Charles E. Hanson III - Track of the Wolf

Muzzle Loading Rifles model Tryon "target" Rifle (davide-pedersoli.com)

Muzzle Loading Rifles model Pennsylvania Dixie Rifle flintlock model (davide-pedersoli.com)

 

[dave_person]

Hi,
Why a rifle and would a colonel necessarily carry any long arm? The officers were there to lead other men who do the shooting. A pair of flintlock or percussion pistols might make more sense. Hawken rifles are a red herrings. Most of the ones we think of as the quintessential plains rifles were made in the 1840s and later. Henry and Leman rifles might be good choices or a nice long rifle by one of the early 19th century long rifle makers. But then, why a rifle? I am sure many in the Texian Army were armed with smoothbore muskets and fowling guns. Maybe even and early percussion or flint double barrel shotgun.

dave

 

[kje54]

I think @kje54 is on the right track on rifles and smoothbores that would be suitable. I recall a Deringer rifle on display at the Alamo, lending credence to the use of a Pennsylvania Rifle built for the western trade.

A colonel in the Texas Army could have owned a rifle such as one of those shown in Hanson's "Trade Rifle Sketchbook". There are several half stock flintlock rifles in the English style and several full stock rifles. Sadly Track shows the book as out of print. A Leman or Henry rifle would be good. Perhaps the Pedersoli Tryon in 50 or 54 caliber but replace the adjustable sight. If looking for a flint lock rifle, then the Pedersoli Pennsylvania Rifle could be considered.

Trade Rifle Sketchbook by Charles E. Hanson III - Track of the Wolf

Muzzle Loading Rifles model Tryon "target" Rifle (davide-pedersoli.com)

Muzzle Loading Rifles model Pennsylvania Dixie Rifle flintlock model (davide-pedersoli.com)

I've found The Trade Rifle Sketchbook on Amazon and it runs from $24 to $62 a copy depending on condition and vendor.

 

[Zonie]

I'm new to flintlocks, and bought a Traditions Frontier .50 cal. for reenacting. I use it for salutes and battles with the Texas Army. We beat Santa Ana again this year at San Jacinto.
I've seen comments regarding quality, and I bought this online, but it fires powder for salutes just fine.
Y'all know the details that make a rifle a Hawken, a Pa rifle, or many other types.
What historical rifle does this most look like?
Thasnks for your help.
Brazos John
SASS 33047

Umm....
This thread is about the Traditions Kentucky model rifle which is a full stock gun.
We have a lot of threads about the Traditions Frontier half stock rifles so I think further discussion about this model gun would be more "at home" in one of them.
If a thread about the Traditions half stock Frontier isn't suitable for your gun then you can start a new one about your rifle.