Opinions on Traditions Classic Pennsylvania rifle.

mountaineer magic · 04-10-2010, 05:00 PM

Does anyone own a traditions Classic pennsylvania rifle that can share what they think in regards to accuracy and performance.I know everyone has an opinion but I'm looking for info from owners that have shot one for a while. I have never been a traditions fan but I really like the look and style of the Pennsylvania rifle. I know that the Pedersoli frontier , cabelas Blue Ridge etc are good shooters but I have an opportunity to get a Traditions and was wondering what other owners think. It is a 50 cal with a 40 1/2 inch barrel. Overall lenghth I think is 57 inches . They say it is most accurate with 50 - 75 grains but it is rated at a max of 110. I usually shoot around a 100 on most of my traditional guns, so it will handle enough powder to deer hunt with.

Pennsylvania .50 cal percussion rifle

(Comes in Percussion, shown here in Flintlock)

This historically accurate rifle, holder of the enviable status of "authentic for reenactment use" from the American Revolutionary Brigade, recreates the finest features of the classic long rifles.

Featuring a full length walnut stock with a cheekpiece, solid brass patch box, stock inlay ornamentation and toe plate.

Additional features include

Double set triggers
Brass inlays and embellishing
Authentic wooden ramrods
Adjustable primitive-style rear sight
Shooting, loading, and cleaning instructions

StockCaliberBarrelTwist RateTriggerSightsRamrodLengthWeightWalnut.50p40.25" Blued 1 in 66"DoubleAdjustable/BladeWood57"8lb. 8 oz.

flounder33 · 04-10-2010, 05:20 PM

Chetmarks,
I don't know about that gun but Welcome Back! I was hoping all was well with you since you haven't posted for a while.
Art

mountaineer magic · 04-10-2010, 05:29 PM

Thanks . All is good at the moment. I am doing better and so is everyone else. Sometimes it seems problems hit all at once. Thank God for his healing and grace.

Semisane · 04-11-2010, 12:30 PM

It sure was nice to see a CHETMARKS post when I logged on. Thought maybe the weasel had gotten you.

I don't know a thing about that model. But what the heck, if the price is right..........

I did notice that Traditions has FACTORY SECONDS at a little over $500 - http://www.traditionsfirearms.com/es...conds+Classics

cayugad · 04-11-2010, 12:41 PM

All I can tell you is, I have two Traditions Woodsman Hawkins. One has the 1-66 barrel and the other has a 1-48. The flintlock model is a great sparker and a good shooter with the roundball barrel it has. The cap lock is also a good shooter. But that picture you have of that rifle is beautiful.

arcticap · 04-13-2010, 11:10 PM

I've read that they're liked for their fine accuracy and that
they can shoot as well as some of the semi-custom rifles.
I've also read that if the inletting around the patch box isn't
well done then the factory might use a filler putty to fill in
the gaps that isn't a very good color match.

mountaineer magic · 04-15-2010, 04:26 PM

Well the Pennsylvania arrived yesterday. I had every intention of shooting it immediately but ran into a minor problem. I cleaned it good and the ramrod wouldn't come out of the thimbles. I decided to figure that out before testing it. It took longer than I thought. I ended up having to completely dissasemble the rifle. I tried first just loosening the lock screw and tang screw. That didn't work. I removed the lock and the barrel. The retainer spring for the ramrod is held by the front screw of the lock. It was bent wrong and wouldn't allow the ramrod to be removed. After 4 attempts I got it to where it had enough tension to hold the ramrod but still come out. I put everything back together and called it a night.
This morning I went out early before the wind got to bad and tried to sight it in. I took 15 loads of 70 gr 3f t7 and 10 loads 80 gr 3f t7.. 490 hornady ball and .015 pillow ticking patch . I only shot at 25 yards. It took about 6 shots to get it close to the 10 bull. The rear sight had to be adjusted all the way up. I was tempted to file the front sight instead but it is made to look like brass, so I resisted. I may need to replace the rear sight with a higher one. By about the 12th shot I had 3 shots touching in the 10 bull( remember only 25 yards). The one thing that I need to figure out is the line of sight. The only way to get lined up accurately was to put my cheek way down on the stock. Needless to say I have a bruised cheek bone . I got hit at least 6 or 7 times right on the cheek bone. I think a higher rear sight might solve that painful dilemma. At 25 yards thoughthe last 3 shots were one jagged hole. If my cheek hadn't been hurting I would have moved on back to 50 yards and finally a 100. But I decided to wait a day or two and ponder this . Overall it shot real well,it looks real nice but it didn't make a Traditions fan out of me. I do like it though.

flounder33 · 04-16-2010, 12:27 PM

Sounds like it will be a shooter Chet. Those little things can be annoying.
Art

cayugad · 04-16-2010, 01:38 PM

If you could post a picture of the rifle it would give me something to drool over. They sure look nice in the picture but that is a far cry from an actual photo.

mountaineer magic · 04-16-2010, 04:54 PM

I'll get a picture of it tomorrow after I get back from turkey hunting. My 11 year old and I have Spring Turkey tags,.I am going to take my muzzleloader and my bow. If I fail to shoot the head off the turkey with the muzzy then I will resort to using my bow.. My wife gave me explicit instructions not to mess up the meat.