My Traditions Kentucky Kit

Tidewater_Kid · January 31, 2017, 10:37 PM

So here is my Christmas present from my wife. It's a Kentucky rifle in .50 Cal kit from Traditions. It was a fun kit to build and was more of a challenge to do than I thought it would be. After watching Mike Beliveau's videos, I figured it was worth a shot. I made several mistakes, but I enjoyed it and I figure it will shoot. Plum Browned the barrel and blackened the brass.

The barrel was difficult and I never did get the color completely uniform. I do really like the color though.

BlackPowderBen · February 1, 2017, 11:02 AM

Looks great to me! Did it require a lot of sanding?

Tidewater_Kid · February 1, 2017, 04:56 PM

A fair amount of sanding is required. My two pieces of stock did not line up very well and that required a bunch of sanding and some work with the rasp. The wood next to the buttplate was very proud also. All in all not bad.

**4V50 Gary** · February 1, 2017, 08:33 PM

Nice first build. You might want to add a patchbox. More importantly, get it to the range and let's see what it does.

Pahoo · February 1, 2017, 08:44 PM

Nice work and two things are obvious; you have invested the time and patience to make this project one that you will enjoy and pass down. I do have an appreciation for what you have done. By the way, it will shoot better that one that is already made. .......

Be Safe !!!

Tidewater_Kid · February 1, 2017, 10:24 PM

4V50 Gary,

I wanted to try the patchbox, but the stock is very thin and I was afraid it would not hold up. At it's thickest point it's about 1.5" thick. A 3/4" deep one might work.

Pahoo,

Thank you. I appreciate the comments.

Planning a range trip for Saturday!

TK

**4V50 Gary** · February 2, 2017, 02:27 PM

They don't have to be deep. Just enough to hold some patches.

Strafer Gott · February 3, 2017, 12:55 PM

I lapped the barrel of the Great Plains Rifle with a little diamond paste before I shot it. It never required any break-in whatsoever, and shot to point of aim with centered sights. I did set the sights very carefully, with a caliper and a 2 pound hammer with a drift. Those kits can save a pile of money, and let you make it just as de-farbed as you want. Nice.

Hylander · February 3, 2017, 02:06 PM

Nice job, looks great

drobs · February 3, 2017, 04:38 PM

Looks good, now I'm thinkin to build 1.

Tidewater_Kid · February 4, 2017, 06:42 PM

I took it to the range today and it is a joy to shoot!

My only complaint is that the hammer is not releasing the fired caps and I need to pick them out. Any ideas?

TK

Pahoo · February 4, 2017, 08:46 PM

Quote:

My only complaint is that the hammer is not releasing the fired caps and I need to pick them out

This is quite common and more of a nuisance that a big problem. Depending on what rifle I'm shooting I may stack quite a few, inside the cup. You will notice that your caps are ribbed. This ribbing is there to allow the cap to slit, come off the nipple and fall loose. Some will be forced into the cup and get trapped. I usually deactivate a cap by removing the ignition compound and dropping the hammer to how it prints. Sounds like yours is hitting fairly uniformly or even. You could try changing the nipple and or cap but if it were me, I'd live with it. ......

Be Safe !!!

Tidewater_Kid · February 4, 2017, 09:24 PM

Thanks. Just me being me. Good to know it's normal

Model12Win · February 5, 2017, 12:27 PM

"Aw look at that Sheila! What a beaut!!"

-Australian

deerslayer303 · February 8, 2017, 05:48 PM

Looks very nice good job. I took the easy way out and bought a Traditions Kentucky. It shoots GREAT. I love the thing. I'm about to have some of the venison tonight that she put on the table. I do want to do the kit and do a real rust blue on it.

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

FrontierGander · February 8, 2017, 11:32 PM

its better that the hammer cup catches the cap rather than your eye.

rebs · February 9, 2017, 08:57 AM

Beautiful rifle and you did a great job building it.

Pahoo · February 9, 2017, 12:59 PM

Quote:

its better that the hammer cup catches the cap rather than your eye.

Good point even though we should always wear eye protection. A deeper hammer-cup will catch more spent caps than a shallow cup but also present more eye and burn problems. Once had a young student come back from the firing line, rubbing her arm. A piece of the cap landed with her sleeveless arem and gave her a burn. That's why some folks install flash cups. ...

I do not recommend you, shortening the depth of your hammer cup. ....

Be Safe !!!

Tidewater_Kid · February 9, 2017, 09:46 PM

No need for hammer modifications!

Thanks for all the comments and kudos. I appreciate it. I have already started looking for another project.

TK

February 1, 2017, 11:02 AM	#2
BlackPowderBen Senior Member Join Date: March 2, 2015 Posts: 380	Looks great to me! Did it require a lot of sanding? __________________ "If you have to shoot, shoot! Dont talk"

February 1, 2017, 08:33 PM	#4
4V50 Gary Staff Join Date: November 2, 1998 Location: Colorado Posts: 22,294	Nice first build. You might want to add a patchbox. More importantly, get it to the range and let's see what it does. __________________ Vigilantibus et non dormientibus jura subveniunt. *Molon Labe!*

February 1, 2017, 08:44 PM	#5
Pahoo Senior Member Join Date: February 16, 2006 Location: IOWA Posts: 8,783	Very nice work !!! Nice work and two things are obvious; you have invested the time and patience to make this project one that you will enjoy and pass down. I do have an appreciation for what you have done. By the way, it will shoot better that one that is already made. ....... Be Safe !!! __________________ 'Fundamental truths' are easy to recognize because they are verified daily through simple observation and thus, require no testing.

February 2, 2017, 02:27 PM	#7
4V50 Gary Staff Join Date: November 2, 1998 Location: Colorado Posts: 22,294	They don't have to be deep. Just enough to hold some patches. __________________ Vigilantibus et non dormientibus jura subveniunt. *Molon Labe!*

February 3, 2017, 04:38 PM	#10
drobs Senior Member Join Date: July 17, 2015 Location: South Central MO / Africa Posts: 1,111	Looks good, now I'm thinkin to build 1. __________________ NRA Life Member

February 1, 2017, 04:56 PM	#3
Tidewater_Kid Senior Member Join Date: July 3, 2005 Location: Alabama Posts: 926	A fair amount of sanding is required. My two pieces of stock did not line up very well and that required a bunch of sanding and some work with the rasp. The wood next to the buttplate was very proud also. All in all not bad.

February 1, 2017, 10:24 PM	#6
Tidewater_Kid Senior Member Join Date: July 3, 2005 Location: Alabama Posts: 926	4V50 Gary, I wanted to try the patchbox, but the stock is very thin and I was afraid it would not hold up. At it's thickest point it's about 1.5" thick. A 3/4" deep one might work. Pahoo, Thank you. I appreciate the comments. Planning a range trip for Saturday! TK

February 3, 2017, 12:55 PM	#8
Strafer Gott Senior Member Join Date: May 12, 2011 Location: New Mexico Posts: 1,315	I lapped the barrel of the Great Plains Rifle with a little diamond paste before I shot it. It never required any break-in whatsoever, and shot to point of aim with centered sights. I did set the sights very carefully, with a caliper and a 2 pound hammer with a drift. Those kits can save a pile of money, and let you make it just as de-farbed as you want. Nice.

February 3, 2017, 02:06 PM	#9
Hylander Senior Member Join Date: August 13, 2008 Location: California Posts: 128	Nice job, looks great

February 4, 2017, 06:42 PM	#11
Tidewater_Kid Senior Member Join Date: July 3, 2005 Location: Alabama Posts: 926	I took it to the range today and it is a joy to shoot! My only complaint is that the hammer is not releasing the fired caps and I need to pick them out. Any ideas? TK

February 4, 2017, 09:24 PM	#13
Tidewater_Kid Senior Member Join Date: July 3, 2005 Location: Alabama Posts: 926	Thanks. Just me being me. Good to know it's normal

February 5, 2017, 12:27 PM	#14
Model12Win Junior member Join Date: October 20, 2012 Posts: 5,854	"Aw look at that Sheila! What a beaut!!" -Australian

February 8, 2017, 05:48 PM	#15
deerslayer303 Senior Member Join Date: January 10, 2011 Location: Leesville SC Posts: 2,704	Looks very nice good job. I took the easy way out and bought a Traditions Kentucky. It shoots GREAT. I love the thing. I'm about to have some of the venison tonight that she put on the table. I do want to do the kit and do a real rust blue on it. Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

February 8, 2017, 11:32 PM	#16
FrontierGander Senior Member Join Date: January 30, 2009 Location: Boncarbo,Colorado Posts: 651	its better that the hammer cup catches the cap rather than your eye.

February 9, 2017, 08:57 AM	#17
rebs Senior Member Join Date: January 10, 2012 Posts: 3,881	Beautiful rifle and you did a great job building it.

February 9, 2017, 09:46 PM	#19
Tidewater_Kid Senior Member Join Date: July 3, 2005 Location: Alabama Posts: 926	No need for hammer modifications! Thanks for all the comments and kudos. I appreciate it. I have already started looking for another project. TK