TRADITIONS TRAPPER PISTOL 50 CAL.

[montanadan]

Does anyone out there shoot one of these? I want purchase a single shot pistol, remain in the 200-250 price range. I just orderd Uberti 61 revolver so funds are a little low. Any feed back at all would be appreciated.Thanks in advance...........Montanadan

[Cowpox]

Hello there montanadan. I am just in the process of building a Trapper kit. It's not mine, it belongs to a friend. It won't be ready to shoot for a week or so yet, but it looks to me like it should be a pretty solid outfit. I would suggest you handle one before buying, as I can't find a totally comfortable way to hold it, because of that large extra finger spur on the trigger guard, but that could just be me. Otherwise, I think it will be a good shooter. For sure, If it was mine, the spur would get shortened, if not completely disappear. If you get one, and feel like I do, brass is easy to work with !!Cowpox

[montanadan]

Thanks Cowpox , I live out here in WYO., I can honestly say I have never seen one of these pistols. That rear sight looks marginal, had one my Traditions Penn rifle, replaced it with  solid buckhorn sight. If you get the chance to shoot this pistol perhaps you could inform me with your results? Thanks again for responding.. Respectfully Montanadan

[Gun Runner]

Montanadan and Cowpox, will you guys hurry up and shoot those things!
I have a need to know.    I plan on getting one after the first of the year and want to know how they work. Am getting it to go with my 50 cal hawkin.

Gun Runner

[Cowpox]

Ok guys, Depending on what goes on over the Holiday, I should have that kit up and running shortly after Christmas. I'll come back to this thread and let you know how it went.
 
 Montanadan, I haven't paid much attention to the back sight. I remember looking at that high arch, and wondering if the adjustment screw would be able to touch the barrel , let alone adjust elevation.  I'll have to look it over. Maybe it can be altered to make it a little; more serviceable. If not, I have an extra traditional style style sight that is made about the same way (straighter though), but is a nice sight.  I can put that on if necessary. I'll give you a report on that too.
   Cowpox

[Cowpox]

OK montanadan and Gun Runner, The kit is finished and I shot it today. I only used 1 load, 40 grains of fffg Goex, .495 ball out of a Lee mold, Pillow ticking from WalMart,dampened with moose milk, and #11 Remington caps. I shot out the shop window (it's cold and windy here) from a rest, at 25 yards. It took 4 adjustments to find out that there is enough adjustment to get it to point of aim. Then I put up a new target, and got a nice 2 1/2 inch 10 shot group, with one flyer that was my fault that opened it to about 5 inches. Not all bad for 60 year old eyes and open sights.  I think I will order one for myself. I did polish the bore with a bore mop  with a patch wrapped around it, treated with the two finest grades of bolt lapping compound. 25 strokes with each patch, 300 strokes with the second finest compound, and 200 with the finest stuff. I don't know if that helped accuracy, but the ball sure rams nice !!  The 40 grains is real comfortable to shoot, but I wonder what max load is for the Trapper ? No paperwork in the box, and the guy that owns it says he must have lost it. Oh well, there should be load suggestions in the box when I get one.  Cowpox

[montanadan]

Thanks for the INFO, I ordered 32 crockett pistol have not been able to shoot it yet. I wish I could shoot out of my shop window,I think the guy that lives behind me would get a liitle excited! It has been real cold here in Wyo. temp is 3 wind chill is -25. Did you use the factory rear sight? I looked up the max. load in the Traditions book for the Trapper is 45grns of 3fg. Traditions recommends 20-25grns for target work. I think I am going to order one also, MID-SOUTH has them for 166.00. It is the cheapest I have seen. I will have 60 year old eyes this june,so I know what you are talking about. Thanks again..respectfully Montanadan.   P.S. Traditions .490rb,.015 patch.

[Cowpox]

montanadan, It sounds like you are being blessed with the same weather we are enjoying. Today we did get a high of 6 above, but the same wind chill you indicated. I did use the kit sight, but I heated it and took the bend out. As long as it worked, I will keep my spare to put on mine when I get it. So far I have had no complaints from neighbors on the window side of the shop, but then he is about two miles away. I have a .32 CVA Squirrel rifle I built from kit. Let me know how that Crocket pistol treats you.  After seeing your closing listing on ball and patch, I looked at my mold. I thought it was a .495, but it is stamped .490.  Cowpox

[unspellable]

Is this the one with the set trigger?  If so, I have one.  It works only in set trigger mode, it will not fire in conventional mode as the upper part of the trigger has been removed.  Is this the way it came from the factory or has somebody been tinkering with it?  It also seems to have a nipple for a musket cap rather than a #11.  I bought it used but it is pretty close to new condition.  To the point that I am not sure it has been fired.

 I haven't gotten around to firing it yet.  I may decide to sell it as I have a Lyman 50 caliber pistol and probably don't need two pistols.  Neither of them match either of my muzzle loading rifles.

[montanadan]

Hey Cowpox- I am impressed with the first group you shot. About my 32 Crockett my only concern is it has a 1-48 twist seems kinda slow for a pistol? Iam going to order Traditions Trapper tommorrow from Mid-South. Back to the 32 Crockett no set trigger,I already fixed that, had a little creep, that is taken care of. The overall fit and finish on the Crockett is really suprising given the cost(maybe I just got a good one?) with frieght ,32jag,delivered to my door 127.00. I have everything set up to shoot it,just to darn cold! O out right now with the wind -35, suppose to get -12. Once again thanks for the info,stay warm, Respectfully ..Montanadan(who wishes he was back in Calf,..NOT! Take the cold any day.)

[Cowpox]

unspellable, Yes , it has a set trigger, but I have never tried to fire it without setting the trigger. When I get out to the shop tomorrow, I'll try it and let you know.

montanadan. That group impressed me as well. I doubt if I have ever shot that tight of a group with any handgun. Hope the one I get for myself will get close to that. Sounds like you better take your own advice, and stay warm too. We must be in the same weather pattern, because your temps are close to what they are promising us. The long range says it will be 30 above for a high next Monday. Hope it makes it. On that Crocket, 1 in 48 seems a little quick for rb. Let me know how it shoots.  Cowpox

[Eric N.]

Yes,you dont need to use the set trigger to fire the gun. It was made in 1999.,and hasnt been played with. (the trigger)

[unspellable]

Guess somebody messed around with the trigger on mine then.  Baffles me why, what's the drawback to being able to use the main trigger with out setting the set trigger first?

The barrel is maerked 1:20.  If this is the twist rate it seems pretty fast for a front stuffer.  Was this thing meant to shoot conicals?

[Cowpox]

Hello unspellable, sorry I left you hanging on that trigger question. My brother had a knee operated on, and as I am on seasonal layoff,He asked me to keep him company while he was home healing up. Like Eric N. said, this Trapper would fire with the unset front trigger, but the pull was heavy (7 pounds) and had quite a bit of creep and travel. I suppose it would be nice to be able to use it unset, if for some reason you were rushed.  I really don't know when that would be required. The trigger is so nice when it is set (2 pounds, no creep, no noticeable travel), that I see no reason to shoot it at any time, without setting it.  As long as the set trigger works well, I wouldn't worry about it not working unset. There are two adjustment screws on the trigger group. The back one adjusts mainspring tension, and the front one adjusts travel on the front trigger, but only when it is set. Have you changed those to see if you can get the trigger working unset? I have already returned the Trapper to the guy I built it for, but my CVA Squirrel rifle has a similar, if not identical trigger, and I was able to adjust the back screw until the front trigger had to be set, or it would not trip. Maybe your spring tension is adjusted wrong? I needed to have the back screw on both the Trapper, and the CVA turned in about flush, to get the trigger pull light enough to suit me.  When I turned it out several turns, on the CVA just now, the the set trigger pull got heavier, and would not work unset.   Cowpox

[colorado kid]

Hi guys

I have a traditions 50 cal. Mine shoots well now that I have changed the rear sight, It would shoot about 3inchs high but I bought a new front sight from trail of the wolf. Now it shoot great. I want to thank the guys that told me about trail of the wolf. I shoot my 50cal with 25 grains of 3f and it shoots well.  :-D

[unspellable]

Old thread!  As it turned out, somebody did mess up the trigger in my trapper.  Traditions sent me a new trigger, gratis, and all is well.

[Cowpox]

Hello unspellable, I'm still around, and glad to hear you got a trigger that works when not set. I have had my Trapper up and running for several months now, and took montanadan's advice and built a Crocket kit. Love them both !  I have to admitt to shooting the Crockett more often than the Trapper. That little .32 is pure fun, not to mention, cheap to shoot. It takes a lot of caps to use up a pound of powder and a couple pounds of lead. I keep it loaded and handy, and am about out of rabbits and gophers to pester my garden. I may have to start importing them, just to have targets around !