Davide Pedersoli Rifles

[flinter54]

Has anyone had any experience with the Kentucky rifle made by Davide Pedersoli? I'm interested in the Silver Star Kentucky rifle in either 45 or 50. I wonder if it shoots as good as it looks.

Thanks

Flinter54

[ratgunner]

Yes I had a .36 cal. flinter that shot well,sold it 'cause I needed money.Now I have a .32 cal. caplock  that shoots great also.You should be happy with a Pedersoli.Both my new one and the old one were Pedersoli Kentucky Longrifles,but the more plain versions.I have seen the one your talking about and they are very nice.

[forest2]

I know several folks with pedersoli guns and they fine shooters. The barrel and rifle stock dynamics are as good as any. The finish of inlay and fit of peripheral parts to the firearm are also fine.
 However, I have seen over and over too many times, difficulty of ignition with the flint-lock models.
 Now, every gun has it's "learning curve" and most any trouble with flint ignition can be over come, however, the pedersoli owners inevitably spend more time on the side of the firing line fiddling with the lock than they do shooting. The cap locks are fine!! It's just seem's the flintlock pedersolies don't make it easy without PITA effort.
 That's just my non-bias observation, and not worth argument. I've been shooting with and around trad bp guns for near 25 years. good luck

[coyotejoe]

I have the Blue Ridge form Cabela's by Pedersoli in .45 flint and have been shooting it about 15 years now.  It is the rifle which made a flintlock shooter of me. I had previously tried several flintlocks and always ended up either selling the gun or converting it to percussion. The Pedersoli was a keeper. But that gun does have a very large lock which can take a 7/8" flint and it seems a bigger lock with a bigger rock is just naturally more reliable, so I don't know about the smaller lock of the Kentucky. I do recommend the Blue Ridge.

[flinter54]

Thank you for all of your replies I appreciate it. For the most part, it sounds like Davide Pedersoli makes a good product. One of these days I will hopefully add one of these to my small but expanding bp collection. There are just a few items ahead of it on the priority list.

Another question I had was in regard to historical accuracy. What was the most prevalent big game caliber found in original Kentucky rifles .45, .50 or .54?

Thanks again,

Flinter54

[ratgunner]

Probably none of those.Maybe a .40 or close to it.

[Llewlnman]

Hello all, I am new to this forum.I do participate in several other BP forums. In regards to the ignition issue with the Pedersoli Flintlocks I am familiar with this problem. I have a Pedersoli Dixie Cub in .40. When I first got it I had a H=== of a time getting consistent ignition.
3 out of 4 attempted shots all I got was a flash in the pan. From suggestions on another forum I replaced the Touch Hole Liner with an RMC (Rightnour Manufacturing) Liner and had the anti chamber in the patent breech drilled out to .300. The cost was about $35 from a local gunsmith. Ignition now is practically 100%. I ilke most of the Pedersoli"s real well especially the Frontier but if you have an ignition problem with the Flinters this fix should take care of it. I got my Cub used at a good price and it was well worth the $35 to fix the problem.

[flintlock]

Calibers on original American Long Rifles really depended upon the time period that they were made...In the decades before the American Revolution it could be any where between .45-.62 caliber...The barrels were made in Germany and bored and rifled over here, as they were made by German immigrants, they were used to making Jeager rifles, used for wild boars...Thus the larger bores...

In the years after the American Revolution, the calibers started declining, by 1820 a .45 caliber was a large caliber and most were being made in the .32-40 caliber range...

btw...The term "Kentucky Rifle" first appeared in a song "The Hunters of Kentucky" that was written about the Battle of New Orleans and the hunters with their "Kentucky Rifles"...The battle was in 1815 if I remember correctly...

During the American Revolution they were referred to as "rifled barreled guns", "long rifles" or simply "rifle gun"...

[dscp]

HOWDY !         when i saw the subject i made a mad dash to catch it , but alas i was mislead . i have one made by that company and have never heard any yea or neigh about them . the one i have is not a charcoal burner , it is a 45/70 .
It is sure a pretty peice . never could decide to shoot it or to sell it . won it at a 'FRIENDS OF THE N.R.A.'
thank you,
dscp,

[StrawHat]

Calibers on original American Long Rifles really depended upon the time period that they were made...In the decades before the American Revolution it could be any where between .45-.62 caliber...The barrels were made in Germany and bored and rifled over here, as they were made by German immigrants, they were used to making Jeager rifles, used for wild boars...Thus the larger bores...

In the years after the American Revolution, the calibers started declining, by 1820 a .45 caliber was a large caliber and most were being made in the .32-40 caliber range...

Flintlock is right on the money here with his caliber range.

Maybe even shy a couple at each end.

I have seen originals with rifled barrels at least 69 caliber, but that may have been rebored after the rifling was worn.

I have also seen, one, 25 caliber percussion Bedford county rifle.  Must have been a pain to shoot.

And that doesn't include the smoothbore rifles that were built in all calibers.

Two books to consult would be the Kindig book and the Johnson book.

I will post the titles when I get home and look at them.

[flintlock]

Don't forget George Shumway's books...Rifles of Colonial America, Volume One and Two...