How is Pedersoli quality

[Float Pilot]

I have been looking over the Pedersoli Kentucky rifles... How is their quality.
Is it better than Traditions?

 

[ThomasT]

Yes they are better than Traditions and their prices reflect it. But you get what you pay for. I have read others who said Pedersolis were like production custom rifles. The Blue Ridge from Cabellas I use to own was very well built and seemed to have a very good quality lock. Mine was a pecussion gun.

I have owned several Traditions guns and they worked just fine. I had a home made bore light I could drop down the barrel and these guns had some of the smoothest barrels I have ever seen. Neither one is a bad choice.

 

[EljaySL]

I have I think one long gun and two short from Pedersoli and the fit and finish on all of them is superb. The only kind of functional complaint I've ever heard is that their flintlocks sometimes need the frizzens re-hardened but that seems to be an issue with all factory guns (hopefully the custom folks do enough testing to detect that).

 

[MattShlock]

Pedersoli are all top shelf. Each more wonderful than the next. Yes, they are pricey. Look around when buying. When you get one I assure you you will be grinning from ear to ear.

Interestingly that Cabella's Pedersoli "Blue Ridge" mentioned is Pedersoli's "Frontier" which is their production of the Hatfield rifle they bought. Some swear by 'em, some at 'em, but the flintlock locks are sometimes criticized as unreliable and complete replacements are made (by L&R). I have one as a spare as I have both a Hatfield AND a Pedersoli version.

http://www.trackofthewolf.com/Categories/PartDetail.aspx/759/1/LOCK-LR-06-F

 

[CraigC]

They are excellent! I just took delivery of a Rocky Mountain Hawken and it is now the most beautiful rifle I own. Very well made and beautifully finished.

 

[PRM]

I have a Pedersoli Brown Bess Carbine that is on par with any custom built rifle I have ever owned. I got really lucky and found mine NIB on Gun Broker with one of the nicest grained stocks I've seen. I did brown the barrels after I got it. I also have a Pedersoli Howdah 20X20 that is very high quality and more fun than the 4th of July.

There great guns and the only way your going to find better is going to a custom maker. You'll pay a lot more and other than having a built gun over a production gun, the quality is not that much different.

 

[4v50 Gary]

Pedersoli > Traditions. However, I hate the styling.

 

[bothenook]

I don't own any Traditions rifles, but I've shot a few. My safe has 2 Lyman rifles, a Lyman pistol, 2 Pedersoli Frontiers (45 flint, 50 cap) 2 Pedersoli pistols both 45 cal one flint one cap. you never hear me bitch about the quality of any of them. and I really like the Frontier for takedown and cleaning. way way better than what I'm seeing my buds doing with their flint lock pinned barrels.
My next front stuffer (non C&B revolver that is) will be Pedersoli's Bounty Hunter pistol. I'm a believer in the Pedersoli brand. You pay for the quality.

 

[Float Pilot]

Besides the lack of a patch box. Are there any differences between the Pedersoli Kentucky and the Pedersoli Frontier ?

I really like the patch box on the Kentucky.

I have been price shopping....
For the Pedersoli Knetucky the high price on my list was $780 for percussion and $820 for flint.
The low price was $635 for percussion and $680 for flint.

For the Frontier Rifle the high was $795 percussion & $815 flint and the low was $549 percussion and $599 flint.

 

[MattShlock]

$515 is a good price, but...

Kentucky is different, somewhat later like Rev. War I believe, profile w/a 36" barrel and single trigger. Nice enough arm. "Matching" pistols available by the way. The Frontier was a design bought by acquiring Ted Hatfield's flintlock gun company and is a replica of his Hatfield (of the Hatfield and McCoy's) family heirloom rifle of an F&I profile.

I have both Pedersolis and original Hatfields (flint and an unfinished percusion version). 39" barrel (the longest I can manage well in a full octagon barrel especially without swamping), double set triggers (like the longer, Post Rev War, Pennsylvania).

Reminder: THE BLUE RIDGE IS CABELA'S NAME-BRANDED PEDERSOLI FRONTIER!

They DO make a Deluxe Maple Frontier w/patchbox version. $1,375 in stock at Cherry's. Compare that to what custom guys make and, frankly, starting out today I'd go Pedersoli!

http://www.davide-pedersoli.com/sch...er-frontier-maple-flintlock-model-deluxe.html
http://www.cherrys.com/ped_rif1.htm

 

[Float Pilot]

Pedersoli lists the Frontier as being a browned barrel and Cabela's list their Blue ridge version of the Frontier as being blued. They must have swung a deal to make a slightly less expensive model. That might explain why Cabela's is $150 less than anyone else.

I also like the way the Pedersoli Pennsylvania "Dixie" rifle looks... Hubba Hubba.

Actually the Pedersoli Cub Dixie with the shorter barrel is not a bad looking rifle either. I see some dealers call it a Scout or some such thing.

 

[CraigC]

Dang, the deluxe Frontier is a fine looking rifle!!! Might have to start lusting after one of those.

 

[MattShlock]

Pedersoli lists the Frontier as being a browned barrel and Cabela's list their Blue ridge version of the Frontier as being blued. They must have swung a deal to make a slightly less expensive model. That might explain why Cabela's is $150 less than anyone else.

Possibly -- don't know how much better the average price is though I see they say they're blued now. I seem to recall them being browned once (as below) and not using the Pedersoli name originally.

http://www.cabelas.com/product/Pedersoli-Blue-Ridge-Flintlock-Rifle-Starter-Kit/740532.uts

 

[Charleville.69]

I have a Pedersoli .44 Kentucky flintlock, accurate and beautiful wood to metal fit.

 

[Loyalist Dave]

As production guns they Pedersoli's are often very well made, but...,

Pedersoli are all top shelf. Each more wonderful than the next

This is stretching reality a bit, or the person really hasn't seen that many Pedersoli guns.

Depending on the model gun, you may find very good workmanship, or not. I have a SxS 20 gauge shotgun, caplock. Very well made. I have owned several of their Brown Bess muskets, and have serviced many more, and they had a cracking problem with mainsprings for a while..., so bad that when you bought a replacement, it came with a crack. It still worked though. I have seen the occasional improperly fitted screw in a Bess lock. Not a problem as a few passes with a file remedied the situation. Now I also have Pedersoli trade gun, and the installation of the ramrod thimbles was absolutely disgraceful. The pins for the thimbles were too shallow to hold the thimbles in place, and broke out of the stock. I also owned an 1803 Harper's Ferry rifle by Pedersoli; beautiful rifle, but the touch hole was improperly drilled (wrong angle), and the gun sucked when it came to functioning. I didn't have the money to have a touch hole liner installed so I sold it off. Finally, for some reason the wooden ramrods they provide are simply poor, and crack and break very easily. Replacement with a proper hickory ramrod is essential in all of the examples that I have found.

LD

 

[MattShlock]

LOL I have a few... And my own opinion that doesn't include knocking yours. Put any Pedersoli up against custom, not just commercial, manufacture. Even been to their main site in Italy and had a custom constructed pistol made.

See ya back on the traditional muzzloading forum, Dave...

 

[alsask]

Pedersoli barrels are the best I have seen on production guns, how many other producers bother to taper the bore on muzzleloaders?