Pls help...just bought a used FIE .45 Kentucky

[MMA1991]

NOW W/ PICS -Pls help...just bought a used FIE .45 Kentucky

All:

Last week, I found a BP Kentucky rifle on consignment for $75. Let me state up front, I am a NEWBIE to BP rifles so please bear with me.

The bore looked rough and there was some minor surface pitting on the barrel in way of the nipple but all in all she looked pretty good. I was told it is a .45 caliber but I really don't know.

I offered the guy $60 and I walked out the door with it.

The barrel is made by Pietta and the AH on the barrel indicates it was manufactured in 1981.

If I want an owners manual, the barrel indicates I am to contact FIE in Miami...other posts on this site indicate that company is now defunct.

So I get it home and break it down.

I cleaned the bore with Hoppes No. 9 and the solution was very rusty with the first swab and not too bad on the subsequent swabs. Looking in the barrel, there does appear to be some pitting but hard to tell how bad.

I sprayed the barrel out with brake cleaner/degreaser and then ran several patches with bluing solution down the barrel to arrest any possible issues with rust.

The nipple would not budge. I heated it with a propane torch (the same type a plumber uses to sweat copper pipe) and was able to get the nipple off.

I stripped the wood, stained and sealed it with teak oil, polished the brass fittings and lubed the lock action. I also wire wheeled the lock (think Dremel) to remove some light surface rust and reblued the whole mechanism. Did the same with the minor surface piping at the rear of the barrel in way of the nipple.

After reassembly, I noted the the trigger is loose when the rifle is not cocked and rock solid when cocked.

All in all she looks great.

I need to know:

Is she is safe to shoot? I assume I need to get a real gunsmith to inspect the rifle.

Is the rifle a clunker or is she a decent inaugural rifle to start my foray into the world of BP long guns?

Where can I find an owner's manual?

Any thoughts would be appreciated.

Thx

MMA1991

 

[BHP FAN]

That was my first black powder long gun, and I have pictures of me shooting one in 1977.It uses a # 11 cap, and a .440 patched round ball seated firmly on a sixty grain charge of 2 or 3 f Goex. 2F fouling is softer and easier to clean, 3f is a little more ''snappy''. It is a real hoot to shoot. make sure you clean it with alcohol at least two hours before you shoot it, to remove any trace of all those solvents you used on it, or your first shot will be a ''dud''. also pop a cap through it before you load it for the first time while you are at the range, as extra insurance. What a great deal!

 

[MMA1991]

BHP FAN

Thanks. She is a real fine looking piece....lots of brass.

Unlike some of the newer Kentuckys which have a brass washer between the stock and fore end, this one has a solid piece of brass which flares down to accommodate the fore piece. It also has two brass posts which fit into holes on the fore end. All in all pretty well made from what I can tell.

 

[BHP FAN]

my 1977 had the brass washer between the two pieces of the stock, I had one in the 1980's that had the brass slip over ''band'' connecter... [or maybe it was the other way around? I'll have to dig out the picture] a buddy of mine picked one up for a hundred dollars, and I thought he got a steal of a deal. Sportsman's Guide has one similar from time to time for $350.00 [which they won't sell to me for some reason, even though it's legal, even here in California] and I just saw one in unshootable, wall hanger condition sell for eighty bucks at the last gunshow.

 

[Dellbert]

MMA1991 Looks like you got a good deal on that rifle. Sence people have gone over to the inlines the old smoke poles are showing up at a lot of gun shops for little money you can get some really good deals nowdays. That's how I got my last two bp rifles. One of them I found a new bbl for off ebay and now it's like a new rifle. Thin I run across a $800.00 two band enfield in .58 for less than $400.00 The guy had put it up for sall in the gun shop as soon as I seen it setting there I picked it up and it looked almost new so I grabed it took it home and cleaned it up and got some .58 cal rd ball and some 500 gr bullets for it. That gun turned out tho be a hose. Boy I'd love to run across a Kentucky rifle. I like the looks and feel of them. Plus my rifles are .50 cals and I'd like to try out a .45 cal riflke. You shoulkd load that thang up and get out there and make some smoke. Hope you enjoy your gun.

 

[kBob]

Hey we would like to see this new to you rifle! Sounds like you got a deal.

-kBob

 

[MMA1991]

Ask and you shall receive....

Update: I have 6 original Pietta nipples for my BP Colt 1851 Navy.

Was hoping these would fit the Kentucky rifle but no such luck. The original nipple has larger and fewer threads than the Colt 1851 nipples.

Any idea where I may be able to to get replacement nipples for this rifle with the correct threads?

 

[Bluehawk]

I LOVE .45 caliber BP guns...don't know why...I just do! I have several .58 caliber rifles...never shoot them...just the .45's!

A loose trigger is normal when your rifle is not cocked because the hammer has a bar (sear lever) on it that when the hammer is forward it doesn't touch the lever bar on the trigger. When the hammer is cocked it's bar comes down making firm contact with the trigger bar and takes up the slack. CVA Kentucky triggers are like that also.

 

[AABEN]

All:

Last week, I found a BP Kentucky rifle on consignment for $75. Let me state up front, I am a NEWBIE to BP rifles so please bear with me.

The bore looked rough and there was some minor surface pitting on the barrel in way of the nipple but all in all she looked pretty good. I was told it is a .45 caliber but I really don't know.

I offered the guy $60 and I walked out the door with it.

The barrel is made by Pietta and the AH on the barrel indicates it was manufactured in 1981.

If I want an owners manual, the barrel indicates I am to contact FIE in Miami...other posts on this site indicate that company is now defunct.

So I get it home and break it down.

I cleaned the bore with Hoppes No. 9 and the solution was very rusty with the first swab and not too bad on the subsequent swabs. Looking in the barrel, there does appear to be some pitting but hard to tell how bad.

I sprayed the barrel out with brake cleaner/degreaser and then ran several patches with bluing solution down the barrel to arrest any possible issues with rust.

The nipple would not budge. I heated it with a propane torch (the same type a plumber uses to sweat copper pipe) and was able to get the nipple off.

I stripped the wood, stained and sealed it with teak oil, polished the brass fittings and lubed the lock action. I also wire wheeled the lock (think Dremel) to remove some light surface rust and reblued the whole mechanism. Did the same with the minor surface piping at the rear of the barrel in way of the nipple.

After reassembly, I noted the the trigger is loose when the rifle is not cocked and rock solid when cocked.

All in all she looks great.

I need to know:

Is she is safe to shoot? I assume I need to get a real gunsmith to inspect the rifle.

Is the rifle a clunker or is she a decent inaugural rifle to start my foray into the world of BP long guns?

Where can I find an owner's manual?

Any thoughts would be appreciated.

Thx

MMA1991

Go to the internet and look it up you might find it there. GOOD LUCK

 

[Chawbaccer]

Your nipples will be metric. If you can't measure them just give Cains or Log Cabin Shop a call and they will likely know what you need.

 

[CTSP1]

Wow! That did turn out well. Enjoy it with the boys on the range.