My first muzzleloader

[Swede44mag]

I would not try to re-inlet the rifle back farther other parts will not line up then.
The hammer probably will need to be re-bent to fit the nipple correctly but if not done correctly the hammer may break.
I would try to find someone in your area that is knowledgeable in this area or take it to a gunsmith.

[docone31]

There is something a little up with the lock and barrel. You really cannot move the drum, the breech and drum are interlocking. Even so, it does not fit with the lock.
I would look at why it is like that. If that gap can be closed, both the barrel and lock will fire the cap.
Another issue with those rifles. I have one, is the nipple and clean out screw. The nipple goes too far into the drum. I ground off just a touch on the bottom of the nipple and no more hang fires. I then flared the bottom opening of the nipple, and my fire time picked up.
They are very accurate rifles! My wife fires hers at 100yds and can hit a bowling pin with it. We use 70gns of Pyrodex RS. I remove the barrel to clean it. Scalding hot water and dish soap. Run a patch in and out and give a good scrub. I clean through the nipple.
Then, when dry, I run patches down the bore and then spray silicone spray in it. I tip it muzzle down to dry.
Check the lock/drum fit. That is the issue rather than bending the hammer. Something is out of line.

[BadDaditood]

Congrats Cowboy, your first smokepole looks pert-near identical to my first, which i'm in the middle of building now.

CVA is now Traditions, i bought the Kentucky Rifle with the full length 2 piece stock (that skinny brass plate in front of the lock has two 2 inch pins thru it joining front to rear). Instead of wedges holding the stock to the barrel these rifles have "tenon pins". On the bottom of the barrel there are 2 "tenons" drifted into small dovetails; you drill thru the stock, thru the center of the tenon (hopefully) and out the other side of the stock. Pound 'em thru and file 'em off. Not exactly user friendly come cleaning time but i'm sure the tenon pins and 2 piece stock have a lot to do with it being the cheapest kit available.

I couldn't dig up the instructions online so i'll have to type out the part you want:

*** page 6
Note: make sure that barrel is all the way back into the tang slot. You need to visually inspect to make sure that bolster (drum) lines up with hammer and that when the hammer falls it hits the cap squarely. You must also pay close attention that there is a very slight gap between the bolster and locking plate.

15. Set the hammer in the half-cock position. The barrel bolster should be positioned concentrically into its cut-out in the lock plate and the lock plate should be snug against the barrel.

16. Insert the tang screw through the hole in the corresponding tang and pass it through the stock and into its corresponding hole in the trigger assembly.

17. At this point the hammer should be positioned so that it will fall squarely onto the nipple. If it does not one or more of the following steps may be taken.

* Remove wood from bottom of lock recess, until lock is flush with the barrel.

* Remove wood as needed from under and behind the barrel channel, including tang area. (that's what i had to do to center lock on drum, i also had to hog out the rear side of the tang screw hole; didn't want screw bending or stock splitting there)

* Check that the lock plate and lock plate screws are snugly fitted into the stock and the lock is properly positioned in its cut-out.

* If proper alignment is not obtained with the previous steps, the hammer may be bent slightly by removing it from the lock, heating it and by bending it carefully to obtain the correct alignment.

Somewhere in there it says don't try to turn the bolster (drum) it's set at the factory and any tampering will cause nothing short of planetary mis-alignment and an end to the world as we know it... or something along those lines.

***
Your pics make me think that your original builder didn't take much if any wood out, that hammer may not fire as is... and with the bore so shiny i'm thinkin' it may never have been fired.
When you chisel wood out of the breech slot, go super slow and just shave it evenly, its hard to get sandpaper glued to a popsicle stick down in there. I went too far in several areas and i swear i spent more time fixing my goofups than anything else. A real comedy of errors... coffee stir sticks, waterproof glue, brass plating, toothpicks... and I'm a Professional wood butcher!! But it's gonna be purty, all said n done. Hope it fires! It'll look nice over the fireplace if not.

I looked for instructions and/or a rear sight but Traditions Performance Firearms doesn't even list their kit guns on their website, so here's what's on the back of my instruction pamphlet:

P.O. Box 776 Old Saybrook, CT 06475-0776 www.traditionsmuzzle.com email: trad@ct2.nai.net 860 388 4656

Hope this helps. Track of the Wolf has pages and pages of sights, and just about anything else you might need.

[huntincowboy]

Thank you BadDaditood! I've been slowly filing away at the wood on the bolster to set the barrel back. It's starting to line up, but it's slow going. I have maybe half of the amount off that it has to go. I'm getting pretty excited about being close to shooting it. I got a rear sight with it, but it doesn't fit real well, it's loose big time. I'm thinking about shimming it, or maybe I'll order one when I can think to measure the dovetail haha. It may not have been fired, the guy who sold it to me said he bought it from a man who's dad passed away and left several unfinished projects.

[fouronesix]

Sounds like progress!
Once you get the barrel and lock all lined up and start on the rear sight... you can do one of at least three things. Shim under the sight dovetail to tighten. Or, get another sight (of a style you may like better) with a blank or larger dovetail and fit/file to the dovetail in the barrel. Or, tighten the existing rear sight by peening the edges of the dovetail on the barrel to tighten the sight. Or glue in place (epoxy is nice because it is strong and easily reversible with a little heat). You'll need the sight a little snug while sighting in but once that's done you may want it much more snug.

[Alan]

One thing that was mentioned above you should avoid. do NOT get a fiberglass loading/cleaning rod. I don't like the coated ones either. Get a one-piece steel (i like stainless) with a muzzle protector, and use that. Fiberglass will cut steel about as fast as a good file, and you don't want it flexing down inside your barrel, or rubbing on the muzzle.

[BadDaditood]

here's a link to a .pdf of the owners manual, it has lots of good newbie info and also important load data, like Max charges

it's down the left side called: Side Lock Percussion - Flintlock Manual

http://www.traditionsfirearms.com/mu...er-manuals.php

here's a couple excerpts:

***
No. 11 caps, nipple is M6 x 1 metric threads

.45 to .58 cal rifles they recommend 2 f (FFg) black powder, Pyrodex RS or Pyrodex Select

Round Ball = .440

Patch thickness = .015

Most Accurate: 46 - 70 grains FFg
Max 100 gr FFg

Most Accurate: 40 - 65 gr FFFg
Max 95 gr FFFg

Conicals must be loaded without patches. It they are not purchased prelubricated, they must be greased with Traditions WonderLube or any commercial BP bullet lube.
The most accurate load for a conical is usually 5 to 10 grains above those for round balls. Maximum powder loads for these projectiles in each caliber are identical to those noted above for round balls.
Conical projectiles must fit tightly.
***

Is the rate of twist scribed on your barrel? I chose 1 in 60" for round ball. I've heard Mini's need a faster twist to stabilize, like 1 in 24". Some say 1 in 48" is not ideal for either ball or bullet, but no doubt Forum wars have started over that statement

Here's the part about the drum they call *bolster*:
***
Important: Never remove the bolster/drum or breech plug (my breech plug is welded to the tang) from the barrel. They have been installed at the factory such that they interlock with each other for maximum lock-up strength. Next, a concentric communication hole is drilled into this unit to assure optimum ignition. The removal or alteration of these key parts will compromise the performance of your gun, void your warranty and likely create an unsafe situation.
***
hmmm i musta made up the part about getting smacked in the head by an asteroid.

enjoy it cowboy !! you'll be shooting yours long before me-- my bbl goes in the bluing tank tomorrow

[GREENCOUNTYPETE]

I have the same gun a kit Kentucky long in 45 , the rear sight is a 3/8 dove tail . I am going to replace mine , check track of the wolf they have several , I actually am going to step away from traditional and go with a marbles peep with elevator , peeps just work for my eyes

here is a thread we did on cleaning http://castboolits.gunloads.com/show...muzzle-loaders not to long ago

[huntincowboy]

Ok so I got it all lined up and popped a cap to make sure it would work properly. It went but the cap is destroyed. By destroyed I mean it split in two places from bottom to top. Is that how it is supposed to be?

[shane438]

I have seen caps come apart in all manner of ways. That's why some folks get the little guard that goes on the nipple to protect from fragments. As long as you are getting fire to the powder charge your probably ok. Put up a pic of the hammer/nipple alignment and let us see the corrections you made.

[huntincowboy]

It still isn't perfect, but now it makes the needed clearance easily. You can see in the second picture where I filed the wood behind the barrel to fit it. It took a lot of filing and sanding to move it back the fraction of an inch that I did.

[fouronesix]

Much much better!!
It is probably good to go as it is now. If you set the barrel/tang just a smidge farther back you will be able to turn the drum a fraction tighter (right turn) and get perfect hammer-nipple fit. But, judging by the photo, it is now as close if not closer to that perfect alignment as most MLs. That'll be your call.

If you want, but not necessary for shooting, you can now use some files and sanding blocks to finish the final surface of the stock then add wood finish as desired.

[huntincowboy]

I plan on doing a wood finish at some point as time allows. What kind of finish do you use? Is it ok to use something from the hardware store, or do I need an application specific kind?

[Wayne Smith]

It looks as if you have pretty good color as it is. I would simply sand it to about 220-300. Get some Pure Tung Oil (Woodcraft carries it) and pour a little in a container. Cut it between 50-75% with mineral oil. Use this as a filler, sanding it in so that the sanding dust fills the pores of the wood. Start with the last grit you sanded with. I typically sand the tung oil in until I get to 600 grit. By this time two things have happened, the mineral oil has gassed off enough that my dilution is closer to 75% tung oil, and the pores are filled and I have a perfectly smooth surface. At this point I start hand rubbing. You can rub in oil to an oil type finish or you can keep on rubbing it in until you get to a glossy finish - your desire. I typically stop around 15-20 coats hand rubbed before I get to gloss.

This works well with nicely colored wood that does not need a stain.

Be sure to finish the barrel channel equally.

[shane438]

That barrel fit looks good! Look here if you are bothered by those caps coming apart: http://www.trackofthewolf.com/List/Item.aspx/704/1

If you are handy you might make something yourself. Just make sure the nipple and the path to the chamber are clear. If not you may be getting pressure blowback and tearing the cap up. A smaller diameter welders torch tip cleaner works well for this.

[fouronesix]

By destroyed I mean it split in two places from bottom to top. Is that how it is supposed to be?

Short answer- yes, it's absolutely normal for the cap to split even when "dry firing" with cap only. The striking part of the hammer on most all ML caplocks is recessed to help keep blowback gas and junk and pieces of the cap from hitting shooter.

Obviously when shooting normal charges and loads, the cap will be split or shredded. With really heavy charges and/or if the nipple flash hole is too large the discharge back through the nipple upon firing can be excessive. If the hammer is forced back to half or full cock then for certain the charge is too heavy and/or the nipple flash hole is too large.