Who's got a Traditions Crockett and how does it shoot?

[greenmntranger]

Been offered a Crockett Rifel/pistol combo as a trade. Not quite what I'm looking for but....

So to those who have one, how do they shoot with ball or maxi's? How is the fit and finish (never owned a Traditions)

[ejcrist]

Is it the 32 Crockett? Don't know about fit and finish and I don't have a Crockett but I have a Pedersoli 32 flintlock which is probably similar if we're talking about 32's. Mine has a 1:48 twist which I also believe the Crockett 32 is (was), and mine shoots round balls good but the charge is a bit on the hot side for small edible game. I've never shot anything but prb's through it but I'm pretty sure it wouldn't shoot maxi's well with that twist. I'm guessing the Crockett 32 would be about the same.

[starmac]

Fit and finish on my crocket is pretty nice, soooo far that is all I can tell you about it.

[DCP]

I am a old big guy and I have a 32 Crockett, its a fine rifle. but a 32 round ball seemed really small to me. It seemed hard to load because the ball is small.
Knowing this I bought a 32 Thompson Center anyway LOL.
I think I like the 36 Thompson Center better. I have 2 cap locks and looking for a flinter.

[mooman76]

32s are a little harder to load being small but still not that bad. I don't have a traditions, I have a CVA and a Dixie and an old piece. Generally nice little shooters just takes a few more seconds to load. Cheap to shoot(as cheap or cheaper than a 22) and Traditions is kind of bottom of the line as far as MLs. I am not trying to cut them down either. Still good guns and good fit and finish from what I have heard except some of the purists wouldn't think so being allot of them are quite picky. Over all worth the money and if I was in the market for one, would not hesitate to pick one up.

[greenmntranger]

Hate to see what high end go for!!
Cable's list em for 520.00
Dixie for 468.00
and Old South Firearms for 400.00
and thats if tjey ate in stock

[bedbugbilly]

I have shot BP for 50 plus years and owned many rifles as well as having built a number of them. A year ago, I wanted a smaller caliber front stuffer just to play with and the Crockett caught my eye. I ended up trading for one that was used but very nice. It shot well . . . for a while. Evidently, the previous owner had had a problem with it - it appeared to me that about half way down the barrel, there was a young spot - perhaps from not cleaning well as I couldn't detect a bulge. I ended up getting a patched ball stuck halfway down - I'd shot about 4 rounds - spit patched between rounds. I couldn't get it down and I couldn't get it pulled. In fact, I ended up pulling the ball screw and the brass end right off of the fiberglass range rod I was using. I tried everything - removing the nipple and applying compressed air, out of frustration - I removed the barrel and introduced a charge though the nipple hole - tied it to a tire and touched it off with a piece of cannon fuze. It didn't budge. I figured the worst case scenario would be a bulged barrel or it would come out. Nada.

Off to the shop. When I examined the breech plug - it is installed oddly. Threads in and then there is a set screw. O.K. Remove the set screw - clamped in a padded jaw and used a breech plug wrench to remove - it wouldn't budge. After great effort and being very careful to not damage the barrel flats or finish - I never did get it out. I'm used to building rifles with traditional breech plugs or patented breeches - and being able to remove them every so often for a thorough cleaning if I'm not going to be shooting it for an extended time.

Long story short - I sold the stock and parts off. The barrel sits in a rack in my shop and someday, I'm going to cut it to see just what the bore problem is - curiosity has the best of me. I'm "old school" as far as rifle building and breech plug installation. To me . . so many of these imported front stuffers have "lawyer breech plugs" in them which are a real PIA.

That said though - the rifle - for a production rifle was decently put together as far as fit and finish. It shot great until the barrel problem popped up and like I said, I feel it was a damaged barrel due to the previous owner either not cleaning it well and a rough spot forming over time or perhaps, it was just a faulty barrel from the get go with an extremely tight spot part way down - it can happen.

I used to have another .32 CVA Squirrel Rifle that was scoped - a nice shooting squirrel gun. I sold it. When I got the Crockett - I remembered why. With my hands, the small .310 balls are pretty tiny and I end up fumbling them. Now, I pretty much stick to my .36 H & A under hammer for a small caliber.

In spite of my own experiences with a Crockett - a lot of folks have 'em and love 'em. They are a well balanced little rifle that certainly gives a typical traditional look. Even with my experience, I'd have no problems with a new one - and it would make a great little rifle for a kid to get started with that they cold shoot for years or for a adult who just wants a good little smaller caliber rifle.

If I had had the time . . I would have kept the Crockett stock & parts and re-barreled it with 3/4" barrel I have along with a traditional breech plug, etc. I had very little in what I traded for the rifle though and actually made out better and ahead for what I got for the stock & parts minus the barrel. The problem was too many "to do" jobs and not enough time.

[Hanshi]

I owned and hunted with a Crockett for around 14 years. A good example is capable of sub 1" groups at 50 yards. The barrels, as they come from the factory, are deep grooved and very accurate. I only sold mine to help finance a flint .32. MSR is probably too high but they can be found quite a bit under that. They are very nice rifles; but they are not custom guns and generally fitted better than the average factory piece.

[mooman76]

Bedbugbilly. Sounds like someone was loading and didn't clean the fouling when needed and the fouling built up and they forced it as far as they could get. That could have wedged it good. I have never had it happen to me but have heard of it happening. If you wait too long between shots the fouling gets dried out partially and then dries hard when forcing it down the barrel. Just speculation of coarse.