BP Pistol Kits?

[The3clipser]

Does anyone have experience with building these? I ask because I find myself drawn towards them, and I really like the look of them, especially the Traditions Trapper and Kentucky models. Any comments or reviews? I dug through all four pages of the Black Powder forum, and could find nothing definitive.
Edit: I've read the reviews on the official web sites and other places, but I value the opinions of people on here more.

 

[BlackBart]

I built a Kentucky long .45 from CVA years ago I think. It came out pretty good actually.

 

[WeaponsCollector]

I've never built a kit but would like to one day.
Check out Dixie Gun Works(www.dixiegunworks.com), they sell lots of kits and have online reviews for most of their products. Find a kit you like on the site and read the reviews, you can get a good idea of what problems people have had with each kit.

 

[CrabbyMcNab]

I'm a nubie to black powder, but is the pistol regulated? I don't think any BP is, right? I don't recall there being any serial numbers on these.

 

[Half-cocked]

Black Powder guns are non-regulated in Maryland, and don't even require a NICS check. Bass Pro used to sell Traditions BP revolvers right out on the racks, in blister packs - I haven't seen this in a couple of years though (must have been tempting bait for shoplifting vermin, I'm sure.)

 

[Goose Guy]

Black Powder guns are non-regulated in Maryland, and don't even require a NICS check. Bass Pro used to sell Traditions BP revolvers right out on the racks, in blister packs - I haven't seen this in a couple of years though (must have been tempting bait for shoplifting vermin, I'm sure.)

+1

I was at BassPro a couple months ago and saw them just hanging out in the aisle. Can't see how you could get that out without drawing a huge amount of attention to yourself though. They were the revolver w/ starter kit so the packs were huge. The guns themselves are behind the glass. When I got my 1858 Buffalo, I didn't even need to show my driver's licence.

 

[SOMDSHOOT]

Here's my opinion on these pistol and rifle kits.

I have had the desire a few times over the past many years to buy one of those kits from Traditions, HOWEVER, the more research I did on them, and the many forums I've gone to, and the questions I have asked, the more I got turned off by them. It seems the majority of builders say there is some trimming of wood to be done over all of the stock. Of course we know we have to blue the barrel and in most cases that did not fit properly either. And in some cases the pistol wood is so far off, there is no chance of the barrel or trigger assembly ever seating as it should. And to make it worse, you can not return the wood, since the end user is responsible for the final fitting and widdling of the wood, so you're pretty much screwed it it don't fit right.

I can not justify buying a kit that has not been through quality control for $285.00 when I can have a preassembled pistol shipped to my doorstep for the same price ready to shoot. Now, don't get me wrong, I understand the purpose of a kit is to built it yourself and become with with the gun and have some pride in the future, but, I'd rather pay a cheaper price for a kit than paying the price as a preassembled gun, since I have to do 50% of the work to finish it. The math just don't make sense to me for these kits.

Now, my intentions were to buy the kit and do the wood parts in an indigo blue stain with a clear coat, like a laminate stock, if you want to stain the stock something other than the traditional browns, then fine, rock on, but to pay the same price for both pistols and stain it brown anyway, that's absurd. Or, just buy a gun and refinish the wood, it's still cheaper in the long run.

 

[SOMDSHOOT]

Black Powder guns are non-regulated in Maryland, and don't even require a NICS check. Bass Pro used to sell Traditions BP revolvers right out on the racks, in blister packs - I haven't seen this in a couple of years though (must have been tempting bait for shoplifting vermin, I'm sure.)

I wish someone would buy my pistol LOL