FINALE: Let's Build a Traditions St. Louis Hawken | How-To Series Part 9: Final Assembly

National Muzzle Loading Rifle Association

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We got this kit from Flintlocks LLC, visit them on flintlocksllc
This was the 2nd muzzleloader kit I’ve assembled, the first being an old CVA Derringer kit from the 80s, and I have to say I’ve had a lot of fun. I was a little nervous when I started the kit and wanted to make sure I didn’t mess it up, but I have to say I’m pleased with the result. This is a simple, affordable kit that goes together nicely as long as you take your time and pay attention to the building process.
One of these Traditions kits is an easy and affordable way to get started in muzzleloading. I’ve spoken to older shooters who started with a very similar kit in the 70s and 80s and while they still bring out their Hawken kit gun from time to time to relive those great memories.
I’m not bothered too much by the plastic sights, they are made of durable plastic, and didn’t break under any stress that I put them under in the shop. If they really bug you, a set of iron sights are available from many retailers and can be mailed to your door for less than $30. Looking back on the kit, I think it would be nice to see either the machining on the trigger guard inlet adjusted, or the trigger guard casting adjusted to match up better. I had a large gap in the inletting that I fixed by stretching the guard, but not many builders are going to want to risk breaking their trigger guard to get rid of that gap. Tightening up that game on the production side would help new kit builders have an even nicer first muzzleloader.
All in all, I’m very pleased with this kit. Is it as nice as a custom-built muzzleloader? No, but it’s not one. Many of the bad reviews on these kits unfairly compare them to a more expensive muzzleloader and that’s just not fair. This is a fun kit to build, gives you a nice place to get started, and will burn powder with the best of them.
Later this month I’ll be digging out some lead and powder and showing you how I develop a load for a new muzzleloader, where I get supplies, and how to make some of the accessories to go with it.
In this multi-part video series, NMLRA Field Agent Ethan shows you how to build a Traditions St. Louis Hawken muzzleloading kit from start to finish. These are entry-level kits and offer anyone interested in muzzleloading an affordable and simple way to build their own muzzleloader.
If you are new to the series, be sure to visit our channel and head back to part 1 to follow along step by step as we build this kit from start to finish. Our goal is to make a comprehensive video series to accompany the instructions provided by Traditions Performance Firearms.
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The NMLRA exists to promote, support, nurture, and preserve our nation’s rich historical heritage in the sport of muzzleloading through recreational, educational, and historical venues.
Since 1933, we have led the effort to preserve the history of the United States through muzzleloading shooting sports & living history events.
Website: NMLRA.org
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Опубликовано:

3 янв 2021

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Комментарии : 64

@freddieh5539 Год назад

I bought this same kit a couple of years ago, and the build results were good. Also bought my grandson a pistol kit and deerstalker rifle kit. I've gotta say, shooting muzzleloaders is about the most fun you can have with your pants on.

@JeffandLeslie 3 года назад

Even when you get your metal final sight, always cut the sight's dovetail to match what is in the barrel vs. the other way around. A new sight is a lot less expensive than a new barrel and it is a whole lot less work to file the sight's dovetail than it is to make a new sight from a piece of steel.... (yes, experience speaking here).

@hawkenrifles 3 года назад

Dear Friend. You have a very nice rifle. As this rifle is manufactured in Spain by Ardesa and I know it well, since I have it in caliber 54, allow me to give you some advice. Change the sights for iron ones, buckhorn type, adjustable in height and also manufactured by Ardesa-Traditions. Put a good wooden ramrod, 10 or 11 millimeters thick. Beech wood can be better protected with linseed oil. Tighten the nipple a little more. You can reinforce the bottom of the stock with a brass toeplate purchased from Track of the Wolf. That rifle works great with real black powder, and 0.490 ball. Since the twist is 48" it is not necessary to use very heavy charges with good Swiss black powder. Use good linen patches, although cotton patches work very well. They must be 0.015 ", that is 3.5 tenths of a millimeter. Very good caps are those of RWS (German) or the equivalent of CCI No. 11 (American). Always fire two caps before loading to clean the nipple hole and side drum of oil. Moisten your patches with saliba or mink oil. You can use either No. 2 (3fff) or No. 3 (2 ff). For target shooting at 55 yards use 50 grains of gunpowder 3 FFF. You don't need more to group very well with a spherical bullet. You will have a lot of fun. To hunt with 80 grain charges use 2 FF . The rifle is very accurate for practicing shooting and hunting up to 100 yards. Clean your rifle with milk oil wetting the rags for the following formula: 1 part water plus 7 parts or cutting oil, machine oil or ballistol. Oil it with WD-40, after the barrel be very dry. Greetings from Spain. Saludos desde España.

@erikwilson7622 Год назад

Loved your comment at the end, it's unique, and it's mine. I just did this build for my son for X-Mas. Your video(s) were great for those "tricky" spots during the build,, ie the barrel tenon, man, that was a bear!

@stewartleach3942 3 года назад

For a next project, consider the Traditions Kentucky kit, in flintlock form if possible. It has different challenges to be met. I'd like to see how you firm up the joint between the front and rear stock section, and drill for the barrel pins. Consider browning the steel parts, with hot or cold chemicals.

@neolexington 3 года назад

Great job, would love to see a blunderbuss build!

@W1ldt1m 3 года назад

Me to. I've got a craving for a blunderbuss.

@BillRaby 3 года назад

Looks nice! Lets see you build the next one from a blank. That is when the real fun starts.

@BillRaby 3 года назад

You will have fun with that.

@Preachb52 7 месяцев назад

Really appreciate your videos. Building my first kit and learning a lot. Your videos make my "getting out of my comfort zone” a little easier to take that step. I’m building the same kit except mine is a flintlock. So, this is my first kit and my first flintlock. Thanks again

@jasonburrell3508 3 года назад

My son and I are building the same kit. Thank you for all the awesome tips.

@michaelhayes7471 5 месяцев назад

Those guns shoot really well for the money

@cecilboatwright3555 9 месяцев назад

Nice job!!! I built a Traditions kit a few years ago, and I can't even COUNT how many times I had to do just what you did...pull the barrel back out a bazillion times!!...and I would forget to put the ramrod spring back in too!!! 🤣

@gabeofalltrades0770 Год назад

Loved watching you build this! Thanks so much for taking the time to bring us along with you!🙌🔥

@blackpowdermaniacshooter 3 года назад

Great job Ethan....looking forward to the next build....

@dirtbike_cowboy 6 месяцев назад

I’m 15 I built the frontier flintlock using your videos so thank you

@marktaylor8659 3 года назад

Great final video on this build. It looks fantastic. When you change out the sights for metal or more traditional ones, I hope you post a video on that process. I did notice when you were putting the barrel in about timestamp 13:30, a part on the work table that looked like that ramrod spring. At least you noticed it before assembling the entire gun. Look forward to videos of you shooting and sighting it in. Thanks again for a great series. I've heard the Jim Kibler kits are pretty nice and authentic. That might be a great series.

@johnbankston3967 8 месяцев назад

It came out really nice! Good work and thanks for making an authentic video.

@opossumbandit4960 Год назад

just ordered a kit and I'm super excited to get building.

@A50S2D 3 года назад

About 1980 I built a T/C Hawken rifle. The brass has aged about like what you have done on this kit. After finishing it and taking it to the range I noticed the sights were a bit wonky and I couldn't get it to shoot straight. I took the barrell to work and placed it on a granite surface plant and indeed the barrell was not straight. I sent it to T/C and received a regular production barrell that works beautifully. It's been so many years I barely remember building the rifle. Thanks for reminding me of the process. One difference is the T/C came with a walnut stock.

@adrianbenson2521 3 года назад

Really enjoyed this series and absolutely want to see more of the same. I have the Traditions Mountain rifle flintlock kit thanks to this series and just have to finish collecting the tools I need to get started on it. Looking forward to the shooting and casting videos you mentioned. I just reupped my membership to NMLRA and this kind of content excites me since I can never make it out to Friendship. Other maker kits I'd like to see done would be TVM, Jim Chambers, Track of the Wolf, and Kibler's. Kibler's especially since they do seem to be somewhat beginner friendly, aside from the price :)

@jeffaldrich9267 3 года назад

Really enjoyed these videos. Excellent job.

@kurtkemp 3 года назад

Thanks for doing this series! It helped me greatly and I built mine right along with these videos. I also referred back to a couple of them. Thanks!

@kurtkemp 3 года назад

@@nationalmuzzleloadingrifle8871 Sure will. Just finished it’s final assembly. I ended up do 4 coats of tru oil. My trigger guard required the same basic rear inlet modification but the front foot of the guard was actually still too long so I had to take a little off. I am pleased how it came out though. I plan on sighting it in this weekend. Sending pictures.

@danlawson1788 Год назад

Thoroughly enjoyed every step of the process, had an 1858 brass revolver I wanted to do the brass aging on and was to scared, really thinking of picking one of these up and making a pirate pistol or custom shirt barrel one, great work and very in depth advice

@straightpipec6099 3 года назад

Looks like the blueing came out nice.

@stevenmckee624 5 месяцев назад

Didn't notice if you used the little clip that helps hold the ramrod in,one off the front lock screws helps hold it in , yep cought it at the end .

@psychodiagnostik 3 года назад

Looks good!

@mikeodonnell9199 Год назад

I have really enjoyed your videos they have been very helpful. I have recently purchased an Investarms .54 cal Bridger Hawken and plan to use your Gemmer and Traditions builds as reference. If you have any suggestions of other build videos that would be great. Thanks

@notsosilentmajority1 3 года назад

Great series, it was thoroughly enjoyable. It would be great if you finished off your builds by doing some shooting with your newly built rifle. Well done.

@mrgundog_07 2 года назад

Well done!

@timothybroden7356 3 года назад

Great job. I enjoy your video series. Let us know when you upgrade the sites.

@georgegooding57 3 года назад

Probably should have sealed all that raw wood so that it wouldn't draw moisture. That may cause a few problems over time.

@salvatorediprima2900 2 года назад

Pulling on the lock hammer to remove the lockplate from the lock mortise is a great way to damage & loosen the fit between hammer & tumbler.

@beebob1279 3 года назад

Nice build. I'd like to build a .32 squirrel rifle, but there just isn't anything out there right now. If I could I'd like to use one of cherry blocks for the stock. I guess I could take the kit stock and copy it to the cherry. I would only oil it and let the natural colors of the black cherry come through. I've got a .50 cal for deer but want to get into black powder for everything. Eventually get a black powder shotgun.

@okeechobeejoe2868 3 года назад

I thought you should've added the spring that holds the ram rod in place. Nice job,good video !

@buckeye8069 3 года назад

What sights did you use and where can I get them?I think the plastic ones are worthless as an opinion. Thank you

@kevinmorris8727 2 года назад

Nice, I like the detail on the dry fitting. I'm not all that familiar with Beech wood, but it looks to have a open grain texture. I would have used a good stain sealer that would help smooth out the contrasts in the grain (that's my preference) to go along with a tight grain wood like Walnut. I like Benite for sealing, if it is still available as the company went out of business (big box stores).

@reno145 2 года назад

Looks good overall, but my eye won't stop twitching over the unfinished barrel bed on the stock. Thanks for the videos. I am not confident enough to tackle one of these builds. And the entire stock will have finish :)

@phunngames 3 года назад

How about a Fowler build? Many public hunt areas allow smooth bores over rifle barrels for hunting. Great job!

@atxkirkiii6204 3 года назад

Hey thanks for sharing great video!

@raydawson4609 2 года назад

Thanks for the videos, just finished kit. Used your videos rather then the directions. One problem, I guess I put the ramrod spring in wrong and now I can't get it out!!

@paulrago9868 Год назад

Did you find a metal rear sight for the St Louis Hawken? Been looking to upgrade mine as well.

@tomasmcmillan3131 Год назад

Have you considered a Bridger Hawkins kit???

@alexharris5540 6 месяцев назад

Do you have to shoot round Ball s or can you shoot the newer black powder bullet s out

@mitutoyo34 Год назад

I built one of this kits but; I hate plastic on an antique gun replica. ughh!

@thomasleonard3926 Год назад

What metal sights did you replace the plastic sights with

@deadcrazyboy09 Год назад

Can you point me in the direction of new sights ? I have a traditions hawken woodsman

@tucklando5589 Год назад

My barrel tang sits really deep into the stock, not flush like yours. I’m talking a quarter inch deep. Is that a defective stock? I’m going to have to move a lot of material

@deannakoa3 2 месяца назад

Can the 50 cal barnes bullets be used in this?

@jimf1964 Год назад

Do you really feel it’s necessary to age the brass? I have some old brass, and it tarnished like crazy all on its own. I think just make sure the factory coating is cleaned off is enough. If you can wait a year anyway. You’ve sold me on buying one of these kits. Not because I feel the need to assemble something (it’s not like I’d actually be making it) but because as you said, by the end, I’ll know the gun inside and out. Besides, with our current prime minister here in Canada, it may be the only thing we’re allowed by the time he’s kicked out.

@NgamlangVlog 11 месяцев назад

Does this gun need a license?

@codyironworks307 3 года назад

The guys at c andrsenel are twisting over your tiny screwdrivers

@jerrydrake6516 2 года назад

Kentucky long riffle

@John-vw7wf 2 года назад

Stain job looks kinda not great. Pre stain and maybe some finishing oil would really make it look complete and at least protect it a bit

@miguelzinelli8795 3 года назад

@Noobish_Camper55 3 года назад

The instructions for this gun are just bad. Never have built a gun before and there isn't much explaining about fixing a lot of the defects that come with it. I don't think without your videos it would have been put together and probably would've sat in the box on a shelf.

@pkonstanczak 3 года назад

I just don't believe it, so much work and the effect is poor. Maybe next time it will be better. Greetings

@Andy-Gibb 3 года назад

I didn’t see the rifle you have made on your site. Maybe you should not pass comments until you can show all of us your rifle to see where we went wrong. Armchair critics are a real pain in the ass.

@journeyquest1 2 месяца назад

Lets not. I bought a kit and it has been sitting for years. Too much wood working and fitting barrel. I thought this was ready to assemble. Just buy one already to fire.