I've heard Traditions muzzleloaders are horrible to say the least. Is this true? Are they any good at all? They're priced so cheap.
http://www.traditionsfirearms.com/
http://www.traditionsfirearms.com/
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Traditions
- Thread starter TYE
- Start date
Spanish made ML's (traditions / cva) are by no means refined, but they get the job done. I feel that they have made some real strides, but the do have a history of quality control, & questionable materials.
Personally, I have a CVA. If I keep shots under 120 yards, I know that whatever I aim at will fall. I would trade it in a heartbeat for a TC or Knight though.
Personally, I have a CVA. If I keep shots under 120 yards, I know that whatever I aim at will fall. I would trade it in a heartbeat for a TC or Knight though.
I agree with smokepole that I would not buy a Spanish flintlock but I have had a couple of their percussion guns and they are okay. Certainly fine for deer hunting. One was a Traditions Hawken in .54 that I bought used and I had some challenges with the set trigger but it did it's job. I bought an old CVA Hawken in .54 that I had to raise from the dead but it cleaned up nice and shoots minute of deer at 50 yards'
If I was looking for a deal on a traditional gun I would probably buy a Lyman.
r
If I was looking for a deal on a traditional gun I would probably buy a Lyman.
r
I'm just curious that's all. Not seriously thinking about getting a muzzleloader.
I just thinking about trying it next year and I won't be getting big into it atleast not from the start so I wouldn't want to spend much if I did.
Just a simple break action Tradition Pursuit or something cheap like that is all I would be interested in.
I just thinking about trying it next year and I won't be getting big into it atleast not from the start so I wouldn't want to spend much if I did.
Just a simple break action Tradition Pursuit or something cheap like that is all I would be interested in.
P.S. I didn't mean a traditional muzzleloader, I meant the company TRADITIONS.
http://www.traditionsfirearms.com/
http://www.traditionsfirearms.com/
i shoot a cva wolf magnum. like traditions they aren't the prettiest gun out there . they are good shooters. i had a tradtions tracker and i can't say i liked the system of having the bolt and firing pin as one. but what do you expect for $150.00. the cva is a break open gun and is far better than the traditions tracker. as far as suspect materials, you hear this all the time about everybody, but i've yet to see a concrete case of anything serious
dinsdale
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Just outside the Ottawa City Limits!
I have 2 deer so far with my cheap Traditions Inline.
one at 10 yards, one at 120 yards.
My only quibble is the pain in the but involved in cleaning it.
Next one will be a break open.
Mind you, for under $200 scope included, I think it is great bang for the buck.
one at 10 yards, one at 120 yards.
My only quibble is the pain in the but involved in cleaning it.
Next one will be a break open.
Mind you, for under $200 scope included, I think it is great bang for the buck.
- Location
- Thunder Bay ON Canada
Yes!!!
People LOVE to badmouth the traditions, especially the flinters. Funny thing is though....none of them actually own one...PFFT!
I have a traditions hawken woodsman. It's lovely, works like clockwork, every time. Brass and walnut, for $400, showers of sparks.
The trigger is a fricken' dream, it's a double set trigger, the un-set trigger is a strong ten pounds or more, but the set trigger, is scant ounces, with absolutely no takeup and it actually startles me every time I release it.
Fit and finish are good, and the blue is deep. There is really nothing bad to say about this firearm, from a knowledgable source.
It's manufactured in Europe...so what? European craftmanship is just not that bad. Spain is not China.
My firearm functions very well, period. It looks extremely good for any firearm in it's price bracket.
Rich old men may sneer at my rifle, preferring 2500 dollar hand built masterpeices, but I'm not rich, and I'm not old, and performance trumps snob appeal.
People LOVE to badmouth the traditions, especially the flinters. Funny thing is though....none of them actually own one...PFFT!
I have a traditions hawken woodsman. It's lovely, works like clockwork, every time. Brass and walnut, for $400, showers of sparks.
The trigger is a fricken' dream, it's a double set trigger, the un-set trigger is a strong ten pounds or more, but the set trigger, is scant ounces, with absolutely no takeup and it actually startles me every time I release it.
Fit and finish are good, and the blue is deep. There is really nothing bad to say about this firearm, from a knowledgable source.
It's manufactured in Europe...so what? European craftmanship is just not that bad. Spain is not China.
My firearm functions very well, period. It looks extremely good for any firearm in it's price bracket.
Rich old men may sneer at my rifle, preferring 2500 dollar hand built masterpeices, but I'm not rich, and I'm not old, and performance trumps snob appeal.
Just to be clear... I have owned several CVA and Traditions guns. They are crap compared to better made guns production ML's like Lyman and TC.
As for Bobby's comment that we bad mouth without owning one..... I don't think Bobby has owned anything better than a Traditions..... If I'm wrong on that, let me know.
Run a search for CVA (Taditions) and breech failure and see what turns up. There are several law suits in progress from failures caused by the 'recomended magnum loads' of 150 gr. pyrodex pellets. There is a word for a piece of Spanish rifled tubing with a 150 gr. pyro and a projectile rammed down..... it's a pipe-bomb.
As for Bobby's comment that we bad mouth without owning one..... I don't think Bobby has owned anything better than a Traditions..... If I'm wrong on that, let me know.
Run a search for CVA (Taditions) and breech failure and see what turns up. There are several law suits in progress from failures caused by the 'recomended magnum loads' of 150 gr. pyrodex pellets. There is a word for a piece of Spanish rifled tubing with a 150 gr. pyro and a projectile rammed down..... it's a pipe-bomb.
- Location
- Thunder Bay ON Canada
Ok, just to be clear, no, I've owned nothing else, though I did have an opportunity to "test drive a lyman, and I was quite impressed with fit and finsh, and it had a nicer lock, but I was quite disappointed with the trigger.
And the 800 dollar price tag.
But I think this cuts to the heart of the issue.
It's not appropriate to compare apples and oranges. A toyota corolla is not a Camaro.
A Corolla is an excellent automobile, but if a weekend racer, wanted to say, that a "corolla is crap compared to a Camaro", might have a point. Unfortunately, that statement often morphs into....Toyota's are "jap-crap"
My Toyota Corolla, (first car) was an excellent, durable, very drivable car, and I'm lucky to be alive after driving it at the speeds I did, on bush and logging roads up here (Thunder Bay)
Of course, it wasn't even in the same league as my dad's Camaro, which I was lucky enough to get to drive occasionally. But it did outdo the Camaro in one respect, the Corolla had a much, much nicer transmission. That might seem pointless to other drivers, but both my Dad and I agreed on two things, the only thing worth driving for fun is a stick, and the corolla had a better one.
What I take contention with is not saying that a 375 dollar flintlock is crap compared to 700-800-900 dollar flintlock from another maker.
The problem is when that statement morphs into...."a Traditions is crap."
My traditions, taken on it's own, is an excellent, durable firearm with a fantastic trigger, and good accuracy. It even outdoes these more expensive guns in some regards. I like the trigger (the model I have has a double set trigger) better than the trigger on guns three times as costly. And to me, trigger feel, is king. I love a good trigger.
Traditions is not Crap. Traditions is different, just like the Corolla was different, and I beleive, dollar for dollar, better value than the TC model I tried, which is why I made my purchase and saved the rest of the money for my Photography addiction.
And the 800 dollar price tag.
But I think this cuts to the heart of the issue.
It's not appropriate to compare apples and oranges. A toyota corolla is not a Camaro.
A Corolla is an excellent automobile, but if a weekend racer, wanted to say, that a "corolla is crap compared to a Camaro", might have a point. Unfortunately, that statement often morphs into....Toyota's are "jap-crap"
My Toyota Corolla, (first car) was an excellent, durable, very drivable car, and I'm lucky to be alive after driving it at the speeds I did, on bush and logging roads up here (Thunder Bay)
Of course, it wasn't even in the same league as my dad's Camaro, which I was lucky enough to get to drive occasionally. But it did outdo the Camaro in one respect, the Corolla had a much, much nicer transmission. That might seem pointless to other drivers, but both my Dad and I agreed on two things, the only thing worth driving for fun is a stick, and the corolla had a better one.
What I take contention with is not saying that a 375 dollar flintlock is crap compared to 700-800-900 dollar flintlock from another maker.
The problem is when that statement morphs into...."a Traditions is crap."
My traditions, taken on it's own, is an excellent, durable firearm with a fantastic trigger, and good accuracy. It even outdoes these more expensive guns in some regards. I like the trigger (the model I have has a double set trigger) better than the trigger on guns three times as costly. And to me, trigger feel, is king. I love a good trigger.
Traditions is not Crap. Traditions is different, just like the Corolla was different, and I beleive, dollar for dollar, better value than the TC model I tried, which is why I made my purchase and saved the rest of the money for my Photography addiction.
I'm often asked "what is the right gun for me?"
The only answer is........what feels right
what gets the job done
and what you can afford at the time.
I've been out-shot by $35.00 junk............because the guy on the business end, knew what he was doing!
Regards
Mark
Trapline.ca
The only answer is........what feels right
what gets the job done
and what you can afford at the time.
I've been out-shot by $35.00 junk............because the guy on the business end, knew what he was doing!
Regards
Mark
Trapline.ca
I've got a traditions break open ML, it works good. I'm not saying its a beautiful piece of craftsmanship but for the 2 days a year I can go out deer hunting with it, I think it'll get the job done. The only complaint I have is the trigger is god awful, I'm going to take it apart and stone/polish it to see if it'll help.
It goes bang....thats all i need it to do.
It goes bang....thats all i need it to do.
Hey Bobby, just so ya know this is all in good nature, I have nothing against you or your choice of brand, be it guns, cars or fruit.
Here is how I would compare, and its just my opinion, worth what cha paid fer it.
Thompson Center = Camaro = Apple
Lyman = Toyota = Orange
Traditions = Lada = Lemon
Just for example: Traditions flint and percussion guns use a complicated breechblock that is drilled and tapped to accept a touchhole/chamber unit that bolts through the barrel into the far side. Not user friendly for several reasons.
TC or Lymans use a good quality touchhole liner and a seperate breech plug.
And BTW for $700 or $900 you can start to think about handbuilt MLs wich are a whole different fruit altogether.
Here is how I would compare, and its just my opinion, worth what cha paid fer it.
Thompson Center = Camaro = Apple
Lyman = Toyota = Orange
Traditions = Lada = Lemon
Just for example: Traditions flint and percussion guns use a complicated breechblock that is drilled and tapped to accept a touchhole/chamber unit that bolts through the barrel into the far side. Not user friendly for several reasons.
TC or Lymans use a good quality touchhole liner and a seperate breech plug.
And BTW for $700 or $900 you can start to think about handbuilt MLs wich are a whole different fruit altogether.
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I personally like the Savage too! As well as T/C and Knight......I've heard decent things about NEF....One of my field muzzleloaders is one of Remington"s new ones (Genesis). Made in Spain. I wasn't sure about the Spain thing at first but I loved the simplicity of design....easy to clean and damn accurate!!! You should check one out if you get the chance. Some of the guys mentioned about breech failures on the CVA's and the Tradition's and I agree that you should be careful......most of these failures are due to guys loading 150 grs with a heavy bullet and a hot primer which I'm not so sure is necessary with any brand of muzzleloader.... I find that 90 grs Max. of powder works out to be more than enough for accuracy and power!!
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