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Traditions Kentucky Rifle

• advanced
• Shop tier 2
• medium confidence
• Muzzleloader
• muzzleloader
• flintlock
• side lock
• fixed breech
• traditional
• black powder

field strip ~10 min · reassembly ~15 min · detail strip ~45 min

Specifications

Model-specific safety

• A muzzleloader cannot be unloaded by opening an action and looking. Once powder and a projectile are down the bore, the firearm is loaded until the charge is fired or physically removed. This is the single most important difference between a muzzleloader and everything else in this database.
• The standard way to verify a muzzleloader is unloaded is to mark a ramrod at the muzzle with the bore known empty, then compare that mark against where the rod sits now. If the rod goes deeper than the empty mark, the bore is clear; if it stops short, there is something in there. Mark your rod and keep it with the gun.
• NEVER look down the muzzle of a muzzleloader to check it, and never place any part of yourself in front of the muzzle while loading.
• Use only black powder or a propellant explicitly labelled as a black powder substitute. Smokeless powder in a muzzleloader will destroy it and can kill the shooter. There is no partial exception to this.
• Follow the charge weights in the manufacturer’s manual for your specific firearm. Do not extrapolate loads from another gun.
• Black powder fouling is hygroscopic and corrosive. It draws moisture and will rust a bore within a day. Same-day cleaning with hot soapy water is not optional.
• On a FLINTLOCK there is priming powder in an open pan, exposed to the air and to sparks. The pan must be empty and the frizzen open before you handle the rifle as anything other than loaded. A primed pan is an ignition source sitting in the open.
• Flintlocks produce a flash and a puff of burning powder from the pan, beside your face, on every shot. Eye protection is not optional on a flintlock.
• Fixed breech plug: you cannot look through the bore. The marked ramrod is your check.
• Never prime the pan until you are ready to fire and the rifle is pointed downrange. Load the main charge first, then prime.
• A flintlock hangfire is longer and more variable than a percussion hangfire. Keep the muzzle downrange for at least 60 seconds after a failure to fire.

Under spring tension

• Mainspring in the lock
• Frizzen spring
• Set trigger springs where fitted

Easily lost parts

Flint and its leather or lead wrap · Vent pick · Lock screws · Ramrod

Tools

Shop difficulty

Shop tier 2 Tier 2 — moderate among muzzleloaders, for the full job: strip to the parts that get coated and put it back together working. Hardest muzzleloader here: 78 pieces, a barrel held by small pins drifted through a two-piece wooden stock that can split or loosen, and (flint) a lock with mainspring, frizzen spring and sear spring that need a spring vise or clamp. Each spring is handled on its own and the long-gun count is well under the Tier 3 line, so Tier 2 (upper end).

Parts: 64 numbered parts (Traditions Kentucky Rifle parts sheet for finished R-2010/R-2020/R-2025 and kits, flint and percussion (64 line items); main list plus flintlock, percussion lock and trigger sub-lists, so one rifle ha), from Traditions™ Kentucky Rifle (Models R-2010, R-2020, R-2025, KR-5210, R-5220, KR-5225) parts sheet — Traditions Performance Firearms, p. 12 and PDF p. 2 traditionsfirearms.com [3].

Bench time: about 35 min to strip, 55 min to rebuild (estimate). Estimated: ramrod, tang screw, barrel tenon pins and barrel, touch-hole liner or nipple and breech, sights, lock off and stripped (mainspring, frizzen spring, sear spring with a vise/clamp), trigger plate, trigger guard; stock joining plate and pins and brass furniture left unless coated. Rebuild longer for the lock springs and refitting pins without enlarging the holes.

Small parts: 5 pins, 8 springs, 0 detents or plungers (counted from the manufacturer's parts list (one per key number unless a quantity is given))

What comes off for coating

• Barrel: ramrod, tang screw, barrel tenon pins (2), barrel, touch-hole insert (flint) or nipple and bolster screw (percussion), front and rear sights — 1/16" pin punch no larger than the pins, nipple wrench (percussion)
• Lock: lock plate screws and lock, mainspring, sear spring and screw, sear and screw, sear adjusting screw and spring, tumbler and hammer (cock) with top jaw, frizzen spring and screw, frizzen and screw — mainspring vise, small C-clamp for the frizzen spring
• Trigger and furniture: trigger guard screws and guard, trigger plate with bridle, trigger and pin, stock joining plate and pins only if needed, brass nose cap, butt plate, toe plate and thimbles (normally not coated) — fitted screwdrivers, pin punch

Special tools

• Mainspring vise (leaf spring type) — Flintlock mainspring
• Small C-clamp or frizzen spring vise — Frizzen spring
• 1/16" pin punch no larger than the barrel pins — Barrel tenon and stock joining pins without enlarging the wood holes
• Fitted gunsmith screwdrivers — Lock plate, tang, trigger guard and furniture screws in wood

Known pain points

• The barrel is held by tenon pins driven through the forend; the stock is easily damaged and can split if the barrel is levered out. (both)
  Owners report: Removing a pinned barrel — American Longrifles forum americanlongrifles.org [5] — “make sure whatever punch you use is the same size or smaller than the pins. You don’t want to bore the holes in the wood larger than the pins. And assume the stock will break (it won’t if you’re careful) taking the barrel out.”
• Traditions warns to tap the pins out carefully without damaging the stock. (disassembly)
  Source: Safety & Instruction Manual for Sidelock Muzzleloaders (FIT 7) — Traditions Performance Firearms traditionsfirearms.com [2] — “Carefully tap barrel tenon pins to drive them out the opposite side of the forend. Take care not to damage the stock.”
• Every pin removal loosens the pin holes in the wood a little more. (reassembly)
  Owners report: How do you clean a flintlock? — 24hourcampfire 24hourcampfire.com [6] — “Each time you push out the pins, you are going to loosen the pin holes that much more.”
• The flintlock’s mainspring and frizzen spring must be compressed with a spring vise or clamp to come out and go back. (both)
  Owners report: flintlock main spring — American Longrifles forum americanlongrifles.org [7] — “I find that a small C clamp works well as a frizzen spring clamp.”
• A ramrod retaining spring is held by a lock plate screw and drops into the stock if that screw is taken fully out. (disassembly)
  Source: Safety & Instruction Manual for Sidelock Muzzleloaders (FIT 7) — Traditions Performance Firearms traditionsfirearms.com [2] — “If that lock plate screw is unscrewed entirely, the spring may become dislodged in the stock.”

Fit or check on rebuild

• Barrel tenon pins snug in the wood; barrel seated in its inletting with room for the wood to move — Loose pin holes and a barrel bedded too tight are the known failure modes (wood can split as it swells).
  Source: Removing a pinned barrel — American Longrifles forum americanlongrifles.org [5] — “Check to see if the holes in the barrel lugs are enlongated. This will allow the wood to move a little when it swells.”
• Sear engagement / half-cock holds; sear adjusting screw set — The lock has a sear adjusting screw and spring; a wrongly set screw stops the sear engaging the tumbler notches.
  Source: Cant get double set triggers to work on CVA Hawken Kit gun. — American Longrifles forum americanlongrifles.org [8] — “If this is screwed too far down it will prevent the sear engaging in the notches in the tumbler.”
• Flint sparks into the pan; frizzen spring snaps the frizzen open and closed — Entry tip: flint orientation varies by lock; test for sparks after the lock has been apart.
• Sight re-zero (dovetail rear sight drifted back to its mark) — Traditions adjusts fixed-sight windage by drifting the rear sight.

This is Pew-Takedown's rating, not the manufacturer's. How tiers are rated. Forum reports are owners' experience, not specifications.

Manufacturer videos

Official videos from Traditions Performance Firearms's own channels, linked rather than copied. Where a video and the steps on this page differ, follow the manufacturer's manual and video.

• Traditions Firearms Video Series - How to Disassemble Your Traditions Flintlock Muzzleloader Traditions Performance Firearms field strip · 2016-09-19
  Covers: Traditions flintlock muzzleloaders (per title). The Kentucky is a Traditions flintlock sidelock; the video does not name the Kentucky specifically.
• Traditions Firearms Video Series How to Reassemble Your Traditions Flintlock Muzzleloader Traditions Performance Firearms reassembly · 2018-02-22
  Covers: Traditions flintlock muzzleloaders (per title). The Kentucky is a Traditions flintlock sidelock; the video does not name the Kentucky specifically.
• Traditions Firearms Video Series How to Clean Your Traditions Flintlock Muzzleloader Traditions Performance Firearms cleaning · 2016-09-19
  Covers: Traditions flintlock muzzleloaders (per title). The Kentucky is a Traditions flintlock sidelock; the video does not name the Kentucky specifically.
• Traditions Firearms Video Series - Removing a Load From Your Traditions Sidelock Traditions Performance Firearms clearing · 2016-09-19
  Covers: Traditions sidelock muzzleloaders (flintlock and percussion)
• Traditions Firearms Video Series - Clearing Obstructions Traditions Performance Firearms clearing, maintenance · 2016-09-16
  Covers: Traditions muzzleloaders generally
• Traditions Firearms Video Series - Firing Your Traditions Flintlock Muzzleloader Traditions Performance Firearms operation · 2016-09-19
  Covers: Traditions flintlock muzzleloaders (per title). The Kentucky is a Traditions flintlock sidelock; the video does not name the Kentucky specifically.

Procedures

Torque specifications

No sourced torque values from the manufacturer are recorded for this firearm. Where a fastener has a specified torque — action screws, scope bases, muzzle devices, barrel nuts — get it from the manufacturer or a gunsmith rather than estimating it.

What the manufacturer does say: The manufacturer's documents give no torque value. They say: "Check the nipple on a percussion gun or the flint, jaws and frizzen of flintlock gun, to be sure they are secure. Tighten, if necessary. Take care not to overtighten." (Safety & Instruction Manual for Sidelock Muzzleloaders (FIT 7), PDF p. 23) "Note: Take care not to over-tighten the screws or damage to the rear sight may occur." (Safety & Instruction Manual for Sidelock Muzzleloaders (FIT 7), PDF p. 42)

Materials and factory finish

As stated by Traditions Performance Firearms. Prep, masking and cure depend on these; a polymer or aluminium part, a nitrided or anodised finish, and a blued steel part are each a different job. Variants with other finishes may exist — check the maker's page for the exact SKU on the bench.

Parts list

Transcribed from the manufacturer's parts list (Traditions™ Kentucky Rifle (Models R-2010, R-2020, R-2025, KR-5210, R-5220, KR-5225) parts sheet — Traditions Performance Firearms, p. 12 and PDF p. 2 traditionsfirearms.com [3]) — Traditions Kentucky Rifle parts sheet covering finished R-2010/R-2020/R-2025 and kits KR-5210/R-5220/KR-5225, flint and percussion. Main list plus Flintlock, Percussion Lock and Trigger Assembly sub-lists.. Key numbers refer to the exploded view in that document.

Function check

• Verify the bore is empty with a marked ramrod and the pan is empty before each check.
• Confirm the cock holds at half-cock and full cock.
• With the cock at full cock, engage the safety if fitted and press the trigger. The cock must not fall.
• Disengage the safety and press the trigger. The cock should fall and the flint should scrape the frizzen and throw sparks into the pan.
• Confirm the frizzen snaps fully open when struck and that sparks land in the pan.
• Confirm the touch hole is clear by looking through it with the barrel out, or with a vent pick.
• If the lock does not throw good sparks, knap or replace the flint before loading.

Maintenance

Lubrication points

• Lock internals (a light film without disassembling the lock)
• Frizzen pivot
• Cock jaw screw
• Barrel exterior

Cleaning notes

Clean with hot soapy water the same day you shoot, flushing through the touch hole, then dry completely and oil. Keep the pan and frizzen face dry and free of oil — oil in the pan prevents ignition. That is the one place on the rifle you do not want lubricant.

Suggested inspection interval: roughly every 25 rounds. This is a general guideline, not a manufacturer specification.

Wear parts to inspect

Flint (a consumable — knap or replace regularly) · Frizzen face · Touch hole (erodes and eventually needs a new liner) · Mainspring

Common issues

Also covers

The procedures above are reported to apply to: Traditions Kentucky, Pennsylvania, and Deerhunter flintlocks · Most traditional flintlock rifles follow this pattern. Verify against the manual for your specific model.

Similar manual of arms

• Thompson/Center Hawken
• CVA Optima

Legal notes

Sourcing