Pedersoli Lorenz

Craig L Barry

Sergeant Major
Joined
Jan 5, 2010
Location
Murfreesboro, TN
Heard from a reliable source that Pedersoli will have a repro Model 1854 Austrian Lorenz out by the end of 2016, available through Dixie Gun Works and Italian Firearms Group. No involvement on my part in terms of historical feature accuracy or design details by the way, other than making the suggestion during the p53 Enfield discussions years back that there was latent demand for a quality reproduction of this model. Given their reputation for quality, I am hopeful that the product will up their usual high standards. Price is supposedly "average for their Silver line Civil War reproductions." Meaning not inexpensive, in other words.
 
Last edited:
Heard from a reliable source that Pedersoli will have a repro Model 1854 Austrian Lorenz out by the end of 2016, available through Dixie Gun Works and Italian Firearms Group. No involvement on my part in terms of historical feature accuracy or design details by the way, other than making the suggestion during the p53 Enfield discussions years back that there was latent demand for a quality reproduction of this model. Given their reputation for quality, I am hopeful that the product will up their usual high standards. Price is supposedly "average for their Silver line Civil War reproductions." Meaning not inexpensive, in other words.
Strange, with Civil War reenacting waning, it seems, they just now plan on a repro of the lorenz? 15 years too late?

Kevin Dally
 
That is one thats badly needed.
That and a cone conversion.
Better late than never, good news.
 
Yes, of course re-enactors buy a number of reproduction muskets but it is important to remember the market for live fire enthusiasts, who also feel very strongly about historically accurate products as long as they shoot well, too. Pedersoli appeals to both segments of the market for that reason in America. While in Europe, target matches are probably bigger than Civil War reenactments and Pedersoli products seem to be held in high esteem there.

I do wonder how well they will handle the various details like the barrel bore diameter, rifling and lock configuration that made the 1854 Austrian rifle unique. I am anxious to find out.
 
Last edited:
That's great news for the reenacting hobby, especially those of us who live and attend events in the western theater. Bracing for sticker shock. Hope the timeline Craig mentioned holds true. It would certainly be nice to handle a Pedersoli Lorenz on sutler row at a big reenactment in 2017 before ordering one based on an online photo.
 
Do sutlers at the big events carry the Pedersoli line? I have not been to a mainstream event since I last saw Phil McBride at 150th Chickamauga 3 years ago. Nobody there carried any Pedersoli products...
 
I think I saw a Dixie tent at Bentonville, NC last year. Or somewhere. Maybe Cabela's will stock a few. Since Pedersoli took over Euroarms, and the price gap with Armisport isn't as enormous as it might be, I'm wondering if some more big tent sutlers might start stocking them. And if I can't find one to handle at a sutler, I'm confident Craig Berry and Todd Watts will have excellent detailed reviews of the first Lorenz to land on American soil.:rolleyes: And picking out the right happyface guy is the hardest thing I've done all day.
 
This is great news. It makes me smile when any Civil War era reproduction gun is introduced. I just hope they do as good a job with their Lorenz as they have with their Enfields.
 
I just hope they get the ramrod channel correct. The 3/4 enclosed Austrian Ramrod channel is a real bear to cut. As far as I know nobody currently offers a replacement stock with a properly cut ramrod channel.
 
I just hope they get the ramrod channel correct. The 3/4 enclosed Austrian Ramrod channel is a real bear to cut. As far as I know nobody currently offers a replacement stock with a properly cut ramrod channel.

Dan Dunlop, Sr., whose company manufactures a variety of reproduction firearms stocks, asked me if I knew how the Austrians cut the ramrod channel for System Augustin muskets and System Lorenz rifles. I didn't. He said that he thought that they had drilled the channel in a roughed out stock blank and then finished the blank, leaving the channel partially exposed. Since the manufacture of the Austrian weapons at the time was artisanal rather than industrial, and he is very knowledgeable about the manufacture of stocks of the period, his comment made sense to me. On his web page he says:

"Due to major problems trying to duplicate the semi-enclosed ramrod channel, all stocks will be cut with a 1/4 in wide ramrod channel and drilled with a 1/4 in ramrod drill. For those individuals trying to exactly duplicate the original stocks, we will special cut for a smaller ramrod channel, but will not drill for the ramrod hole."

It will be interesting to see what Pedersoli can do. Doing it "correctly" would probably be expensive in terms of time and material.

Regards,
Don Dixon
 
The only Austrian musket/rifle I see on the Pedersoli site is a 1798 Austrian musket. I believe the Rifle Shoppe has the parts to assemble one.
 
Pedersoli's display at the world muzzle loading shooting championships in Hungary in August did not include a production or prototype Muster 1854 System Lorenz rifle. One would have thought that it would have been a good opportunity for them to preview the product.

Regards,
Don Dixon
 
Back
Top