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Okabow, I would say that you're a pretty good shot. I won a trail walk once. Just once. I believe that thousands of people who depended on their flintlocks to feed their families would agree with you. And thousands would disagree. My gun has a good barrel and a good lock... and I'm fairly...

You already have a gun with double set triggers, so you know what it's like shooting with or without them set. I don't know about the TC, but with a traditional lock it's not hard , find someone who knows what they're doing if the single trigger pull is too heavy for your liking, and they can...

Drawfiling, and sanding with a hard-backed surface is pretty simple. Hold the file close to the work to avoid tipping to one side or the other. However... I'm sure someone can think up a more difficult solution than yours, if we try.

I don't sand, but I scrape and burnish. I'll scrape the tang area and top of the forearm without the barrel in. Then I put the barrel in for the rest of it. A lot less chance of bad joo-joo with the barrel in. A proper forestock is pretty fragile.

If you're finished fitting parts, and sanding, then yes... whisker now. All of the parts come off the stock for whiskering and finishing. I will usually put the butt plate and toe plate on after the first coat of oil. But all of the other parts stay off until the final coat of finish has...

After seeing the additional photos, I have only one recommendation. As someone else stated, send it back, get your money and go somewhere else. That gun is poorly done in every respect, and will never finish into a proper gun. The builder should be ashamed. As a builder myself, I won't sell...

Maple was quite common on Southern Mountain rifles, as was Walnut. Either is a proper choice. Furniture was predominately iron. Southern Mountain rifles had English locks. So if the kit you're considering has a Germanic lock, like a Siler, it's not what was used. I've never seen a photo of...

There are several things wrong with this gun; which indicate it was poorly made. In addition to the lock inlet and trigger guard... and concerns others have pointed out. The lock, side plate, and perhaps trigger guard still show "as cast" surfaces. All cast surfaces should have been filed...

your bolster looks straight, as does the barrel flat. Make sure that they are. Then, if there's nothing in the lock mortise that shouldn't be there, it probably needs to be inlet a little. That front sight is absolutely unacceptable; which also leads me to believe the builder didn't finish...

If you're talented enough to make your modifications... well, it still won't matter. There is no part of the modified kit that will resemble an English trade gun. If you have the talent and tools, then I would suggest buying an English trade gun kit, or building one from a blank.

Replace the barrel lug. It's a fairly simple operation. Duct tape and bailing wire do not belong on longrifles.

The only job of the barrel pins is to hold that light, skinny forearm to the barrel. That's it. Recoil happens at the breech, where a good wood to metal fit is extremely important. And when recoil happens at the breech, the whole stock moves in turn. So the pins aren't absorbing the recoil...

A number 4 finishing nail (plain, not bright) and a number 50 drill bit work just fine. Drill the hole, then ream it just a little with the same bit, and you get a nice fit.

Hmm... A 45 Caliber Woodsrunner is going to look just like a Woodsrunner in a .50 or .54. Same barrel profile, same everything else. The only visual difference is when you look at the bore. Other than that, the looks will depend on the assembler.

Yes, take it apart to finish the individual pieces. Especially if you're working with double set triggers. They're not that scary. If you're worried about getting everything back together properly, take a photo or two before you disassemble them.

Some things just aren't worth fussing about.

Not pretty, but it is functional. I made this tool for the incise line on the forearm. Copied it from one Mike Miller uses in a video. The 3/8" rod goes in the ramrod groove, and light touch starts the groove, as you run the rod in the channel. I finish up with checkering tools. On the toe...

Beautiful! Just beautiful!

In my .50 and .58 caliber flintlocks I have shot both swaged and cast balls; and have seen no difference in accuracy. I only shoot cast balls now. I've got a lot of lead, and see no reason to buy swaged balls. Accuracy is excellent, and I've never felt the desire to try grouping with sprue...

I have a .58 flintlock with a 42" barrel, and It shoots fairly flat out to 100 yards. 70 grains of 3F with a .562 ball and a .018 patch gives me the same results as Art Caputo stated above. I sighted it in for 2" high at 50 yards, and it's 3" low at 100. After that it drops like.... well...