Advice for beginners

[oldarmy]

You will be much happier with a handmade weapon..rather then a "factory made"..
I STARTED out with a T/C and while it was a nice functioning,well made weapon.
I sold it and hand build my own.
To be brutally honest.. it is an ugly, roughly made looking POS..
But, It shoots great,, straight and true.
More important is that it is a "one-of-a kind"
Like all the original ones were.
A decent builder will work with you and your budget. I would give that friend a call.

 

[Russ T Frizzen]

That sounds promising! It's very likely tht he'll build a fine flintlock for you. You won't regret it. :thumbsup:

 

[Dphar]

I am contemplating moving into flintlocks. Are there any tips or advice (such as "Don't do it!") that people have on:

- a good rifle for a newbie
- traps for newbies
- advice on learning how to shoot them well

Thanks in advance :hatsoff:

If you are already a ML shooter and can swing it buy a decent custom rifle. They are always superior if done by a reasonably competent maker.
They also tend to appreciate. Rifles a friend of mine made in the 70s for under 2000 are now going for 4000-8000+ even with significant use.
So its an investment.
But they have increased in price like everything else the 1200-1800 dollar rifles are now 1500-2500. But then a $300 TC now is advertised for 600+
You are also far less likely to get a lemon with the custom. The Siler lock often used on Kentuckys is an extremely good lock in large or small. Most of the other locks made for the custom trade are also good. But retail on a good lock is now about 120 bucks.
Its difficult to make money on a factory made since in reality one is really little better than another all comments to the contrary aside and folks that buy them shop for price and often cannot tell one rifle from another.
Flintlocks are not as likely to have been used with perchlorate powders so its less likely to need an immediate rebarrel but some do shoot the stuff in them and one range session is enough if they clean it like it was fired with BP.

If you have woodworking skills look at Jim Chambers flintlocks. His kits are FIRST RATE.
There are also pretty good "in-the-white" semi-customs out there that require wood finishing that can provide a better, much more traditional rifle than the factory mades and still be affordable on a tighter budget.

Flintlocks require becoming accustomed to them. At least for some people. This means practice more than anything else.
Simply flashing pans of powder to get used to the flash is many times all that is needed if that.
In my experience a beginner is better off with a single trigger flint gun.
Avoid smoothbores at least till you have some experience. Most are far less accurate than the proponents would like to think.

Dan

 

[Wolfbane]

I will have to wait a while before deciding to afford a custom Flinter. My friend is very honest about the cost, but quite able to produce the goods. A Pedersoli Alamo or a Lyman Great Plains is more in my affordability bracket at this point. Unfortunately kits are not allowed to be brought into this glorious nation at this point; much to my disgust, as I would really like doing things that way.

 

[oldarmy]

You can't order a "parts kit"? from Say TOTW, or Chambers and have it shipped to you???
That's just stupid.. It's a flintlock rifle.. for goodness sakes.
Have you looked at the classified here?? There are always some good deals..but shipping to Australia must require some paperwork.
Anyway welcome.. you will soon be building your own.

 

[Wolfbane]

I know, it's stupid alright, but gun dealers can't even sell kits over here, let alone a private citizen import one! No logic at all to it, but there you go. It will be worth trying to lobby for change in the long term, as an MLR of any kind is hardly a candidate for a terrorists choice of firearm.

Back to flintlock rifles, if anyone ha any experience with the Pedersoli Alamo in Flintlock form, I would appreciate hearing about it.

 

[Mulebrain]

My first flinter was the Lyman GPR in .54. A well made gun, with good ignition and acccuracy!

A good gun to get your feet wet!

I still have it, and just wish I had more time!

I use fff goex, and prime with ffff but that is not nescessary with a good sparking lock.

 

[Wolfbane]

The price and quality of the GPR is a hard combination to ignore that's for sure.