Austin & Halleck Flinter Opinion

[wilded]

I have a chance to pickup an A&H flintlock in a 1 in 66 twist in unfired condition. I would appreciate you opinions of the rifle and the fair value of the rifle. I know there is no warranty, service or parts. Thanks, ET

 

I have an A&H percussion in 50 caliber that is very accurate and very nicely made. I have it on the market for $500, in the box with the paperwork. I have "heard" that Traditions has parts and is doing repair and maintenance.
Mark

 

[texcl]

I had a mountain rifle flinter, ignition was reliable but not particularly fast, it was a good beginners rifle but the lock had alot to be desired, I would go with the percussion model if given the option, other than that quality seemed to be on par with a T/C hawken.

 

[mazo kid]

I sold my A-H a couple of years ago, as I was thinning out right hand rifles. I was happy with the rifle otherwise; my only criticism was that it shot low from the factory. Evidently this was very common, so you may have to file the front sight a bit if load change won't raise POI. Emery

 

[Dirk Perry]

Look on the top flat of the bbl. If it's built in Weston, MO, then its above avg. for a production gun. If it's built in Utah, then its a crap shoot.
Believe it or not, i had one that was built in MO and it was one of the fastest locks ive ever owned -- it took a bevel down flint #6short (3/4x3/4")..Good bbl...not a great trigger, but overall, and reliable and accurate rifle.
good luck!

 

[SR James]

I recently bought an A&H flinter in .50 fast twist. Surprisingly, it shoots round balls very well with 80gr of FFg. Ignition is fast and reliable. The frizzen spring broke soon after I got the rifle but I was able to get a replacement from Traditions. I'm not real big on factory muzzleloaders but this one is well made and a good shooter.

 

[steelerzzz]

I have one that was built in Weston Mo.. It is a fine rifle that shoots great...has a fast lock and a super trigger. I also have a T/C Hawken, and a Lyman Great Plains...and I have to admit that the A&H is nicest of the 3. I paid $400 used for mine

 

[bioprof]

When the factory was going out of business, they were closing them out at 50% off. I would say that would be about what they are worth considering you can't get parts for them. I owned a percussion rifle and thought that the lock looked cheap, the wood was very soft, and the barrel and lock finish was very thin.

Frankly, I think their other muzzleloaders that can't be mentioned here were a lot better built (if I were to want to use one).

By the way, some of the last ones they sold had the inside of the barrel browned.

 

[SR James]

Actually, Traditions is making them now.
http://www.traditionsfirearms.com/eshop/10Expand.asp?ProductCode=R911060

I obtained a replacement frizzen spring from them that needed only the standard minor fitting of the tit to the lock hole. They told me that most of the parts will fit the A&H guns.

Mine was made in Utah but seems to be well made. It has some funky features, such as the ugliest, most non-PC tang I've ever seen. The lock is no beauty either but it's fast and reliable. But for a factory flinter, it's better than most I've seen.

 

[texcl]

AH's parts are spanish made just like traditions and CVA,(probably by the same firm) so I imagine alot of the parts are interchangable, I got mine on clearance when they went out of business, so it was pretty cheap, I felt I did pretty good and sold it for a good profit later, it had the second slowest lock time of any flinter I have ever owned, but might of had something to do with it's late production date, who knows.

 

[torn moc]

I have an A&H 50 cal in caplock and couldnt be happier with it! It was manufactured in Weston Misouri. Fit and finish is tops and the gun is a literal tackdriver......

 

[brno]

Mine is made in Spain too. .50 cal 1/66

 

[kentucky bucky]

A friend of mine had one and never could get it to spark consistently. He complained to the company (now kaput) and they sent him a new frizzen and it didn't work either. He got tired of fooling with it and traded it off.

 

[J.D.]

The only Austin and Halleck lock I have worked on was covered in a gritty coating, inside and out. IMHO, the coating covered allot of minor casting imperfections in the lock parts, especially the internals.

Even the springs were finished with the same coating.

IMHO, once the the frizzen was re-hardened and the coating removed from all moving parts, including the inside of the lockplate, frizzen spring, and foot of the frizzen and those parts polished, it didn't seem too bad.

The lock isn't the quality of a Chambers, by any stretch of the imagination, but it wasn't too bad, for a Spanish made lock.

God bless

 

[SR James]

I suspect mine once had the same problem. I bought it used and it came with:
1. a half-soled frizzen mounted on the lock
2. a pre-fitted,second half sole, unmounted
3. two as-cast, replacement frizzens.
So it would appear the original owner had frizzen
issues. Which he seems to have remedied, as it
sparks quite well with the half-soled frizzen.