best place to get an arquebus?

[aapch1]

I hear Mr. John buck has some great 'buses but where else could I find one under $600? Let me know.

 

[surrealpillow]

Piratefashions.com has a couple that look pretty nice. very reasonable prices too.

 

[Jumpshot]

I can't even tell if those are real firing guns, although the little blurb at the bottom of the homepage seems to indicate such. If they are, I'd seriously question the wisdom of shooting something priced that cheap.

And some of those descriptions... a U.S. Kentucky short plains musket rifle used in the Revolution?

 

[wahkahchimaol.com]

Leonard Day, 413-527-0184. He's the real deal and he delivers on schedule. His matchlock caliver is .62 caliber and a real gun with a genuine barrel. Kit price is $545 and assembled is $825. He's a stickler for historic accuracy. What you are basically getting is the Newtown gun without the inscription or the price. I also recommend a rear sight so you can hunt. Out here in California I am using his guns to teach archaeology students what real 17th Century guns looked like.

 

[wahkahchimaol.com]

I have to say I've dealt with many builders of 17th Century firearms. Leonard Day provides good simple guns built well, for use as firing guns. At the moment I've waited three years for another builder to produce a matchlock. I'm still waiting. Other builders have used leftover wheellock actions from European guns built in the 1960's, and sent guns still rusting from test firing. So far, with Leonard Day, it's all good.

 

[surrealpillow]

Where in CA are you? what sort of program are you apart of? Sounds interesting. I'm an Archaeology/History student in southern CA. ...And Leonard day's prices seem a bit high, John Buck's Caliver is 650. Prices look like there are coming down for these weapons.. more builders around, bad economy etc.
Piratefashions' muskets look legit but they're doing a terrible job of marketing them. There's not enough information about them on their site.

 

[wahkahchimaol.com]

I must confess I enjoy John Buck a great deal. He's a wonderful personality and I've learned a lot from him. Having said that, I paid for my gun in advance, back in 2009. That's never a wise move with a gun builder, I've learned.

Anyway so far, no gun. No matchlock. Nada. Lots of good talks on the phone, and I have learned lots from him. I suppose you could call what I've paid "tuition". He's very well-informed about 17th Century Virginia. He really knows his stuff.

Meanwhile Leonard Day, who also knows his stuff, has delivered two guns on schedule for less money. I suppose there's an unfortunate lesson there.

As I said, John Buck is a wonderful guy, but I've waited a long time and gotten lots of promises. If I ever receive a firearm...which is somewhat doubtful at this time...I will be interested in the quality. I will be happy to report if it is as superb as it should be.

If I ever buy another 17th Century gun, I'm calling Leonard Day or Brooks and doing it right. Consider how much I could save for a new gun over the three years I've waited. During the time I've been matchlock-deprived I could have saved enough for a lifetime treasure.

I am in Monterey County. I shoot lots so if you find your way up near Monterey, please let me know.

 

[wahkahchimaol.com]

I might add that I'm a relative newcomer to this: I basically got interested around 2008. What the really experienced people say on this site is essentially true: better to buy one good gun that several less-good guns. Its worth it. Listen to these very experienced people and they will mostly steer you right.

 

[Teleoceras]

Wahkahchim:

I must confess I enjoy John Buck a great deal. He's a wonderful personality and I've learned a lot from him. Having said that, I paid for my gun in advance, back in 2009. That's never a wise move with a gun builder, I've learned.

Anyway so far, no gun. No matchlock. Nada. Lots of good talks on the phone, and I have learned lots from him. I suppose you could call what I've paid "tuition". He's very well-informed about 17th Century Virginia. He really knows his stuff.

Meanwhile Leonard Day, who also knows his stuff, has delivered two guns on schedule for less money. I suppose there's an unfortunate lesson there.

As I said, John Buck is a wonderful guy, but I've waited a long time and gotten lots of promises. If I ever receive a firearm...which is somewhat doubtful at this time...I will be interested in the quality. I will be happy to report if it is as superb as it should be.

If I ever buy another 17th Century gun, I'm calling Leonard Day or Brooks and doing it right. Consider how much I could save for a new gun over the three years I've waited. During the time I've been matchlock-deprived I could have saved enough for a lifetime treasure.

I am in Monterey County. I shoot lots so if you find your way up near Monterey, please let me know.

I agree that the wait can be a real pain with John Buck, but if you sent him money, he will make you the gun. His waiting times have increased the past few years.

I would advise calling him again to get a more precise date. Considering the 3 year wait, it must be a unique gun rather than the semi production models he usually makes?

For me, it was about 4 years before I got my 8 bore Matchlock Musket. Trust me when I say she is top notch quality!

In the end, you could always ask for a refund too.

Slowmatch Forever!
Teleoceras

 

[wahkahchimaol.com]

Wow, Teleoceras! Great news! I know it's strange but I am happy to hear that John took four years to make your matchlock. It means my situation is somewhat normal. Or anyway, more normal.

My matchlock is supposed to be a tillered 20 gauge. It started out fancy but as time went on I have throttled it back to just a plain production model in hopes of getting anything. Most of my letters and phone calls have centered on the "At this point I'll take anything" theme. I had no idea his normal wait time was multiple years. He never mentioned that. He has said he would get it done by such and such a date, and such and such a date has come and gone, several times.

I DID write and say "gun or refund" towards the end of 2011. We then had a couple of very nice phone calls wherein he said the gun would be done by June, 2012.

Since then I have called but the call has not been returned.

Thanks for making my day! I now have new hope thanks to you.

 

[wahkahchimaol.com]

Everyone who has a John Buck matchlock has said that John Buck makes a quality product. I assume you are still quite happy with your monster 8 gauge matchlock?

 

[rickystl]

Interesting Thread here. I've had on order a Portugese flintlock since July 2011. Paid approximately half down. John originally told me it would be done at the end of Winter - 2011.
Also purchased a powder horn and paid for in advance.
Left a few phone calls, but no return call. Sent an email and received an email response about a week later saying he would call soon. That was about three months ago.
After reading the above, sounds like I'll have to have one of my kids take delivery? Is there any point in calling? Since I've been waiting ONLY a year (to even get a powder horn)I guess I should just forget about it till some year I get a phone call? Any suggestions from you guys? Even if it took three years, at least tell me up front. That's OK, as long as I know. Always better to under promise and over deliver.
All that said, YES! John is sure a nice guy to talk with.
In my humble opinion I think Mike Brooks has a good system. He gives you an approximate lead time. You send him a small deposit. He affixes you a number. When your number comes up he builds your gun. You can always check and see where your number is. Great system.
Anyway, sounds like I've got a long wait? Rick.

 

[wahkahchimaol.com]

Rick, I thought I was just uniquely ignored! LOL! Nice to know we are all in the same basket. I agree: I am totally willing to wait 4 years if I know it up front. There doesn't appear to be any problem with John's work at all. Perhaps the Brooks system would work for him, and we'd keep our cash where it should be. So people could focus on what he does right, building guns, and stop wondering what the heck is going on.

Perhaps he simply doesn't like to disappoint people.

The more I think about that Brooks system the more I like it, because you get to know how long you have to wait, and to save! When you think about it, it makes an expensive top-end gun more affordable, because you have years to save for it! LOL. Rick, you may have just sold a gun for Mr. Brooks. After all, I need a classic flintlock rifle too!

 

[Musketeer]

I can't even tell if those are real firing guns, although the little blurb at the bottom of the homepage seems to indicate such. If they are, I'd seriously question the wisdom of shooting something priced that cheap.

And some of those descriptions... a U.S. Kentucky short plains musket rifle used in the Revolution?

There's a section called "Firearms" which are cheap props and a section called "Black Powder" that features what are listed as functional guns. They claim they are USA made, rather than India, and perhaps they are (some of the prices are far higher than the India guns), but most of them look pretty rough. I don't know what to make of them. :hmm:

 

[wahkahchimaol.com]

Why not just get it done right? A little extrea money, a little extra time...and no or at least fewer regrets.

 

[surrealpillow]

I'm really tempted to go for it and buy one of their arquebus. I'll be the guinea pig and inform you all of the quality, haha.
I am going to have to ask A LOT of questions when I call them and hopefully get in touch with ht gunsmith himself. I love John Buck but don't have that kinda time to wait.

 

[Musketeer]

Sounds good. No way to know the quality unless someone takes the leap. :bow: If they offered the matchlock caliver in 20ga, I'd be tempted to try one myself. :hmm:

 

[Alden]

I have a few John Buck guns going back longer than he would probably care to admit methinks. I would NOT say they are quality. They are adequate and acceptable for the price tho. Representative shooters.

As it has turned out, once he gets past the small talk and your deposit, well, things seem to have gone a little downhill from there. Weeks turn to months, inquiries go unanswered for weeks, then may be misleading and/or curt.

I would be clear on what the ACTUAL timeframe is if it is important to you. Delays are the nature of the beast and Len Day is not immune either. Weeks turn to months, due dates move, and move, and move again.

Appreciate these guys but if you want instant gratification and aren't going to trust and rely on them, and risk it all, don't go those paths...

 

[wahkahchimaol.com]

It seems to me that if you want instant gratification, go used. It appears to me that something pops up on this forum at a great price or over at TOTW at a higher price fairly frequently, or at least quicker than most new builds. Would you agree?

 

[rickystl]

I think you're right. He just doesn't want to disappoint.
I should re-state Mike Brooks system, as he does not assign an actual number (I don't think?).
The last gun he built for me he mentioned the current lead time was about a year and a half. I sent him a small deposit and he added my name to his list. At the time I didn't even know what I wanted him to build :haha: But I knew I had a year and a half to decide. Once my name came to the top of the list, I had my gun a bout a month latter. Great system. Rick.