Does anyone produce a matchlock kit?

[Sidney Smith]

Are there any companies producing decent matchlock kits, or even parts? Id love to own a fishtail matchlock?

I did find one on a site called veteranarms. Com. I know nothing about this site. Do they sell Indian made garbage or are they worth it to buy from?

 

[coloradoclyde]

The rifle shoppe does, several.. Wait times might be long though.

http://www.therifleshoppe.com/catalog_pages/matchlocks/matchlocks.htm

 

[Sidney Smith]

Thanks. I just looked them up. They have exactly what Im looking for. And in a left hand version to boot. I may be placing an order soon.

 

[coloradoclyde]

Be sure to ask about wait time or delivery time and in-stock status.

As it could take a very long time for them to make the parts.

 

[Sidney Smith]

Why is that? Are they backed up due to covid and the like?

 

[coloradoclyde]

Why is that? Are they backed up due to covid and the like?

Well, that certainly could be factor, but they are a very small operation building quality and accuracy. Those things take time, and demand tends to be high right now. If one part is missing and needs to be made, it usually goes to the end of the production schedule for fabrication. Which means everyone else's parts get made before yours. That's just the nature of manufacturing.
Hence the head's up so you didn't have any false expectations. They're not Amazon.

 

[Sidney Smith]

Thats fine. Im not in a big hurry. Was just wondering.

 

[BillinOregon]

I waited well over a year for a part. Just sharing my experience.

 

[Sam squanch]

People seem to be ok with the loyalist arms matchlock. They are super nice people up there! But I don’t know if I want an Indian made gun or not…

 

[McClura]

The Rifle Shop is a great place to get parts. Jesse that runs the place has done a great job with getting the old guns you see in the catalog and has the parts made then put them in groups for building your rifle of choice. Right after he got started my friend that helped Jesse get started and I built two rifles for Jesse to take photos of and put in the catalog. We built a English Snaphaunce Musket in his catalog and a British Baker Rifle. The were fun to build and everything was quality.
After finishing the Snaphaunce I took it to the woods with a .76 Cal roundball and silk patch and took a small whitetail on my place still hunting through the timber right after a rain. It was very accurate out to 50 yards. I never shot it any farther.
Mike

 

[Sidney Smith]

Are the Rifle shoppe's parts American made or are they imported ? I dont want parts that come from India. India is junk as far as Im concerned. I will buy a parts kit for this matchlock if theyre made here, if not Ill look elsewhere.

I imagi e the best way to order from tje is to call? I dont see an online ordering function on tbeir website.

 

[Musketeer]

As far as I know, all TRS's parts are made in-house at their place in Oklahoma.

 

[stephenprops1]

Are there any companies producing decent matchlock kits, or even parts? Id love to own a fishtail matchlock?

I did find one on a site called veteranarms. Com. I know nothing about this site. Do they sell Indian made garbage or are they worth it to buy from?

I do believe veteran arms gets their guns from India.

 

[Jay Templin]

I do believe veteran arms gets their guns from India.

They do. Their matchlock looks terrible- a friend has one, and the muzzle is reinforced in what was obviously supposed to look like a traditional cannon muzzle, but it’s very squared off and blocky. Also the trigger is much too far forward, which makes it hard to get a finger into the triggerguard, and the throw on the cock is weirdly steep.
I have one of their fusil de chasses that I picked up secondhand. It’s heavy and clunky compared to original pieces, but that’s nearly universal with mass market reproductions. Seems to shoot well enough.
Jay

 

[JCKelly]

The lock itself is pretty dxxx simple. Just hack yo'se'f one out of mild steel. Then get a real barrel, rifled or smooth, from Traditions or Pedersoli. Best detailed information on matchlock guns is on web at vikingsword dot com. May take a week or so before they accept you, then search under "matchlock". The guys who shoot them most are central Europeans, or the Japanese who shoot their originals.
I enjoyed mine & shot it well. More or less 16Th century Italian style, with sear bar, not trigger, to squeeze. Probably one reason I got this old is I sold it ~40 years ago.

 

[Rudyard]

Nothing wrong with Indian matchlocks ! You are clearly not the same stuff as fought the valiant action at the breach of Acre ! He was another Sydney Smith .. Two lengths of hollow bar add a bit of imagination & you can crash out two matchlocks fit for Museum display . Well that's what I did for the gunner of the 'Golden Hind' and that's where they are today in a museum ..whether Ide rate that choice or not .
Mr Kelly you know your matchlocks, not too many rifled ones the Emporer Maximilians arqeuebuss though said the be rifled is open to doubt on examination. Not that I've ever looked down it , but noted authorities have . I made one but that dosn't count & Ide have no sensible objections to any one doing so . ( I might have ridiculous objections but we can discount that ) .
Rudyard

 

[Flint62Smoothie]

FWIW if ever buying from TRS, call them first and kindly (pays to be polite!) ask Jane if the matchlock kit parts are ‘truly & really’ on their shelves and in stock. I did that with the wheellock kit, and other things that I have bought from them (like their Tannenberg hand gonne) and I got them all about a week later.

Just me … but I personally would NOT put any order down for any parts that were not in stock there!

 

[matchlock1607]

For what it is worth, I have had some of the Indian guns- the biggest issue I have had with them is wood. Just like their European counterparts, they needed some work (mechanically) to get them where I'd want them to be, but were fine otherwise. I am just picky about the wood, so sold mine off to get more authentic pieces with European (or European type) wood.

 

[Sidney Smith]

FWIW if ever buying from TRS, call them first and kindly (pays to be polite!) ask Jane if the matchlock kit parts are ‘truly & really’ on their shelves and in stock. I did that with the wheellock kit, and other things that I have bought from them (like their Tannenberg hand gonne) and I got them all about a week later.

Just me … but I personally would NOT put any order down for any parts that were not in stock there!

Ive called them three times in the past two days, at varying times. They have not answered the phone. A recording stated if no answer, leave a detailed message and someone will call back, which I did. Im hoping they call because I like what I see on their site and would like to buy a matchlock kit. But, Im not going to wait around waiting for a call that may never come. I will keep looking if need be.

 

[Irishmusket]

Are there any companies producing decent matchlock kits, or even parts? Id love to own a fishtail matchlock?

I did find one on a site called veteranarms. Com. I know nothing about this site. Do they sell Indian made garbage or are they worth it to buy from?

The Indian made matchlocks are excellent are safe authentic as good or better than most It is one thing the Indian gun makers are really good at is making Matchlocks