First Flintlock Rifle?

[Knapper]

Hello. I am new to this forum and new to muzzleloading. In fact, I haven't even purchased my first rifle yet. After reading a number of posts recommending the Lyman GPR, I believe I am going that route. Now the questions:

Should I get a 50 or 54 caliber? Is there a functional difference?

Should I buy new or used?

Is there a FAQ page that I should check out before asking any more basic questions?

I will stop there for now. Thanks for any feedback.

Cary aka Knapper

 

[Rebel]

Welcome. Well, if it were me i would go with the .54 cal. You can never have too much gun, but you can have not enough. A lot depends on what you intend to use it for though. If you just want it for target shooting and plinking, then the .50 cal would be fine. If you aren't going to ever hunt anything bigger than Texas deer, it would be fine too. But if you ever plan to hunt bigger game, then the .54 would be a better choice. The GPR is a really good rifle and i think you will be happy with one. Try your local Wal-Mart for one. Ask to look at the special order catalog they have. You may get one for the best price there. Good luck and good shooting.

 

[[email protected]]

Knapper.....GPR's are nice.....
ya better hold one in yer hands first befor makin a descision.....they are a bit heavy.....some folks dont like carrying all tha weight all day in the field.
**** I would say : buy a new one....stay away from the auction sites online......you can get in a BAD situation
see my previous posts....
What ever ya git ....shoot it...enjoy it
LIFE IS SHORT....


*********** WV SCROUNGER ************

 

[brushbuster]

welcome aboard
glad to see some more texans around my neck of the woods.
i agree with rebel on this one as far as calibres .i shoot .50 and .45 cal. the fifty is more than adequate for deer on this side of texas. for hogs,and mule deer even though i have killed both with my .50 a .54 will do better
t/c also makes a very good rifle and comes with a lifetime warranty ,i must add hoewver my t/c is percussion and not flint. my flinters are kit rifles from jim chambers and sitting fox.they both have siler locks and very reliable.as well as accurate :: :thumbsup: :thumbsup:

 

[shmrck1]

Knapper,
you have not said what you intend on doing with the f/l i.e. hunting, target or just plinking. i think it would make a difference in the advise you get. :imo:
snake-eyes eace: :thumbsup:

 

[Knapper]

Thanks for the replies. I am buying it primarily to hunt the big South Texas hogs we seem to have in abundance, as well as some plinking. Given the responses thus far, I am probably going with the 54.

Beyond the rifle, what other equipment will I need to get started. The one thing I have plenty of is flint, being a knapper, but beyond that any advice would be appreciated.

Thanks,

Knapper

 

[Stumpkiller]

. . . big South Texas hogs . . .

DEFINATELY the .54 then. The gristle plate armor, if they're like the Russian boars, takes all you can give it to punch on through. The one game I might now consider using a Maxi-ball on.

 

[Rat]

Right on, for big hogs I'd go .54"...although if you put enough powder in the .50" you'd probably do o.k. But starting from scratch I'd say go with the .54".

Rat

 

[Rebel]

Well you will need some powder. You can use either 3f or 2f, most people use 2f in a .54 but i always used 3f on my .54 flinter just for a little better chance of faster ignition time. You can also prime with the 3f powder. You will need a flask or horn to carry the powder in, some .535 rd balls, some patches, some lube, Crisco will work, and there are lots of recipes on here for home made lubes,i use Wal-Mart blue and white striped pillow ticking for patching, wash it, dry it, and cut it into about 1 1/2" wide strips. Melt some Crisco in a pan and put the strips in it till soaked then take them out and lay them on a double length of paper towels and fold the towel over them and pat the excees lube out. I then roll them up and store them in empty 35mm film canisters. I cut my patches at the muzzle so you need a real sharp patch knife. Some cotton flannel for cleaning patches, a short starter to get the ball and patch started down the barrel,a vent pick, this can be someting as simple as a bent paper clip to begin with, some scrapes of leather to hold then flint in the jaws, and the first thing you wnat to do is take some spray brake parts cleaner and a brass brush and some cleaning patches and get all the factory grease out of the barrel before you ever fire it and drill the vent hole out to 1/16".

 

[wild willy]

If you will hunting or shooting in warm weather you might want to shoot one before you buy I have one that I like but hate the butt plate design without a jacket or coat on. but nobody ever called me small butt too little really digs in

 

[Knapper]

Thanks Rebel and everyone for the advice. The list of accessories is especially useful. I don't mind the weight since I will mostly be blind hunting, and I guess I will have to adjust to the recoil or pad it somehow.

Any more feedback and advice would be appreciated.


Knapper

 

[brushbuster]

I don't mind the weight since I will mostly be blind hunting, and I guess I will have to adjust to the recoil or pad it somehow.

you may be better off with a hawken style flintlock,it gets a little cramped in my blind with a long rifle. as far as the recoil on muzzle loaders ,unless you are shooting heavy conicals the recoil is eqivelant to a 12ga.shotgun :results:
i sent you an e-mail.get back with me and we'll see if we can make some smoke.speaking of hogs i've got a great recipe for a bbq sauce for pork ribs :winking: ::

 

[wild willy]

its not really the recoil the butt just doesn't fit my shoulder sharp edges

 

[wilded]

I have killed a boat load of feral hogs in llano county with a Vincent half stock in forty caliber using a .395 ball and 50 grains of 3F. Base of the ear works great.

 

For the recoil you can use a slip-on recoil pad .