first flintlock..

[jerem0621]

I've almost saved enough to buy my first flintlock. I need opinions for a first flinter. What do ya'll recommend for a first flint lock rifle. TC, Lyman, Cabelas, or (caugh, caugh) Traditions? Used is OK for me if its a good deal. My limit is 4-500$. $400 is better for this working man but I would be willing to wait if $500.00 buys me a MUCH better gun.

My wish list is very simple.

.50 cal, octogon barrel, and half stock.

Jerem

 

The Lyman Great Plains Rifle will fill the bill. There's a lot of rifle there for the money. If I was just staring out with that wad a dollars, that would be my choice.

But, if yer handy with wood tools take that money and buy ya a kit from one of the parts suppliers and build yer own to yer own liking. :thumbsup:

 

[Blitzkrieg]

Well, I don't know about a lot of different flintlocks but I do know that the Lyman Trade Rifle that I just got a week ago makes me very happy. First off it suits your description of having an octagonal barrel, half stock and mine is 50 cal. Its got a 1 in 48" twist which makes it suitable for both roundball and conicals (a plus) and it was mighty easy on the wallet. When the rifle came I was very impressed with the worksmanship, beautiful stock and solidly built. Only had a few flash in the pans and that was easily remidied by loading with the vent pick in and swabbing after every few shots. I got mine as a factory second direct from Lyman and it only cost me $221 which will leave you with plenty of money to buy neat accesories.

I would Shy away from anything made by traditions, I may be wrong as Ive never owned one but I've heard nothing but bad about them.

The Great Plains Rifle by Lyman is also highly reccomended by the folks around here but its a little more expensive.

What do you plan to do with the rifle? Hunt, targets, ect... And what projectiles do you plan to shoot?

 

[swquiro]

Jerem,
Any of the first three that you mentioned should serve you well. IMO the Traditions does not measure up quality wise. Others may disagree. The other three appear frequently on the online auctions (gunbroker.com,[url] auctionarms.com[/url]) and often go for $250-350, some in excellent condition.

 

[Rebel]

T/C, Lyman/Cabelas. The Cabelas Traditional Hawken is made by Investarms, the same company that makes the Lyman Great Plains. You should try to shoulder a T/C Hawken and a Lyman Great Plains rifle and see which one feels better to you. I have problems with the newer T/C stocks having not enough drop and too high a comb. Have a tendency to smack ya in the cheek. I don't have that problem with the Lyman. So you should try them first for fit if possible.

 

[graybeard]

I can't compare it to others since it's my only flintlock, but I bought a .50 T/C Hawken some years ago, second hand and cheap, and shoot little else these days. :thumbsup: You might want to stay a few bucks under your limit so you can buy a range rod, a pouch, powder horn, measure, etc. The more you shoot a flintlock, the more you learn and the more reliable the rifle becomes. :applause: graybeard

 

[jerem0621]

I gave my father in law a hawken percussion I aquired a few weeks ago. I have a T/C New Englander, percussion lock, that fits me much better than the Hawken did. I will hunt with these rifles and also take them to the range. I hunt a mixture of open fields (300 yards long by 150 yards wide) and thick underbrush. I ventured into the percussion cap first, I think I'm almost ready for the flint lock. Here in Tennessee our weather can range from dry to very wet in just a few hours so I have to be prepared for anything. I want to shoot prb but I may try conicals since I may be presented with a shot around 100 yards or more where I hunt. I wouldn't try a shot over 100 yards yet.

Jerem

 

[gacitizen]

You'll have no problem with the flintlock as far as the rain goes. (if that was what you meant about the wet weather.) Just keep your muzzle down and the lock under your arm, you'll be fine.

 

[jerem0621]

I was talking about rain, but I was also talking about the humidity. Here, especially during the summer humidity can stay up around 90 to 100% with no rain. I'm not sure how this much humidity would affect a flintlock during the summer. I would like to carry the rifle afield during the summer months since I'm going to try to hunt cayote and some other year round game.

Jerem

 

[FPDoc]

I have both Cabelas Hawken (perc. .50) and Lyman GPR .54 flinter. I got the GPR "reconditioned", which means "imperfect wood" in my case, for $320, if I recall correctly. It has a very crescent butt so if you aren't comfortable shooting off your arm as intended rather than your shoulder pocket it will hurt. They both shoot well. I think they are worth what I payed for them. They are not perfectly fitted metal to wood etc., wouldn't expect it for that money. If you want to go back and refit things you can. Trim the wood up a bit, add inlays or file work on fittings, tune the lock or mess with fitting/tuning etc. you aren't messing with a $1500 rifle. I look at them like assembled kits. You can shoot them the way they are and work on them a bit if you wish. They will not become anything they aren't, you can't make them into Period Correct juried show pieces but a deer can't tell the difference anyway and you can use them without particular concern for a scratch here or there while you decide on which kit or "in-the-white to save up for. TC has a heck of a reputation here, Cabelas and Lyman are both Investarms (Italian). Don't forget that there is probable a couple hundred dollars worth of "stuff" you'll "have to have" to go along. I don't have the first hand experience with other "production" guns to advise about worth above the $400-$500 range (Pedersoli etc.) but my guess is that to make a really significant difference in functional and overall quality a $700-$900 kit and do it yourself, or an "in the white" built kit or finished rifle would be required (3x-5x the cost of the TC/Cabelas/Lyman group). When I can build or buy better I will do so. Until then I will greatly enjoy shooting what I have.

 

[Kentuckywindage]

I bought a lyman great plains rifle, .54cal flintlock off the forum. Its a great firing rifle. Darn near no delay.
I honestly would go for one of these. Dont settle for a .50cal. Buy the biggest caliber offered on a factory rifle. That being .54 for the lyman.

 

[Halftail]

You won't go wrong with a T/C or a Lyman. :v

 

[jerem0621]

I've been checking out Midsouth Shooter and I think I may go with the Lyman Deerstalker in .54 cal. This model looks kind of similar to my New Englander. Plus it's only $275.15 which will probably get me a lot more gun for not a lot more money over a traditions. Does anybody have any experience with the Lyman Deerstalker in flint?

Thanks,

Jerem

 

[MSW]

i think that kentuckywindage 'got it in one.' my first flintlock was a T/C renegade (which i still own and has served well for more years than i'll own up to.

having said that, i wish it was in .54 and not .50 calibre, so if i were in your position, i'd go with the Lyman in .54

best of luck with your enrty into the secret world of rockbangers.

(psst- hang in there and we'll teach you the secret handshake)

 

[44-henry]

You may want to watch the used market, gunshows, internet auction sites, etc. I would personally look for one of the Dixie Tennessee Mountain rifles since these can be had in that price range and are both authentic and nice shooters. The flintlock they come with can use some adjustment, but it shootable right out of the box. You can also buy replacement locks from L&R should you ever need a better one.

 

[FPDoc]

THERE'S A SECRET HANDSHAKE??? C'mon guys... give!! :rotf:

 

[J.D.]

The flintlock they come with can use some adjustment, but it shootable right out of the box. You can also buy replacement locks from L&R should you ever need a better one.

It amazes me how many people buy cheap guns knowing that there is a high probablity of replacing the lock or barrel, or both, to make it work reasonably well.

By the time the lock is replaced, then maybe the barrel, then later a fancier stock, more has been spent in what is still a cheap gun than would have been invested in a quailty gun, to begin with.

Cheap is cheap, which translates to poor quality components. Poor quality comnponents is related to poor design, in general. Not only in locks and barrels, but in stock design and poor workmanship.

jerem0621,

I suggest saving your money for another few months or even a year, if necessary, and buying a gun that will not need replacement parts.

IMHO,if you really need a gun now, a TC flint gun is probably the best value in production guns, with the Lyman Great Plains rifle second. From there, IMHO, the choice drops off to not much. IMHO, I would avoid anything made by traditions, or Pedersoli becasue of spotty quality and too many design flaws.

IMHO, a better quality gun can be had from Early Rustic, or one of the other semi custom builders in kit form, or in the white for you to apply stain and finish to wood an metal.
[url] http://www.earlyrusticarms.com/pricesanddescriptions.htm[/url]

If you just have to have that gun now, I suggest buying a good used TC product to see if you like shooting a flint gun. A good used TC can be had for considerably less than $500. If you then decide that a higher quality flint gun is right for you, the TC can probably be resold for what you have in it to get somthing better.
J.D.

 

[bart_anastasi]

What one of the other fellas said is true, cheap is cheap now you may not have the bucks for the New TC but by the time you start replacing parts on another gun it might end up spending more in the end it is a pain no kidding.

If you get a older T/C the originle flint lock (lock design) was less than perfect. But if you buy one and send the old lock to T.C they will make it right.

And if you find it in 54 better still.

 

[roundball]

I think your views are right on the money...IMO a used TC Hawken is better in the loing run because of TC's real lifetime warranty...and in 17 years they've never questioned if I was the original owner or not...early on in those 17 years I even explained that I had only recently bought the rifle used and then the stock developed that hairline crack...no sweat, they replaced it with a new stock immediately WITH ALL NEW FUTNITURE INSTALLED...so a used TC Hawken is a very, very low risk purchase...they won't replace a rusted corroded barrel of course but if you can find one with a clear barrel, everything else is covered.

I've only bought one new TC Hawken and it was a Christmas Present for my Son in 1995...all the rest I've bought used, and if they needed it refinished them prettier than they were, etc...

 

[Rat Trapper]

If you need a rifle right now, I'd look for a used TC Hawken. If you want a 54 just look around they were made in that caliber too. TC has the best customer service of any company I know of. Or you could take a close look at what Tenn Valley muzzleloaders has to offer. With TVM you place your order and have to wait for them to get to your order. The wait could be 9 months to a year, so you would have additional time to save up the money. Check out their web site. There are some other builders out there, but this is the one I have heard the most about.