Flint Lock Hunting Rifle

[HOGGHEAD]

Fellows I think I want to have a hunting rifle built. It has to be left handed, it must be a FL. Those are my two main necessities.

I am wanting it for a hunting rifle only. Show is not important, however I would definitley like to have it built out of Walnut, and I want a good grade of wood. Maybe even a little more than good, but that would go hand in hand with price.

If you guys were putting together the perfect hunting FL rifle, how would you do it?? 50 or 54 caliber?? I want to shoot PRB's out to 100 or 125 yards.

Please don't leave out any details!! Any good builders where I could order one and expect to receive the rifle in 6 to 8 months?? All pictures also welcome. Also please help me on trigger choices.

Is the Southern Mountain Rifle a good pattern to mimic?? I bought a 36 caliber custom built SMR last year. And the noticable quality difference has me sold on a custom big game rifle. Thanks, Tom.

 

[FPDoc]

What will you be hunting and where?

 

[HOGGHEAD]

What will you be hunting and where?

Good question. Sorry I should have put that in the post. I live in West Virginia. Rifle will be used mostly as a deer rifle. It may see one more elk hunt in my life time, but mostly it will be a deer rifle. And it will get a good work out in the summer time chasing ground hogs around. I know alot of good locust stumps with families of ground hogs living under the stump. I am strictly a hunter. I really like to shoot alot. But I shoot to be a better hunter-not a target shooter or bench shooter. And not into the re-enactments or rendezvous shooting. Thanks, Tom.

 

[Stumpkiller]

If I were to have a lefty walnut flintlock for hunting I would go with an English Sporter in .54 cal. Single trigger done well.

May not be what you are looking for - hardly common in the Southern Mountains except perhaps in the hand of the landed Gentry.

Now that would be a kick-a$$ hunting rifle.

 

[Herb]

I'd go for .50 caliber. Cheaper to shoot (lead cost). Ground hogs don't take much to kill, but hitting them might be a problem (bullet drop and range estimation). You can get a .54 to shoot as flat as a .50, but with more powder and recoil. And for every deer you shoot, you will probably shoot many shots at groundhogs. I prefer single triggers, they are simple and can be made very light, down to a pull weight of ounces.

 

[flattail]

Tom,
Speaking from experience, a 54 will be plenty if you get to hunt elk, and not "over kill" for deer. If you like a SMR, (ie: the style fits you, and you enjoy shooting it.)then, by all means, build your hunting rifle on that pattern. I personally find a SMR the most comfortable pattern I've used.(Results may vary) I think if the rifle is to be used mostly for hunting, it should have a well tuned SINGLE trigger. You can easily get an excellent, light, trigger pull with a single trigger without worrying about the extra possible things that could go wrong with double set triggers.
Good luck with your search. Plenty of folks on the forum with MUCH MORE experience and info than me. You should be able to get many recommendations for excellent builders from here on the forum and elsewhere.
Ed

 

[Vaino]

A flint LR in .54 cal. w/ a 42" swamped bbl,single trigger and in an early Virginia style which has a wide, flat buttplate for comfortable shooting. A Chambers early round faced flintlock would be appropriate and is one of the best on the market. SMRs are also nice but don't like the extreme curve to the BPs which require an upper arm hold. Here's an early iron mounted Virginia that I built a couple of yrs ago.....Fred

Walnut would be nice and the rifle would look better w/ the round faced lock instead of the Davis Twigg. The BP is a little over 2" wide and the 44" bbl is an oct/round in .54 cal.Excellent balance.

 

[HOGGHEAD]

Fred that is very close to what I am looking for. Not a bunch of fancy shiny parts, but definitely a first class rifle. I like that alot. Did you make it from a kit?? Or do you build rifles?? With a nice piece of Walnut that would be incredible!! That wood looks like Maple??

What does "iron mounted" mean?? Thanks, Tom.

 

[Vaino]

That LR was built from a maple blank. Iron mounted means all the hardware which includes the TG, BP,RR pipes,Pbox and other items are all browned steel.No brass parts. I build MLers to sell but don't take orders. Good luck in your quest....Fred

 

[roundball]

If it was me, and I was getting one caliber for deer and Elk, of the two choices you mentioned I'd get the .54cal.
I happen to like the Early Virginia style”¦and for my hunting guns didn’t go with carvings / inlays / patch boxes, putting the money towards some good curly maple.
I went with the .58cal as my main big game rifle, using a 38” Rice D-weight swamped barrel...in a .54 you’d probably want a C-weight.

 

[HOGGHEAD]

Man some great rifles!! RoundBall-who made that for you if you don't mind saying?? I like the idea of no patch box. But that carving in the wood on the rifle above is incredible. I am getting some great ideas here. How expensive are those types of carvings in a stock?? Thanks for the ideas. Tom.

 

[jdixon]

Here is another vote for the SMR style, .50 or .54 your choice. For several years now I have used a Track kit SMR I built for deer hunting. I kept it simple, no patchbox, carving, hunter's star, just iron furniture. It's not fancy and I don't have a lot of time and money invested in it, so I don't mind when it get scraped up trudging thru briar patches, or banged against a tree in the dark pulling it up to a tree stand on a rope. Believe me, this gun has gotten pretty banged up over the years. A couple of other points to consider. If you are going to hunt from a tree stand with this gun, I would suggest not going with the 42" barrel, cut back to a 38" or even 36". That 42 - 44" barrel in a tree stand is awful hard to work with and at close range, getting that long barrel into position takes a lot more movement on your part making it more likely to get busted by the game. Swinging that shorter barrel for the inevitable weak side shot at close range is a lot easier. I prefer double set triggers on my hunting guns, it gives you the option of using the simple reflex or set assist for those longer shots. Go with the long 2 screw tang like a lollipop to give your wrist area more support for the abuse it will take in the field. Put sling mounts on the gun. I don't have sling rings/mounts installed on mine, I wish I did, I use one of those leather tie on slings but, I would rather have perm. sling mounts. Finally, consider a swamped barrel. The gun I described above is not swamped, I wish it was. The swamped barrel drops a lot of unnecessary weight from the gun, you'll appreciate that on those long walks into and from the stand and the gun goes to the shoulder smoother with one.

 

[roundball]

Man some great rifles!! RoundBall-who made that for you if you don't mind saying?? I like the idea of no patch box. But that carving in the wood on the rifle above is incredible. I am getting some great ideas here. How expensive are those types of carvings in a stock?? Thanks for the ideas. Tom.

Matt Avance at TVM (Tennessee Valley Muzzleloading) made it and others for me...Google up their website...shows the different styles and standard components with standard prices, and you can add / modify components as you like with cost adjustments...look at their website to get an idea then just give them a call to discuss options / features, etc.
I've been using Rice barrels, Davis DST, Chambers deluxe silers, brass furniture, and what TVM refers to as super premium + + curly maple.

The .58 and .62 both have 38" D-weight swamped barrels...took delivery of this .62cal smoothbore Virginia this year:

 

[ohio ramrod]

For deer and smaller with the possibility of one elk hunt I would go with the 50. It will be easier to handle, cheaper to shoot and for the one elk hunt you could use a short mini or belted round ball and still have the energy of the 54.But then that is just my personal and absolutely free opinion. :hmm: :hmm:

 

[saber]

I would have a builder do a Jim Chambers Isaac Haines in 54 cal wooden patch box and a high grade maple with a dark early stained stock good for Deer,Elk,Bear, amd Hogs, you can see the spec on this rifle at Jim Chambers web site they also have the english sporter in walnut on there

 

[David W.]

I, personally would go for the .54. It is difficult to have one rifle be an "all-purpose" weapon, meaning everyting from tree rats to buffalo. Besides, it is not that much more expensive to shoot a .54 over a .50, and if you do elk hunt, you will benefit from the added bullet energy at longer distances. The more a projectile weighs, the more energy it will retain at 100 yards. I use a .62 flinter (double set triggers) for big game and a .36 (single set trigger) for small critters.

Contact Tip Curtis in (Cross Plains?), Tennessee. He is very talented and does a lot of custom work. Still, don't leave out TVM. They are great folks too!

Fancy inlays and carvings do nothing to improve shootability. My .62 is a plain Hawkens, but my .36 Bedford County is very ornate. I almost hate to take it out to shoot. I would go for the best components and leave off the fancy stuff, but that's just me. If $$$ is no problem, then go for it all. Rice is my favorite barrel because of the round bottom rifling. You will be surprised on how it reduces the affects of fouling and how quick it is to clean.

I am also working on a .36 Bedford County double rifle (and have been for some time). Learning how to set the barrels for 50 yards is a little above my head. I may have to wind up sending it to Tip, but I want to be able to say I did it all myself. This one will have very little ornamentation.

 

[HOGGHEAD]

I have been saving up for a new rifle for the past 8 months. I now have $1400 in the envelope for a new rifle. That is why I think it is time to order what I want. I should have enough money saved to pay for about any rifle I want in another six months when it is done. But as stated above I do not want to waste money on options I don't really need.

I really do like my Southern Mountain 36 caliber. However for a larger caliber(as stated above) that crescent butt plate is not exactly what I want. I like the look of those called "Virginia" rifle above.

I have been looking on some builders sites. I do not see where anyone calls one a "Virginia" style. Is "Virginia" the name of the style?? Or should I be looking under a diferent name or style??

I am sure I want a nice piece of wood. Whether it be Walnut or Maple. The Maple look is growing on me a little. And I am sure it would be cheaper than a high grade piece of walnut. The wood carving is beautiful, but I don't think I will go with any. Those prices are just above my pay grade. But then maybe I might find a great used Left hander.

Thans for the information guys. Please keep the opinions coming. I think a 36" to 38" barrel would do great. Any real down falls to that length barrel?? Tom.

 

[David W.]

Yes, Virginia is a style. There is nothing wrong with a 36" or 38" length barrel. I started out to have my .36 Bedford County at 44", but later decided to make it 40". My .62 Hawkens is 36" and that is all it needs. The most important thing is to keep dimensions as close to the original style of that period as possible. I saw someone who made a Pennsylvania rifle to 28" because he said he didn't want the extra weigh. It looked stupid, to say the least. I also saw a T/C at a gun show that was cut down to 18". Now, a barrel THAT short definitely does affect velocity and accuracy. People do stupid things.

 

[Zoar]

Hogghead-- You have probably been to the Track Of The Wolf website. They have many Virginia, Tennessee, S Carolina, (Southern Mountain) styled rifles and you can LOOK at all the rifles and pick and choose the hardware etc.

Here is a LINK:
http://www.trackofthewolf.com/Cate...ND-FLINT-PARTS-LIST&KitId=KIT-SML-15-40-FLINT

Or here is a Hawken which you may like---
http://www.trackofthewolf.com/Cate...-HAWKEN-FULLSTOCK-LEFT-16-FLINT&partList=True

Or this:
http://www.trackofthewolf.com/Cate...59&partNum=KIT-HAWKEN-FULLSTOCK-LEFT-16-FLINT


For about $600 bucks you could buy the kit and either build it yourself or commission someone to built it and be well under, or around, $2K.

I agree with your views completely in a hunting rifle. No Patchbox needed, and iron hardware is far better than shiny brass, no fancy-ness, just handsome lines and character.

The shorter barrel is also sage advice. 32 inches to 36 inches tops. Do you hunt from a tree or the ground? If your eyes are failing you may want to stay at the 36 inch length because the longer distance to that front sight is better for aging eyes... But what yo may gain with a 42 inch barrel you lose out for hunting from a tree or in heavy brush and/or rough terrain. A shorter barrel is just much more compact.

50 or 54 caliber will work. It really is your choice after you ponder it and consider all the good posts you have gotten and will continue to get. My vote since you are asking is the 54 caliber. I like that you can load it up or down and the difference in cost is small (IMO) and yet with 54 cal you do get the ability for slightly more punch when you need it. But 50 is versatile and you may have a few more rifle choices.

I'd build it for you but it would be my first build for a "customer". I have only built five hunting guns for me so far and do not consider myself an expert. I am sure someone on this forum or someone they know can actually listen to your requests, follow your wishes, do what you want (not what they want), and build you a handsome, practical, reliable and accurate hunting rifle in left hand flintlock.

So many guys have primadona's for hunting rifles and think everyone needs to have that. I agree with you Hogghead: Make it a hunter.

To help you keep drooling, here are four pages of FINISHED rifles on TOTW:
http://www.trackofthewolf.com/Categories/PartList.aspx?catID=12&subID=81&styleID=280

 

[Dave K]

Good advice from all. I have no idea if you ever get to any of the muzzleloader events, but it sure is worth your while to go to one and try a gun on for size. If you could travel to Tip Curtis's place on western Tenn., he would have every gun you are thinking of, at least in the white. You can shoulder them, check the balance, look over the wood, just plain pick out what suits your fancy. I also agree, especially if you can get some really stellar butt stock grain going, don't cover it up with a patch box.