Flint Pistols in .54 caliber?

[YJake]

Hello all,

After finishing a rifle in .54 I’m interested in purchasing or assembling a .54 pistol. It can be rifled but I’d prefer a smoothbore for the ease of loading and option to use shot.

Pedersoli sells a Kentucky kit but I’ve heard the design isn’t very strong and I don’t know if I can cut a dovetail to add a front tennon to strengthen the design. Is this an actual problem with this design?

Pedersoli makes a flint Harper’s Ferry but only in .58 rifled. The percussion version is a .54 smoothbore. Go figure, I want the reverse. I had an ancestor in the cavalry during the war of 1812 that likely carried a brace of these, and I’m somewhat partial to them.

Sitting Fox has some kits, but they’re more expensive than the Pedersoli kits and require more work to assemble. The dragoon models do look great though, and offer what I want.

Any other suggestions?

-Jake

 

[deermanok]

50 caliber is more common.

 

[Larry Akers]

PM sent

 

[Notchy Bob]

I can't say for sure, but I believe it might be possible to reline the bore of a flintlock Harper's Ferry pistol to a smaller caliber. If anybody can do this, Bobby Hoyt can, and considering what he does, his prices are very reasonable. You might contact him and ask. For that matter, he might even be able to rebarrel it for you.

I'm suggesting this because it sounds as if you really want a Harper's Ferry pistol. If you try to save a few bucks and get something else, you might not be happy with it.

It sounds like you are on a tight budget. If you can wait a little longer and save up a little more, the Colonial Pistol from Cabin Creek Muzzleloading can be had as a kit, "in the white," or a finished gun. It is a beauty, very nicely designed and made from best-quality components. Jim Chambers also makes an English pistol kit which I believe can be ordered in .54 caliber smoothbore. They introduced this pistol several years ago, but have still not gotten around to showing it on their website. They list it on their order form, though. Also, one of the members of the ALR forum showed a pistol ordered from Lowell Haarer not long ago... Very plain but nicely designed.

This is not knocking the factory-made guns and kits. Pedersoli and Traditions have satisfied a lot of shooters, and some of the kit guns assembled and shown by members of this forum look really, really good. It's just that the custom or semi-custom builds might have a lock that's a little faster or sparks a little better, and you can get the gun made to suit you.

Good luck with all this! Let us know what you decide.

Notchy Bob

 

[YJake]

I can't say for sure, but I believe it might be possible to reline the bore of a flintlock Harper's Ferry pistol to a smaller caliber. If anybody can do this, Bobby Hoyt can, and considering what he does, his prices are very reasonable. You might contact him and ask. For that matter, he might even be able to rebarrel it for you.

I'm suggesting this because it sounds as if you really want a Harper's Ferry pistol. If you try to save a few bucks and get something else, you might not be happy with it.

It sounds like you are on a tight budget. If you can wait a little longer and save up a little more, the Colonial Pistol from Cabin Creek Muzzleloading can be had as a kit, "in the white," or a finished gun. It is a beauty, very nicely designed and made from best-quality components. Jim Chambers also makes an English pistol kit which I believe can be ordered in .54 caliber smoothbore. They introduced this pistol several years ago, but have still not gotten around to showing it on their website. They list it on their order form, though. Also, one of the members of the ALR forum showed a pistol ordered from Lowell Haarer not long ago... Very plain but nicely designed.

This is not knocking the factory-made guns and kits. Pedersoli and Traditions have satisfied a lot of shooters, and some of the kit guns assembled and shown by members of this forum look really, really good. It's just that the custom or semi-custom builds might have a lock that's a little faster or sparks a little better, and you can get the gun made to suit you.

Good luck with all this! Let us know what you decide.

Notchy Bob

I’m confident in my ability to turn a Pedersoli kit into what I want, but I’m not opposed to spending a little more money for a higher quality custom kit or gun in the white.

I’ll research some of the builders/suppliers you recommended, thank you.

-Jake