Flintlock Prices?

[mickman15]

I have fired my .50 cal percussion Kentucky Rifle about ten times (very busy with three sons, a wife and a daughter on the way) and I am hooked! Now I would love to have a flintlock, but a lot of the prices are WAY out of my reach. I think a kit would be the most affordable option for me, but which one? I would like to stay around 400 to 500 dollars is this price range even possible? Thanks in advance! :thumbsup:

 

[torn moc]

Possible ..YES!
Here are some nice kits: http://www.jedediah-starr.com/closeup.asp?cid=19&pid=256&offset=1

shop around!

 

[rabjr]

:thumbsup:

Good for you, you might want to see about getting the best price on a Lyman Great Plains Rifle. I don't think for the money you want to spend, you'll regret it. :thumbsup:

 

[Zoar]

Lookie here---

LYMAN GREAT PLAINS .54 CAL FLINTLOCK RIGHT HAND RIFLE COMPLETE GUN
Order No: Status: Price:
015-6031106 In Stock
$472.38

That is NOT a kit. That is a completed flintlock!!! (source: Midsouthshooterssupply)

Or you can get a Lyman Trade Rifle in Flintlock, even cheaper!!! And both are good guns.

 

[Zoar]

But that jediah starr gun was without a stock, if you add in the stock and shipping you are at $600 bucks easy. While it is a nice looking kit is seems it is over the 400-500 price range.

However I am optimistic he can get a nice flintlock for $400 to $500 and I know he will enjoy it more than percussion.... hehe, I sure did.

 

[torn moc]

so what's another $100 if you can pick exactly what you want....Jed has ALOT of kits...!

 

[Zoar]

Darn. Now that kind of thinking is exactly what lead me to making a 4 gauge blunderbuss. I started looking for kits and found an 11 gauge, then went to a 10, then 8, then briefly considered 6 but said---"What the heck is an additional 400 bucks when I can end up with a real blunderbuss!!! hahahaha

And I hear ya! That is a beauty at Jediah Starr.

Yet, the man was asking and we was just giving him the standard---for $400-500 the GPR completed, no kit, is a good bargain for a flinter!

Methinks I need to make some smoke tonight after work! 54 cal Lyman will get the nod.

 

[J.D.]

A good used flintgun can often be bought for that price. Check TOW's listing of used flint guns. They sometimes list some real bargains suitable for those on a budget.

 

[jbtusa]

I'll second the Lyman Trade Rifle. It has gotten good reviews and it's rate of twist will allow conicals too.

 

[hanshi]

For good kits try TVM, TOW & Jim Chambers. The easiest to assemble & finish are said to come from TVM ([email protected]). Chambers kits cost more but come with some options as standard. All three are top quality if you want to put a little more $ into it. Contact them when you check out the other possibilities.

 

[cowpoke1955]

Midsouth Sports has some good prices on Lyman products, but DNR Sports has the best! http://www.dnrsports.com/acatalog/D___R_Catalog_Lyman_Muzzleloaders_649.html GPR, GPR kits and the Trade Rifle. All in flint, .50 or .54 and all within your price range :thumbsup:

 

[Zonie]

To those new to building muzzleloading rifles and smoothbores:

The "kits" offered by Chambers, Track of the Wolf, Pecatonica River, Muzzleloader Builders' Supply and a host of others are not "fall together" kits.

They consist of a semi-finished stock with a lot of extra wood left on it and a number of semi-finished and rough cast parts which require a great deal of work to assemble and finish.

One can easily spend well over 150 hours building one of these "kits" and that assumes that they know how to measure, drill, tap threads, file and finish the steel and wooden parts.

Don't get me wrong. Building rifles and smooth bores from these kits can be a very satisfying accomplishment. One that will live with you for the rest of your life.
On the other hand, if one is not somewhat skilled and willing to put forth the effort to learn new tasks they may end up turning their "kit" into a pile of junk that is not only worth little but may not even work.

These "kits" are better thought of as a "box of rough parts".

The Kits sold by Thompson Center, Pedersoli, Traditions and a few others are basically production line guns which are not totally finished.
The holes are drilled and threaded and the mortices are almost finished to the point that the mating steel parts will fit.

Building one of these can take from 15 to 40 hours depending on how good you want the final gun to look.

With any of these kits, it is suggested that you spend some time reading the posts in the Gun Builders Bench Forum on our site.
A lot of good information about the problems folks have run into and how to fix them is given there.

 

[Walks with fire]

I might also add that you should check the classified ads right here on this forum. You just might find a very nice used rifle at those prices.

 

[Zoar]

So Mickman, what do you think?

Which direction are you leaning? (Just curious)

 

[Capt. Fred]

Here's one in your price range. Be sure to read Zonies post too about the differences in kits.
http://www.sittingfoxmuzzleloaders.com/Tenn. Poor Boy Squirrel Rifle.htm

I don't know anything about Sitting Fox but I'm pretty sure some of the guys on this site have built their kits.

 

[Tommy Bruce]

Micman,
It all depends on what you want to do with the rifle. If historal accuracy is not a priority the Lyman is a fine gun. If you want something in a longrifle, your probably going to have to spend a little more money on a kit. Check out Track of Wolf as well. If you go with a straight barrel and plain maple stock you can get a components set for less that 600.00. Right now there's also a couple of finished rifles on the trading board in your price range as well. One even has a swamped barrel for 700.00. The other is a Dixie .32 and has the percussion conversion lock as well.