Granddaddy of Production Muzzleloaders?

[smo]

My first long gun muzzleloader was a Investarms.50 Hawken percussion gun… Somewhere around 1977-78.

I had own a bp revolver prior too that..

It wasn’t long until had a weak moment and joined the unmentionable crowd…( before they were known as unmentionables)

I bought a H&R Huntsman….
It was a single shot shot gun identifying as a .45 cal muzzleloader rifle …

Shortly after that came a long list of TC Hawken & Renegades..

I still own a couple of TC’s and have always found them too be a decent hunting guns for S E Whitetail.

 

[Russ T Frizzen]

Navy Arms really started the whole repro thing off about 1960 on cusp of the CW Centennial. I'd say TC for the hunting crowd, and Dixie is not really a mfgr. but an importer and seller. Hatfield very limited to niche crowd, Numrich also limited, and P-H another great but niche product. Love 'em all, anyway! Good thread.

Turner started Dixie Gun Works in 1954, but was actually in business much earlier. It's true that Dixie didn't make their guns, but neither did Navy Arms. Turner was a true southern gentleman and often answered the phone himself. I remember his early catalog. It was basically a few pages on cheap paper. But it was a muzzleloader crazy kid's dreambook.

 

[bubba.50]

I think the "granddaddy" was the year 1976.
The Bi-Centennial,, The economy was booming, work was plentiful, all kinds of retro spirits where involved in that time period.
They all jumped on the band wagon

That was a regular modern day "Shining Time" warn't it?

 

[vintovka]

I would add Hal Sharon. Not the oldest but a master gunsmith and machinist.

http://grrw.org/sharon-rifle-barrel-co/

 

[SlidePicker]

Turner started Dixie Gun Works in 1954, but was actually in business much earlier. It's true that Dixie didn't make their guns, but neither did Navy Arms. Turner was a true southern gentleman and often answered the phone himself. I remember his early catalog. It was basically a few pages on cheap paper. But it was a muzzleloader crazy kid's dreambook.

Many years ago, an elderly friend gave me his reloading equipment and supplies.Lots of classic stuff from the 50s. Among the stash were two of those hair crimper molds for round balls, .720" and .375". I bet Turner Kikland cherried those molds himself. I've shot a good many balls from the .720" one.

 

[Lawdawg98]

I'm talking about guns that have generally been sold "over the counter" and not semi-production special order types. The one, or ones, that have or had the greatest influence in getting the public into shooting and/or hunting with firearms of "primitive" function.

Manufacturers that come to mind;

Thomson Center
Lyman
Navy Arms
Dixie Gunworks
Uberti
Hatfield
Numrich
Parker Hale
And a host of others

So, "Who's your Granddaddy?"

Oh, my pick is Thompson Center's Hawken model figuring volume sold and the fact is was my first.

Invest Arms and Traditions come to my mind

 

[Grenadier1758]

Have we forgotten Bill Large and his early muzzleloading rifle barrels? Admittedly these are more of a custom product.

 

[mushka]

My Grampa gun is a TC .54 cal kit gun gotten for Christmas of 85. Put together two winters later and shot for the first time Summer of 87 or 88 at the Berwyn Rod & Gun club in Bowie Md. Good days then,

 

[Dave Dworshak]

CVA was the budjet black powder rifle/pistol. Tons of kits. T/C was the "out of reach "brand the "lucky" guys were using.

 

[William Lincoln]

T/C always fetched a premium price but was solid quality. CVA was early
and accurate. Still love them. Newer "Black Chrome CVA" is precision.
CVA-JUKAR is tied up with Bergarra barrels. Maker of famous
sniper rifle barrels and Remington copies of the 700 sniper. While I tote
an Investarms Hawken style carbine in the woods, the CVA black chrome
is a tack driver which has won in competition shoots. Of course the Industry
is in flux and changing--what was made then is often no longer available.
The true Granddads of this historical sport were the Custom makers who
cranked out extra guns and rifles as low speed manufacturers-makers.
Many unknown and un-remembered today, but represented in those
many guns & rifles we puzzle over on this forum.

 

[springfield art]

People come to Muzzleloaders thru a couple avenues; re-enactors need them for impressions, some guys got into ML guns to hunt or extend hunting season, some just liked "old guns" and got in from there. It's kind of funny especially with Civil War enactors, they're doing a re-created 'battle' from a specific date and worry that their musket's lockplate doesn't have the "correct" date for that exact event! As if the spectators know or care.

 

[Willy]

My first long gun muzzleloader came after a Uberti First Model Dragoon and was Lyman Great Plains 54 caplock kit. I browned the metal and lightly stained the stock. After a couple of years, someone offered me about twice what I had in it and I sold it. Then I got my Navy Arms/Pietta 12 gauge double which I've kept for the last 40 years. Along the way I was given a CVA 45 Kentucky with the drum broken off. I took the barrel into work, drilled and tapped for a new drum I ordered from Dixie and it shot fine. I gave that one to my brother who in turn gave it to his son. When I gave it to my brother, I told him that he'll probably need it when folks figure out those new fangled metallic cartridge guns are just a passing fad.

 

[rkg1]

My first was a Numrich Arms and it was borrowed from a friend. Bought a CVA in the late 70's and still have it. Restocked and put a better lock in years ago. A real good shooter.

 

[1861 Springfield]

cva

ha ha cva...more recalls than any brand listed

 

[db1]

There are less than one thinks...,

How many "manufactured" compared to how many ordered them from a company and had their name stamped upon them?

Pedersoli makes their guns
Pietta makes theirs
So did Armi San Marco
Thompson Center did
Lyman did for a while, but I think their rifles are also now available from the manufacturer under other brand names ??
I know the Dixie Gunworks Tennessee Rifle was proprietary to them..., but their other guns, ???
Parker Hale did, I think,
Hatfield did at first

My CVA's were ordered from companies in Spain, by CVA, and sold here. They are now found here with other brand names upon them.
My buddy's Hatfield is a Frontier from Pedersoli, ordered with the Hatfield name and sold by them
My DGW Tennessee rifle I've never seen offered by anybody else but was made by Miroku, but the Jap Bess by Miroku was available from Navy Arms and DGW

LD

My Navy Arms 1860 Target Model has Uberti markings.

 

[1971fx]

Turner Kirkland flintlock

 

[1971fx]

Turner Kirkland flintlock

 

[Daveboone]

Sears Roebuck used to sell Springfields for about five bucks.....(early 1900 catalog....) I guess that helped keep the ML around and in the public....probably where my 1863 came from.

 

[Dobegrant]

My first black powder gun was a Navy Arms .58 cal Zouave rifle about 1974 and then a TC .45 Hawken flintlock

 

[Hawk54]

The first 1851 and 1858 style revolvers were brought in to the country by Navy Arms and were made by Gregorelli and Uberti in 1959. The first 1860 Army was brought in in 1959 by Centennial Arms and they were Belgian (Centaure) made. Navy Arms edged out Centennial just by a few months to be the first to import the revolvers.