Harpers Ferry Model 1803 Flintlock Rifle

[LT Joe]

Any opinions on which is the better Harpers Ferry Model 1803 replica? The Antonio Zola model (Navy Arms Import) or the Euroarms model?

 

[Grenadier1758]

The one that is 54 caliber. If I remember correctly, the Zoli is a 58 caliber rifle.

 

[Flint62Smoothie]

Correct, the Zoli is a 58, nice rifles though!

 

[Grenadier1758]

I do like my 1803 made from Rifle Shoppe parts.

 

[Johnny Tremain]

Only 1803 Id build is from Jess over at the rifle shoppe.
His are ultimate period correct.

 

[Smokey Plainsman]

The 1803 is a good gun.

 

[Larry (Omaha)]

Any opinions on which is the better Harpers Ferry Model 1803 replica? The Antonio Zola model (Navy Arms Import) or the Euroarms model?

I have a HF 1803 that works well that I recently made. It has a Davis lock and the geometry is way better than the factory replica I had in the 80's. For quality comparison if I remember they were about the same, except the lock issue. The lock sparked well, but did not hit the pan. If you looking at any 1803, I suggest you know ahead of purchase where and how it sparks. My comparison was to the Navy Arms Zoli only, and I can't comment on Euroarms.
I assume you know the Zoli is percussion.
Larry

 

[Flint62Smoothie]

I assume you know the Zoli is percussion.

FWIW, maybe ... maybe not ... as my Navy Arms marked Harpers Ferry 1803, albeit in 58-cal, is a flintlock model made by Zoli. Less the caliber, we can't find much if anything to complain about. A guy at the range had an original and was very surprised how identical they looked ... besides the bore.

 

[FlinterNick]

these are generally junk, locks were terrible. Barrels ok, but not corrrect. Ribs are too fat, and stock is too large.

 

[Grenadier1758]

I tend to agree with @FlinterNick, but that didn't stop the Museum at the St. Louis Arch from putting a Zoli 1803 in their Lewis and Clark display.

 

[tenngun]

I’m thinking the .58 came with the same three groove shallow rifeling as tge Zoave rifles primarily made for conicals.

 

[bluemule66]

My Zoli 1803 sparks good, shoots roundball good, and looks good. But I am not into pc/hc correct. Not sure just how correct they are. I don't have an original to compare it to. I do know it is fun to shoot, and it makes things fall down!

 

[Flint62Smoothie]

My Zoli 1803 sparks good, shoots roundball good, and looks good.

Same here!

 

[Dusty_Traveler]

Euroarms built the .54 cal. I had one and it was a good shooting rifle...after I put a Davis 1803 lock in it. The original lock was devoid of a single scruple of good geometry. If I had kept it, the next thing would have been remove that tiny 6mm touch hole and put in a white lightning. Really fun rifle though.

 

[Dusty_Traveler]

I’m thinking the .58 came with the same three groove shallow rifeling as tge Zoave rifles primarily made for conicals.

Correct.

 

[FlinterNick]

I tend to agree with @FlinterNick, but that didn't stop the Museum at the St. Louis Arch from putting a Zoli 1803 in their Lewis and Clark display.

The lock on these 1803’s was just awful.

I’ve been able to fix a few, oddly the locks had bridles with no integral pins, however the plate was drilled for a pin…. Never understood that one.

 

[FlinterNick]

The only 1803 rifle repro that is fairly decent is the rifle shoppe’s or Track of the wolf’s, I have a rifle shop 1803 with a Getz barrel.

However, I’d make an argument that the 1817 common rifle is the better gun alll around, if you want an American military flintlock, the 1817 common rifle is the way to go.

 

[Johnny Tremain]

My first flinter was a **** 1803 HP. It was a piece of junk.
Got 8 shots off before the frizzen went down range.
Good thing I bought it at Dixie. Took them 10 months but the MADE me a frizzen.
It seems **** dont keep spare parts.
Then I found The Rifle Shoppe. Everything that broke was replaced with parts from there.

So we decided to build some 1803s.
Got green mt barrels, lock kits & stocks.
Someone broke into my buds shops and stole everything rifle in his shop.
We never built them 1803s.
But the parts were nmighty fine.

 

[brazosland]

Mine is a Euroarms .54, once the Davis lock went on it was awesome.

Stripped the finish and stained the stock dark. Wiped off that fake brown on the barrel and browned it (and rubbed it back to worn steel look).

Silver front sight and it’s a great gun.

 

[BadDaditood]

Ditto on The Rifle Shoppes’ Harpers Ferry, my second one is on the bench now…
Ordered an HF pistol from them last month- only 11 more months to wait!!