How much to get started?

[Jackman]

So How much does one need to spend to get started shooting flintlocks?

Things to buy,

Reproduction flintlock.
Flints.
Powder.
Powder measure.
Bullets or mini balls.
Cleaning supplies.

What else?

Prospecting the idea at this point , might be too expensive of a venture :hmm:

 

[Macon Due]

Sir
You are not even close.........add powder horns, shot bags,knives,hawks,clothes,shooting box,range rod, spare wiping sticks....and on and on.
Macon

 

[Trench]

Also, something to put your powder in, like a horn or flask. I think I spent around $100 on simple items to get started. Other things can come later.

Kits take years to put together as you learn what you like and what you want out of the hobby. Just keep asking questions!

 

[Trench]

Sir
You are not even close.........add powder horns, shot bags,knives,hawks,clothes,shooting box,range rod, spare wiping sticks....and on and on.
Macon

Ha! Don't scare him away! :grin: These are all items that the ADDICT must have. :thumbsup:

 

[rabjr]

Sir
You are not even close.........add powder horns, shot bags,knives,hawks,clothes,shooting box,range rod, spare wiping sticks....and on and on.
Macon

Actually don't need any of that if one just wants to go shoot....however it is a sickness so be prepared to add all that and more. :haha:

 

[stormcrow]

One possible option if you are on a budget - buy a nice used one from one of the veterans here, they are up for sale all the time and some have very low mileage (TC, Lyman, etc). Take the balance and buy kit, powder measures, priming horn, balls, lube, a range rod,attachments etc. You will then have what you need to upgrade when you are ready.

 

[Jackman]

Maybe the question is too broad, so I'll make it simpler,,,,,,,, lets talk just dollars to get started can I get in under a grand?

 

[Jackman]

One possible option if you are on a budget - buy a nice used one from one of the veterans here, they are up for sale all the time and some have very low mileage (TC, Lyman, etc). Take the balance and buy kit, powder measures, priming horn, balls, lube, a range rod,attachments etc. You will then have what you need to upgrade when you are ready.

I like this reply :thumbsup: , I like Carbines and have searched a little perhaps something will turn up...

 

[stormcrow]

Yep, and for a grand you could get a new Lyman GPR flinter with the needed kit and still some money to spare :wink:

 

[marsh trapper]

need patches too :grin: !!!and have to get a nice possibles bag :hatsoff: and it is addicting

 

[Packdog]

Yes, you can get started for under a grand.

I'd say if you are patient and keep an eye on the for sale section you could get a rifle and everything you need to fire a ball down range for $600 to $700 and have a fine rifle to shoot for years. A TC (Thompson Center) or Lyman flint is a great place to start and both are fine rifles.

Cheers,
Ken

 

Needed to buy:
Rifle, adjustable powder measure, maybe a short starter, and range rod. My preference for the rod is stainless steel with a muzzle protector.
JUST TO GET STARTED:
For a powder horn, substitute an old lid that will fit the can your powder came in. You drill a hole in it slightly smaller than the largest diameter of an old bottle neck cartridge case. Cut the base of the case off, insert it in the hole you drilled, and epoxy or solder it in place. At the range, you can now pour from the can to the powder measure and after the charge is poured into the gun you invert the measure over the spout on the can for a plug. Note, that this is mainly for shooting where some type of loading bench - even if it is nothing but an old table - is available. If you MUST have a horn, get a cheapo off Ebay.
For a priming horn, get a three or four inch piece of ¾ or 1 inch copper pipe. Solder a cap on one end and a reducer (to ¼”) on the other. Whittle a plug to fit snugly in the reducer. I have some nice priming horns, but this is what I use at the range.
For patching, go to the local fabric store and get some ticking. You can precut into squares at home or tear it into long strips and cut at the muzzle. If you choose cut at the muzzle, you can buy a cheap straight razor at a flea market or make a patch knife out of an old hacksaw blade. Lube with saliva.
You can easily make a short starter from almost any scrap of wood and a dowel.
Add an old cigar box to carry what would be carried in a pouch and you are good to go with very little cost over what the rifle and rod cost.
You can get the REAL goodies over time and not have to spend a ton of money from the get-go.
Even though I’m a little appalled over what some of this stuff costs nowadays, you can get started for a LOT less than a grand.

 

[lonehorseman]

The answer depends mostly on what direction YOU want to go with this hobby. I started with a factory rifle, quickly upgraded to a custom, and then I visited a local camp/rendezvous... At that camp I bought a complete camp in a trailer. After I owned a camp I needed clothing. As my knowledge grew, so too did my need for other "stuff"! YOU can take it as far as you want, or as far as YOU will allow it. Go ahead, sell a few of your prized possessions and get cash in hand. You are beginning a wonderful journey!!!

 

[jdkerstetter]

It's a disease....and I hope they never find a cure!!! :blah:

J.D.

 

[lonehorseman]

Amen! I am now officially a 48 year-old kid! I have been chasing this for over a year now, and the feeling has not worn off. I read about it, dream about it, and plan for it! It is a fun ride!

 

[trent/OH]

Some leather to clamp the gunflints securely in the jaws of the lock will probably set you back 50 cents at a yard sale somewhere. That same leather will make a frizzen cover, so count that into the 4 bits at the yard sale.
A screwdriver to remove the lock for cleaning, and to tighten the flint in the jaws is probably already in your garage.
A very small hammer to resharpen the edge of the flint might cost a couple bucks. A nail can be modified to do the same thing for a couple pennies(or pry a nail from your brother in laws house when he's not looking).
A vent pick can be made from a paperclip, or a piece of piano wire, or any small diameter stiff wire, so that might set you back another penny.
I'm going to presume you already have eye and hearing protection.
Various sized powder measures can be made from different caliber empty rifle and pistol cartridges. Pick those up at a shooting range for free.

There are a lot of ways to save money on your ML shooting.

 

[ebiggs1]

So How much does one need to spend to get started shooting flintlocks?

Things to buy,

Reproduction flintlock.
Flints.
Powder.
Powder measure.
Bullets or mini balls.
Cleaning supplies.

What else?

Reproduction flintlock. $250 plus or minus

Flints. About $1.75 each One RB to make a wrap out of.

Powder. GOEX 3f around $20 per pound

Powder measure. Maybe free

Bullets or mini balls. Round balls about
$15 per 100 No mini balls!

Cleaning supplies. Water from the sink and some cleaning patches

What else? You will need some patch material and some spit.
The sky is the limit!

 

[roundball]

Maybe the question is too broad, so I'll make it simpler,,,,,,,, lets talk just dollars to get started can I get in under a grand?

Easily...a good clean used T/C Hawken for a few hundred bucks...and a few hundred bucks for all the good support items, plus a good supply of powder, patches, balls, etc.

On the subject of lead balls, commercial swaged balls from Hornady/Speer have just about priced themselves out of reach at $15-$20/100.

Buying cast balls from commercial casters is much less expensive...but even the BP supply houses like Track of the Wolf charge quite a bit for them.

By contrast, the best commercially cast quality/cost lead balls I'm aware of are made by Eddie May in Georgia and you can buy direct from him.

Eddie May Cast Round Balls
159 Ridley Rd.
Chatsworth, GA. 30705
706-581-8225
“Best Quality Round Balls, Minnie, Rifle Bullets and Modern Cast Bullets”
Please Call or Write to place Order

Eddie does not have a website or use Email so you have to call him:

 

[Elnathan]

I have gone through a couple of vent picks, and the cheapest one happens to be the best - a piece of copper wire with a loop in one end. Copper wire doesn't rust, it won't stab you, and unlike those forged square picks that are ubiquitous these days, it won't ream out your vent. It was also free, because I made it from a scrap of electrical wiring.

You can also make a lot of your other accoutrements. It is not at all difficult to make a functional powderhorn, and with a little care and a few simple tools you could probably make one that is much better (and safer) than most commercial horns. The trick is to make the plug slightly oversized and make sure that the taper of the edges conforms to that of the horn, and then boil the horn before inserting the plug. Pretty much any bag will do for a pouch - a section from a leg of an old pair of jeans sewn closed at the bottom and a strap to hold it will work fine, though it won't be pretty. A number of old pouches were made from a piece of leather folded up and sewn.

Spend your pennies on a good gun, and worry about the accoutrements later.

 

[kaintuck]

$1000.00

everytime I go to do a home 'project'...I under estimate~ so being that the case....I think a realistic figgure for todays good stuff, would be around a grand~nice rifle, horn, bag and stuffing's~