I've been using percussion revolvers, pistols and rifles and I am interested in trying flintlocks. Can anyone suggest a model of rifle or pistol that would be good to start with.
I want to move on and experience flintlocks. Any suggestions as to a starter flintlock?
- Thread starter ormond tony
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Phil Coffins
69 Cal.
Yes, someone else’s flintlock! Lots of folks are willing to let you try their gun so you can see what may suit you. Then buy a high quality one to injoy.
As @Phil Coffins has stated, try one out so you can see if it fits and works for you. Always look for the best lock you can find. Getting a lock that throws sparks reliably into the pan and sets off the main charge takes a flintlock from just okay to extraordinary. I would be looking first at some of the used guns. Some of the best flint locks in my gun case are the well cared for used ones. The locks have been tuned. An accurate load has been developed.
Ask yourself what you will want to use the gun for. Will it be for hunting or target shooting? Does it need to be period and historically relevant? Rifled or smooth? Make a list and look in the Forum's classified section.
Ask yourself what you will want to use the gun for. Will it be for hunting or target shooting? Does it need to be period and historically relevant? Rifled or smooth? Make a list and look in the Forum's classified section.
grey8833
40 Cal.
Started where you are. Jim Bridger Hawken, Colt Walker >> then talked myself into a Chambers York kit. I know they were designed for very different environments, but the York is to the Bridger as a Ferrari is to a Ford 150. Be prepared - and as suggested above, see if you can find someone with a flinter to try it. I target shoot > and man, does that rifle hang on target off hand. No modern rifle like it (swamped barrels are not popular any more).
Without a ballpark budget it is hard to say. Try a friend's rifle. Personally, I would go with a good used rifle with a swamped barrel. If possible, buying locally is the best way. Look for a local club. You can see it and handle it before buying.
The mechanics of a working percussion is pretty simple. A flint not so much. Unfortunately over the counter flintlocks can be pretty week, and very frustrating. When you hear horror stories about flintlocks it’s often an over the counter one.
To get a good working flinter it requires a good lock seen on higher price guns.
To get a good working flinter it requires a good lock seen on higher price guns.
My kit built GPR works fine. It's almost 10 yrs old. Wouldn't call it weak, it will light off primer and kill deer. Does what I ask of it.
Dave
Dave
Woody Morgan
62 Cal.
I shot my Traditions Hunter .50 flintlock for the first time today. It's relatively inexpensive (<$400) with a synth stock and Cerakoted barrel but ya gotta start somewhere. 100% ignition over at least a dozen rounds and I had a ball with it. It was 100% because I have spent every evening and a lot of daytime on this forum for the last couple of weeks soaking up everything I could learn and a friend supervised me at the range just in case. It's intended for target and hunting and I'll be wearing jeans and a sweatshirt vs leather, fur and fringe. To each his own. Find what you like, get it and all the stuff that you need to support it and make the plunge.
Everyone at the range thought it was totally cool too.
wm
Everyone at the range thought it was totally cool too.
wm
I think the most important aspect in acquiring the first flintlock is ignition reliability with particular attention to the lock quality, and geometry in relation to the barrel/flash hole. As has been mentioned, some homework before buying will prove beneficial.
I totally agree with @Art Caputo. Flint lock reliability is built around the reliability of the lock to deliver sparks to the flash pan and direct the heat through the flash channel to the powder charge. To that end @Woody Morgan has done his due diligence in first researching what it takes to make a flint lock reliable. Secondly I am sure he spent some time using what he learned to hone the lock and tune it in accordance with his findings from research on the Forum. Then third, he took his rifle to range under the tutelage of a friend who could supervise his initial shots with his lock. That paid off with 100% reliability.
In terms of shooting, the flint lock is the art form of shooting a muzzle loader. It requires a complex skill set that needs training and practice to become proficient. A percussion lock is the triumph of technology to get heat generated by a hammer fall to a powder charge. There is a great technological gulf between getting a flint to put sparks in a pan of priming powder to having a hammer strike a percussion cap filled with impact ignition to direct a flame front to a powder charge.
By the way Woody, the majority of us appreciate the shooting of traditional muzzle loading firearms and do not judge the quality of that experience upon whether one wears jeans and a sweatshirt or leather, fur and fringe.
In terms of shooting, the flint lock is the art form of shooting a muzzle loader. It requires a complex skill set that needs training and practice to become proficient. A percussion lock is the triumph of technology to get heat generated by a hammer fall to a powder charge. There is a great technological gulf between getting a flint to put sparks in a pan of priming powder to having a hammer strike a percussion cap filled with impact ignition to direct a flame front to a powder charge.
By the way Woody, the majority of us appreciate the shooting of traditional muzzle loading firearms and do not judge the quality of that experience upon whether one wears jeans and a sweatshirt or leather, fur and fringe.
Critter Getter
45 Cal.
- Joined
- Jan 7, 2014
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I bought a Pedersoli Frontier as my first flintlock. It is reliable and didn’t break the bank to purchase compared to the customs. Greg
Depends on a couple of things that are important to you. First is strict authenticity or how much does that aspect mean to you second has to do with your "building" abilities, there are kits that require advanced knowledge and those that a 5 year old can put together. You can buy a not so authentic Traditions Kentucky (finished) for $465 or a not so authentic Investarms flintlock "Hawken" (finished) for $550 brand new. Of course you can spend thousands on a custom gun if that's the way you want to go.
Yeah I'd have to say the Frontier is a pretty good starter flintlock. The lock is large enough that it's pretty forgiving, but the front sight post on mine was way too thick for me to get the most out of the barrel, so I swapped it out for a .thin, silver, front sight post and it did very well indeed. They have a few other quirks, but I think they are pretty good for a budget flintlock. I wouldn't buy a factory longrifle with a smaller lock.
LD
appalichian hunter
75 Cal.
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- Oct 28, 2018
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Look in pawn shops, often there are the repro half stocks around that guys got rid of to go to the in-lines these can be bought often rather cheap. If you can and find one or so, try to take a fellow shooter of flintlocks along ( be sure they are knowledgeable) to assist in checking out the rifle especially the bore. But I warn you once you touch one of these off the addiction begins.
I have two Pedersoli flintlocks, a Pennsylvania Dixie 45 cal and a Blue Ridge Frontier 54 cal and I agree they are good reliable all around rifles.
hanshi
Cannon
While the stock may be the soul of a flintlock rifle, the lock is the heart. If the heart doesn't beat and work properly you end up with a costly club.
Thanks for all the info. I just got a Lyman .50 GPR. Got it from Gun Works. Had a great discussion with the sales people who suggested the Lyman over the Traditions while talking about lock, frizzen, flint, angle of attack, flash, powder. I got some flints and two pieces of leather. Got the gun in two weeks, put it together and found out that it will take a little while to get the right spark into the right amount of 4F BP in the pan. Can't wait to learn and learn and learn and .....
