I want to move on and experience flintlocks. Any suggestions as to a starter flintlock?

[Capt. Jas.]

A good starter flintlock IMO is a Kibler colonial kit. Sont compromise quality. Get it in the white or have someone competent put it together for you.

 

[Buckskinn]

Maybe he took the time to do all the little things that separate the really good, well made rifles from the run of the mill "from the factory" ones that were just thrown together?

I would have a hard time classifying Kibler's rifles as "run of the mill factory". In any event, most do not take 130 hours to assemble one of Jim's beautiful rifles.

 

[Johnny Tremain]

If it has a brand name on it, we will not buy it. I have had enough of third world production quality.
Build one, or bought a built one.

 

[Cattywompuss]

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.

Never a truer post. I have been shooting cap stuff for 30 years and always wanted a flintlock but even a fair to middling one was out of reach. But I also became a pawn shop junkie early. I even work in a pawn shop. So about a year ago I went down the street incognito to see what our neighborhood rival shop was up to and blow me down if they didn't have a whole rack of smokepoles.

First thing I noticed were the genuinely accurate Hawken copies. One was an Ozark. Having owned a GRRW I also found in a pawnshop as well, I know a decent Hawken copy. Anyway. I then saw what I thought was a sort of manky Kentucky rifle that turned out to be a Dickert style Lancasterish gun in fair condition. .45 cal. Price was $200. Unsigned sp I assume a TOW or Pecatonica part set. I coughed up the $200 quick. Went back the next day and took a look at the only other full stock rifle and it was another part set gun in a very early Leman style with a double neck lock. .54 cal with 36 inch barrel and an actually flame stock instead of the faux flame Lemans are known for.

Both guns each had one issue: the rear sight on the Dickert rifle was knocked loose. And the Leman had actually been shot. As in it looks like what happened(who knows) was that it was laying across old boy's firing line in front of him shooting another a gun. Someone shot the stock of this gun with another gun and creased the wood about a foot from the lock on the forearm. Either way, that got me the Leman for a nice $175.

Between my pawn shop GRRW .50 for a 3rd of their current value, and these two flintlocks, pawn shops can be an excellent source of used MLs. Both of my flinters from pawnshops shoot fantastically with tuned L&R locks. Stocks are a bit dark for my liking but I can't complain. I named them Murder Hornet(Dickert .45) and Proud Mary(.54 Leman). Thankfully, I am up to five flinters now since those first two, and am out about the cost of a Kibler kit in total.

But it takes patience for opportunities like that and I can totally see the appeal of ordering a gun as my first one if I had the cash. If I could get a Miller or House gun today I would, but burning powder on a budget is more in my wheelhouse.

If you have been shooting percussion BP for a while getting into flint guns is no more difficult than elevating your current fiddly BP pastime to the next level. Just make sure to never let it not be fun.

 

[Cattywompuss]

I took my GPR to the range for the first time. Did everything right. Except did not remember to hold when flash occurred. I missed my first shots: one high and one low when I 'flinched' twice. Third and fourth time no spark; fifth time spark/flash but no shot. Sixth time, after cleaning frizzen and adjusting flint, hit target at 3pm second ring in. From then on, no spark.
I am trying to find a good knapping youtube but all I find is someone in buckskins in front of a fire talking about hammer and knife. I'll keep looking for a video that shows taking the flint from the jaws and knapping.
Again thanks for all the info and links.

Watch Blackpowder TV knapping video on YouTube. Bob shows you how to do it in the field, on the gun.

 

[shootrj2003]

As said,get a Lyman,aPedersoli,maybe an older used Thompson center,but there’s nothing risky about the first two I have 1 of each right now and have had a few others too.A CVA kit from a yard sale ,unassembled for $35 was my first flint,and was good and really accurate.There is no need to spend big money learning to love flint shooting.Well,anything at today’s prices is big money,but sometimes you can get flints for a good price yet,unfortunately people look for modern inlines nowadays when you say muzzleloading season, but their ignorance sometimes keeps that old flintlock in the corner ‘s price down.