If I wanted an Issaic Haines Flintlock:

[oldarmy]

Go with Birdog6,Mr. Brooks,Mr Allan.
Have them put the best parts and wood that is available. Be sure to get both nice engraving and carving.
When you receive the rifle. Expect to be speechless and carry it around like a new baby for a few weeks...maybe months...before shooting it. :grin: JM2C's

 

[thewho66]

That would explain why I dated a red head but married a brunette. :thumbsup: :hatsoff: :haha: :rotf:

 

[billd]

I am familiar with many of the names mentioned, all are great builders. You have to decide what you want to spend. There are many new builders out there who will do a nice job. Many of the names mentioned are long established and their name on a rifle means a few hundred to a several thousand dollars more. I'm not saying it's not worth it "if" you have the money to spend, they're also worth more when you sell them used.

 

[Bob J]

Roundball- I, too, used to think hooked patent breech was the only way to go (for ease of cleaning). Started shooting a fullstock with pinned barrel, and cleaning was such a pain in the a_ _ that I almost gave up on 'em. But Birddog6 posted his cleaning method with the Flintlock E-Z Cleaner Flush Kit and, honestly, I haven't looked back! Just my 2 cents worth; don't limit yourself to having to remove the barrel and using bucket of water (or tub or whatever). Get a pinned fullstock flinter - heck, try Birddog6's method on your TC's. You'll see :wink:

 

[Bob J]

FWIW -42" swamped Green Mountain barrel and my Tennessee Rifle holds and balances so well AND carries beautifully in the woods. Will NEVER go back to a straight barrel. Richard Sullivan of the Colonial Williamsburg gunshop refers to straight barrels as the "de-evolution" of gun-making :haha:

 

[cptleo1]

Have Packdog send you a picture of HIS Haines it is a nice one.

My call would be to get a Chambers kit in .54 and have one of the guys assemble it for you.

You will have on really nice handling piece with the best parts you can buy and the project can be completed in months instead of years.

Here is a stretch for you -

Being that you have all that TC stuff laying around, why not use TC parts, barrel,breach, lock,triggers, pins and such for a Haines ?

You would be missing out on the 'feel' of the swamped barrel and it would be a little short but would probably save you $400 in parts.

Going and visiting Tip Curtis is way the best advice offered so far.

If you really like the research part of this adventure - there is NO substitute for handling 50-100 guns at one set AND to have immediate access to the parts to build one.

Besides that Tip is a way cool fellow - In a grumpy sort of way

LOL

 

[roundball]

One of the difficulties is not having a close convenient place to see/handle some of these, try them on for size/drop/LOP...Tip Curtis is over in Tennessee but that's about a days drive each way, over night stay, etc.

Another thing that occurred to me is that Jim Chambers business is here in North Carolina somewhere...I'm in the center of the state so he may be within an hour or two drive of me somewhere...he might also make completed rifles or front for a local builder who does...I assume if he'd recommend someone they would be reliable so I'll at least check him out considering the logistics.

I appreciate the continued tips and suggestions...makes my head hurt...I've bookmarked links, began looking at websites, etc...the deeper I get into this the more options there seem to be...and the 33" .58cal GM laying across the antlers in my signature looks real good. :wink:

 

[Mike Brooks]

Chambers is by Asheville.

 

[Roy]

And well worth the visit :thumbsup:

 

[Joel Lehman]

Jim Chambers recommended James Klein to me to put together a LH 54 Isaac Haines rifle. Mr Klein did an excelect job at a reasonable price.

 

[rudy parnell]

I like what you're thinking on the long rifle.

You oughta try puttin the thing together.

If you don't like the end product....you can sell it to me!

I'll even come an get it.

Course it'll have to be a shooter :grin:

 

[roundball]

:grin:

The more I thought about this over the weekend the more crazy the idea sounds...I'm 63...or put another way, going on 64...probably doesn't make a lot of sense to start off on a whole new tangent like this when my current Flintlocks do everything I ask of them.

If there was a shop across the street that I could handle some, pick one out and buy it, that would be one thing...but this whole undertaking seems to be taking on quite a lot of logictics just to try and find, see, handle, decide, on what fits, etc...two days and a motel just to touch & fell some in Tennessee...then the build process, time involved, and so on... :hmm: :hmm:

 

[Dave K]

I can understand your thinking to a degree. You have to look at it from a different angle. Don't ever look back, wishing you would have and should have. Go to Tip's someday(heck it is winter, good time to go) and handle them all. Buy one of his and finish it yourself, most of his guns are in the white, would be just like you what have done already refinishing your T/C's. I can't say I am ready to build one and turn a pile of parts into scrap, but I can certainly put a finish on one. Actually the more I do, the deeper I find myself going. If you want a custom find a good builder like Birddog6. You will never, ever regret that you have a custom gun that is yours. Don't ever leave this world, wishing you could have had or had done something. If it is within your means,place it on your bucket list and do it. I have sold some things to put other things in my means on this bucket list and have not regretted it at all.

Good Lord Roundball. I certainly wouldn't worry about turning 64, I would be glad to get there and look for many more years. Even if I had just 6 more weeks, it wouldn't stop me from dreaming.We all know people that are older than dirt that are still looking forward to tomorrow.

I can almost bet, Tip has one in the white with your name on it already, just ready for you to touch it, feel it and make it your own.

 

[nchawkeye]

You're (hopefuly) going to be 64 anyway... :grin:
And in 10 years...74... :grin:

When I built my flintlock in '88 I wanted a .54 with a 38 inch swamped barrel...I was talked into a 38 inch tapered barrel...1 1/16 to 15/16th...
The guy I bought my parts from didn't want to inlet a swamped barrel...I still want a .54 in a swamped barrel...College for the girls and weddings has made this impossible for me to get the money together to make another...

One other thought...I know you and the wife are close...Take her to Biltmore for a trip and go see and handle some Jim Chambers rifles...Give him a call and see if he has a couple in stock to handle...

I'm guessing that you haven't held a nicely built Lancaster with a swamped barrel, I have, there is all the difference in the world...A properly balanced gun really is not only a thing of beauty but it just balanceds properly...I really won't matter whether the barrel is 38, 42 or 44 if the gun is built properly...

One the other hand...If you don't want to spend the money, don't pick one up... :wink:

 

[rudy parnell]

I'd have to agree with you on the logic.

Thing is when you're after something you want....well logic don't apply.

Most shinning example I can think of is women....or maybe a good horse.....if you're a horse lover.....in my case it's all about dogs....... "Bird Dogs".

What I'am trying to get at is....this Long Rifle decision is a matter of the heart.

Matters of the heart "trump" logic.

Now, I'am also thinking that your physical measurments....heigth and arm length can help determine your gun....also your dominate eye [you'll probably want some cast off if your right handed].

I am not mentioning these matters of fit cause I know ....you already forgot more than me.....I am just trying to help you start moving on this.

This revelation of yours for the "New Year" is probably the most exciting thing that's come up on The Forum in a long while.

Keep moving forward on this....In fact I hope a Gun Builder gets wind of your desire and cashes in on it.....[ Mike B. are you listening?] :haha:

 

[Russ T Frizzen]

I turn 63 one month from today. I have been shooting flint and prcussion guns for decades. But I haven't really gotten that involved with matchlocks yet. That's next. You aren't that old, my friend. Haven't you heard--60 is the new 40! :thumbsup:

 

[BV]

:grin:

The more I thought about this over the weekend the more crazy the idea sounds...I'm 63...or put another way, going on 64...probably doesn't make a lot of sense to start off on a whole new tangent like this when my current Flintlocks do everything I ask of them.

If there was a shop across the street that I could handle some, pick one out and buy it, that would be one thing...but this whole undertaking seems to be taking on quite a lot of logictics just to try and find, see, handle, decide, on what fits, etc...two days and a motel just to touch & fell some in Tennessee...then the build process, time involved, and so on... :hmm: :hmm:

Like anyone here is going to agree you SHOULDN'T buy a gun. You might as well seek drug treatment in an opium den. :rotf:

 

[Dave K]

Heck Roundball, sell another c-fire gun, you aren't using them anyhow. It is time to try something you haven't tried before. Of course you do run the risk of getting hooked, but you will never regret it. You may regret that you never tried it.

 

[tr07416]

BV got it right, Roundball. Of course these
guys are all going to encourage you to invest your hard earned money on a new tangent. My Pa used to think just like you. He hunted and fished his whole life and taught all us kids to love the outdoors too...until he started getting old. Then he didn't want to try any new tangents or go anyplace new. He just kind of stayed home and saved his money for a rainy day. He probably didn't go off on any new tangents for the last ten years of his life. When he passed, rest his soul, he left his stuff to us, except for my FBI (F%!#! brother-in-law) who got some cash and went out and bought a dandy new longrifle. I understand your logic completely. Don't listen to the guys! New tangents for you old guys just don't make sense.
TR

 

[roundball]

Yes, I've slowly accumulated enough Hawkens over the years that I could just sell off an armful of them to cover the thing...just be flipping assets I already have.
Heck, I still have some like-new .45/.50/.54cal round ball caplocks that I've been saving for the past 10 years "in case it turned out I didn't like Flintlocks" :grin: