Jim Bridger conversion

I was thinking of building Jim Bridger Hawkens in the either 58 or 62 caliber. In Track of the Wolf the kit is offered with 1 1/8 inch barrel either straight or tapered in percussion only, personally I would rather have the gun in flint or built as a conversion. My question is would a straight octagon breach plug with a screw in drum or flash hole liner be as strong as the original breach plug (using 120 gr. black powder with patch and round ball)?

 

roaddog,,i thought you knew this stuff,,?

first off,,of course a flash hole/drum will be strong enough.(why anyone needs 120grs of bp behind a prb is beyond me,,but sure,,it's proofed that far at least)

second,, what flintlock(lock) is it that will fit on the track Jim Bridger's Hawkin?

third,, why try too build a custom capper back into a flint?? wouldn't it be prudent to start with a flint style to begin with?? (if yer lookin at the track buk,,back up two pages!)

What are ya thinkin? Make 'Bridger's" Hawkin better?

check out Jim Bridgers' other gun's,,if ya wanna be pc with the flint stuff,,,,,,,,,,

 

I was wanting to build a 58 or 62 caliber Hawkens flinter for a buffalo rifle and the reason for 120 gr. black powder again buffalo rifle (I have the availability to shoot buffalo at cost "market price of the animal").

At Track of the Wolf they offer the Jim bridger Hawkens without the Flintlock option but making one into a convertible could be very easily be done . The Siler gunmakers Flintlock kit comes with an oversize lock plate and the Jim bridger percussion lock, that comes with the kit needs to have the drum fitted to it anyway. The other choice would be to buy a rifle stock not inlet for the lock that way you can put in what ever you want.

Myself I have never built a muzzleloader but I do all of my own gun smithing and I have built well over two dozen RC airplanes so I'm no stranger to precision woodworking.

 

[Ohio Joe]

roaddog,,, I'm always for using Siler locks, I think they're the best on the market, but in this case where you want to fit a lock to a precut stock, I would look at the L&R Manton or Ashmore Flintlocks available from TOTW... Call them to make sure this lock will work with the Bridger Precut Stock... They'll let you know for sure... If these locks will not work, have you thought about a fullstock Hawken??? Good luck with your project...