know anything about Ultra-Hi?

[ronnie_kennedy]

I have a friend who is selling what he is calling an "ultra-hi" brand .45 cal muzzleloader. It is a 2 piece stock percussion. Bore and lock are in great condition. He bought it from a guy that used it in movies as a prop. It was never shot until my buddy got it, and he has only shot it less than 10 times. He says that ultra-hi was bought out by tradtions...anyone care to ring on this? He is asking 200 for the gun patches, balls, nipple wrench, short starter, and caps. Worth buying or no?

 

[outdoorman]

I used to have some things from Ultra Hi, but I think it was only a "how to" book that came with some stuff I bought off a co-worker back in the '80's.

I also bought a CVA Kentucky Rifle kit from another guy and there was some Ultra Hi literature with it, but again, I have lost it and don't remember much about it. Sorry.

Someone on here will certainly be able to help you out more, and ring a bell in my head also.

Outdoorman

 

[Shine]

No

 

[snubnose57]

I bought on of those last year.I paid $100 but is was fairly used, but in good shape.Had to use a torch to loosen the nipple for removal.
Shoots half dollar groups at 50 yards with 60 graind of 3f.Wish the patchbox was not a fake.
With the extras I think you are getting a fair deal.

 

[zimmerstutzen]

As I recall most Ultra Hi were manufactured in Japan, possibly by Miroku. My brother has an Ultra Hi kentucky pistol. And frankly, I think some body sent them an early CVA and asked them to knock off a few hundred copies.

 

[Loyalist Dave]

I have a .58 Remington Zouave rifle that was sold as a kit by Ultra-Hi. I got it in '77. Lots of their stuff was made by Miroku, and the barrels are often very good. In fact I think mine is such a close copy that one can still find barrels that will drop in.

Their two piece stock "Kentucky" rifle may have a Japanese barrel OR it may be from the same company that did the CVA rifles out of Spain. You have to look at the barrel to tell. They will function and may shoot well, but as for cost, well they aren't worth much.

I think Ultra-Hi was long gone before Traditions came on the scene..., and I don't think Ultra-Hi made any of their muzzleloaders, though they did make two bolt action rifles that I know about. So it's possible that Traditions bought some of their old equipment..., but I don't think Ultra-Hi was immediately bought when they closed, by Traditions.

LD

 

[Dphar]

I have a friend who is selling what he is calling an "ultra-hi" brand .45 cal muzzleloader. It is a 2 piece stock percussion. Bore and lock are in great condition. He bought it from a guy that used it in movies as a prop. It was never shot until my buddy got it, and he has only shot it less than 10 times. He says that ultra-hi was bought out by tradtions...anyone care to ring on this? He is asking 200 for the gun patches, balls, nipple wrench, short starter, and caps. Worth buying or no?

Ultr-Hi imported some of the most incredible junk.... Unfortunately they could be loaded and could be shot.
I would avoid it even if it were free.
It certainly is not worth 200 bucks even in today's money.
Back about mid-70s I think one of these 2 piece stock things was brought to a ML gunsmith in town. Its the one with the drum and nipple that looks kinda like a lug on the barrel the nipple screws into. The owner had bought it over in Laurel MT and had shot it some but it was misfiring a lot. Gunsmith starts to do an inspection, turns the "drum" 1/4 turn and it fell out of the barrel. IIRC these 2 piece stock things hung around for years, selling for something like 49 bucks and up depending on who put their name of them.
They imported a 1/2 oct Smoothbore that had a two piece barrel with the round section threaded into the octagonal. Many, likely all, of these had bore misalignment at the joint.
I always got the idea that the makers thought they were making decorative pieces rather than firearms. Funny part is that Miroku who made them can and has made some good guns, ML and otherwise, over the years. But the Ultra-Hi stuff was not.

Dan

 

[Col. Batguano]

I have one in percussion I bought off of GB a few years ago. It's junk. Not worth the substantial effort it takes to shoot and clean. The hammer spring is weak, hammer misaligned with the nipple, sights are too low to be useable, the wood is cheap, finish is ugly, comb too thin, bore is rough, and it shoots hat sized groups at 50 yards. Other than that, it's a great rifle.

 

[feyx0006]

Ultra Hi? Probably have to ask some of the guys from Washington or Colorado... :haha:

 

[Muskeg Stomper]

I had one of the .45 cal, 2-pieced stock Ultra Hi rifles that I picked up as an unfinished kit for $25 intending to make a kid's rifle out of it. All that Dan Phariss and Col Batguano said about them are true. They guy was originally asking $150 for it but I pointed out that the wood was extremely soft and the forend stock piece had warped over the years. The hammer was severely misaligned with with the nipple and it took an uncommon sized metric nipple. The stock simply was made to be screwed to the barrel. The front sight was missing and the rear sight was dovetailed so far back, it was worthless to even folks with young eyes.

A buddy of mine took it on as a project gun and turned it into this after extensively re-working it with barrel tennons, laminating the stock into one piece, tapping for standard nipples, etc. Neither of us ever could tweek the hammer enough to properly align with the nipple. I sold it for $175. Smitty painted it "schimmel style" to hide the crappy stock.

 

[Billnpatti]

If Dan Phariss said it is junk, don't just walk away from the deal, RUN from it. Dan knows what he is talking about.

 

[ronnie_kennedy]

Thank you to everyone who chimed in on this. I was going to buy it for my Dad as a first ML. Somethig he could learn on and beat up. However, i think i will pass. I could not see giving my Dad a piece of junk. Thanks!

 

[S.Kenton]

You can get a CVA Hawken or Kentucky rifle for around 200 or less. If possible get him one of those. For a little more than 200 you can get a descent T/C renegade or if you look really hard a T/C Hawken. The Miroku Ultra Hi is NOT a good choice..just somthing about a BP rifle made in Japan does not set well with me. Gimme a Honda Accord or Toyota Camry any day.. but not a BP rifle.

 

[Rifleman1776]

For many years the Ultra-High ml products were the worst ultra-junkers on the market. So bad they wouldn't make good lamp stands. Don't know if there are any current models put out by them but the name would scare me off quickly.

 

[Pigman]

I have a Moroku Ultra HI flintlock in 50 cal.

It seems to be well made and is incredibly accurate. at 100 yards I was able to hit a 12 in gong consistently. For me this is a feat.

The only problem I have with it is that it needs to use the CVA sawn flint because a knapped on will not work in it.

If you search the archives you will find that we talked about Ultra Hi barrels a couple of years ago. Apparently some ultra hi stuff was junk and some not.

Thanks,
Foster From Flint

 

[nit wit]

Ronnie:
Not worth 200,don't think they were mirroku's
NW