Lyman vs Jedidiah Starr

[sarcasmn]

Hello,

I am planning to build my first flintlock. I have a Lyman Deerstalker percussion and that is what got my interest going.

This will be my first build. I have minimal skills with wood so I will learn as I go. I figure to go slow and be patient. I have purchased The Gunsmith of Grenville County as a guide.

I really like the Hawken half stock style. I am looking at a Lyman Great Plains kit or the Hawken kit from Jedidiah Starr.

Is the Starr kit that much more advanced or is it something I could do? Also consider that I am 5'7 and Barrel chested so I have a shorter than average length of pull. I want a rifle that is suited to take into the woods hunting.

I only ask because I think I would add Davis triggers and an L&R lock to the Lyman and that makes it closer to the price range of the Starr Hawken kit.

The learned opinions of those that build would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Zonie]

The Lyman kit is basically a production factory gun which has been left somewhat unfinished.

All of the threaded holes are located and finished.
The barrels breech plug and underlug for the barrel wedge is installed.

It is basically a 20-40 hour job to have a completed rifle that (if you take your time) is better made than a factory finished gun.

The Starr Hawken kit is like the kits from the places like Pecatonica River, Track of the Wolf etc.
It is basically a box of castings, roughed out stock with the barrel channel, ramrod hole, lock mortice and trigger mortice rough cut.
These will all require small amounts of wood removal to fully install the metal parts.
About the only finished parts are the lock and the set trigger and both of these require the drilling and threading of the screw holes that will hold them in place.

Speaking of screw holes, none of them are located or machined.

A kit of this kind requires metal work and wood work and can easily take someone familiar with these tasks 130-180 hours to finish.

I need to point out that the Hawken rifle is one of the more challenging guns to put together and get right.

Actually I can say that any of the percussion rifles are more difficult than a flintlock because of the critical relationship between the lock and the nipple.

 

[mikemeteor]

Yeah you can do the Starr kit if in fact you will go slow and be patient.
As per Zonie's insight, get the flinter version on the half-stock Hawken, study the book, ask questions before you plunge into uncertainty, be prepared to spend a hundred or more on minimal tools, keep your cutting edges sharp, know that it wont be perfect, and be happy in your work.
/mike