My Completed GPR...

[elk_chaser1]

Well, I finally completed my GPR, .54 perc. this weekend. Began this project back in January, and it was start and stop the whole time. Partly because of work and family obligations, but also since this was my first gun project ever, I had some bumps along the road. All in all, I am pretty happy with it. Plenty of mistakes...but that makes it distinctive, right? I learned allot through this project, but mostly it increased my respect immensely for those talented gun makers and the beautiful guns I see here all the time. :bow:

A buddy recently asked if I saved a "bunch" of money building a kit. Not chance, with all the stains, and blueing, browning, files, sandpaper, etc., I spent more than a factory gun. But, it's mine and I had a great time building it. Problem is, I am now looking at the next project! :grin:

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Elk Chaser 1, sorry to say according to the CDC, there is no cure for the malaise of building muzzleloaders. Fine work on that ther cussin gun. Soon you'll be thumbing thru the TOTW catalog, lookin at Flint guns. That's when the desease is terminal. Best of luck with the next endevor. Bill

 

[Zonie]

"Where have all the flowers gone?
Longtime passing...
...
When will they ever learn?
When will they ever learn?"

Ole Zonie keeps warning you folks but..."...I am now looking at the next project!" :rotf:

Looks like you did a great job on your GPR ! :hatsoff:
Now you have to send a few hundred balls downrange to really finish it by sighting it in and breaking in the barrel. :grin:

No, I don't think I've seen anyone say a person can save money by building a Factory Kit, but the learning a person gets from building one can't be gotten any way except thru a "hands on" experiance.

Not to talk you into anything, but, you can save some money by building one of the guns from Pecatonica River or Track of the Wolf.
Not too long ago, I itemized the parts cost for a "low cost" form of longrifle and it came out somewhere around $475.
When finished, if it was built with care (and our help) it could be worth over $800. (That would pay you about $2.50/hour for your efforts. :rotf

No, it didn't have a swamped barrel ($200) and it didn't have a fancy grade of Curly Maple ($170) but it was 100 percent American Made from the best of parts available.

Oh, Dam! Now look what I've done! He's looking in his check book.....

Zonie

 

[captgary]

Very nice I like the way the stock looks. Now you got to get her to the range :thumbsup: :thumbsup:


By the way, my first project was a GPR second was a PENNSYLVANIA long rifle, now contemplating a southern style long rifle. Like the boys said there is no known cure, Good luck on your future project and remember it will get a lot more difficult but a lot more satisifying....

 

[roo shooter]

very well done that looks real good,you should be proud of it,i hope it shoots as good as it looks.

 

[AaronT]

First off, very nice work. I don't know if anyone could tell it was your first build if you hadn't 'fessed up!

Not to talk you into anything, but, you can save some money by building one of the guns from Pecatonica River or Track of the Wolf.
Not too long ago, I itemized the parts cost for a "low cost" form of longrifle and it came out somewhere around $475.
When finished, if it was built with care (and our help) it could be worth over $800. (That would pay you about $2.50/hour for your efforts. :rotf

No, it didn't have a swamped barrel ($200) and it didn't have a fancy grade of Curly Maple ($170) but it was 100 percent American Made from the best of parts available.

Oh, Dam! Now look what I've done! He's looking in his check book.....

Zonie

Zonie, got that list of parts handy? I reckon many of us new guys could make use of something like that. I've been trying to save up for something nice and expensive, but every time I get close something expensive breaks around here. I think I could swing @$475 between disasters...

 

[aragorn]

Really nice. I love the clear lines, uncluttered by carving or inlays.

I'm just about finished my first rifle, and seem to have spent hundreds on tools, parts, new lighting for the workshop, a new toolchest etc etc - I'm frightened to add it up, but it's probably close to the cost of the rifle kit. I thought I'd got everything, but just sank my remaining savings on some engraving tools. Oh well, it beats buying a new washing machine and is all waiting there now in the workshop for the next build ...

 

[elk_chaser1]

I thought about doing a brass inlay on the cheek piece, but after studying the Hawkens and plains rifles in general, I thought I would keep it simple...kinda like a mountain man may have wanted his plains rifle. Barrel and furniture are rust blued. I left the escutheons and the fore end cap bright. The stock is finished with several coats of tung oil knocked down with 0000 steel wool. Resulted in a nice, durable semigloss finish. Can't wait to shoot her this weekend! :grin:

 

[Zonie]

"...Zonie, got that list of parts handy? ..."
_________________________________________________

OK. First off, let me say the prices are out of Track of the Wolfs #16 catalog and they say "Prices subject to change".

I am not including part numbers because I might screw them up so, you will have to buy a catalog and go on a search in it to see what parts I selected.
The gun this would make is a plain maple flintlock in .50 caliber. It has a very simple (old style) patchbox and all furniture is Brass.
It uses a simple trigger and IMO would represent a lower class (not to be confused with cheap) of very plain rifle.
The barrel is made by Green Mountain. In fact, all of the parts are made in the USA and are very high quality.

I could have saved some money by using things like a Siler Lock Kit, but I am assuming the builder would not want to go to that degree of building.
The stock is inlet for the barrel, ramrod and a Large Siler Lock.

.50 cal 7/8 octagon X 42 inch barrel....$92.50
Large Siler Flintlock...................$95.00
Dickert Lancaster Plain Maple stock.....$120.00
Flaired 5/8" breech plug................$8.95
Barrel underlugs................3X 1.25 $3.75
Front Sight.............................$3.95
Rear Sight..............................$5.25
Vent....................................$1.99
Buttplate...............................$7.95
Sideplate...............................$3.95
Trigger Guard...........................$7.50
Toe Plate...............................$3.25
Ramrod Thimbles 3/8 dia.........2X 3.25 $6.50
Lower Ramrod Entry Thimble...3/8 dia....$4.95
Trigger & Plate.........................$15.25
Nosecap.................................$4.95
Patchbox................................$14.50
Tang Screw..............................$1.00
Lock Screw......................2X 1.50 $3.00
Buttplate Screw.................2X .30 $0.60
3/8 Hickory Ramrod with brass tip.......$8.95
TOTAL..................................$413.74

Of course this doesn't include postage.

Sure, you can upgrade everything on the list. For instance, you can replace the trigger with a set trigger by paying about $13 more, but I wanted to let you folks know that if you are happy with a very fine but plain rifle, the parts can be bought for less than some of the Italian Replicas are selling for.

Zonie

 

[CoyoteJoe]

Good post and good point Zonie. I often hear folks complain that they can't afford a custom rifle but if they'd stop the carping and get to carving they could have a true custom rifle for about the cost of a T/C. And if there are a few flaws in their effort it will still be a first class shooter and look great from 10 feet away and they can have the satisfaction of sayin "I-did-it-my-way"! And they won't have to wait six months or a year to get it. :grin:

 

[AaronT]

Yup, thanks Zonie. That's a real eye-opener! I had been considering a GPR for cost reasons, but since I really want a flint it looks like this is a way to go.

 

[Russ T Frizzen]

You can find current prices on Track's web-site.

 

[madbrad]

Well you still may have to wait 6 mo depending on how slow you are. :haha: