My first muzzleloader rifle and I built it myself!

[Rifleman1776]

Good job and good kit to start with. I'm sure it was a great learning experience. Later you can move up to a more sophisticated rifle build.

 

[ARKLITE881South]

I built 2 just like that in 1977 while recovering from a very serious motorcycle accident. Try that with a broken collar bone, 3 fractures in my right leg and broken ribs, lol. But, it was after 28 days in the hosp. I had been released for the moment, and was bored, so, picked up 2 ''kit'' thompson's. Boy, they turned out nice!! Then, i made the mistake of selling both of them. Eventually bought 2 more many, many years later. I like the color of your stock, really nice looking. The 2 i bought not long ago, i refinished both of them, and really enjoy shooting them now. Your hooked, shoot the heck out of it, and keep it for a long time, you'll be sorry if you ever get rid of it. Trust me!

 

[Dr5x]

It's nice to hear from a proud father talking about his new creation.


I made my first rifle, a .45 Hawken from a much easier kit in the early 70's and I know how you must feel. Congratulations!. Let us know how she shoots.

Dr5x

I just built a Traditions .50 caliber Kentucky rifle myself. Boy howdy was it tough. Should have started with something more simple, maybe a Hawkens style kit. It turned out really nice and kept me busiy. Alot of sanding, filing and chisel work. Then all that staining of wood and brown rusting of the barrel. It was my first try and I am very proud. Many mistakes were made. Too much chisel work in places and not very good alignment of forend stock pin holes, kind of made a gap at the joint of forend and stock. You have got to make sure to clamp everything down before starting to drill. Oops! I also got impatient with driving in new Brass pins made from a toilet lift arm and punched out some of the wood around the front pin whole. Oops!
Now the good stuff. Everything fits together really well. Wood stain is Home Dangler Dark red stain. Three coats. The Barrell is rust browned with Homer Dangler Dark brown. I polished up the Brass nice and shiney, like that alot. Then put car wax to preserve the shine. Looks really nice, at least to me. I will try to get some shooting done before Deer season with BP comes in January here in Texas.

 

[NY andy]

Really nice work,would love to build one myself one day.

 

[jaybird14]

Looking good. You can use it the whole firearms season in Texas! Why wait until January?

Up here in the frozen tundra ( Wisconsin)we have a special muzzle loader season too but use them on our regular gun deer season as well.

Very nice first build !!!!

 

[Ace Wheat]

It looks too nice for a first kit. It must be a good kit or you are a natural. I'll be surprised if it doesn't shoot as nice as it looks.

 

[Preacher]

My first black powder gun was a TC hawkin kit in 54 cal. I built in in 87 or 88 during a bad winter in Maryland. I remember it was fun and I enjoyed it. I browned the barrel with some Birchwood Casey stuff and it looked real good browned, but for whatever reason over the years it has turned almost black I modified the butt by taking off the curved brass as it would not fit with heavy winter clothing. Flattened it out and screwed a shotgun butt plate. Works ok. I still have the rifle and shoot it now and then. Enjoy the rifle you put together and I hope you shoot yours more than I've shot mine in the past. It's only been this year when I got hooked on muzzle loaders and now I have five of them and one being built that should be ready in January.

Just curious, where are you in MD. I'm originally from Cumberland.

 

[sussexmuzllodr]

I just built a Traditions .50 caliber Kentucky rifle myself. Boy howdy was it tough. Should have started with something more simple, maybe a Hawkens style kit. It turned out really nice and kept me busiy. Alot of sanding, filing and chisel work. Then all that staining of wood and brown rusting of the barrel. It was my first try and I am very proud. Many mistakes were made. Too much chisel work in places and not very good alignment of forend stock pin holes, kind of made a gap at the joint of forend and stock. You have got to make sure to clamp everything down before starting to drill. Oops! I also got impatient with driving in new Brass pins made from a toilet lift arm and punched out some of the wood around the front pin whole. Oops!
Now the good stuff. Everything fits together really well. Wood stain is Home Dangler Dark red stain. Three coats. The Barrell is rust browned with Homer Dangler Dark brown. I polished up the Brass nice and shiney, like that alot. Then put car wax to preserve the shine. Looks really nice, at least to me. I will try to get some shooting done before Deer season with BP comes in January here in Texas.

Great Job. Looks good. Now your hooked!