New here with a question .

[martin19631]

I hope this won't sound dumb or already been asked 100s of times before.
What would be a good rifle for a new person who wants to get started in shooting a Percussion rifle,what to look for,what to stay away from in a used one say at a pawn shop or gun show and price range.

 

[CoyoteJoe]

Unless you know the gun's owner and know him to be a knowledgeable and conscientious shooter the used muzzleloader is a pig in a poke. Far too many people get a muzzleloader but don't get educated as to how to properly load and care for it. Blackpowder residue is corrosive and if the owner puts the gun aside without cleaning the bore can become pitted in short order. People will also fire a muzzleloader without getting the projectile fully seated on the powder charge which results in a bulge or "ring" in the bore. The fact that a gun is sitting in a pawn shop should tell you just how much it was loved.
Any gun can be neglected or abused but blackpowder guns offer more opportunities for things to be done improperly and it is harder to examine inside the barrel, thus I am leery of used MLs. At the very least you should get one of the little LED lights small enough to drop down the bore to have a good look at it's condition.

 

[longcruise]

Pay heed to what Coyote Joes says about used guns. :shocked2:

As far as good choices for a new one. The Lyman GPR has a great following and reputation. Also the TC "Hawken" rifle.

Neither are cheap but you may as well start out with a useable gun.

 

[jethro224]

When looking at used guns, as was said, you want to check the barrel first. A small flashlight that can be dropped down the bore is a very handy tool. You may also want to buy a couple of jags in the caliber size(s) you might be interested in. You can run a patch down the bore to feel for loose or rough spots.

Check the trigger(s) to make sure they function properly. DO NOT dry fire it! Keep hold of the hammer.

Check the lock to make sure both half and full cock engage and hold. Bump the hammer in both positions to make sure it doesn't fire until the trigger is pulled. Again, do not dry fire.

Check closely for cracks in the stock. Pay extra attention around the lock bolts, tang, and wrist areas.

You didn't say what you want to do with the rifle. Do you plan to use it for hunting? What game? Rendezvous? Just target shooting? That would make a difference as to what would be your best options.
What style of rifle are you interested in? Hawken-like? Longrifle? Anything-that-shoots?

Check out the classifieds section here on the forum. Some good deals can be found there.

 

[tom deinek]

FWIW, I just bought a used TC New Englander for $40. Took 5 hours of love & a week in kerosene to clean it up, but that was fun given the prize I ended up with.

Lot of deals out there as many guys now want in-lines instead of traditional (i.e., manly) ml's.

 

[David W.]

Welcome to the forum! You will find a lot of Knowledgeable folks here.

Track of The Wolf has a reasonably priced used rifle every now and then. I would look to someone like them if you aren't comfortable at inspecting the pawn shop variety.

If I purchased a new one, I would go for something like a Lyman or Pedisoli. The Traditions are the low end of the quality scale, but some on the forum own them and like them.

 

[Rogue River]

How much does your budget allow? CVA or Thompson Center are both good entry level rifles to start with. $200 to $400 will get you a nice used rifle, just make sure the bore is good. Check our the forums classified there is a few nice ones offered. The good thing about the forums classifies you will get the straight scoop! :thumbsup:

 

[martin19631]

Thanks to everyone for the feed back.
Coyote Joe and Jethro 224 you helped me alot thanks.