Thanks for the compliment. Semper Fi.
-
Friends, our 2nd Amendment rights are always under attack and the NRA has been a constant for decades in helping fight that fight.
We have partnered with the NRA to offer you a discount on membership and Muzzleloading Forum gets a small percentage too of each membership, so you are supporting both the NRA and us.
Use this link to sign up please; https://membership.nra.org/recruiters/join/XR045103
Newbie looking for first flintlock
- Thread starter texaspilot82
- Start date
Help Support Muzzleloading Forum:
user 34300
54 Cal.
- Joined
- Nov 25, 2019
- Messages
- 1,743
- Reaction score
- 2,124
I always steer folks toward Kibler based on the quality, service and overall value.
Cheap flintlocks are likely to be disappointing. Mass market locks for productions guns are a gamble. Locks made from castings and hastily assembled are not a good bet. A Chambers made Siler is going to be good. There are other custom makers. For now, Kibler is the sure bet. Those locks are made by CNC and are like a Swiss watch. I find my flints seem to last forever.
Mass market flint lock rifle may have a patent breech. Avoid that, they are not as reliable as a liner and regular plug.
As a club shoot target rifle I am extremely happy with my Kibler SMR's in 40 cal. I have two, identical, but one is caplock. I made the caplock-lock. One barrel is Rice, one is Hoyt.
The 45 cal SMR barrels are made by Green Mountain. They make a very light SMR. I have found that Green mountain barrels, on average give better accuracy than other mass market barrel makers.
I did find that the 32 cal was not as accurate as I wanted. That may be due to fiddley loading and or the barrel quality. Every barrel is an individual. My 36 cal SMR shoots fine, I do not know if it was GM or another maker.
You can not go wrong with Kibler. SMR, Woods Runner, or Colonial are all great rifles.
Cheap flintlocks are likely to be disappointing. Mass market locks for productions guns are a gamble. Locks made from castings and hastily assembled are not a good bet. A Chambers made Siler is going to be good. There are other custom makers. For now, Kibler is the sure bet. Those locks are made by CNC and are like a Swiss watch. I find my flints seem to last forever.
Mass market flint lock rifle may have a patent breech. Avoid that, they are not as reliable as a liner and regular plug.
As a club shoot target rifle I am extremely happy with my Kibler SMR's in 40 cal. I have two, identical, but one is caplock. I made the caplock-lock. One barrel is Rice, one is Hoyt.
The 45 cal SMR barrels are made by Green Mountain. They make a very light SMR. I have found that Green mountain barrels, on average give better accuracy than other mass market barrel makers.
I did find that the 32 cal was not as accurate as I wanted. That may be due to fiddley loading and or the barrel quality. Every barrel is an individual. My 36 cal SMR shoots fine, I do not know if it was GM or another maker.
You can not go wrong with Kibler. SMR, Woods Runner, or Colonial are all great rifles.
That's funny you say that. I have 2 SMR's. A .36 and a .45. The .45 is a tack driver, however the .36 is decently accurate, but not as accurate as I like. Semper Fi.
Walnut .45 cal.
Cherry .36 cal.
Walnut .45 cal.
Cherry .36 cal.
Last edited:
Sidney Smith
58 Cal.
- Joined
- Feb 17, 2019
- Messages
- 2,205
- Reaction score
- 2,312
Don't buy a Traditions flintlock. You will wind up frustrated. Traditions guns are bottom of the barrel. If you feel as though you really will enjoy muzzleloading, do yourself a favor and spend the extra money now and get the best gun you can afford.
If Traditions is all you can muster then good luck.
If Traditions is all you can muster then good luck.
You do not always get what you pay for. Rarely will you get that which you did not pay for.
Sidney Smith
58 Cal.
- Joined
- Feb 17, 2019
- Messages
- 2,205
- Reaction score
- 2,312
In the case of Traditions, yes, you will get what you pay for. A low end, bottom of the barrel muzzleloader with a dinky lock that is unsuitable for a rifle. This will only lead to frustration.
leam
36 Cal.
Mine is okay, and came at a less than half of a Kibler kit. The Traditions was a good intro, my first flintlock. It let me see that I could shoot that style and enjoy it.
Lots of folks have mentioned Kibler, and I'll agree with that. I'm slowly talking myself into a kit. Watch some of his videos, and ask yourself if you can do that level of hand work. I can, and I'm really not that good with tools.
Jason holgate
40 Cal
Buy a kibler kit woodsrunner or colonial would be my favorites you will not be sorry
TDM
Cannon
- Joined
- May 28, 2022
- Messages
- 9,660
- Reaction score
- 24,222
- Location
- Louisiana & My camp in Mississippi
Buying a Traditions percussion is fine, I have one. Buying a Traditions flintlock, no.
welcome to the forum
Guys, I think he already bought the Traditions. So happy shooting. I hope it does you well.
@texaspilot82, the Traditions flint lock is a entry level lock. This means it was manufactured to meet the cost requirements at entry level. Early CVA/Traditions locks had a thin case hardening that would wear away after a short period of use. That's how we learned about applying a thin piece of hardened steel to the face of the frizzen. A Pedersoli or Traditions flint may work as delivered. The percussion locks are acceptable with a little clean up. The flint locks will really benefit from being tuned up and having the frizzen through hardened.
Surfinator58
40 Cal
- Joined
- Sep 7, 2018
- Messages
- 228
- Reaction score
- 375
Don't overlook the Italian guns as well as India made muskets! Often times you can pick them up on a budget and with a little judicious Gunsmithing have a serviceable weapon! If you are able to afford $1,200 for a Kibler kit and feel comfortable building your own gun that's definitely a plus or you can buy a completed gun from one of the American builders for three or four thousand dollars if that's more your style
