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Does anyone know anything about the Numrich Arms Minute man rifle. Quality? value? history? performance?
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Numrich Arms
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In the Lyman Muzzleloader's Handbook, 1976, most factory guns available were featured in the back section. The Minuteman sold for $199. The TC Hawken went for $205 and the Renegade for $165 that year. These were production guns.
By comparison, the Green River Rifle Works halfstock Hawken went for $500. That was a high quality semi-custom piece using best quality components. Entirely different quality and it was historically accurate. That was the most expensive "factory" gun of it's day.
The Minuteman was one of the few choices of guns meant to represents the longrifle. Many Numrich guns were reliable and shot well. In retrospect, it does not represent any known longrifle style, the patchbox was designed with easy routing inletting in mind, and etc. But for the emerging black powder "boom" at that time it was a way to get a long rifle, full-stocked, that felt as though it was representing an earlier period than the "hawken" style.
By comparison, the Green River Rifle Works halfstock Hawken went for $500. That was a high quality semi-custom piece using best quality components. Entirely different quality and it was historically accurate. That was the most expensive "factory" gun of it's day.
The Minuteman was one of the few choices of guns meant to represents the longrifle. Many Numrich guns were reliable and shot well. In retrospect, it does not represent any known longrifle style, the patchbox was designed with easy routing inletting in mind, and etc. But for the emerging black powder "boom" at that time it was a way to get a long rifle, full-stocked, that felt as though it was representing an earlier period than the "hawken" style.
Going solely from memory, I think they were made in Belgium for Numrich during the late 60's and 70's.
Numrich is still in business and still in West Hurley, NY. I suggest you contact them.
http://www.gunpartscorp.com/
At some point the Minuteman was marketed under the Hopkins & Allen label, and Numrich is somehow associated with them.
Hopkins & Allen - Minuteman parts list
Numrich is still in business and still in West Hurley, NY. I suggest you contact them.
http://www.gunpartscorp.com/
At some point the Minuteman was marketed under the Hopkins & Allen label, and Numrich is somehow associated with them.
Hopkins & Allen - Minuteman parts list
My BLACK POWDER GUN DIGEST , 1972 shows 2 versions:
The full size Minuteman was made in .36 and .45 caliber and was available in Flint or Precussion.
They had a shorter version called the Minuteman Brush Rifle available in .45 or .50 caliber. This version had a 24 inch barrel. Interestingly, they say this short gun was avaliable with a rifled or smoothbore barrel.
All versions were stocked in Maple.
The full size Minuteman was made in .36 and .45 caliber and was available in Flint or Precussion.
They had a shorter version called the Minuteman Brush Rifle available in .45 or .50 caliber. This version had a 24 inch barrel. Interestingly, they say this short gun was avaliable with a rifled or smoothbore barrel.
All versions were stocked in Maple.
Back in the dim, dark past of the 60's the "Minuteman" and Dixie's italian imports were about all you could get your hands on. The .36 used balls of .350" diameter though it took some figuring to work it out. Various sized balls weren't common like today though Lyman could provide molds in most any size you could think up.
The "Minuteman" rifles usually required some tinkering with the springs and frizzen hardening to work effeciently. Once some of these things were done, the rifles shot well enough for what a .36 was designed to do. The wood/metal fit could be a bit spotty and the huge, wavy patchbox was kind'a clunky but it was a real Davy Crockett rifle...yes, I was a kid when Fess Parker first hit the big-time!!
The "Minuteman" rifles usually required some tinkering with the springs and frizzen hardening to work effeciently. Once some of these things were done, the rifles shot well enough for what a .36 was designed to do. The wood/metal fit could be a bit spotty and the huge, wavy patchbox was kind'a clunky but it was a real Davy Crockett rifle...yes, I was a kid when Fess Parker first hit the big-time!!
To the best of my recollection they were reported to be good however good is a relative term. I think some of the barrels Numrich produced had off center holes, or at least that is what I think I recall in the Dixie Gun Works catalog back when they carried the barrels. If you run into such a barrel one end is usually dead on so use that for the muzzle. Get an over sized breech plug and take it down to match the barrel.
Every time I am around Kingston NY I make a side trip( 15 minutes) over to The Gun Parts. They have a lot of stuff not in the catalog and it always pays to give them a call to see what they have. They also buy used parts in good shape which can help finance some deals.
Every time I am around Kingston NY I make a side trip( 15 minutes) over to The Gun Parts. They have a lot of stuff not in the catalog and it always pays to give them a call to see what they have. They also buy used parts in good shape which can help finance some deals.
My first kit was a minuteman flint. The barrel was as accurate as any out there, the rest of the gun wasn't as good. I fitted the gun with a siler flintlock and then had a fine shooting, but ugly rifle. I named the gun BRAND-X and won a lot of stuff over the years I shot it. Its had well over 15000 shots through it and the guy I sold it to is still shooting it and is very happy with it.
The Minuteman was my first flintlock too (1971) and the only "kit" I ever built. I decided to make my own mistakes after that.
The rifle shot fairly well but the detailing was pretty poor - the 2 piece sheet metal buttplate, the glue on thimbles, and the patchbox that looked like a paint spill. The lock wasn't anything special either - but it all worked good enough to get me hooked.
I still have the barrel and will make something from it someday
The rifle shot fairly well but the detailing was pretty poor - the 2 piece sheet metal buttplate, the glue on thimbles, and the patchbox that looked like a paint spill. The lock wasn't anything special either - but it all worked good enough to get me hooked.
I still have the barrel and will make something from it someday
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