??/Pole for someone to flintlocks

[chopit73]

Yes I Would Like To Ask Anyone Out There About Fox valley Kits . I Am Not New At All To Black Powder Or Percussion cap as I shot on a team with the nssa for a few years , but that is percussion cap only and all nssa approved guns . now that I don't shot nssa anymore Just RB I do Have A T/C Hawken but it to is percussion cap , I have alwas wanted to shoot flintlocks . so I would like to ask for help I picking out a kit from fox valley . it would Be used For Local Bp Shoots And Needs To Be Built For precision target shooting. I Want It in .45cal, and am looking strongly at what I think is the poor boy big 50 I think that is the kits name but the help I need is what lock and barrel should I go with ? Any Help Please . Thank You ..

 

[54ball]

Do you mean Sitting Fox?

 

[chopit73]

yes that's right . guess I was in to big a hurry . sorry .

 

[54ball]

Sitting Fox has gotten mixed reviews on the forum lately.
To be honest I've always had a, I don't know......uneasy vibe about them.

These folks cost more but have a excellent rep and are good to deal with so I have heard. Link Pecatonica River

There's Track Link Track

And the Best kits known from Jim Chambers at flintlocks.com

 

[jdkerstetter]

Chambers kits are the best, bar none. They cost a little more but the money is well spent.

But if you set on a Southern Mountain gun they don't offer one. Consider components from T. Dennis Glazener at: http://www.gillespierifles.com/

A nice option you have with his guns is that brass hardware is appropriate. If you haven't worked investment cast steel parts, they are much more work than brass castings.

The most reliable and fastest lock you can get that is appropriate for a Southern Mountain Rifle is Chambers Late Ketland. I wouldn't use any other production lock.

As far as barrel, if going swamped the Rice Southern Classic is the most appropriate barrel for these guns. Most others have too much taper and flare to be correct.

If opting for a straight barrel in .45 caliber I would go with a 13/16" x 42" barrel as anything heavier becomes almost unwieldy.

Enjoy, J.D.

 

[tenngun]

I have never delt with them so I cant say anything one way or tother. I like track of the wolf, but most of the compineies use the same components.In a kit you have a lot of room to make a good rifle.The "southren,poorboy,carolina"type iron monted gun is one of the most "easy" to work up.It makes a gun thats easy on the eyes fun to shoot,right for about 60 years for reenactors and just all around good imho.I think you'll be right oleased with that sort of gun and the joy you get from building it :wink:

 

[54ball]

The "southren,poorboy,carolina"type iron monted gun is one of the most "easy" to work up.

Any rifle requires study if you want to get it right. As far as "easy", the only easy kits I know of are the factory kits like the Lyman and Traditions offerings and even these can be challenge.

I've have one of Dennis' parts set now and it's going to make a fine rifle. I would not call it easy though. I do not have one but I know folks who have built one, but a Chambers kit/parts set, though expensive is probably the easiest to assemble of the parts sets.

The following is the main factor in a Southern Mountain without the unnecessary furniture.

Architecture
Architecture
Architecture

Since they are so plain this has to be right to have a great Southern Appalachian rifle.

The same is true with any rifle, the architecture
has to be right as it is the heart of the rifle, but that has to be near perfect on a Southern Mountain.

It's true the Appalachian rifles are built sometimes without a butt plate but honestly, I do not know if this makes them easier or not.

Since it has no plate, the butt has to be shaped in a pleasing, user friendly manner that still matches the architecture of the rest of the rifle. Here you are working against the end grain and honestly fitting a plate may be easier when it is all said and done.

One thing about the Sitting Fox is the butt is not right, the builder needs to study originals to get that down.

Another big one is the lock choice. A Southern Mountain should have an English lock like JD suggests. The Track offering also comes with the incorrect Siler.

I guess what I mean about a plain southern rifle is that it is still a longrifle, only more so.

Honestly, if the OP wants a cheap and easy shooter that he can complete with sandpaper, here you go.
Link Traditions Kentucky

I'm not meaning to be negative but building a rifle from a parts set requires an investment in time tools and effort. Mostly effort.

 

[tenngun]

When I said easy I put it in quotes.A plain rifle ,southern or late northern Trade gun such as the leman doesn't have the complex carving,inleting or engraving, and are often free of patchboxes and buttraps.Short of a gun in the white there is no easy gun, but compared to a fine penn rifle it is easy or easier,but well within the skill level of a person who can do basic wood work.My first rifle was a full stock flintlock Hawkin style.All iron furnture,1 piece breech plug and wedges without ectustion plates.I buggered it up a lot,but did not make any real bad screw ups. If I had tried a fine gun it would have come out as manure not worth the cost of the parts.I like plane guns but maybe because thats where my skill sets lay :surrender:

 

[DUSTY 14]

pecatonica river mills stocks for track,dixie, and who knows who else. call and talk to them and they are shouting over the machines roaring in the background. they will send a stock milled to most any level of finish you are ready to pay for. i bought t kits from them as i have limited shop space. finished my trade gun on my 36ft sailboat several winters ago. good people and good product. have been told by several people that dick has forgotten more on gun building than most will ever know. chambers locks are great as i had a spring break and when i called to order a new one they asked me to return the entire lock. i received a polished tuned lock seems like the day befroe i sent it off. fast service

 

[MSW]

+1 on pecatonica - great folks, and a product that's more that worth the money...

:hatsoff:

 

[tenngun]

I think I've delt with pecotonck.I had said in my post that most of the compies use the same supplies.A gm barrel is the sames from totw,log cabin or dgw. I have never had bad servie from any company I delt with,from goldenage arms in the 70s till totw today.Building guns is a lot of fun and I encourge anyone to jump in and join us :v

 

[Col. Batguano]

their barrel inlets seem to be shallow and short though.

 

[chopit73]

Thank You To You All .. Now Just Have Got To Make My Mind You To Witch Rifle To Start With .. For Now How About The Best Books On Building These Rifles .. And All The Tools Needed ? Thank You Again ..

 

[tenngun]

All the ml supply compinies have good building books.A good set of exacto type knifes,set of files couple of 1/4 chisles one cut down to 1/8,hacksaw,rasp or poket plane, demerol type rotory tool some sort of inleting color,(I like candle black,they make an inleting black and i've read that lipstick works well
),sandpaper and block, set of small screwdrivers spring vise, scrapers, wrench to fit breach plug and barrel,drills and taps for small screws solder and orch if needed on your type gun,thats all I can think of more as you find it while working :grin:

 

[bonron]

Zuave: From personal experience let me WARN you that if you buy from Sitting Fox make sure you carefully and completely inspect your purchase BEFORE you pay for it!!!!!..............Ron :nono:

 

[Rifleman1776]

Sitting Fox has gotten mixed reviews on the forum lately.

Yes. Worth repeating.
If you consider SF, call and ask who will be doing the actual building of your gun. Don't be surprised if you get an evasive reply

 

[blackpowderscout]

The Avance's at TVM are another option. Super nice folks to deal with and they have options to suit most anyone. Give them a call, they are friendly and highly respected.
http://www.avsia.com/tvm/index.html