Shopping for a finished Flintlock Rifle

[Bowhunter57]

It appears that anyone can purchase an inline and at any location.
However, finding a traditional full stock long rifle in a flintlock is entirely another matter. I've looked at the Pedersoli rifles, but all of them appear to be a 1:48 twist. A slower twist would be preferred for patched round ball shooting. I've read entirely too many articles on the Hatfield rifles having poor ignition problems...so, I'm staying away from that issue.
I was hoping to purchase a finished rifle, instead of a kit. I just spent a couple of days at Friendship, Indiana and there were a lot of finished rifles there, but they were mostly custom builds and had a price tag to match of $1600+.

Does anyone have a website to some companies that produce finished long rifles?
Flintlock or Percussion is fine and 45 or 50 caliber would be nice.
I appreciate any information and direction that you may provide.

Bowhunter57

 

[ArmorerRoy]

Dixie gun works is great to buy from.

 

[Trot]

I would like to add that there is not a thing wrong with 1 in 48" rifling for round balls. One of my most accurate rifles has that twist, it will shoot one ragged hole groups at 50 yards if I do my part.

 

[Eric Krewson]

Just the parts for any non factory gun will be $1000 and up, that is why the price tags you saw were in the upper range. When I started making guns 10 years ago the best parts for a complete gun cost around $650, that price has since doubled.

Every TC barrel except for the PA Hunter was 1 in 48, over a million of them, once you found the right combination to shoot out of them they can almost all be tack drivers. I have found my TCs don't shoot as good with a really stout patched ball load out of a 1-48 TC barrel, I shoot around 75 gr of 2F out of mine for deer, others load them way up and get great accuracy, every barrel is different.

Keep up with the classified section, TC PA hunters (flint 1-66) come up every now and then, I saw a Lyman GPR (1-66) with an L&R RPL lock in one of the M/L classifieds the other day.

 

[deermanok]

Check out Muzzle-Loaders.com
They usually have a decent selection of factory completed rifles and kits.

 

[david w]

There is nothing wrong with a 48" twist. All of my smoke poles have been 48" twist except my .62Hawken which has a 60" twist. The larger the ball, the slower the twist can be. As said, Dixie Gun Works has a few flinters for under $900.

 

[Grenadier1758]

I agree with @David W. There is no real problem with the 1 in 48"twist. Many rifles made with the 1 in 48 twist before button rifling with the shallow grooves became the manufacturing procedure of choice were well know for accurate on target performance. It's the depth of the grooves and width of the lands that determine the accuracy potential. If the grooves are about 0.010" deep and the lands are as wide as the grooves, you should have an accurate rifle.

 

[Bowhunter57]

I appreciate the informational replies, gentlemen!

Eric Krewson,
My first muzzleloader was a TC Hawken, but I never shot round balls out of it. Conical bullets seemed to produce good accuracy with 2F. My second muzzleloader was the TC Penn. Hunter, which was intended for round balls and it shot them very well. I killed 3 deer with that rifle.

I just found out that a friend of mine has a Tennessee Poor Boy that has Siler flintlocks with a 40" Montana barrel, in a 1:70 twist, that's a 54 caliber. He only wants $600 for it and we both know who built the rifle, as well as how it shoots. It's a quality build and has very good accuracy, so I may just go with that rifle and be happy.

 

[Rock Home Isle]

Great news…patience is a virtue.

 

[Brazos John]

I just found out that a friend of mine has a Tennessee Poor Boy...

Sounds like your search is over, and at a good price!

 

[deerstalkert]

I appreciate the informational replies, gentlemen!

Eric Krewson,
My first muzzleloader was a TC Hawken, but I never shot round balls out of it. Conical bullets seemed to produce good accuracy with 2F. My second muzzleloader was the TC Penn. Hunter, which was intended for round balls and it shot them very well. I killed 3 deer with that rifle.

I just found out that a friend of mine has a Tennessee Poor Boy that has Siler flintlocks with a 40" Montana barrel, in a 1:70 twist, that's a 54 caliber. He only wants $600 for it and we both know who built the rifle, as well as how it shoots. It's a quality build and has very good accuracy, so I may just go with that rifle and be happy.

i would be all over that poor boy like ducks on June bugs! investarms are selling for that amount today! that siler lock is a third of the price.

 

[hanshi]

The poor boy will be a very good rifle to choose. And you can't beat that price. Rate of twist, unless very fast, doesn't make that much difference. As Grenadier1758 mentioned as long as the rifling depth is somewhere around .010" or deeper a 1-48" will shoot along with any other accurate rifle. In fact a twist of 1-48" is H/C and common back in the day.

 

[Bowhunter57]

i would be all over that poor boy like ducks on June bugs! investarms are selling for that amount today! that siler lock is a third of the price.

deerstalkert,
I took your advice.
All I need now, is all the accessories. Time to start shopping.

 

[Eric Krewson]

Good choice! It has a late Ketland lock, one of the fastest out there and my favorite.

 

[azmntman]

WOW, another stolen rifle!

LOL good buy

 

[Grenadier1758]

@Bowhunter57, you made a great choice. That's the best way to get a finished Flintlock Rifle. Much better final product than most production rifles.

 

[david w]

deerstalkert,
I took your advice.
All I need now, is all the accessories. Time to start shopping.
View attachment 144737
View attachment 144738

Accessories include a fouling scraper, bullet puller, cleaning jag, Ballistol, for making moose milk, and a few other things I can't think of right now. A metal or bras range rod is highly suggested. I use old T-shirts cut up for cleaning patches. You know, the ones with the yellow collar.

 

[david w]

I had a fancy Bedford County rifle. It was very accurate, but the silver inlays and carvings did not make it a great rifle. It just made it more pretty. I'm sure your Poor Boy will please you, and give you good service as long as you use English or French flints..

 

[Grenadier1758]

@Bowhunter57, get all the information you can about that rifle from your friend. You will want all his load development data, ball diameter, patch thickness, patch lubrication and powder charge. If you can, try to buy the accessories specific to that rifle and get a list of the accessories that your friend felt that he needed to keep his shots on target.

 

[Graybeard2A]

I appreciate the informational replies, gentlemen!

Eric Krewson,
My first muzzleloader was a TC Hawken, but I never shot round balls out of it. Conical bullets seemed to produce good accuracy with 2F. My second muzzleloader was the TC Penn. Hunter, which was intended for round balls and it shot them very well. I killed 3 deer with that rifle.

I just found out that a friend of mine has a Tennessee Poor Boy that has Siler flintlocks with a 40" Montana barrel, in a 1:70 twist, that's a 54 caliber. He only wants $600 for it and we both know who built the rifle, as well as how it shoots. It's a quality build and has very good accuracy, so I may just go with that rifle and be happy.

That sounds like your best option!! If it were me, I'd jump on it. AND if ya don't, I'M INTERESTED!!!