Short barreled Longrifle

[Cowboy]

Been sorta of shopping around the web looking for ideas on a short barreled longrifle.

I am looking for a fullstock muzzleloader with a barrel between 32"-36" in length. Would like it to have a swamped barrel if possible but is not a deciding factor.

Some of the other requirements I am looking for are as follows:
1. .45 or .50
2. Left Hand
3. LOP 13 1/2" to 14"
4. Maple stock with some curl if possible, but is not a deciding factor. A nice looking Walnut stock would be OK too!
5. Doesn't matter if it has single or double triggers.
6. Furniture to be steel, but a combination of steel/brass would be OK too!
7. Don't care about a patchbox but if it had one that would be OK as well.

I am not looking for a production gun. Would like to purchase a nice used muzzleloader that has been well taken care of without any flaws.

One of our senior members and I are going to Friendship IN. this summer together and am hopefully going to find one their that meets what I am looking for in my first flintlock.

I will have around $1000 to spend for one. That is definitely all I will be able to afford.

Would like to get one that is completely finished if possible. Some will say to buy one in the white. All though I have built several kits in the past, I do not consider myself highly skilled. My kits came out looking great!, but they were very simple, what I would call beginners kits.

Bottom line is that, I don't trust my abilities to build and finish a muzzleloader like I would love to have.

Just looking around the web to get a better idea of what might be available out there in my price range, that would also have all the preferences that I listed above.

BTW: I do not want a Kentucky type or Southern Mountain type rifle.

I plan to use it at the range only! Do not hunt anymore.

As already mentioned, either a .45 or .50, but would prefer a .45 if at all possible!

Respectfully, Cowboy :grin:

 

[Wes/Tex]

Would recommend you have a peak at Track of theWof's site. Even if they don't have exactly what you're looking for in stock at the moment, looking at the pics is a hoot! :wink:

 

[hawkeye2]

I'm not sure you are likely to find what you want with a barrel that short but I suggest you call Tip Curtis and talk with him. He might be able to put something together for you. His in-the-white guns are ready to go right out of the box. All you have to do is stain the wood and brown the metal if you don't like a white finish. His prices are very good and his delivery time isn't long at all. It may run a little over $1000 but it will be worth every penny. He'll work with you and is a super nice guy too.


Tip Curtis
615-654-4445
Cross Plains, TN 37049

 

[mike54]

Have you considered a Jaeger?

 

Isaac Haines style would be just about perfect but it will be hard to find one in your price range. Tip Curtis will probably have something close, but I'm not sure that even his unfinished rifles are under a grand.

 

[Loyalist Dave]

I suppose something this short , even if left-handed and in .45, would be out of the question....

LD

 

[BrownBear]

Keep your eyes open for the "carbine" version of the Pedersoli Frontier. I don't see them listed any more, so maybe they're discontinued. But they're still around. I'm not home where I can measure my own 50 cal, but if my memory gland still has a few squirts of juice in it, I'm recalling that it has a 28" barrel.

Guys can turn up their noses and snort loudly at the prospect of such sacrilege, but they sure admire it when we're on the back side of a tall mountain far, far from the trail head. :thumbsup:

 

[Billnpatti]

Cowboy, I am in the process of re-stocking a flintlock .50 cal T/C Hawken with a Pecatonica full stock. Their stocks are about 98% inlet and it is almost a "drop in" stock. You have to inlet the thimbles into the ramrod channel, cut the stock to length (they are made long so you can cut them to the length that you want). I did find that the original buttplate was a tad bit too long at the toe but a few strokes with a file corrected that little problem. After that, it is mostly just sanding, a bit of shaping to suit yourself, if you wish, and applying a finish. It is not a difficult task and is a great thing to occupy yourself in the winter.....or any time, for that matter. If you have built kits before, re-stocking a T/C Hawken with a Pecatonaca stock will be a snap. Now, just find a left handed T/C flinter and make the gun that you want. I didn't ask but they may have stocks for a GPR, too. They have a booth at Friendship so drop by and talk to them.

 

[TNGhost]

Very neat little rifle, thanks for posting a good video.

 

[Rifleman1776]

One of our senior members and I are going to Friendship IN.

You say "this summer". Are you going during one of the championship shoots? If you are, do not buy anything beforehand. When you get there take at least two days to browse the many vendors and see what they have. Also wander the campgrounds for whatever individual seller may have, there often are many. You will see many hundreds of rifles offered for sale. Even if you do not find exactly what you have described, I'll betcha you will fall in love with something you find there and won't be able to leave it behind.

 

[vulture]

You could always shop for a good used Lyman Great Plains flintlock, get a new full stock for it from Pecatonica, I believe, and just swap out all the Lyman parts, if you want a better set of triggers there are replacement ones out there as well as replacement locks by L&R for the Lyman GPR. That would give you a flintlock with a 32 inch barrel, your only real problem would be caliber, which would have to be .50 or .54, the next would be style of the stock, it comes with a beaver tail check rest like the half stock Hawkins had. Another approach would be to purchase the stock, then get the replacement lock and triggers, round up a but plate you could fit to the stock along with the rest of the metal work, and then order the replacement barrel from Green Mountain and build a totally new rifle, you would be stuck with the design of the stock as it comes. I've actually done this, got the stock to convert my Lyman GPR flintlock kit to full stock and then decided to can that idea and picked up a replacement lock and trigger set along with a new barrel and will build me a totally different rifle with new parts once I get the Lyman kit put together. Good luck on your search.

 

[Cowboy]

One of our senior members and I are going to Friendship IN.

You say "this summer". Are you going during one of the championship shoots? If you are, do not buy anything beforehand. When you get there take at least two days to browse the many vendors and see what they have. Also wander the campgrounds for whatever individual seller may have, there often are many.

Plan on going on June 10th through the 12th. My sole reason for going is to buy a flintlock.

I am not going to shoot but plan to spend my time checking out all the venders and individual seller's.

I will have a very experienced member here with me to give the flintlock a good checking out and let me know if it is a good buy.

I will be able to shoulder it to see how it fits me and he will give it a good going over.

Hopefully we will find something within my price range that will be a nice muzzleloader.

I will have one of our best with me to keep me on track.

I will bring a little extra money to use if needed but will try to stay within my budget.

Everything I mentioned in what I'm looking for in a flintlock is not etched in stone!

The barrel length could be longer if it is comfortable when I shoulder it and I could hold it steady.

I can't hold a muzzleloader up very long off handed due to my disabilities.

Most all my shooting is done with shooting sticks and in the kneeling position.

Jethro is going to give me some pointers to see if we can get me able to shoot off hand alot better.

I would really like to get a left handed flintlock though.

I am a little worried about the panflash of shooting a right handed flintlock left handed.

Would also like to stay in the .45 or .50 range of caliber too! I cast my own balls and have tons available for both those calibers.

Lastly, I would like a fullstock for sure! I only own one fullstock muzzleloader which is my good old CVA Kentucky Rifle. All the other muzzleloaders I own are all halfstock plains type muzzleloader's. Everything I have is caplock. This will be my first flinter!

Respectfully, Cowboy :hatsoff:

 

[timothy prouty]

HEY try Tennessee Valley muzzleloader they might have what looking for good luck with everything

 

[excess650]

Go to Petaconica Longrifle site and look through the stock designs to find one that suits. Jaeger barrels are heavily swamped and typically 31". Green Mountain straight barrels are 36" or 42" but can be shortened. They will carve the stock in wood grade and type of your choice, inlet the barrel, tang, lock, and triggers. That is all of the difficult stuff. They might do a bit more, but you'll need to call to find out.

They did inlet a 31" Rice Jaeger barrel into the Virginia stock, but I haven't completed it.

 

[jethro224]

I'm not sure you are likely to find what you want with a barrel that short but I suggest you call Tip Curtis and talk with him. He might be able to put something together for you. His in-the-white guns are ready to go right out of the box. All you have to do is stain the wood and brown the metal if you don't like a white finish. His prices are very good and his delivery time isn't long at all. It may run a little over $1000 but it will be worth every penny. He'll work with you and is a super nice guy too.


Tip Curtis
615-654-4445
Cross Plains, TN 37049

Tip will be at Friendship too.
Cowboy, you GOTTA look at Tip's stuff before you make any decisions.

 

[Cowboy]

Jethro,

We'll go and check out whatever you think's best!

The ball will be in your court 100% of the time.

You know what is best!

There is no doubt in my mind that I will have the muzzleloader that will be best suited for me in the end and I will love it too! :grin:

Just wondering when on the ride home with my new flinter. Does Indiana have any laws that say that I cant hold my new flinter all the way home? :rotf:

Respectfully, Cowboy :hatsoff:

 

[cositrike]

Hey Cowboy.
I've been shooting right hand flinders, left handed for many years and have never been troubled by pan flash, so I wouldn't worry too much about that.
If you've got Jethro with you, he'll steer you well. He's a good shooter and a knowledgable friend to have. Good luck at Friendship. I'm sure you'll find what you want.wish I could get there this year, but a trip across the big pond (Atlantic) is not on this June.
Stay safe and shoot well.
Simon

 

[cositrike]

P.s
I may have what you are looking for,but in right hand. I'll try and remember to get it to Griz before friendship. Just ask Jethro if'n you don't know Griz. We're all Widowmakers.
I'll talk to Griz about price,but it would definitely be under your top line.
Simon

 

[Cowboy]

P.s
I may have what you are looking for,but in right hand. I'll try and remember to get it to Griz before friendship. Just ask Jethro if'n you don't know Griz. We're all Widowmakers.
I'll talk to Griz about price,but it would definitely be under your top line.
Simon

Simon, I appreciate your reply and help. I will talk with Jethro about Griz. I know he always welcomes the new members to our forum!

If you have a chance in the near future, could you PM me about your rifle and maybe send some pics. if at all possible?

I would greatly appreciate it. Again, thankyou for your reply!

Respectfully, Cowboy :hatsoff:

 

[smoothshooter]

Look no further than the " Little Feller's Rifle " from Jim Chambers.

Unfortunately, it comes in kit form only.

IIRC, 34" swamped barrel, flint, several calibers.

Length of pull on the short side, about 12 3/4" or thereabouts. Longer pull available, but you have to completely fit buttplate yourself.

Got to handle one at Friendship a year ago, and have been lusting after one ever since.