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OLDBRO

32 Cal.
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I have a CVA percussion 50 kit rifle and a TC 54 Hawkins with like ignition. Would any of you venture a suggestion on a good field grade flintlock Hawkins style in 50 or 54 cal. Some years back I was looking at the TC firestorm but got waylaid by life circumstances and that gun is long gone now. All input greatly appreciated.
 
Were you wanting a smoothbore flintlock? The best and planest is a North West Gun, or trade musket. If you were looking for a flint lock Hawken style gun, The Great plains Rifle is very good. True Hawkens planes rifles was not made as a flint lock, unless it was a one of a kind special order. Leman, Henry, Derringer,ect made full stock short barreled large caliber plane guns.
A production gun such as the GPR, or pedis Indian trade musket will be the least expensive new guns. A good Leman, although less fancy then some other guns will still bring a high custom price.
 
Lyman Trade Rifle come's in .50 and .54 flintlock, single trigger.
The Lyman GPR also comes in .50 and .54 cal flintlock,with double set triggers.
 
My latest rifle is the Lyman Deerstalker in .54 flint; great shooting rifle. I also bought a Trade rifle barrel for it in .54 flint; it drops right in. The Trade barrel was 150 bucks on clearance and came with an extra tang. The Trade barrel on the Deerstalker stock really makes a well balanced rifle.

They are as good as a Hawken rifle and a bunch cheaper. The .54 ball is all I need and it stacks them. My most accurate barrel is a GM .50 flint drop in.
 
Firestorm is a piece of junk. Poor spark from frizzen, horrible trigger pull. You can see rough machining in barrel. Stainless rusts, if you don't clean it right it will rust just like blued barrels, but slower.

Love my lyman great plains flintlock. Great gun, reliable sospaspark, consistent trigger. 54 balances nicer due to the barrel being lighter than the 50.

However, I dislike double triggers in general. I'm building a early reading 54 cal myself to replace it for hunting.

Only reason I'd ever let it go is I'm building my own guns nows.
 
Thanks all. I prefer rifled round ball barrels. It's what I shoot white tail with on my spread and what Im use to. Field grade means a gun I can beat up in the woods. I've been searching the web and there are some beautiful x grand guns that are more fine art work than tool. I'll look up your recommendations and be back with questions.
 
Just to comment The Firestorm has the same flint setup as the Tc Hawken (new style) I like mine real well. The trigger does suck. A lyman Trade rifle in a .54 would be a good choice. I have more than a few rifles to chose from and the Trade rifle is my main hunting rifle. The rear sight may need a stiffer spring to stay in position. A lot of people use a fixed rear sight. My spring has been intact for 15 or so years. Fixed site for me if it ever falls out.

Larry
 
LilGuy said:
Field grade means a gun I can beat up in the woods.
Not sure why you would want to "beat up" your gun in the woods. :shocked2: I've been packing one for 4 decades in all terrain and weather and they are as good as the day they were new.

A single shot makes you conscious of your aim, and an expensive gun makes you conscious of how you treat it.....Both make you better for it.
If your intention is to abuse the gun, I don't think a flintlock is going to be your thing.....
:2
 
colorado clyde said:
LilGuy said:
Field grade means a gun I can beat up in the woods.


Not sure why you would want to "beat up" your gun in the woods. :shocked2:

I've been packing one for 4 decades in all terrain and weather and they are as good as the day they were new.


+1

Although some folks do, In 50 years I've never had cause to actually beat (part) the brush with one, nor use the buttstock to finish off an animal - and certainly not as a stream-crossing aid/crutch.

:pop:
 
My Trade rifle barrel came with drift adjustable rear sight that is a square notch buckhorn style and the front sight is thick and squared. I love that sight; I never had one like that.
 
Stumpkiller said:
LilGuy said:
Field grade means a gun I can beat up in the woods.

No worries. You can beat up any grade of rifle or smoothbore in the woods.

You've got maybe 70 years you can spend in the woods with a flintlock. Why use the least expensive? What are you saving it for?
Yep! Can't take it with ya.... :thumbsup: :haha:
 
The Lyman Trade Gun is a solid choice. Cabelas has the Traditions Frontier .50 flint kit for $419. Similar to your CVA .50 I expect. They also have the deerhunter flinter for the same price.
 
colorado clyde said:
use the buttstock to finish off an animal

People that do that shouldn't be allowed to hunt. :shake:
Now one time I was hunting tree rats with a senaca .36. One took to barking in a tree behind me on the right. I was sitting on the ground at the base of an oak. I leaned and twisted and took a shot at him, knocking off clutter over his head. He dashed behind the tree, and I started loading. I was just pushing the ball down when he came down his tree making a beeline to a tree in front of me on my left. He ran right across from where I was sitting and I swung my butt in John Wayne at the Alamo style, at that little fellow as he ran by.
One way or another a senaca can kill a tree rat.
 

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