SulphurForkVagrant
32 Cal
Well gentlemen, for what it’s worth I’d like to share with you my thoughts on this flintlock thing for me. It’s certainly in its infancy, as I’ve just finished the rifle in the middle of August and I’ve taken it out shooting 4 times now, 5 tops.
So I reckon to start with, a little background to my black powder experience. I’m 34. I got my first bp rifle when I was 13 and had literally no guidance whatsoever. My dad knew a little bit but not enough to keep me from ruining that bore out of ignorance not to mention even a thought about load development. Anyways, that thing lasted about a year. Later on I got a t/c in-line when I was 16 that I saved up and bought from an uncle. I managed to take my first deer with it. A big fat southwestern Arkansas whitetail doe, which spun off another obsession in and of itself. And it lasted a few years before it succumbed to foolishness as well. Then when I turned 22 I bought a t/c hawken caplock 50 from another uncle who’d ruined the bore before I even got my hands on it but I was clueless. Missed a few deer with that thing because it wouldn’t hit the broadside of a barn and I’d just come to think that was just muzzleloaders. How wrong I was.
So fast forward 10 years to 2018. It was April and I’d just ordered myself a lyman gpr cap gun in 50 with the rb twist. And I was determined to figure this thing out. Mostly because life happened and I didn’t think I’d be able to afford another one if I’d ruined this one. Lo and behold I found myself on the muzzleloading forum. And I kept that rifle in literally new condition and shot the living crap out of it and slayed a many a deer. No issues with cleanliness or accuracy whatsoever. Time to step up. You guys taught me everything from cleaning, troubleshooting, maintenance, load development, and so many other things. The list goes on. And for that, I am forever grateful and I will pass it on. Thank you all.
So enough of all that. The rifle. Back in may I ordered myself a tvm kit. I really did not have any interest in building it, but financially, and the fact that I needed a left handed rifle, it was the only option I had. So I waited and waited and it finally came on July 7th. I could go on about how honestly for $1100 there was in my opinion way too much wood work to do. I’m a machinist, not a miracle I mean wood worker. Also the rear sight dovetail was filed too big and canted severely to the right but whatever man, I’m finally getting a flintlock. So I worked away on this thing for nearly a month and a half and finally finished it on August 18th. It is no beauty. The stock upon close inspection would make most of you hurl. There’s gaps in my inletting and things that just simply ain’t right but I did my best. The fit and finish simply put is awful. BUT, it really captures a poor man from the mountains of Appalachia very well. Which is my family lineage.
Doing the flintlock thing. I’ll admit, I didn’t know what to think my first range trip. What a crazy, odd, BEAUTIFUL, contraption this lock mechanism. Then I got home and attempted to clean it with the TOTW flintlock flush kit. Total waste of money…. So I hit up the forums search bar and read and cleaned. Went to bed frustrated. Shot some more, read some more. Wax on, wax off. Then yesterday and today it all came together and a friend of mines words came to mind “keep it simple stupid”. Lol. Cleaning is a literal breeze. It’s NOT a big deal. Toothpick that flash hole and do the thing. And as far as shooting goes, everyone I know was like “Hey man, hur dur duhhh that things gonna misfire like crazy with that old technology.” Or “Hey man, hur dur duhhhhhhh that flintlock is gonna have such a delay you won’t hit s***!” Omg how foolish and ignorant are they. I’m putting 5 shot groups at 50 yards on paper that most of my unmentionables can’t produce. It’s incredible. I don’t know that I’ll ever pick up another rifle for any reason unless I build another one and try to do a better job. Everything about it is simple, shooting or cleaning. The thing just feels right in my hands. It just feels a certain way when I’m carrying it even down range to look at my target. I can’t explain it. Fire, swab the bore, load again, pick the vent and let er rip. No issues period. Now that’s reliable.
Thank all of you guys for your wealth of knowledge and helping this guy get here. I had taught everything I learned to my dad as I was going here with our cap guns and he was having a blast and actually enjoying the hobby. I lost him this summer from covid. But I know he would have been right on my heels and we’d be building him a flintlock now after he got to experience this with me. I’m alone now, but I’m sure I’ll pass it to someone along the way. If you made it this far through all this thank you for reading. Just telling my story here around the fire at the muzzleloading forum. Thank you! -Dillon
So I reckon to start with, a little background to my black powder experience. I’m 34. I got my first bp rifle when I was 13 and had literally no guidance whatsoever. My dad knew a little bit but not enough to keep me from ruining that bore out of ignorance not to mention even a thought about load development. Anyways, that thing lasted about a year. Later on I got a t/c in-line when I was 16 that I saved up and bought from an uncle. I managed to take my first deer with it. A big fat southwestern Arkansas whitetail doe, which spun off another obsession in and of itself. And it lasted a few years before it succumbed to foolishness as well. Then when I turned 22 I bought a t/c hawken caplock 50 from another uncle who’d ruined the bore before I even got my hands on it but I was clueless. Missed a few deer with that thing because it wouldn’t hit the broadside of a barn and I’d just come to think that was just muzzleloaders. How wrong I was.
So fast forward 10 years to 2018. It was April and I’d just ordered myself a lyman gpr cap gun in 50 with the rb twist. And I was determined to figure this thing out. Mostly because life happened and I didn’t think I’d be able to afford another one if I’d ruined this one. Lo and behold I found myself on the muzzleloading forum. And I kept that rifle in literally new condition and shot the living crap out of it and slayed a many a deer. No issues with cleanliness or accuracy whatsoever. Time to step up. You guys taught me everything from cleaning, troubleshooting, maintenance, load development, and so many other things. The list goes on. And for that, I am forever grateful and I will pass it on. Thank you all.
So enough of all that. The rifle. Back in may I ordered myself a tvm kit. I really did not have any interest in building it, but financially, and the fact that I needed a left handed rifle, it was the only option I had. So I waited and waited and it finally came on July 7th. I could go on about how honestly for $1100 there was in my opinion way too much wood work to do. I’m a machinist, not a miracle I mean wood worker. Also the rear sight dovetail was filed too big and canted severely to the right but whatever man, I’m finally getting a flintlock. So I worked away on this thing for nearly a month and a half and finally finished it on August 18th. It is no beauty. The stock upon close inspection would make most of you hurl. There’s gaps in my inletting and things that just simply ain’t right but I did my best. The fit and finish simply put is awful. BUT, it really captures a poor man from the mountains of Appalachia very well. Which is my family lineage.
Doing the flintlock thing. I’ll admit, I didn’t know what to think my first range trip. What a crazy, odd, BEAUTIFUL, contraption this lock mechanism. Then I got home and attempted to clean it with the TOTW flintlock flush kit. Total waste of money…. So I hit up the forums search bar and read and cleaned. Went to bed frustrated. Shot some more, read some more. Wax on, wax off. Then yesterday and today it all came together and a friend of mines words came to mind “keep it simple stupid”. Lol. Cleaning is a literal breeze. It’s NOT a big deal. Toothpick that flash hole and do the thing. And as far as shooting goes, everyone I know was like “Hey man, hur dur duhhh that things gonna misfire like crazy with that old technology.” Or “Hey man, hur dur duhhhhhhh that flintlock is gonna have such a delay you won’t hit s***!” Omg how foolish and ignorant are they. I’m putting 5 shot groups at 50 yards on paper that most of my unmentionables can’t produce. It’s incredible. I don’t know that I’ll ever pick up another rifle for any reason unless I build another one and try to do a better job. Everything about it is simple, shooting or cleaning. The thing just feels right in my hands. It just feels a certain way when I’m carrying it even down range to look at my target. I can’t explain it. Fire, swab the bore, load again, pick the vent and let er rip. No issues period. Now that’s reliable.
Thank all of you guys for your wealth of knowledge and helping this guy get here. I had taught everything I learned to my dad as I was going here with our cap guns and he was having a blast and actually enjoying the hobby. I lost him this summer from covid. But I know he would have been right on my heels and we’d be building him a flintlock now after he got to experience this with me. I’m alone now, but I’m sure I’ll pass it to someone along the way. If you made it this far through all this thank you for reading. Just telling my story here around the fire at the muzzleloading forum. Thank you! -Dillon
Sorry for your loss. I too have lost my father and mentor. You have come a long way to be shootin a flintlock that is reliable. Most early birds to flintlock spend more time trying to make it go boom. 
