Want to get into Muzzleloading and have a lot of questions so I figured I would post in this forum.

[Ben Meyer]

I like. .50 cal. It works fine with 3f or 2f powder. Rule of thumb, 3f for .45 and lower, 2f for .50 or higher. But .50 works well with either. Regardless, I'd go to that shop and buy a pound of powder every day for a week, even before you choose a gun.

While my next gun will be a smoothbore, id get a rifle first. Once you get a gun, you'll need flints, lead balls, a powder measure, and a big pack of cleaning patches. Get a can of Ballistol. Then obtain a copy of Dutch Schoultz's BP Accuracy Method and read it. From there, patching, patch lube and lots of range time, shooting different loads until you figure out what your gun "likes '

 

[appalichian hunter]

There are two in Frostburg that are a Pawn and Gun and one is a gunsmith I will be checking out tomorrow. I hope to find something good there. On a side note my neck of the woods is mostly just woods.

I have spent a good bit of time in your neck of the woods.

 

[CapPopper]

Really I thought a gun kit was harder than that. I was reading some things online about Track of the Wolf kits and The Rifle Shoppe kits being a pain in the neck so it kinda through me off. Does the skin barrel on the Fusil make a difference or is it fine ? Does it rust easily ?

Really depends on the kit the pedersoli kits can be shot right out of the box..... They come completely assembled and really just need some polishing of the barrel and some type of finish and then some sanding on the stock and finishing I think I only have 4 hours max in mine. I wasn't worried about beautiful perfection either. My guns get used often hard and in thick brush and I feel really bad when I carry a super fine gun to hunt with.

 

[CapPopper]

This is how it came out of the box

 

[mmb617]

Just going by my own experience I wouldn't obsess too much over what to buy as my first flintlock. Buy something inexpensive and get used to all the little things that go into shooting one. It's a pretty sure bet that first one won't be the last one you buy. After a while you'll have a better feel for what the next one should be.

I bought my first ever black powder gun last year. I now own 5 flintlocks and I'm far from wealthy. They are all .50 caliber as I wanted to simplify supply issues by staying with one caliber. I will say that with .50 caliber being probably the most popular that size of balls are often out of stock a lot of places. I cast my own now so I don't care anymore but it used to be a problem.

 

[Murphy_Roberts]

This is how it came out of the box
View attachment 113805

What rifle is that ?

 

[Murphy_Roberts]

Well I'm partial to the .54 caliber. I know that isn't your first choice but that fine. I just like the .54 because it's got a little more oomph than a .50, and everybody's got a .50 caliber.

Think about what you plan to do most with the gun. If it's target shooting, then any caliber will suffice. Of course the smaller calibers will allow lead and powder to go further, but you're going to burn it either way you go.

If hunting is your first choice then narrow it down to the game and then choose. If you say everything, then you'd better go with a smoothbore. If deer, then a larger caliber will be ideal. If small game, then go with a .32 or .36 caliber.

I've been looking at smoothbores and rifles, I been watching a lot of YouTube videos on hunting and target shooting. I want to hunt everything, I guess the consensus is by a rifle and a smoothbore. As I don't own a shotgun a smoothbore would be good I guess, I will see if I can get both in one go.

 

[LME]

just get a Great Plains Rifle or a TC Hawken to start with
both are good entry guns that serve well for long time shooters and newbies alike they are good guns

you got a grand to spend? hold off, get a $500 gun to start with, that other $500 will get you a nice kit to go with the rifle, the gun will retain value if you chose to sell it

get a .50 or .54 is my advice due to availability of supplies

It does my heart good to see one smart person from the state of Washington! You gave him some smart advice!

 

[R Ellis]

Get the 20 gauge fowler you found if it is in new or good comdition they dont show up for sale very often next buy a rifle if it is in your budget you will not regret it jmo

 

[CapPopper]

What rifle is that ?

Pedersoli Kentucky mine is a .32 but they have it in .45 and .50 if my target was going to be deer sized animals and coyotes I would opt for the .50 but if you are wanting to shoot squirrels and rabbits and such as well I would lean towards .45 in a rifle. The .50 will do it but the .45 is better and both are perfectly acceptable on deer up to medium size and though I have no experience in this possibly smallish black bears...... Get one with a moderate twist like a 1:48 and it should handle some Conicals as well if you ever need more power but the old patched ball is more fun to load and shoot

 

[CapPopper]

I've been looking at smoothbores and rifles, I been watching a lot of YouTube videos on hunting and target shooting. I want to hunt everything, I guess the consensus is by a rifle and a smoothbore. As I don't own a shotgun a smoothbore would be good I guess, I will see if I can get both in one go.

Ive got a .58 kibler smootbore coming soon hopefully. I find that 100 yards is a long way with iron sights with my 50 and sure wouldn't shoot farther the way it's set up. Figure if I can play around and get 60-70 yard potential out of a smoothbore it will be more than enough. As far as caliber really goes balls are readily available and casting is not that expensive or difficult to get into if you get something not readily available. I cast everything I shoot especially since a lot of swaged balls you usually find in the store vary greatly by weight.

 

[rocullen]

This is how it came out of the box
View attachment 113805

they must have change things up!

my great plains sure didn't come that way and I had to do extensive work in the barrel channel at breech end.

 

[sheriff john]

Everyone's covered most everything except quality of locks. Where percussion ignition is straight forward, boiled down to "hammer hits a cap", flintlocks' variables can be frustrating. Research reviews of those that interest you. "Out of production" probably means problems even finding that lost screw, broken spring, or non-sparking frizzen.

Cost does not always equal quality, it only equals what someone's willing to pay.

 

[Buckskinquin]

I'm going to go first thing tomorrow morning I called ahead of time to have them hold aside a 1lb for me as I can only buy one per day. I will get as much as I can just to be safe. I didn't know FFG could also be used to prime. Sounds like it will be the most useful powder.

Take your wife to a pound also.

 

[Murphy_Roberts]

Take your wife to a pound also.

If I had one, I'm 21 and marrying someone right now isn't on the top of my list. Though I have been eyeing up getting a game dog. I've been looking at a Beagle to be a rabbit and squirrel dog. A girlfriend is enough for me at the moment but it will be noted for the future.

 

[Murphy_Roberts]

Get the 20 gauge fowler you found if it is in new or good comdition they dont show up for sale very often next buy a rifle if it is in your budget you will not regret it jmo

I just got back from Frostburg and they had 3 more smoothbores. There was a smoothbore T/C Renegade which was advertised as .56 caliber, there was a 12 gauge Tulle Fusil with a club butt and an old percussion converted militia musket that looked like hell. The rifles were mostly percussion and modern though no flintlocks to really see besides a Harpers Ferry Rifle made by Euroarms that they wanted $1700 for. Is 20 better than 16 and 12 ? I've found all 3 here locally and definitely think I'm going to go the smoothbore route first and get a rifle second if I can't get them both at the same time.

 

[Robby]

You have a lot of youthful enthusiasm, thats' a good thing and natural, take that energy and focus.
Best to you!
Robby

 

[Murphy_Roberts]

Pedersoli Kentucky mine is a .32 but they have it in .45 and .50 if my target was going to be deer sized animals and coyotes I would opt for the .50 but if you are wanting to shoot squirrels and rabbits and such as well I would lean towards .45 in a rifle. The .50 will do it but the .45 is better and both are perfectly acceptable on deer up to medium size and though I have no experience in this possibly smallish black bears...... Get one with a moderate twist like a 1:48 and it should handle some Conicals as well if you ever need more power but the old patched ball is more fun to load and shoot

Will .45 rip squirrel and rabbit apart ? All I can think about it drawing a colt revolver on a squirrel and seeing hair and nothing else. Is a .45 cal muzzleloader less powerful ? Or just scale the load back ?

 

[Murphy_Roberts]

You have a lot of youthful enthusiasm, thats' a good thing and natural, take that energy and focus.
Best to you!
Robby

Is that an old Ford Tractor there in your profile picture ? My father collects those he has 2n,8n,9n and jubilee tractors.

 

[Murphy_Roberts]

Everyone's covered most everything except quality of locks. Where percussion ignition is straight forward, boiled down to "hammer hits a cap", flintlocks' variables can be frustrating. Research reviews of those that interest you. "Out of production" probably means problems even finding that lost screw, broken spring, or non-sparking frizzen.

Cost does not always equal quality, it only equals what someone's willing to pay.

How can you tell what lock is what? I don't see a lot of markings on these locks. Some of the guns are name brand and I guess I could look them up online but a lot of them are custom built and are just a matte coloured lock.