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What to avoid
- Thread starter KYEric
- Start date
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As far as what to avoid, any used gun with a rusty bore, unless you're willing to put a lot of work into it to make it a shooter.
Hi,
You will find it very hard to find a custom gun for anywhere near $1000
As you mentioned, you can buy a Lyman GPR in .54 for $509 near by, you can't beat that for a new gun.
The Lyman .54 is the best of the bunch.
Good luck on your quest!
Fred
You will find it very hard to find a custom gun for anywhere near $1000
As you mentioned, you can buy a Lyman GPR in .54 for $509 near by, you can't beat that for a new gun.
The Lyman .54 is the best of the bunch.
Good luck on your quest!
Fred
Walks with fire
54 Cal.
If it's a fast twist for bullets go .50 but if it's a slow round ball twist go with the .54 and a decent length barrel. A .54 ball has plenty of thump.
StewartLeach
40 Cal.
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KY Eric, it sounds like our backgrounds are similar. Forty plus years of service rifle, Distinguished Rifleman,President's 100, etc. See articles by Colorado Grey Fox at www.jarheadtop.com.
I'll recommend a Lyman Great Plains Rifle. Of the commercially available traditional sidelock style rifles they are clearly the best quality. Accessory barrels are available- I bought a 50 cal rifle, then over time added a 54 cal barrel, and a 40 cal barrel so I could shoot in the Colorado Squirrel Rifle Championship. The factory sights are good, parts are available, a little stone work will make the trigger feel repeatable.
I find I enjoy the slower pace of muzzleloader competitions. As with highpower, you'll find a great group of people willing to help you get started and grow in the game.
A caution: as some have noted, you'll find you want several rifles. A really beautiful lefty Lancaster styled flinter rode home with me from the NMLRA Winter Matches in Phoenix. Take your time to look at a lot of rifles. Ask questions, accept if people offer to let you shoot their rifle, see what works in your area.
Last thing- maintain your black powder rifles the same day you shoot them. Don't go to bed with a dirty rifle!
I'll recommend a Lyman Great Plains Rifle. Of the commercially available traditional sidelock style rifles they are clearly the best quality. Accessory barrels are available- I bought a 50 cal rifle, then over time added a 54 cal barrel, and a 40 cal barrel so I could shoot in the Colorado Squirrel Rifle Championship. The factory sights are good, parts are available, a little stone work will make the trigger feel repeatable.
I find I enjoy the slower pace of muzzleloader competitions. As with highpower, you'll find a great group of people willing to help you get started and grow in the game.
A caution: as some have noted, you'll find you want several rifles. A really beautiful lefty Lancaster styled flinter rode home with me from the NMLRA Winter Matches in Phoenix. Take your time to look at a lot of rifles. Ask questions, accept if people offer to let you shoot their rifle, see what works in your area.
Last thing- maintain your black powder rifles the same day you shoot them. Don't go to bed with a dirty rifle!
Last edited by a moderator:
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What to avoid... high prices!
The pieces I shoot and prize the most were picked up rusty bore cheap and re-rifled.
The pieces I shoot and prize the most were picked up rusty bore cheap and re-rifled.
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I've owned a .50 but the .54 is better for a hunting gun if bear and boar are wanted.
It does seem to be user friendly caliber as well.
Although for all around a .45 is hard to beat which is why most of the early frontier guns East of the Mississippi were .44-.50 caliber.
For match shooting a .45 is about tops and I'll take a .45 over .40 any day,especially if the wind is blowing.
It does seem to be user friendly caliber as well.
Although for all around a .45 is hard to beat which is why most of the early frontier guns East of the Mississippi were .44-.50 caliber.
For match shooting a .45 is about tops and I'll take a .45 over .40 any day,especially if the wind is blowing.
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KY Eric said:
The sight is on the barrel so re-sighting is not necessary
I just traded off my last .54. A .45 will do deer very well and a .50 is plenty for any thing up to the 250 lbs range. Dont get caught up in foot pounds of energy or look for magnum preformance from a frontstuffer. Powder charges from 60 grains to 100 will look enemic compared to about any moderen rifle, and a Prb will look not much better then a thrown rock...but yielding 400-500 ft lbs of energy will drop a deer without a problem.Rifleman1776 said:
eaglesnester
40 Cal.
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As for recoil in a 54, I hardly notice it with PRB and 90gr 2f. When I shoot a 465grain bullet with 90 to 100gr of 2f,and a paper patch with a over powder wad there is noticeable recoil however it dont bother me none until after 15 rounds or so. I do tend to shoot heavy recoiling center fire rifles quite a lot so I guess recoil is something I hardly notice until it starts to hurt some.
I target practice with what I hunt with. Up here in Northern B.C. the game does tend to be a tad larger than down in the lower 48 and I do believe that a 40 or 45 cal would be pushen it. Now having said that I sure do like the idea of a 40 or 45cal for powder and shot weight savings. It is nearly impossible to buy powder up here. When I can find it I buy 25lbs at a time.
I target practice with what I hunt with. Up here in Northern B.C. the game does tend to be a tad larger than down in the lower 48 and I do believe that a 40 or 45 cal would be pushen it. Now having said that I sure do like the idea of a 40 or 45cal for powder and shot weight savings. It is nearly impossible to buy powder up here. When I can find it I buy 25lbs at a time.
Pete G
76 Cal.
Avoid the temptation to go cheap. There is a lot of stuff out there that is just so-so in quality but can still be made to shoot fairly well, and can be a lot of fun, but if you stay with this game any length of time you will outgrow most of the machine made cookie cutter copies of what was originally a hand made gun. Then you are left with two choices; buy a custom made rifle or build one for yourself. Be careful though; if you take the second choice you might find that you don't have near enough time left for hunting.
robert reed
40 Cal.
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If a firelock were my preference, I would go no other way than hand made, without interchangeable parts, as the originals all were.
I, on the other hand, do prefer caplock muskets and other military arms. These are by definition, machine made cookie cutter copies of one model with completely interchangeable parts.
I can pick up unserviceable arms, parts and pieces ad hock at gun shows, yard and estate sales. By simply cleaning, replacing and swapping parts I can own a fully functional original at a reasonable price.
Quite possibly less than an Italian replica.
End of discussion. Do yer own thang and enjoy. :v
WAIT! I need time to convince him my way is better :idunno: :blah:
robert reed
40 Cal.
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I did not come here to argue but to offer am opinion to the OP.Rifleman1776 said:
Please tell me, Rifleman, how many years do I need to be a member of this forum to have an opinion?
Or, maybe you pay more in membership dues than I?
Not everyone likes to break rocks. My interest is in percussion arms, 1830 to 1865, fully within the scope of this forum.
