What's a good Flintlock to buy?

[LarryFox1]

Hi , guy's. I am thinking of getting a Flintlock Rifle say around a 50 Cal,well maybe a 45,lol, but one thing i must insist on, is that it shoot's where it is aim at.Not one of these gun's,that it takes more excuse's than powder to exsplain why the bullet went here or there, where as it was surpose to go somewhere else.Now i have shot a great deal of Flintlocks, i just nerver own a Flintlock.I have been shooting MLer's ever the since the early 70's.,Caplocks and now aday's the new inlines,in which case i love also.But my 54 Cal TC Hawken's has rule my roost for a long time.But now i want to play with a Flintlock just for the fun of it,but without breaking the bank.So what is a good one to buy,
PS, guy's long story here , but i would not want anything via CVA or Tridation's
thanks

 

Open ended question. How much do you want to spend/can spend? In factory rifles, I have seen accurate shooting by acquaintances using the Pedersoli products marketed under various trade names, such as Cabela's Blue Ridge rifle and several other similar guns. If you want a really good rifle, you need to go custom or semicustom and select a good lock, like Chambers/Siler, etc., and a good barrel (Colerain, Getz, Rice, Green Mountain, etc.). Difference includes $$$, the Pedersolis will be about $500 more or less and most custom guns will start at $1500. Several makers will turn out a gun for $800-$1000, using a little cheaper lock and barrel. I have seen outstanding accuracy out of Green Mountain barrels and they don't cost an arm or leg.

 

[roundball]

Hi , guy's. I am thinking of getting a Flintlock Rifle say around a 50 Cal,well maybe a 45,lol, but one thing i must insist on, is that it shoot's where it is aim at.Not one of these gun's,that it takes more excuse's than powder to exsplain why the bullet went here or there, where as it was surpose to go somewhere else.Now i have shot a great deal of Flintlocks, i just nerver own a Flintlock.I have been shooting MLer's ever the since the early 70's.,Caplocks and now aday's the new inlines,in which case i love also.But my 54 Cal TC Hawken's has rule my roost for a long time.But now i want to play with a Flintlock just for the fun of it,but without breaking the bank.So what is a good one to buy,
PS, guy's long story here , but i would not want anything via CVA or Tridation's
thanks

If you don't want to spend large sums of money, and don't have to be precisely period correct, you could get a TC Hawken Flintlock, or even just a TC Flint lock assembly for your existing Hawken...their redesigned locks are now perfect...I use several year round

 

[2172]

I agree with both Mike and Roundball...I'd just add that the Lyman Great Plains rifle, or the Lyman Deerstalker are good and inexpensive guns to consider as well as the T/C Hank

 

[LarryFox1]

Thanks guy's
While i have nerver built a MLer,i have custom built many a 98 Large Ring Mauser.So i guess i can/could build a MLer.I had a Stroke last year, that BUM me up some on my left side.So if i try to do this deed?Than i have another question or two.
Like are there any already inleted stocks ,say for a green mountain barrel, or any other good barrel?
And where do i get the other hardware,Such as the lock and rest?
Thanks guy's

 

[cayugad]

I have only the production rifles so I can not comment on the customs. I am sure they are better but some of them are too expensive for my blood right now.

I own a T/C Hawkins in .50 caliber and a Lyman Trade Rifle in .54 caliber. Both are excellent shooters. I really like the Trade Rifle so far. I have only had it a month but it is really an impressive rifle so far. There was some minor issues with the Trade Rifle, but we got all of them taken care of...

 

[Tahquamenon]

I bought a T/C Hawken 50 in Flint to get my feet wet as this is my first Flint.
If for some reason I don't care for flintlock shooting, I wanted something that could easily be converted to percussion. Plus, I can't see dropping thousands of dollars on a rifle at this time just starting with flintlocks.

 

[roundball]

I bought a T/C Hawken 50 in Flint to get my feet wet as this is my first Flint.
If for some reason I don't care for flintlock shooting, I wanted something that could easily be converted to percussion. Plus, I can't see dropping thousands of dollars on a rifle at this time just starting with flintlocks.

That was my approach...buying used TC Hawkens, refinishing a stock or two, getting some work done under TC's lifetime warranty, it's kept the costs down very well so I could afford other rifles in other calibers, etc...

 

[muzlodr]

Not like flint?? I thought everybody liked flint. Flint rocks. The only person who I know that doesn't like flint is my brother--and he's an attorney. That says it all :haha: :shake:

 

[Bob J]

The "semi-custom" TVMs look decent. Haven't seen one in person, but have been looking at their website and considerin' getting into flint. They start around $800.00 and have a number of styles and options/upgrages (ssamped barrels, different barrel lengths and wide range of calibers). of course, I will probably have to sell the Kodiak Dbl to afford one! ::

 

[Bob J]

I meant "swamped" barrels

 

[Okwaho]

You should look at Larry Williams' guns at his Early Rustic Arms web site.I haven't owned one but have seen some and they look like nice guns.

 

Yes there are preinletted stocks and stock blanks with barrel channels and kits, etc...many ways to go. Take a look at kits by Pecatonica, Track of the Wolf, etc. Many suppliers of parts out there: TOW, Jack Garner,Muzzleloaders Supply, Log Cabin, etc....if you want to keep prices down, a straight octagon Green Mountain barrel is hard to beat. People have their pet locks: you can't beat a Chambers/Siler, but I have had good luck so far with L&R also. You can get a good kit for the price of the Italian guns.

Thanks guy's
While i have nerver built a MLer,i have custom built many a 98 Large Ring Mauser.So i guess i can/could build a MLer.I had a Stroke last year, that BUM me up some on my left side.So if i try to do this deed?Than i have another question or two.
Like are there any already inleted stocks ,say for a green mountain barrel, or any other good barrel?
And where do i get the other hardware,Such as the lock and rest?
Thanks guy's

 

[LarryFox1]

Thanks Mike, i found THE Track Of The Wolf,But i have not found the other sites you are telling me about here.Now the Stocks look realy good on the WOLF site, but i would like to have a Curly Maple are a Birds Eye Maple for my Flint Lock, if i can find one.The only trouble i might have with building it myself, would be me inleting the long barrel channel.The rest i know i can do even with my bad left arm.Do you know are anyone else here know, is to what degree is the barrel channel inleted, say fron Track Of the Wolf,are any other place?By this i mean does the barrel channel have to be inleted any at all?
Thanks

Yes there are preinletted stocks and stock blanks with barrel channels and kits, etc...many ways to go. Take a look at kits by Pecatonica, Track of the Wolf, etc. Many suppliers of parts out there: TOW, Jack Garner,Muzzleloaders Supply, Log Cabin, etc....if you want to keep prices down, a straight octagon Green Mountain barrel is hard to beat. People have their pet locks: you can't beat a Chambers/Siler, but I have had good luck so far with L&R also. You can get a good kit for the price of the Italian guns.

Thanks guy's
While i have nerver built a MLer,i have custom built many a 98 Large Ring Mauser.So i guess i can/could build a MLer.I had a Stroke last year, that BUM me up some on my left side.So if i try to do this deed?Than i have another question or two.
Like are there any already inleted stocks ,say for a green mountain barrel, or any other good barrel?
And where do i get the other hardware,Such as the lock and rest?
Thanks guy's

 

[oldarmy]

I bought a Jack Garner Tennessee in the white for $700 and I just love it. He will treat you right. Tell him what you can spend, you might need to get a poor boy, but it's made it the USA.
I have to admit that he is the only builder I have dealt with, but there have to be others out there.
They can't be making a living just selling $2000 custom guns can they?

 

[CoyoteJoe]

You say you like that T/C Hawken, why not get a GreenMountain drop in flint barrel and an L&R replacement flint lock to fit you T/C stock? You'd have a top notch roundball barrel and first class lock on a stock and triggers with which you are already accustomed and the package would set you back only about $250-$300. As to the custom rifles, one downside is that you can expect to wait a year or more for delivery. :m2c:

 

[LarryFox1]

Thanks guy's, but me fixing up my Caplock TC Hawk might be my cheapest way out.But i want a Flint Lock style like a TENN, PENN or a KEN rifle .It's not that my TC Hawk would not make great Flint Lock Style TC HAWK.It's just that i want one of the other style Flint Lock's.
I am not real sure just yet but i think i can Build what i want for around 500 Bucks if i spend it all wisely.I might not be able to but i think i can anyway.What i need more than anything right now,is you guy's to maybe lead to some of the best for less stuff,lol . :yakyak:
And some good info if there is a drop in Barrel Channel stock anywhere, and if so where could i find this at?
Thanks

 

Thanks Mike, i found THE Track Of The Wolf,But i have not found the other sites you are telling me about here.Now the Stocks look realy good on the WOLF site, but i would like to have a Curly Maple are a Birds Eye Maple for my Flint Lock, if i can find one.The only trouble i might have with building it myself, would be me inleting the long barrel channel.The rest i know i can do even with my bad left arm.Do you know are anyone else here know, is to what degree is the barrel channel inleted, say fron Track Of the Wolf,are any other place?By this i mean does the barrel channel have to be inleted any at all?

You found Track's site. Here are some others:

Pecatonica River
Dunlap Woodcrafts
Jim Chambers' Kits

Just about any of these kits you find at Track, Pecatonica, etc., will have the stock 95-98% inletted. That means the barrel channel will be done, as well as the ramrod hole, lock mortice, and overall shape. You will have to just do final inletting for the trigger and triggerguard, buttplate, muzzlecap, patchbox, sideplate, etc. Getting really good Curly Maple wood is not a problem. Finding Birds Eye might be another story. All of the sites listed above offer kits with any grade of curly maple you want/can afford. I believe you can get all the way up to Grade 7 maple from Dunlap's. (Though I can't say I'd recommend that for a first kit. :shocking: )

If you're really interested in building one, read up in the Builder's Bench forum... there are thousands of posts in there from folks who have done it before... and most all of them will be willing to help you build yours. All you have to do is ask. :redthumb:

 

[LarryFox1]

Man Thanks StaticXD00d, those links will do the trick i think.Ya, if the Barrel Channel in one of these simi inleted stock has a Compleat Drop In Barrel channel then i can and will built one.
Again many thanks

 

Yeah, just about every kit I've looked at has the barrel channel inletted already. You might have to do a little sanding on it to get it just right, but you're definitely not going to have to dig the whole thing out.

Let us know what you decide on! I can't wait to get my kit... just waiting 'till I have the greenbacks to do it. :redthumb: