Flintlocks - OT

jhiggins

jhiggins

Joined
Jul 11, 2003
Messages
3,258
Any of you fellas ever make your own flintlock rifle? I'd love to try my hand at an old Kentucky or Pennsylvania-style. Anyone have some good advice about where to start? I had a Dixie Gun Works catalog years ago... I suppose there would be a nice place to start, huh?
 
That's my other hobby Jeff :eek:
I build a few every year. I wouldn't waste money on a Dixie Catalog. The first thing you should get is a book called The Gunsmith of Grenville County....by Peter Alexander.

Email me and I'll point you in the right direction for parts etc.
 
First off how much do you want to spend?
Anyone of the GOOD kits is a start - Track of the Wolf http://www.trackofthewolf.com/, Jim Chambers http://www.flintlocks.com/, there are several more are the best way to go. Prices start at say $450.00 and go up from there.

Style? Eastern, western, 18th century, 19th century????

If you are really interested some of the best online info is at the American Long Rifle site which has a forum where some guy named Peter Nap and myself hang out from time to time http://www.americanlongrifles.com/american-longrifles-BBS-frame.htm
 
Chuck, you rule too! Thanks!

Hey you guys go to rendezvous and stuff like that too?
 
Thanks alot Jeff. :grumpy: Now you got me thinking about it too! Just what I need to occupy all that spare time I've got.

RL :)
 
Now you got me thinking about it too! Just what I need to occupy all that spare time I've got

:D
 
Jeff, when you say 'make' I assume you mean a kit. There was , years back, in ,I think, Rifle magazine an excellent article on how a flint lock works .To make a GOOD flintlock is difficult .It's a precision thing and there are many important details Find out which are the better locks and get one of those , then the rifle might work !
 
mete said:
Jeff, when you say 'make' I assume you mean a kit. There was , years back, in ,I think, Rifle magazine an excellent article on how a flint lock works .To make a GOOD flintlock is difficult .It's a precision thing and there are many important details Find out which are the better locks and get one of those , then the rifle might work !
Click to expand...

This is something I've been craving to do for a long time, along with making a canoe. I'm confident in my skills. I'll probably go with Siler locks as recommended by Don. The Green Mountain barrels will probably be my barrel of choice on this first gun, being a reasonable compromise between quality and price. The one thing I probably won't scrimp on is the stock. I think I'll get a very high grade of curly maple. One thing is for sure, if I do make this gun over the winter, I'll be bugging Chuck Burrows to make a sweet fringed scabbard for it!

Oh by the way... my wife is definitely not buying into this muzzleloader build. She says it's too much distraction for an already "distraction-oveloaded fella". I think she's right, but I'll most likely do it anyway just to be stubborn. ;)
 
I'm still looking for the 'cheapie' kits. As some of you already know too much about, I do weapons for theatre. I made 6 pseudo cap lock long guns for a play that was showing a Mexican army but I was totally unsatisfied with them. They looked OK and were received well by the theatre and the audience but I know I can do better work.
If anyone has a source for locks and/or kits for the really 'budget' minded please shoot me a note.
Thanks, Lynn
 
Lynn this fellow has a lot of locks for sale. They are mostly CVA so I wasn't interested but should work fine for what you need. Here is his email to me:

We have,as of this date, 40 Derringer .45 caliber barrels($10.00 EACH), 72 Maslin percussion locks, 16 Crockett percussion locks(locks have the following prices-$18.00 EACH for 1-9;10-24 are $16.00 EACH,25 to 49 are $14.50 EACH,and 50 or more are $13.00 EACH)you CAN mix the Crockett and Maslin locks as long as I have them in stock, 63 buttplates($3.50 EACH), 83 triggerguards($3.50 EACH), 22 rifle buttstocks($18.00 EACH), and 1156 front sights($1.00 EACH). I also have 2 Palmetto flintlock locks at $65.00 EACH or both for $125.00. Also a Lyman .440"single cavity ball mould for $15.00 which is new and unused These are ALL NEW parts.My mailing adress is Jeff Stamper 255 Spring Hollow Road Marion,Virginia 24354 and telephone is 276-783-9746.Pass around this list to your friends if you wish!Please note that shipping is NOT included and will have to be added by the purchaser.U.S.Post Office money orders are the best way to pay for these,checks take too long to clear.If you use a check that is okay,but I will wait 3 WEEKS for it to clear before I ship anything,so be patient!I have caller ID and a voicemail feature on my phone,if you want to,just call me.

Also please note the photos I usually try to send,here is what you are seeing in the group by picture number....Mvc 005f is the Crockett lock;001f is the Maslin;009f is the front sight;010f and 011f and 804f are the Palmetto flintlock lock.The hunting bags are also for sale.#845 is an NEI .44 magnum bullet mould(#262 in their catalog).
__________________________________________________

Here is his address: flintlock4054@yahoo.com
 
jhiggins said:
Chuck, you rule too! Thanks!

Hey you guys go to rendezvous and stuff like that too?
Click to expand...

I used to be fairly active a few years ago, that's where I got the name "raghorn." :)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top