View Full Version : Traditional muzzle loader
As a kid I grew up around black powder shoots and rendezvous. It always impressed me the simple beauty and elegance of a traditional locked muzzle loader. I want one. I think I want a flint lock rifle. I have zero intention in hunting with this rifle. Just a range toy. Where do I shop?
just a scout
08-16-20, 17:18
https://possibleshop.com/rifle-hawken.html
https://www.thehawkenshop.com/hawken_rifles.htm
https://www.muzzle-loaders.com/brands/traditions-muzzleloaders/traditions-hawken-muzzleloaders
https://www.basspro.com/shop/en/SearchDisplay?categoryId=&storeId=715838534&catalogId=3074457345616676768&langId=-1&sType=SimpleSearch&resultCatEntryType=2&showResultsPage=true&searchSource=Q&pageView=&beginIndex=0&pageSize=16&searchTerm=Flintlock#facet:&productBeginIndex:0&facetLimit:&orderBy:&pageView:grid&minPrice:&maxPrice:&pageSize:&
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I have no problem buying a kit. Might be a fun project for me and the boys. Long winters here in NW Indiana...
I’ve hunted with a muzzle loader, albeit a Knight in-line, for years and always enjoyed it. My son has an 1853 Enfield that is fun to shoot although finding Goex black powder is a little difficult as it seems to be a niche item. I have always wanted a flintlock Kentucky rifle so I may pick me up a kit sometime in the future.
Check out Dixie Gun Works and Track of the Wolf
Check out Dixie Gun Works and Track of the Wolf
I grew up excited about the Dixie Gun Works catalogue every year.
Track of the Wolf is a great place to start.
For massed produced, I like Lyman Great Plains Rifles, but I hunted for years with a Traditions my dad got me for Christmas in the early 90s.
What bore diameter should I consider?
gunnerblue
08-17-20, 09:00
T/C Hawken are quality and inexpensive. If just for the range, 45 and 50 caliber are least expensive.
I grew up excited about the Dixie Gun Works catalogue every year.
Saw
Track of the Wolf is a great place to start.
For massed produced, I like Lyman Great Plains Rifles, but I hunted for years with a Traditions my dad got me for Christmas in the early 90s.
Me too. I would sit all night thumbing through that thing. Got to go on a youth hunt with one of those big wigs when I was kid. I killed my first deer there with my Traditions in-line. My dad gave me a T/C Hawken with a Green Mountain barrel and that thing is a laser with round balls.
Been a long time since I’ve used my front loaders but .50 is a good common hunting caliber. 45, 50, 54 and 58 are all very common and easy to get bullets for.
Me too. I would sit all night thumbing through that thing. Got to go on a youth hunt with one of those big wigs when I was kid. I killed my first deer there with my Traditions in-line. My dad gave me a T/C Hawken with a Green Mountain barrel and that thing is a laser with round balls.
My dad hunted with a T/C Hawken kit sold through Sears. I remember it being pretty accurate.
If the OP doesn't already have something in mind, I recommend .50 for ease of rifle selection and components. A Hawken style will either fill or further develop his muzzle-loading itch while remaining easy to clean (I like to separate the barrel if I can for cleaning). That being said, I always loved the Miroku Tennessee Long Rifles sold through Dixie Gun Works. They used to sell them in .32, and I am a complete sucker for small-bore front-stuffers.
If you are looking for accuracy, and open to modern muzzle loading bullets, i would go .45 cal, as the most accurate bullets seem to be in .45. I have a CVA Accura V2 Long Range with the 30" Bergara barrel, and the gun is crazy accurate for a ML, out to around 500 yards, with the new Powerbelt ELR .45 cal bullets. But I hunt with mine, and it sounds like you may be looking for more of a traditional model. Unfortunately, i don't have much experience with the traditional options. They are fun to shoot though!
Ahhhhh flintlock, go with a roundball twist of at least 1-in-60” twist, although I have found a 1-48 to work. You really need to use real black powder, but 3FG (FFFg) can work in both the pan and the bore.
My first suggestion is ... are you looking for something historically correct like something of the T/C or Lyman (Great Plains) ‘Hawken’ type rifle? What is your budget? But either a 45 or 50-cal will be perfect!
Lefty or righty? As I have 1/2 a dozen or more for sale, from intro ones to truly custom w/ hand forged hardware, calibers from 45 to 54-cal, in both LH and RH’d ... if interested. What’s your budget?
So ... welcome to the wonderful world of the ‘rock lock’! And let me tell you, one who can shoot a flintlock well will kick azz out on the range whilst using ‘other’ type arms!
Now - You will NEVER see the pan flash IF you do it right!!!!! That is ... all your attention is on that front sight! (FYI, I am a lefty & shoot/own both lefty and right-handed flintlocks, matchlocks and 1 wheellock - all shootable.)
Bruce in WV
08-17-20, 18:05
This is where the pros hang out: learn a lot and build your own, buy a factory gun, or have a custom gun built to your specs. This is also a great place for horns, bags, and all the other accoutrements.
https://americanlongrifles.com/
I was looking for a traditional flint lock, patches, round ball. At least 50 caliber just in case I ever decide to hunt with it.
I was looking for a traditional flint lock, patches, round ball.
Having bought, shot and sold dozens of flintlock and after introducing dozens into the world of the ‘rock lock’, I would set a realistic budget at $500 with a minimum purchase being a Lyman Great Plains Rifle (GPR), not their hunter model, or find an older Austin-Halleck Hawken. I had a right-handed AH that was superb in every shootable detail, with a strong reliable lock and never had a misfire, the only drawback is it a copy of a ‘Hawken type’ rifle and is not really representative of a true historical arm.
The same can be said for the Lyman GPR and although they can be 100% reliable or made so with minimal effort, they did have a recall recently so one would need to verify the serial number before buying it. That said, I have bought and flipped 3 over the past 2 years, 2 of them left handed, and they were all 100% reliable after just some tuning (trigger et al).
The only other minimum entry model I would advise would be an older Dixie Gun Works ‘poor boy‘ or Southern Mountain Rifle it was called. These were made in Japan by Miroku, who makes Browning arms, and they are reliable, albeit wicked muzzle heavy due to the straight profile 42” octagonal barrel. They too run about $500 used, and cut down to 36” they handle significantly better! Generally a 54-caliber rifle will be lighter than a 50-caliber rifle, as they both use the same barrel blank, but the 54 will carry much better and be much more handier and is actually a better hunting caliber IMHO.
BUT ... there is no better turn-off to holy black powdah and/or flintlocks than a poorly made or designed one!
I cannot recommend any of the T/C flintlocks as you may not know if you are buying a Gen1 or a Gen2 model, where the cock geometry on the Gen1s was all wrong and they smash the flint into the frizzen face instead of scraping down it in at glancing attack. And the frizzens of both models are known to lose the hardness after a few hundred shots, where RMC sells a modified Lyman replacement frizzen for $30. But why go through All that hassle when there are other, better options?
If you can swing the budget buy the $1,000 Colonial Rifle kit from Jim Kibler Rifles, made in the US on CNC machining, and you will have an heirloom rifle worthy of handling down to your family! PM me for more, I can be of any help. Just yesterday as an FYI, I introduced a new BP shooter to flintlocks ... and his T/C was 100% unreliable. Rather than being discouraged, I had him shoot one of my US made flintlocks (used $600, from a flintlock builder), and he is TOTALLY hooked! So that’s a win for the flintlock community!
gunnerblue
08-18-20, 13:48
I was looking for a traditional flint lock, patches, round ball. At least 50 caliber just in case I ever decide to hunt with it.
Pay attention to twist rate if you want to shoot patched round balls. Best accuracy for PRB usually requires a very slow twist, e.g. 1-66" or so.
Keep an eye open for their events diwn in Friendship, IN. Kind of like Knob Creek for flintlocks.
https://www.nmlra.org/
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