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Flintlock shooters...

hissinggoosehissinggoose Member Posts: 763 ✭✭✭✭
edited June 2006 in Ask the Experts
Well, I screwed up and shot my first flinty. Now I gotta have one!! (you guys know how that is...) Went home to Beaufort NC last wkend to the annual "historical festival",etc, and they had a couple of great old guys giving a demonstration on muskets, and couldn't turn down the opportunity to touch one off. I shoot an in-line for deer, and have shot a Hawken or two in cap lock, but the "snap...hiss....BOOM" really did something to me!!
So....I'm looking at buying a flintlock pistol for starters (handgun freak) and later a long gun. Can any of yoose guys give a noob some direction as to what/where I should look for a quality flint gun? Any to avoid? Any related advice you could throw my way is greatly appreciated.

Thanks!
Mike (with the freshly singed beard smelling of sulphur...)[:D]
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    7.62x397.62x39 Member Posts: 1,994 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Tompson Center is good
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    BlckhrnBlckhrn Member Posts: 5,136
    edited November -1
    I agree, T/C is good. My next will be a KY or PA rifle kit from Trackofthewolf.com. A little on the pricey side but you can build ahwt you want. Also, these kits are put together by experienced gunmakers.

    Flintlocks are kind of a crap shoot. I shot a few as a kid and got used to the click, hiss, bang, then recently bought an old Jukar KY pistol on auction. The lock and touch hole setup on that one is almost as fast as a perc. I'd like to see the slow motion video of that one going off, I doubt the pan is even empty before the main charge ignites.
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    Islander1989Islander1989 Member Posts: 183 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    The guys over at www.muzzleloadingforum.com will really be able to head you in the right direction.
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    hissinggoosehissinggoose Member Posts: 763 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Thanks for the link, there Islander. I just did the registration thing and am waiting for "official approval" to log on.
    I was checking out some of the Pedersoli wares on line....they have some neat looking stuff. Being from the Outer Banks area, the "pirate guns" have always had a special appeal to me. I gotta squirrel a few bucks away to scratch this itch...
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    BlckhrnBlckhrn Member Posts: 5,136
    edited November -1
    I'm sure you'll hear about TOTW there, too
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    v35v35 Member Posts: 12,710 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    You've got to have character to hold a flintlock on moving game after the flash goes off in your face and until it fires.
    Following through should give you good practice for skeet and trap shooting.
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    BlckhrnBlckhrn Member Posts: 5,136
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by v35
    You've got to have character to hold a flintlock on moving game after the flash goes off in your face and until it fires.
    Following through should give you good practice for skeet and trap shooting.


    I took a friend out shooting a pair of flints some time back. One, a Jaeger .50 replica shot well. The other, a .45 KY replica always had problems due to a weak mainspring, soft frizzen or both. Last round wouldn't fire no matter what. No worm to pull the ball so he held it on target and I stubbed a Marlboro in the pan.

    He hit the 8 ring, I had powder burns under my fingernails for a week.
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    v35v35 Member Posts: 12,710 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I had an original Tanner Jaeger style flintlock ,about 70 cal, from the W.R. Hurst collection. The frizzen made a perfect seal with the pan and barrel. It was clear that weather couldn't get in around the joint. I would be looking for a good fit in this area. A double set trigger is also nice.
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    rediceredice Member Posts: 1,550 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I agree a double set trigger is almost a must, it helps you avoid flinching because you usualy don't know when shes going to go cus the trigger is so light mine is like 6 ounces.

    Mine I can really set my hiss....booom diration by using less powder in the pan im still trying to get it down to his.boom im using like a percusion cap full of powder right now in the pan all up against the barrel and want to cut that in half, she fires every single time.

    Also get the factory precut agat flints, there not real flint I dont think but they last forever compaired to real flint. Real flints you end up haveing to dink with constantly to get to spark.

    http://www.sportsmansguide.com/cb/cb.asp?a=56868
    69307.JPG

    I enjoy my flintlock more than I ever have enjoyed any other bp gun, seems to be more reliable to me as well than even inlines, at least the inline that use percussion caps. The new ones that use primers kick butt. But arnt that fun to shoot :)

    Mine is a cheep * traditions I actualy had to re-fit the lock a bit after getting cus they had it screwed up but for 250 its still worth it, and is accurate. Bought it from sportsmansguide

    Looks like they still have them to. http://www.sportsmansguide.com/cb/cb.asp?a=145873

    I also made a custom brass ramrod for mine the stock factory ones on these are a bit to short for my taste and way to bendy "there made out of like fibre glass"

    14837ramrod.jpg
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    hissinggoosehissinggoose Member Posts: 763 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Nice pics of the Hawkens! I've always loved the looks with the double triggers. Do they still make those in kit form? I think it would be a fun project to finish one out.
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    rediceredice Member Posts: 1,550 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by hissinggoose
    Nice pics of the Hawkens! I've always loved the looks with the double triggers. Do they still make those in kit form? I think it would be a fun project to finish one out.


    A place in wisconsin makes kits of them, I have one out in the garage I have been working on just waiting on a part. I think trackofthewolf.com may have kits for them as well but I didnt want to start with one of there kits because of the extra work involved, however turns out this kit was harder than one of theres :)
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