Has anyone made a Muzzle loader from a kit?

andersk

I was just wondering ... Has anyone made a Muzzle loader from a kit? I'm looking at the Hopkins & Allen under hammer kits ... does that sound like a good idea?[?]

andersk

Oh yes, I'm thinking of the long gun for sure.[:D]

andersk

Yup, those are the folks from whom I plan to buy my kit. They ask $255.00, and I just saw onw on the GB listing for $350.00 or buy now for $365.00.

Looks nice, but I think I want to try the do it yourself thing! The one for sale (item #45047703) looks mighty fine ... but it looks like nothing has been done to the metal.

Thanks

richbug

I have been toying with my own underhammer design, but if if you can buy one for $255 I am all over it. I'll probably go with a 32" 45.

amsptcds

So when you build from a kit, what are the most important parts to get right?

divecop

I built a .50 cal. Hawkins from a kit. Make sure you check out the
stock before you leave the store. Mine was supposed to be 90 percent
complete. When I got it home I opened it up and found a block of
wood. I was going to bring it back but decided to give it a try.
Using the picture on the box it took me 3 months of cutting, sanding
drilling, carving and finishing before it was ready to be assembled.
It came out nice and if I knew how to post a picture I would.

SENSEISUGARBEAR

I BUILT A CVA KENTUCKY IN .45 CAL.I COULD HAVE BOUGHT ONE FOR NOT MUCH MORE, BUT I ENJOYED THE PROJECT AND HAD A SPECIAL CONNECTION TO THE RIFLE..TAKE YOUR TIME AND BE PATIENT,,YOU'LL HAVE A SHOOTER TO BE PROUD OF FOR A LIFETIME..IT DOESN'T HAVE TO LOOK LIKE THE PICTURE ON THE BOX OR ANYONE ELSE'S FOR THAT MATTER..MINE STANDS OUT ON A RACK AT ANY SHOOT..

One shot

I picked up a .32 Kuntucky rifle about three years ago. I was in parts and in need of some TLC. I guess you could call it a kit due to the amount of work involved. I had to make the following parts, ram rod, ram rod tip, main spring, front sight, and had to order a new trigger guard casting form Dixie Gun Works. The trigger guard took the most finish work. that was one project I was vary proud of.

mazo kid

I built a CVA 50 cal. Mtn rifle kit 25+ years ago, or I should say, rebuilt it. The guy who put it together just screwed everything in place, no care to flush mount any parts. I took off lots of wood, carved mouldings around the lock and side plate, slimmed down stock/fore end, etc. Also have built 4 pistol kits. Take your time and you will have a gun you can be proud to say "I built it myself". Emery

oldfriends

30 years ago when I was so poor I couldn't pay attention I built a couple of CVA Hawken rifles, a CVA shotgun, and three or four single shot pistols. Also a couple of the little Philidelphia Derringers from kits. It was fun and gave me the opportunity to learn quite a bit. Now though, I don't even own a CVA, not that there is anything wrong with them. I just have gone more traditional in style. the CVA's were all good shooters. I won my second CVA rifle kit using my first CVA I had built. I have not looked at or shot one in a lot of years so I'm not sure of the present quality. I do know that they used to be pretty darn accurate right out of the box.

ndendico

I've built two long gun kits, a .32 squirrel gun and a 12 ga. double barrel, a lot of work if you do it right, but also a lot of fun, both are a lot of fun to shoot too.

sclodfelter

I had the opportunity to build a rifle although it was not supposed to be a kit. I bought it from Bruce Lingenfelter at BlueGrouse as a completed rifle and it arrived in pieces from the shoddy packaging he used to send it in. The stock was broken, ramrod bent, rear sight bent and the front sight was off the barrell rattling around in the box. He did send me a new buttstock that didn't fit and told me to do it myself. UPS paid for the unusable stock that was broken because of Lingenfelter's poor packing job in the first place. When I asked for a refund I was told to forget that as his wife "clobbered" the money from UPS when it arrived. Underhammers are simple and not that hard to operate. If I were looking for another Underhammer I would pick one up from a gunshow. A.B.B (anybody but bruce)!

redice

I am building a .45 flintlock kit right now actualy was just about to head out to the garage to inlet the barrel in deeper mine is like a 80-90% inlet kit cost me around 120.00 but barrel is in the white, I am probably going to look into browning it at home instead of paying to have it blued plus it has silver hardware so I think brown will give it a nice contrast.

I also plan to make my own custom solid brass ramrods on my metal lathe with a cleaning jag/bullet pusher on one end and both ends are drilled and tapped for use with other standard muzzle loading tools, made one at school with substandard equipment and it came out almost perfect.

The one I make for my .45 is going to be fantastic planning on makeing some others and selling them as well, there a lot nicer than the wood/plastic crap they give you with the guns these days and only add a pound or 2 to the rifle, which to me just makes it more accurate since its all under the barrel, and makes you hold it steadier, duno maybe that jus me but I sure like it.

Here is the one I made for my traditions .50 cal flintlock I purposefully made it longer than the gun for cleaning purposes I didnt like the stock ramrod that came with the gun it was to short, thus I made this one a little bit longer.

TrinityScrimshaw

That is how I got almost all my Muzzle loaders. I used to find a lot of unfinished kits at yard sales cheap. I wish more suppliers still made kits.

Trinity +++

andersk

Whoa ... that's not very encouraging about the shipping problems. Anybody else have problems with Bruce L's shippng. I suppose I could add an extra $10.00 for special S & H.

sclodfelter

I would say that Bruce Lingenfelter's bad attitude is as much to blame as are his packaging techniques. I probably wouldn't have the opinion of him that I have, except that I have a damaged rifle and a buttstock that doesn't fit the gun. I clamped and glued the broken one together. I am glad it's a .36 and doesn't recoil much. I suppose if he had taken the stock back that didn't fit it would be different. I should have billed him for my time that it took to reassemble the rifle. His site says customer satisfaction is #1. You can't tell it by my experience. A.B.B. (anybody but Bruce!)

Geri

The old NRA gunsmithing guide shows how to make an underhammer. You make the parts etc. Buy the barrel you want, and go to work.

andersk

Where do you get the old "NRA gunsmithing guide" ... is it still available? From NRA?

Geri

I have loaned out my copy. I will try and get it back. Than will copy and Email you the pages. Perhaps Amazon has a used copy.

andersk

Dear Geri, that's super thanks!

Geri

Andersk. I have the copy of how to make a billinghurst rifle. Tried to Email you, but no reply. If interested give me your address and I will send you a copy. Its in Gunsmithing Tips & Projects, by Wolfe, page 345.

andersk

Yo Geri, My E-Mail address is <anderson2boston@comcast.net>

I am on a trip for a couple weeks so I did not receive a note from you. I'm checking GB from my son's compter in NB, CANADA.

allen griggs

I built a Tennessee Mountain Rifle from a kit from Dixie Gun Works.
They said it would take one hundred hours. It took me two hundred hours.
It really turned out nice. I browned the barrel. A beautiful gun. I have killed four or five deer with it.
The rifle came with a "grease hole". This is a hole drilled in the stock to put patch lube in. They said this was authentic.
Well, it was weird to me. I replaced this with a nice silver patch box that I got from the Dixie catalog. Turned out very nice.

He Dog

I built the CVA Kentucky pistol and a .50 cal "Deer Creed Rifle" from someplace in Indiana, Mowery I think was the company. Took awhile, but believe me, if I can do it Andersk, you sure can. Some years ago, nearly 15, so I don't know what is out there any more.