Lost at sea.

Hi gang!
It's been forever since I've been here on this site, and I can't hardly remember the last time I cast and reloaded.
But that's only due to the last period of casting and reloading produced many hundreds of rounds, and with the on and off availability of primers I've become quite conservative with my plinking, but with my latest hobby, I make more BP than ever.

Which brings us to the reason for this post.

I'm interested in getting into muzzle loaders.
Looking around, the same problem exists....very few primers to be had, which only leads to the logical conclusion of the flintlock.
I have zero desire to make my own caps, although I know it's possible to do, but then again, a person still has to rely on others for chemicals, so again, back to the flintlock.

Being as I make my own powder in a number of grades, and also the fact that I have a .50 cal mold to make my own tumbling media, this just seems to be the thing to do.

I've been watching lots of the yootoobs, but there's so many models, styles, brands and kits out there that I'm truly lost.

I don't really want to spend a grand on a rifle right off the bat, but on the other hand, I don't want a problem child either.

There's a number of kits out there, and I know I have what it takes to build and finish one, but I also don't think I want to start there either.

Apparently I'm really late getting on this boat because just about every time I see a rifle that draws my attention, it's out of stock everywhere. Arrrrrgghh!

I know I'm probably opening a holy hell can of worms here, but could you guys please get me going down the right path on a decent available flintlock in .50 cal that isn't going to make me hate getting into this whole thing right off the bat?

Oh, and you may ask the reason for making lots of BP?
This may, or may not be me.

Thanks gang!

Look fora used Thompson Center Hawken. They can be had for $4-500.00, and IMO are some of the best charcoal burners around. A good one will last your lifetime, and then some. Good luck!

Look for a used flinter to start. The Thompson Centers, and other European manufactured ones seem to be common, especially on Gunbroker. The cheapest ones (probably in quality as well) would be Traditions. That being said, if finances are a concern they do serve a purpose as to being able to get a taste of the genre. Kit guns are out there. They can still be found at gun shows or in LGS. Even used Pedersolis show up on occasion.

I agree that buying a used TC is one of your best shots.
They are still reasonably priced , and available in lots of conditions .
I have about 15 right now .
I buy mostly junk ones and rebuild them.
Parts are easy to find if you need them , but most I just rebuild all the parts I need.
If the barrels are bad , I have Hoyt fix the bores or make them into a different caliber.

good deals on flinters, TC and others, show up in the "Swappin and Sellin" section from time to time
..

Give Kibler a call ,Their Woods Runner kit (mine was 54) is shootable in 5 hrs ! Go on Boob tube and search Kibler flint locks , You can buy one and if you change your mind list it and make money on your skill level /He sells the flints TOO!!!/Ed

If you happen to live on an area where is muzzle loader rendezvous or convention happens those can be good place to pick up a good used flint lock. If you’re in or close to Nebraska I can point you in the right direction. Nebr is not the end of the world but we can see it from here. I shoot a Pedersoli flint and have been happy with it.

I built one of my TC Renegades that was totally trashed into a .54 Hybrid that I can change the lock back and fourth from Percussion to Flintlock.
You might not be any to easily do one out of a percussion and make it a flintlock because of the patent style breech plug .
But I bet you can modify a TC Flintlock into a percussion rifle too by adding a drum for the nipple .
Something like my Hybrid is nice.
One rifle that you can shoot whichever way you prefer or need to because of limited supplies like caps .

I've been dreaming of a Kibler

Would consider a percussion VS a flint, and change the nipple out to use standard pistol or rifle primers vs percussion caps. I use FFF in my 58-45s, so there is that. Basically all you need is a consistent burn powder, there is plenty of discussion on the site about making BP style powder.
Oh, a good idea is to shoot each shot from a clean barrel. Try a rubbing alcohol bore swab after each shot, the alcohol evaporates near instantly but cleans the barrel. Last one I did for a guy was a TC Hawken 50, that had sat wrapped in a plastic bag, as fired, until the maskng tape glue wrapped around the bag had crystallized to yellow rock, probably 10-12 years. Was interesting to clean up.

I've been through a lot of inexpensive flintlocks over the years, and have gotten pretty good at tuning them. But once I tried a Chambers lock and then a Kibler, it changed everything. There's just no comparison. I just bought a Kibler SMR kit, I figure I'll be shooting it for the rest of my life so what's an extra 500 bucks compared to years of not having frustration and enjoying my rifle.

Another vote for a Kibler.

If you are constrained by budget and decide to buy a T/C flinter, you would like it better with a replacement lock. S&L makes a direct replacement that really works well.

I appreciate all of the responses so far. The scale looks rather tipped towards Kibler.

While you are working up to the "keeper" rifle, you might check a few pawn shops.

They will often have a few that never sell and while they may not be great, the low price, (talk them way way down) it will give you something to play with and make you value the good one you end up with.

I agree with you C W
I have bought so many muzzleloader guns from pawn shops and for Dirt Cheap.
Some needed very little work to be done on them.
Others were in such poor shape that I just thought about selling them just for parts .
But that never happened.
I rebuilt all of them into fantastic rifles or pistols.
I even used lots of the parts and rebuilt parts to build Custom Guns .

Life is too short, buy a Kibler and enjoy the pleasure of shooting an accurate and reliable flintlock!

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Originally Posted by pilot

Another vote for a Kibler.

If you are constrained by budget and decide to buy a T/C flinter, you would like it better with a replacement lock. S&L makes a direct replacement that really works well.

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I am not understanding why one would replace the lock on one of these guns, trigger pull, rough or creepy? Not go bang? I was looking around for a 32 cal. flinter and don't see them anywhere and the larger bores were more expensive than I expected. I have two 50 cal. percussion rifles that cost me less than $100 each. I am guessing that replacement lock costs more than I paid for a whole gun.

Tim

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Chill Wills

While you are working up to the "keeper" rifle, you might check a few pawn shops.

They will often have a few that never sell and while they may not be great, the low price, (talk them way way down) it will give you something to play with and make you value the good one you end up with.

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I certainly don't need any low quality junk to be appreciative of the good stuff in life.
I have seen a number of good looking muzzle loaders in the pawnshops, and I'm guessing a number of them are there for the same reason I won't buy them: No percussion caps.
I'm currently knee deep watching Kibler do a complete build.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by BBQJOE

I certainly don't need any low quality junk to be appreciative of the good stuff in life.
I have seen a number of good looking muzzle loaders in the pawnshops, and I'm guessing a number of them are there for the same reason I won't buy them: No percussion caps.
I'm currently knee deep watching Kibler do a complete build.

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You said you were looking for a flintier. No one said anything about percussion!

I just thought, in the mean time, learning on one you didn't have much money into could be instructive, and the "low quality junk" and not everything you find will be, will work and you will learn from them, plus, might be interesting.
But, you are easily offended by the suggestion. Carry on.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Chill Wills

You said you were looking for a flintier. No one said anything about percussion!

I just thought, in the mean time, learning on one you didn't have much money into could be instructive, and the "low quality junk" and not everything you find will be, will work and you will learn from them, plus, might be interesting.
But, you are easily offended by the suggestion. Carry on.

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I'm not offended at all. Most pawnshops in my area carry a whole lot of junk, and it's rather rare to find a diamond in the rough.
And again, everything I have come across were percussion. I have yet to even see a flintlock in a pawnshop.
But I'll keep my eyes open.
I just have so many projects going on that I'm still on the fence about getting into this side of things.