Flintlocks : what and where ?

Heimrick

Heimrick

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Hello guys,

I would like to know if someone could recommend a place to buy a flintlock gun and waht would be a decent quality example to shoot at the range and maybe go deer hunting.

I'v been into milsurp for several years but i want to explore new experiences

thanks in advance
 
Traditions make a nice one. I have a Traditions, Deerhunter ...... Left Handed Flintlock. Firing it is the funnest thing that can be done with your clothes on.
 
You could go with Traditions on the lower end but don't be fooled they go bang reliably. Pedersoli are very nicely made. I own a reliable Frontier model in .36 caliber. Take a look at Marstar.
 
Loyalist arms in the Maritimes has a variety. Marstar carries pedersoli.
By far the best is to find a local club so you can see different things first hand and get local advice on supplies and maybe a deal on something used. BP substitute powders often don't work very well in flintlocks.
 
if you are intending to hunt deer with it, I would suggest 50 or 54 caliber. I would echo vagrantviking's advice to join a local club and try the various guns they use, in order to decide what models and styles you prefer. I would also suggest trying to buy a gun with a slow twist rifling ( 1 turn in 68 inches roughly) because they are the most flexible in powder charge vs accuracy. Finally, the most important part of a flintlock is the lock and I would look for a gun with an american made lock such as Siler or L & R locks. Most factory made flintlocks use case hardened frizzens and the casing wears through with time. The better made US locks use a high carbon steel in the frizzen and that does not wear through

cheers mooncoon
 
vagrantviking said:
Loyalist arms in the Maritimes has a variety. Marstar carries pedersoli.
By far the best is to find a local club so you can see different things first hand and get local advice on supplies and maybe a deal on something used. BP substitute powders often don't work very well in flintlocks.
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'BP substitute powders MOSTLY don't work very well in flintlocks'. Why? Because the sparks in the pan are not hot enough to ensure certain ignition. 99% of BP flintlock shooters are unlikely to be that much mistaken. The other 1% just haven't tried to do it yet.
 
8ball said:
You could go with Traditions on the lower end but don't be fooled they go bang reliably. Pedersoli are very nicely made. I own a reliable Frontier model in .36 caliber. Take a look at Marstar.
Click to expand...

Nothing wrong with Traditions. Their fit and finish is actually quite good, their accuracy is very decent but like most firearms, accuracy varies based upon projectile. I found the best to be the Hornady mini ball.
Folks can spend a lot more and in the end not get much more.
 
tacfoley said:
'BP substitute powders MOSTLY don't work very well in flintlocks'. Why? Because the sparks in the pan are not hot enough to ensure certain ignition. 99% of BP flintlock shooters are unlikely to be that much mistaken. The other 1% just haven't tried to do it yet.
Click to expand...

I've been using Pyrodex since day one without problems. It ignites reliably every time. The big thing is to make sure that the pan is adequately full with FFFF powder. I've tried pellets also but I needed to put a light sprinkle of fine powder to get them lit.
Outside of the cleaning after a range visit, black powder is a lot of fun.
 
Like you I'm also into Mil sup. I though I would try the flintlock BP world. It's a bit addictive as I'm now on my 3rd build. Like Odinson said they are fun to shoot and after the first trigger squeeze, flash and bang I was sold. I didn't do any research on what I wanted so my first was a southern rifle in .50 when I latter found guns of the late 1700s more to my taste.
Depending on your skills, you might look at a kit from the US. Some companies sell in the white kits which really only require the wood and metal to be finished with all the parts already inleted.
 
Marstar has the best selection of pedersoli available. The frontier , Pennsylvania , Kentucky or hawken models are ideal for both target and hunting. I have a 54 cal frontier and its accurate and reliable. I also have a 54 cal Lyman Great Plains rifle which is the same as the pedersoli hawken mountain rifle. The lymans are hard to find new. I bought mine used.
I’d recommend a pedersoli frontier in either 50 or 54 cal, both those caliber balls can easily be bought at cabelas , get some 0.15 patches and use 3F powder as that’ll work to both prime and for the main charge. Get A can of ballistol , some cleaning patches , a range rod and some extra flints as well. That’ll get you started.
 
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Will Bilozir at bilozir.net is a Davide Pedersoli importer, also stocks an amazing variety of shotgun-loading supplies.... AND brass 2-1/2" casings in sizes from 12 bore right down to 32 bore, along with bags of 24 for the Snider fans.

He is in Southern Alberta, generally makes almost all the gun shows (remember gun shows?) in the West. Nice guy.
 
After the BP craze hit in the sixties and seventies, there were a lot of companies that jumped on the bandwagon, and there was a lot of junque out there. For the longest time I would only consider a T/C Hawken or Seneca or British Parker-Hale. I recently picked up a T/C Hawken flinter, but haven't had a chance to try it. It looks pretty good and it's solid.
 
My only complaint with the Traditions was trigger pull ....... darn near needed a winch to pull that trigger. I fixed that in about a half hour with a screwdriver. Turns out that Traditions, provides an adjustment for the trigger but the entire lock assembly needs to be removed. (2 screws) Can't wait to get to the range to give it a try.
 
In order of approximate quality(and price):
Traditions < T/C < Lyman < Pedersoli < Boutique makers

That said, there's nothing wrong with traditions, they still work great; it's like a rock island 1911 vs. more expensive brands. I feel better taking my traditions flinter as a woods gun than my other rifles because it was cheap and doesn't have much "collectible" value.


Odinson said:
My only complaint with the Traditions was trigger pull ....... darn near needed a winch to pull that trigger. I fixed that in about a half hour with a screwdriver. Turns out that Traditions, provides an adjustment for the trigger but the entire lock assembly needs to be removed. (2 screws) Can't wait to get to the range to give it a try.
Click to expand...
I have mine set to around 4-5 lbs. Be careful to test for hammer push off when adjusting the trigger.
And you should be removing the lock each time to clean the black powder fouling anyways, that's why the only make it 2 screws ;)
 
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My Traditions Kentucky flintlock has been alright for the money i payed. However for not much more money u can get notably better guns.

Im currently eyeing up the new Pedersoli made Lyman Great Plains hunters.

If u go .50cal, consider the twist rate. A 1:66 will stabilize a round ball perfectly, but tumbles modern sabots. A 1:48 seems to be the happy medium, it shoots both balls and modern sabots decently. And 1:24 is what u buy if u only want to shoot modern sabots very accurately.
 
appleorangefish said:
In order of approximate quality(and price):
Traditions < T/C < Lyman < Pedersoli < Boutique makers

That said, there's nothing wrong with traditions, they still work great; it's like a rock island 1911 vs. more expensive brands. I feel better taking my traditions flinter as a woods gun than my other rifles because it was cheap and doesn't have much "collectible" value.



I have mine set to around 4-5 lbs. Be careful to test for hammer push off when adjusting the trigger.
And you should be removing the lock each time to clean the black powder fouling anyways, that's why the only make it 2 screws ;)
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Thank you for the advice on " push off" . I checked it by pushing n the hammer and I dropped it butt fist onto the floor from about 8 to 12 inches, ..... all good. I like, it works and left handed flint locks are hard to find.
 
Thomas Corry ‘s muzzleloaders on FB is a group of Manitoba guys shooting anything black powder check them out . there is a bunch of guys who shoot out of Selkirk Mb. at the Selkirk range most shoot Parker Hale percussion stuff, but a few have flintlocks
 
To save a lot of grief and frustration, Real Flints are a must, and setting them right in the jaws is critical . As they wear and dull, you can knap a sharp edge back on it in about 2 shakes of a lambs tail.
The next frustration preventer is Real Black powder . 4F for the pan is just the right thing to do , it is the most reliable in the pan, 3F and even 2F will work, most of the time. In the bore Real Black powder is by far the most reliable to light, go bang, and produce mucho fire and smoke. I use 3F up to 54cal, and 2F for 58cal and 12 ga if I can't find 1F for the 12.

I have a few L&R locks as well as TC,Lyman/Investarm locks and don't find any difference other than looks. They all have been reliable for me and in fact I am looking for a flint lock from TC/Lyman/Investarms , or a L&R RPL .
 
If someone could find those books especially the one on the left are very instructive.

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