Good starter BP gun for girls? - traditional only

H Wally

H Wally

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What's out there in the "first blackpowder gun" category that would suit a girl?

Info: 5'9, athletic but not by any means heavy built. Has trouble holding long guns steadily on target standing because of excessive weight and leverage, so weight is a premium.

I know .50's are the most common, so what's short and reliable out there? I know the lyman deerstalker is one. Seems to be nice and short. What about T/C? CVA? What about squirrel guns? I haven't seen any advertised anywhere, or smaller cal barrels in the EE etc.

She has shot my .50 browning mountain rifle but I seem to remember it being on the heavy side.

P.S. Any women on here who have experience or advice welcome.

I'm asking this so if she asks for advice I have some to give, or direct her to this page. Ultimately it's her choice!

P.P.S. I see that A) blackpowder guns aren't considered firearms in the states and B) that they're far less expensive. If the model she likes is a flintlock down there then I don't see an issue with doing a trip down there to buy it and driving back with it right? (Of course bringing a couple copies of the law about US law on BP guns and Canadian law on flintlocks with us)
 
Heres 2 nice Ideas, the middlesex Is a smoothbore and is quite fancy, big fat sparky lock and as shes a smoothie-- its going to be easy to clean, somewhat light and adaptable, can shoot ball or shot....And dont sell out a smoothy on accuracy, Im quite a shot with my smoothbores.

The dixie one is a kit....Its a rifle, so you will get good accuracy out of it if you load it proper...Its more specialized.... the lock is one of those tiny pedersoli rifle locks.....so its going to be finnicky.

Harder to clean and the rifle lock is less relyable then a big musket type lock.

But its a basic kit needing basic wood finishing, so she "or you" can finish it to her specifications and really personalize it.

My woman really likes shooting my brown bess because its easy to load and the big lock is fairly fool proof.


Cheers.




http://www.middlesexvillagetrading.com/M77FRC.shtml

Or

http://www.dixiegunworks.com/product_info.php?cPath=22_162_193&products_id=2036
 
I checked with the BATF about that one day regarding the view taken on non-residents possesing even what they consider "non-firearms." The impression I got from the guy in the Butte Montana office was that anything that dispenses lead cannot be taken possesion of until you can prove at least 90 days of trouble free residency. Be it a new Knight, an original Schofield, or a 17th Century blunderbuss with a MacMillan tactical stock. See about having one shipped.

I phoned the Montana BATF guys because they are not the same bunch of jerks you would get in D.C.. They actually know the law rather than make it up on the fly.
 
I know a custom builder that has done a few kids guns and lighter rifles for some petite ladies. Can do all sorts of traditional styles and calibres but starting price is probably close to $1000.
Send me a PM if you are interested and I can put you in touch.


As for buying in the US you would be best to send it up through the mail even if you are buying it in person. A flinter should be fairly simple to get through as long as you include all the right paperwork to inform the border people. A percussion gun you would need to get registered before it was mailed but it would still be a lot easier than most guns.
The guys here who do more of this kind of thing can spell out the specifics for you.
 
bp gun for woman

hello-started my wife on a traditions deerhunter in .45 cal. shorter barrel and not bad accuracy. 40 grains and 440 ball not much kick as well. should find one used in 150-200 range.regards
 
My wife had the same issue with heavy barreled BP rifles. She couldn't keep them on target, and got tired after shooting a couple of shots. Not only that, she's also a lefty. There was nothing out there for her, off-the-shelf, that suited her stature.

So I ended up building her a left-handed flinter with a .36 cal barrel from Green Mountain and a LH lock from L&R.

Nice & light, and a breeze to load, shoot and clean according to her. I bought everything on-line (with the exception of the walnut half-stock which I already made) from Track of the Wolf, and had it on my doorstep in 12 days. If your not into building from scratch, Track will also semi-inlet the stock for you (barrel channel / lock) for a little more $.

IMO, it was the best way to get something that "fit" both her and my wallet.
 
The Lyman Deerstalker is in my opinion a great hunting rifle, and at 7lbs very nice to carry. My wife still thinks it is too heavy, so she uses a Traditions Deerhunter in .50 cal. It weighs in about 6lbs and has a 24" barrel. She shoots .490 round balls with 70g of 2f, and has taken well over a dozen whitetails with it.
 
my vote is for the T/C had one in 45 cal, perfect , light, and nice looking.
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Dont know why you think they must start Small.
My Wife shot my 303 frist and likes it better than the smaller caliber guns i have.
shes as good if not better than me with it, its the only gun she likes and its registered to her. and old 303 lee enfeild go figger!

I guess if you got a tiny one then smaller might be better :D
 
vagrantviking said:
I know a custom builder that has done a few kids guns and lighter rifles for some petite ladies. Can do all sorts of traditional styles and calibres but starting price is probably close to $1000.
Send me a PM if you are interested and I can put you in touch.


As for buying in the US you would be best to send it up through the mail even if you are buying it in person. A flinter should be fairly simple to get through as long as you include all the right paperwork to inform the border people. A percussion gun you would need to get registered before it was mailed but it would still be a lot easier than most guns.
The guys here who do more of this kind of thing can spell out the specifics for you.
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Muchos Gracias. Since this is her first gun she doesn't have the bug yet, so there's a set budget of sub $500. She has said she'd like a flinter but I admit I was pushing her to go percussion, just to lessen the learning curve of not only having a first gun, but a first blackpowder gun to boot. Then again, I guess I can help with that now that I've got the basics down:p

Weapontech said:
My wife had the same issue with heavy barreled BP rifles. She couldn't keep them on target, and got tired after shooting a couple of shots. Not only that, she's also a lefty. There was nothing out there for her, off-the-shelf, that suited her stature.

So I ended up building her a left-handed flinter with a .36 cal barrel from Green Mountain and a LH lock from L&R.

Nice & light, and a breeze to load, shoot and clean according to her. I bought everything on-line (with the exception of the walnut half-stock which I already made) from Track of the Wolf, and had it on my doorstep in 12 days. If your not into building from scratch, Track will also semi-inlet the stock for you (barrel channel / lock) for a little more $.

IMO, it was the best way to get something that "fit" both her and my wallet.
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What'd your set-up cost to your door? ( I assume you bought the barrel, lock, hardware) I'm quite happy to make a stock and build a gun if it'll get her what she would like the best.

cdnrokon said:
45 cal senica or cherokee from Thompson center or a white mountain carbine short and light
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nessy357 said:
X2, light and well balanced, either the T/C Cherokee or the Seneca .
Cheers nessy.
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I sense a trend:p

dingus said:
Dont know why you think they must start Small.
My Wife shot my 303 frist and likes it better than the smaller caliber guns i have.
shes as good if not better than me with it, its the only gun she likes and its registered to her. and old 303 lee enfeild go figger!

I guess if you got a tiny one then smaller might be better :D
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She has shot a fair number of my guns, from .22 to .303 to 7.62x54 to .50 cap and ball. By and large the weight was the issue, not the caliber. In addition to that, she wants her first gun to be a flintlock or cap and ball, so that limits the options greatly. I suppose a very heavily swamped .50 barrel might work, but I simply don't have the experience to do that, and I doubt it'd be within the budget.
 
40/65

Shiloh Sharps 1874 40/65. Mine is accurate with less recoil that a 45/70. Edit: Sorry I see you want a cap and ball.
H Wally said:
What's out there in the "first blackpowder gun" category that would suit a girl?

Info: 5'9, athletic but not by any means heavy built. Has trouble holding long guns steadily on target standing because of excessive weight and leverage, so weight is a premium.

I know .50's are the most common, so what's short and reliable out there? I know the lyman deerstalker is one. Seems to be nice and short. What about T/C? CVA? What about squirrel guns? I haven't seen any advertised anywhere, or smaller cal barrels in the EE etc.

She has shot my .50 browning mountain rifle but I seem to remember it being on the heavy side.

P.S. Any women on here who have experience or advice welcome.

I'm asking this so if she asks for advice I have some to give, or direct her to this page. Ultimately it's her choice!

P.P.S. I see that A) blackpowder guns aren't considered firearms in the states and B) that they're far less expensive. If the model she likes is a flintlock down there then I don't see an issue with doing a trip down there to buy it and driving back with it right? (Of course bringing a couple copies of the law about US law on BP guns and Canadian law on flintlocks with us)
Click to expand...
 
Actually, a larger calibre has a bigger hole in the barrel, so it might work out lighter. You might consider a .58 calibre musket, like the Zouave or something. The old Parker Hale musketoon (artillery carbine) might be ideal, they handle like a dream. I've found all the Thompson/Centre rifles to have too much weight in the barrel. Lots of girls shoot my 3-band Snider, and only the shortest one had trouble with the weight. Most lean way back when shooting a .50 calibre Hawken, though. It's all in the balance.
 
If you think that a kit might be the way to go look to Track of the Wolf or Dixie Gun Works. Importing might still be a bit of an issue but generally BP isn't bad. I think Loyalist has a few kits too.

When looking at different guns or barrels see what the outside measurements of the barrel are. Swamped barrels are nice but more money and more work to fit. Some straight barrels come pretty thin and make very nice light guns.

Half round and smoothbore barrels tend to be lighter too.
 
mackillan said:
Shiloh Sharps 1874 40/65. Mine is accurate with less recoil that a 45/70. Edit: Sorry I see you want a cap and ball.
Click to expand...


Yep, and can't afford the shiloh sharps, or I'd have one:p Budget is under $500.

BUSHMAN79 said:
Actually, a larger calibre has a bigger hole in the barrel, so it might work out lighter. You might consider a .58 calibre musket, like the Zouave or something. The old Parker Hale musketoon (artillery carbine) might be ideal, they handle like a dream. I've found all the Thompson/Centre rifles to have too much weight in the barrel. Lots of girls shoot my 3-band Snider, and only the shortest one had trouble with the weight. Most lean way back when shooting a .50 calibre Hawken, though. It's all in the balance.
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She's reading this forum so good suggestions - especially the musketoons. From what I can see it isn't so much the overall weight of the gun that does it, but the weight forward of the front hand. Holding all that steel out in front of you makes it hard to aim.

vagrantviking said:
If you think that a kit might be the way to go look to Track of the Wolf or Dixie Gun Works. Importing might still be a bit of an issue but generally BP isn't bad. I think Loyalist has a few kits too.

When looking at different guns or barrels see what the outside measurements of the barrel are. Swamped barrels are nice but more money and more work to fit. Some straight barrels come pretty thin and make very nice light guns.

Half round and smoothbore barrels tend to be lighter too.
Click to expand...

Thanks for that tip about the outside measurements! Am I right in thinking loyalist is a little on the higher side for prices in comparison to TOW and Dixie? I guess I'd have to factor in the bother of import and import fees though... unless it's a flinter!
 
We have a safari arms .54 percssion 1 in 48 twist(basically a deerstalker clone, little fancier).
My wife shoots and loves it, (she has 30-30 and 375win) loads of 80 and 90gr goex ffg with a .535 speer ball. Couple days ago my neice shot it, she's maybe 5'3" with her boots on and I doubt if she weighs more than 115, she's tiny, and had no recoil issues.(she's ok with a 30-30, but the 375 wasn't comfortable for her)
Few days ago there was another sort of lyman looking clone(for lack of a better description) percussion on the ee for I think between 200 or 300 bucks. Only reason I didn't buy it is I'd like to get a 1 in 60 or 66 flinter. From the research I did before buying mine used it appears the bulk of them are made in spain, with slight differences and a different name stamp.
For what it's worth, my first shot is always a bullseye, and from 75 yds I can put them in a 4" circle all day long; from 100yds I'm throwing rocks. Could be we just haven't got it figured yet, as we've only put maybe 60 or 80 through it.
 
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