Need some help shopping for a Muzzy

[Dannmann801]

OK boys, need some help –
Woman I know wants to buy her son a KY long rifle for his 40th birthday.
She wants it to be pretty to sit on the mantle, but also functional so he can take it afield and kill a deer with it.
Asked me for guidance on what to get, told her I’d look in to it –

So I’m thinking a Traditions piece, but are there other options?

FYI the lady is not constrained financially, can go $1-2K

Percussion or flintlock?

Caliber - My first thought is .50 caliber, but is there a benefit to a smaller caliber? (I can cast whatever bullets he needs, so no worries there.)

Where to buy?

Does anyone know of a brick and mortar store in the SW Ohio/N KY area that would have stock?

Any other brands online other than Traditions? Any custom shops?

 

["J"]

@Ohiosam

Dan, Sam’s got a nice flintlock. He’s posted some about it when he got it.
There’s a couple muzzleloader specialty shops in Ohio, not sure if any are close to you though.
@Bowhunter57 might be another person that has some experience with some of the shops I’ve mentioned also.
I’m a modern in-line guy so I’m of no help.

 

[Hedgelj]

@Ohiosam

Dan, Sam’s got a nice flintlock. He’s posted some about it when he got it.
There’s a couple muzzleloader specialty shops in Ohio, not sure if any are close to you though.
@Bowhunter57 might be another person that has some experience with some of the shops I’ve mentioned also.
I’m a modern in-line guy so I’m of no help.

This and I'd recommend a stop at the log cabin, it's worth it, i think there's another place somewhere in amish country to

 

[Dannmann801]

This and I'd recommend a stop at the log cabin, it's worth it, i think there's another place somewhere in amish country to

Define log cabin

 

["J"]

Define log cabin

https://logcabinshop.com/about.php

This is what Doug and in a roundabout way what I was referring too…

 

[Hedgelj]

Define log cabin

Log Cabin Shop

 

[giles]

I don't have the time to look, but what are Kentucky's definition of traditional. That might help narrow down the search.

 

[Bowhunter57]

* Dixie Gun Works is another option, if you don't mind ordering something "sight unseen". There are some good Pedersoli rifles on their website.
* Would building a rifle be of interest? There are plenty of good kit rifle options out there. Kibler Rifles are well known, pretty simple to assemble and reasonably priced. Jim Kibler live in eastern Ohio and offers tours of his facility.
* The Log Cabin Shop, in Lodi, Ohio offers building materials, custom built finished rifles and used rifles.
* Depending on how urgent this person wants/needs a long rifle, there are muzzleloader rendezvous in Ohio and Pennsylvania, that will have anything and everything you can imagine for building or to buy a finished long rifle. One of the events in Friendship, Indiana is in mid-September and is put on by the MLNRA. https://nmlra.membershipsoftware.org/content.asp?contentid=156
* There are several upcoming events where knowledge and materials can be seen and/or purchased. A simple Google search for "muzzleloader rendezvous" or "muzzleloader builders in Ohio" will turn up a lot of places and events.

Hope this helps!

 

[Dannmann801]

Yeah, I called Log Cabin this a.m. and got catalogs on order, thanks for that lead. Good place to start.

Building from a kit is not an option. I ain't getting roped into that shit.

Anybody got input about cap vs flint?

 

[CJD3]

Cap is a little easier in bad weather but once you figure out the flint, it’s just as good.
Personally , I built a Thompson 50
Cal in flintlock from a kit 45 years ago and have taken many deer with it. 90 gr of 3F in the barrel, splash of 4F in the pan. I have in-lines too but would sell them before I would sell that flintlock.

 

[giles]

Flint wins the cool factor every time!

 

[Mike]

If you had the time

Guns | kashtuk

Looking for primitive archery and flintlocks? Try our handmade longbows, arrows and muzzleloaders and release your primal Instinct! kashtukbowcraft.com

www.kashtukbowcraft.com

 

[Bowhunter57]

Dannmann801,
If you don't have the time, patience and someone to show you a few pointers....I highly recommend going with a caplock. A flintlock can be very frustrating, if you've never handled one before. I've had just as quick ignition on flints, as caps, but when things go wrong, it's nice...very nice to have someone close to answer a few questions to get you back on track.

 

[CJD3]

I’d have to agree with everything bowhunter57 said above.
As an afterthought on the subject, if your going to shoot a flint or cap, stick with the traditional ammo too. Round ball and cloth patch or “buffalo ball”.

They make a “poly patch”. A plastic cup that replaces the cloth patch separating the ball from powder. Stay away from them. The plastic can fill in the lands/groves in the barrel and is a bitch to get out if it builds up. I also stay away from the sabots as they have a plastic type cup
to hold the sabot on top of the powder. If ya want to shoot that stuff, just go ahead and get a inline.

A .49 round ball will all weigh about the same. The thickness of the patch is what can make the difference. To thin a patch and pressure and powder can get around the ball. Walking out 10-15 yards after shooting and finding the patch will answer if you’ve got the right thickness.

 

[Bowhunter57]

As an afterthought on the subject, if your going to shoot a flint or cap, stick with the traditional ammo too. Round ball and cloth patch or “buffalo ball”.

A .49 round ball will all weigh about the same. The thickness of the patch is what can make the difference. To thin a patch and pressure and powder can get around the ball. Walking out 10-15 yards after shooting and finding the patch will answer if you’ve got the right thickness.

A patched round ball hits like a freight train!
I'll take a prb all day long over a conical bullet, for knock down power. A .010" or .015" patch thickness will get you the accuracy results you want. Checking the fired patch, like CJD3 said, will let you know what's working.

 

[Dannmann801]

Fuck.
Now I want one.
Dammit.
Look at me, a @JOHNROHIO wannabe

 

["J"]

Fuck.
Now I want one.
Dammit.
Look at me, a @JOHNROHIO wannabe

What’s next? A stick bow?

 

[Bowhunter57]

Fuck.
Now I want one.
Dammit.
Look at me, a @JOHNROHIO wannabe

I'm seriously looking at building one of the Kibler kit rifles. Probably the Colonial Kit, in a rifled 54 caliber. I've never heard anything bad about them and from what a hunting buddy of mine tells me, they're almost an assemble kit. Staining the wood and bluing, browning or blacking the barrel is a simple process.
The Southern Mountain Rifle kit is offered in several calibers (32, 36, 40 and 45 all are rifled), while the Colonial kit is offered in 50, 54 and 58 calibers....but your choice of smooth or rifled bores. I gave some thought to getting the 50 in a rifled bore and purchasing an extra barrel in 58 in a smooth bore. A 58 caliber would be a 28 gauge for a shotgun and perhaps a different way to hunt turkeys.

https://kiblerslongrifles.com/
Maybe this link will give you muzzleloader rabies, then you'll be infected like the rest of us.

 

[CJD3]

This type of gun is where the expression
“Lock, stock and barrel “ comes from.

when buying a new gun, you wanted to be sure you were getting the whole thing so it would be said you wanted it all. Lock, stock and barrel.

 

[JOHNROHIO]

What’s next? A stick bow?

No,no, well trained with borrowed xbows.