Why so Few Flintlocks?

[Patriot3]

Hello,
I am constantly trying to find a descent flintlock for sale and cannot seem to find any. Where are all the flintlock shooters at? I seem to find a million percussion shooters everywhere and many are in pawn shops, but absolutely no flintlocks. Can someone point me in the general direction or something please?

Thanks, Patriot3

 

[Latewatch]

Friendship, Indiana. Check out the NMLRA website.

 

[cedarthicket]

For starters you may want to look at the web site of the National Muzzle Loading Rifle Association. National Muzzle Loading Rifle Association The NMLRA has its headquarters in Friendship, Indiana (southeastern part of the state in Ripley County). They have two big shoots each year plus other smaller ones. At the big shoots they have lots of flintlock matches plus vendors displaying their wares for sale. They also have several NMLRA-affiliated clubs in Indiana, many of which include flintlock matches in their typically monthly shoots. I believe the web site also includes links to other information that may be of interest to you. Hope this helps.

 

[Kirk Freeman]

Why not buy on line like everyone else from Dixie or Track of the Wolf???

The blackpowder guys were quick to move on line as muzzleloaders are not as regulated as modern firearms.

Dixie Gun Works muzzleloading, blackpowder and rare antique gun supplies.

replica guns for sale, Pedersoli is historical firearms and guns.

Flintlock rifles - Track of the Wolf

If you want a custom piece, let me know . . . and I'll call my dad.

 

[Mike Grasso]

+1 on Track of the Wolf, have bought a couple there over the years and commissioned a couple.
The Leonard Day revolving bbl has Flintlocks and Percussion.

 

[Patriot3]

Those are absolutely beautiful

 

[Mike Grasso]

Years ago I was involved in some of the weapons and Training for a movie "Last of the Mohicans", I totally was bitten by the BP bug.

 

[Patriot3]

Do you prefer the flintlocks or the percussions?

 

[Mike Grasso]

I really like Flints, they are more "traditional" in my mind, but I also enjoy Percussion when hunting.
More than one boar has been dropped by the lower two.
Really is 6 of one, half dozen of another, Ford or Chevy, Coke or Pepsi, 1911 or... wait there isn't anything for that

 

[Leadeye]

Flintlocks are interesting and fun to shoot, that said they are also more complicated and usually more expensive. This might account for the difference.

 

[2in1evtime]

I have had a charles daly left handed hawken flintlock since the early 80's. have really enjoyed shooting it , also deer hunted several years with it also. Was a very large learning curve compared to cap locks though

 

[Throwsstones]

Love my flintlocks!!! I've been shooting them since the late 70's and taken several whitetail. Jim Chambers at flintlocks.com is a good place too.

 

[1861navy]

+1 on Track of the Wolf, have bought a couple there over the years and commissioned a couple.
The Leonard Day revolving bbl has Flintlocks and Percussion.

 

[freekforge]

Friendship spring shoot starts on june 14th and lasts until the 22nd it is an awesome place for all types of muzzleloaders if you can make go without hesitation.

 

[vedearduff]

How much are you willing/able to spend on the rifle? Flintlocks are addictive and great fun. There are a few things to keep in mind when gearing up.

First, you need to realize that you will have to purchase real black powder, none of the substitutes will work. Their ignition temperature is high enough that you simply will not get reliable ignition using a sub in either the pan or the main charge. While you can use a sub for the main charge if you first load about 10 grains of the real deal and then the sub, you still need true black powder for both the pan and as the first part of a duplex load.

Next, you need to be sure to purchase a rifle which was made with decent lock. The geometry of the flintlock can make or break the rifle. A good flintlock, well set up, will be a joy to use. A poorly designed, or improperly set up, flintlock will be nothing but an exercise in frustration and will usually lead a new flintlock shooter to abandon the system as unreliable. In a laboratory setting, using high speed photography, it has been proven that caplock ignition is faster than flintlock. And for a shooter competing at the highest level, that difference can matter. For the rest of us, a well designed and set up flintlock provides ignition that is just as fast as a caplock.

For most flintlocks, you will want to use hand knapped English or French flints. There are exceptions to this, but until you are used to working with flintlock firearms you almost always be be best served using the black English or amber French flints.

There are precious few factory flintlock rifles that make for a good entry into the world of the rocklocker. If a full stocked longrifle is what you are looking for, the Pedersoli Blueridge can be a good place to start. If you are more inclined towards the half stock mountain rifle of the Western Fur Trade, the Lyman Great Plains Rifle can be a good choice.

If you are willing, and able, there are several "kit" options. The kits I'm referring to are more correctly described as "parts sets" and can be a bit of challenge. The main advantage to these "kits" is that they are made up of top quality parts and will include a well designed lock. Some of he makers to check out are Jim Chambers Flintlocks, Tennessee Valley Manufacturing, Cabin Creek Muzzleloading, and Track of the Woolf.

Another option is to seek out some of the local monthly shoots and see what may be available second hand. Many shooters start out with a basic rifle and then decide to add a more historically accurate rifle, more suited to a specific time period. One good rifle to look for on the used market is the Dixie Gun Works Tennessee Mountain Rifle. This rifle is no longer in production,but it was a great starter flintlock and was available in a left hand version as well as in .50 and .32 calibers. The main thing to watch out for in this rifle is that the lock can be temperamental. There is a fix for this, L&R produces a line of replacement locks that are intended as (almost) drop in replacements for the locks that came on certain factory firearms. The DGW Tennessee Mountain Rifle is one of those for which L&R makes a replacement.

To find a monthly shoot near you, go the the NMLRA web site and have a look at the Charter Club listings.

Feel free to PM me if you have any questions, or ask them here.

Watch yer back trail.

 

[JettaKnight]

I really like Flints, they are more "traditional" in my mind, but I also enjoy Percussion when hunting.
More than one boar has been dropped by the lower two.
Really is 6 of one, half dozen of another, Ford or Chevy, Coke or Pepsi, 1911 or... wait there isn't anything for that

You and your new-fangled flints. Wheellocks are the practical traditional method. Flints and caps are only for armies. No citizen needs such a weapon with that fast of a lock time. Think of the children!

 

[IndyGunworks]

Friendship spring shoot starts on june 14th and lasts until the 22nd it is an awesome place for all types of muzzleloaders if you can make go without hesitation.

Can I bring my cannon?

 

[Gamez235]

I've got a Chamber Fowler Kit in the closet, that I will start working on once I move and get the shop set up and in proper order. .

 

[ShootnCut]

These folks have some neat stuff.........................
Loyalist Arms & Repairs

Picked this up several years ago..............

 

[IndyGunworks]

I wanted to order my cannon barrel from them but they were just out of reach at 2500 plus shipping vs the 800 and free shipping that I paid.... they still have a brown bess repro that I would LOVE to own, but I cant justify the money, and it doesn't come w/ a hardened frizzle? Hardening that seems complicated and risky.