flintlock Long rifles

[erussell]

Anyone know of a good flitlock longrifle builder in NY or PA that is close to Binghamton NY? I am going to start setting Money aside to  commision someone to build me a good flintlock. I am looking at either a Lancaster, a Reading Longrifle or a Poorboy Barn Gun. I have no experience with a longrifle, just inlines, so any advice on what to look for in a good gun would be helpfull. Has anyone ever had anything built by Gobbler Knob Longrifles in Montrose PA? They seem to be the closest I have found so far.

[bubba]

the best advice I could give you is to ook for a good lock.  Dont skimp on it. Syler is a good one. If there is no spark, the rifle is no good.  Also make sure the flash hole is lined up well.  Also look for a one piece stock for a long rifle.  Using a flintlock is much different than an inline. It requires a lot of meticulous care and  TLC. I would recommend going and shooting one to see what is involved before you go in so deep for something you might not have a liking for.  I have a flintlock I use for special muzzleloading season.  I tworks well, but as stated takes a lot of work to make it do so. 

[erussell]

Using a flintlock is much different than an inline. It requires a lot of meticulous care and  TLC. I would recommend going and shooting one to see what is involved before you go in so deep for something you might not have a liking for.  I have a flintlock I use for special muzzleloading season.  I tworks well, but as stated takes a lot of work to make it do so. 

I think thats why I want to get one. I sold my shotgun and got a T/C Triumph for the challenge of muzzleloading and hunt all gun season with it. Now im ready to go even further backward    I do enjoy a challenge, I killed my 1st three deer with a 35lbs recurve before I could even hunt with a gun. Besides its a dieing skill I think. I got one reply out of all the hunters on here, everyone is looking for easier and easier ways to kill deer and no one is learning the old ways of doing things. Besides some of these longrifles are an work of art and are just beautifull. I am not interested in all the fancy silver and brass work but some nice deer carvings on the stock of a poorboy longrifle would look nice. It will take me a while to get enough money to pick one up any how so I might be able to find someone who has one by then. I think your basic hand crafted poorboy is running about $1400 to start out and could take up to a yr to build depending on how behind the maker is on his orders. And one thing I have read is too make sure you "spring" for the best lock possible so it might run a little more than that 1400 especially if you want special carving on it. I don't want anything really fancy or I might not take it into the woods at all  but I do want a handmade American Rifle  not some foreign pc of crap or assembly line junk.

[CNYlungbuster]

Have you thought about those kits that you can make your own I know its probably not what you want and you probably want a pro doing it. However, I think there is something special about putting a deer down with a gun that was put together by you.  Just a thought maybe something for the mean time while you save up for the real good one. 

CNY

[Tweesdad]

Check out Paul Ackermann at AckermannArms.com.

He has worked on my flinter, and the man is a genius.

[erussell]

Have you thought about those kits that you can make your own I know its probably not what you want and you probably want a pro doing it. However, I think there is something special about putting a deer down with a gun that was put together by you.  Just a thought maybe something for the mean time while you save up for the real good one. 

CNY

I would actually like to hit the deer, If I put it together I'm not sure it would work and more than likely shoot around corners. Seriously I wish I was handy with building things, It's quite a lucrative business. If you know what you are doing you can get thousands for your guns. Some of these guys are backed up for yrs. And more and more of them are closing there doors because they are just getting to old to do it anymore. It's quite sad.

[CNYlungbuster]

haha shoot around corners... that might work out for you, that way you don't need to move around to the side of the tree your sitting next to just shoot around it lol.  Or if the deer is behind a tree maybe the bullet will curve around the tree like in the movies lol...

CNY

[Dinsdale]

Not looking for the easy way...but you asked for a maker in a specific geographic area. Can't help there.

I built a .45 Flintlock and sold it after shooting a doe with it (sometimes wished I hadn't sold it)

If you want some ideas these guy's will take care of the machining if you want and all the bits required; you get to do the stock and assembly.

http://www.longrifles-pr.com/index.shtml

Click on "stocks and components" the the style you want, and it will give a detailed list of what is needed for assembly.

They sell this action and I'm doing one of these next year;

http://forums.accuratereloading.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/7971019521/m/5181081331

for a percussion gun. I'll do the barrel turning and silver solder sights and such,making the stock from scratch, and have the blueing done by a pro (Doug Turnbull)

[erussell]

Man I just got done reading up on building a longrifle and it kind of made me sick to my stomach when they were talking obout using chisles to remove wood to make sure the barrel fit snug.    I just don't have the patience or the tools to do it myself, I could see myself removing to much wood and ruining a $400 stock. ???  I think I will let the professionals do it. Besides in the end if I were to buy the kit the tools and vices and everything else that gos into making one it will be about the same anyway only difference is it might actually work if someone else does it.

[bpb]

Anyone know of a good flitlock longrifle builder in NY or PA that is close to Binghamton NY? I am going to start setting Money aside to  commision someone to build me a good flintlock. I am looking at either a Lancaster, a Reading Longrifle or a Poorboy Barn Gun. I have no experience with a longrifle, just inlines, so any advice on what to look for in a good gun would be helpfull. Has anyone ever had anything built by Gobbler Knob Longrifles in Montrose PA? They seem to be the closest I have found so far.

I'd 1st suggest you decide on what you want as the 3 styles you've listed are very differnet.

Then call Jack Patterson in Crogan ,NY. He builds one fine rifle and has won gold medals in internation competition.

[erussell]

Whats  a swamped barrell and do I want it?

[bpb]

Whats  a swamped barrell and do I want it?

A swamped bbl is say 1" at the breech and taper to 3/4" in the center then back to 7/8" at the muzzle.

  The reason, (so I was told); is so you can not see any bbl between the rear sight and front sight.

With that said, they do look nice.  It will cost you extra~

[doulos]

I believe the  first muzzleloaders that came over to this country were the large caliber ,short barreled jager styles and muskets.

A swamped barrel was used to lengthen the barrel and use smaller calibers, but at the same time increase velocity because of better powder burn and still keep the long barrel to a weight that was useable.

heres an example of the dimensions

they are slightly hourglass shaped

this diagram is from Colerain Barrels site

A swamped barrel moves the balance point back toward the breech, keeping a long barreled gun from being nose heavy. It is thinner where the presure is lowest and thickest where the presure is high at the breech end.

The barrel flares back out again at the muzzle. .the breech is plenty strong fro a good sized charge

If you ever held one off hand ,You'll WANT One.

The balance even for barrels over 38 inches is incredible.  You  have to handle one to appreciate it.

For those who are interested in flintlocks

here some good web sites

AmericanLongrifles.com

Muzzleloading Forum .com

and the Contemporary longrifle  Association

All these sites have alot of info about the American Longrifle and its history.  Alot of the guys on these sites are custom builders.

So for those of you who want a rifle built or a kit these are good places to start investigating

[bpb]

Call Jack Patterson~