Anyone ever build a smoke pole from a commercially available kit like the Traditions Kentucky or a Hawkens kit? Fairly certain I want to do this as an heirloom project, but figured I'd check with this crowd before getting too carried away!
DY Muzzleloader Kits
- Thread starter bowhunter1023
- Start date
My brothers and I built several 35 plus years ago. Plan on keeping it as it won't sell well in the future. I even have my brothers TC Hawken 50 caliber here now and there has been no interest in it.
Archertl
Senior Member
If you want a heirloom piece the traditions kits are kind of lame. They arent historicaly accurate and really dont look that flattering. The traditions kentucy rifle has a two piece stock with a brass washer that makes me want to puke. Not the fault of the assembler but just speaks to the
Quality of the kit. For 299 you are not getting a great rifle. Lymans kits are much nicer for 450. The lymans kits also go together with less headache. The old tompson center kits arent to bad either. Most guns up until the mid1830's would have been flintlock not percussion. Even though the percussion cap technology was avalable as early as the 1820's. Many flintlock rifles would have been converted around the 1830's as well.
There are some extremly high quality kits out there that will produce a historically accurate and beautiful rifle. I made .36 caliber squirrel rifle using jim kiblers southern mountian rifle kit. My next muzzleloader will either be a 16 gauge fowler i build using a black walnut stock blank or track of the wolf full stock hawken kit.
The main differance between building from a blank vs a kit is the hard part of mortising the lock and drilling the ramrod entry are done for you. There are lots of muzzleloader smiths in southern ohio that will be happy to mortise your lock and drill the entry for a small fee. Kits still require you to do all the inletting and fitting. At minimum you will need inletting black, inletting scrapers, scrapper cards, drill bits, a drill press, and a main spring vise. if choose to do any carving you will need knives, chisels and gouges. You may also choose to do silverwire work and will need punches and cutters. I poured a pewter nose cap on my rifle as well.
Quality of the kit. For 299 you are not getting a great rifle. Lymans kits are much nicer for 450. The lymans kits also go together with less headache. The old tompson center kits arent to bad either. Most guns up until the mid1830's would have been flintlock not percussion. Even though the percussion cap technology was avalable as early as the 1820's. Many flintlock rifles would have been converted around the 1830's as well.
There are some extremly high quality kits out there that will produce a historically accurate and beautiful rifle. I made .36 caliber squirrel rifle using jim kiblers southern mountian rifle kit. My next muzzleloader will either be a 16 gauge fowler i build using a black walnut stock blank or track of the wolf full stock hawken kit.
The main differance between building from a blank vs a kit is the hard part of mortising the lock and drilling the ramrod entry are done for you. There are lots of muzzleloader smiths in southern ohio that will be happy to mortise your lock and drill the entry for a small fee. Kits still require you to do all the inletting and fitting. At minimum you will need inletting black, inletting scrapers, scrapper cards, drill bits, a drill press, and a main spring vise. if choose to do any carving you will need knives, chisels and gouges. You may also choose to do silverwire work and will need punches and cutters. I poured a pewter nose cap on my rifle as well.
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Buckmaster
Senior Member
My Dad and I did couple together in the '80s. It was fun browning barrels to make them look old skool.
Here you go:
http://www.logcabinshop.com/
Here you go:
http://www.logcabinshop.com/
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Big_Holla
Senior Member
My dad bought me a Thompson Center New Englander kit back when I was in my early teens. I hate to say it but at first I was disappointed that I actually had to work on it before I could even shoot it. After working on it filing the stock down, sanding it, putting linseed oil on it for the finish and assembling it I was damn proud of that gun. Since I got my in-line it sat in the corner for many years until last year when I pulled it out to hunt with my son last year's muzzy season. Felt real good carrying it around and brought back a lot of good memories.
I built the Thompson Hawkin 50 cal flintlock. I browned the barrel instead of blue.
One of my favorite guns. That was in 1974... I have shot it a fair amount so it's getting some character around the wood and metal. Only shoot patch an ball with her.
There is something special going on when I carry that gun for deer. It sucks me back in time.
Do it Jess!
Some old file picts.
One of my favorite guns. That was in 1974... I have shot it a fair amount so it's getting some character around the wood and metal. Only shoot patch an ball with her.
There is something special going on when I carry that gun for deer. It sucks me back in time.
Do it Jess!
Some old file picts.
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She's a beaut Jim! Solid input by Archer and all. Maybe some day. Not at this time in my life. I'll definitely follow along if you build one Jesse. Looks pretty cool
The old expression " lock, stock and barrel " came from frontier days when a man wanted to know he was getting a whole gun , he would be sure to say he wanted all 3 parts. The lock, the stock and the barrel. Mountain men dident want a shiny gun barrel that would give away their location so some would heat the (empty) barrel then rub it down with bear fat thus dulling the shine along with oxidizing...
And let's face it. It's always nice to have a couple cans of 3 and 4F black powder around...
And let's face it. It's always nice to have a couple cans of 3 and 4F black powder around...
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