Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Muzzleloaders Buildling a sidelock

I'm looking to find a good kit or pieces to build a sidelock. I don't like the brass fixtures but I do like the browned or tarnished looking stuff. The primary purpose will be hunting so I'm looking at a .50 or .54. I' also probably prefer to shoot patched round balls, but I'm not against anything else as long as it's not really modern. Where would you guys start, or where would you look? I'm not new to shooting them, but I am to building them.

Cost can go mild to wild. Anywhere from a Lyman kit or a custom kit. http://www.trackofthewolf.com/List/Category.aspx/588 will get you started, that is just the tip of the iceberg if you do some research.

I've looked at Track of the Wolf and liked several of their kits. I guess I'll have to get back on and see what's up with them.

If you want to hunt with round balls go with the .54 caliber. Lots of advantages over the .50.

Another place to look is Dixie...(Link)... Dixie Gun Works Longarms / Kits

I'd recommend this one. No brass. Nice lines.

http://www.grafs.com/retail/catalog/product/productId/10260

I've looked at those but that's the cheapest price I've seen for them. Thanks.

I don't think you can do better than a Lyman GPR without going up into the custom price range.

It's a reliable, good shooting rifle that is a close representation of a traditional plains / Hawken type rifle.

I've built several rifles with components from Pecatonica River Longrifle supply. I think they make stocks for some of the other outfits offering components.

Flintlocks.com

Good stuff. Order the building video first. It's a nice overview of how component sets in general come together and will give you a good idea if this is something you want to do. Also do a YouTube search for flintlocks and whitetails. You may get hooked.

Since the rifle is going to dictate the parts you need , its hard to recommend where to go to get parts , without knowing what it is your building

First I would get a good building book . Either recreating the American long rifle or Grenwrich County . eather will lead you through what you need to know to build eather a rifle or smooth bore . IE while parts may change , the steps and process doesnt .
The later having far more photos and drawings .

Next if you can , look for someone with experience , near you who will take you on and help you with the build
Then I would set down an start looking at what it is your wanting to build . IE will it be ½ stock , full stock , flintlock , cap lock , snaphaunce, fuse …..
Then decide on a stile . Will it be a later plains rifle or an earlier sporting rifle . If its to be a long rifle , what school , then what maker ………
Once you have all that down , then you can go looking for parts . Frankly there are countless venders to chose from . Some only specialize in specific parts . Others like ToW , Pecatonica River , muzzleloader Builder supply , TRS, or the muzzle loading Emporium mainly carry the more popular basic parts and castings .

Also , Dont be afraid to draw outside the lines . In other words , make what you like .
here is a rifle i recently finished . I started with a Haines then added what the customer wanted . IE . Silver mounted , wire work , carving , engraving , 54 cal barrel , double set triggers , gold lined pan ,,,,,,,,
the sky really is the limit . but you have to have basic knowklage so as to start .













[img]http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y242/captchee/Rifles/DSC01153_zpsph3jkgxm.jpg[/img]

[img]http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y242/captchee/Rifles/DSC01165_zpstlde3jss.jpg[/img]

This thread diserves a bump. Captchee, your work is amazing. Now THAT is talent!

and I will second that,Cap you are a master.

Beautiful rifle!

Years ago I built a Tennessee long rifle from a Dixie kit.
It turned out really well, percussion lock that I had to inlet, .50, designed for patched round ball.


This is a beautiful rifle and accurate. I killed 3 deer with it.
Sadly Dixie no longer makes this kit.

I have no reservations about taking the biggest whitetail with this rifle but, as someone said, whatever the .50 will do, the .54 will do better.

Good luck!

Mike Adcock, Doddridge Arkansas, he built me a 58 cal Hawken rifle that's a shooting sombuck, a wonderful old school Hawken Rifle with no flash and glitz, the rifle looks like it's 150 years old.

Anything from a .40 to a .69 roundball will kill a deer- it's all about shot placement no matter the diameter of the ball anyway. If bigger critters were on the menu, well, I might leave the .40 and .45 out.

As for shiny brass furniture on the gun (the wood isn't the "furniture" - it's the wood), don't sweat it. After it's together, either swab the shiny stuff with the first patch that comes out of the dirty barrel when cleaning it (to artificially age/darken it), or just use it for a while and it'll dull on its own and soon take on a soft patina.