Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Muzzleloaders WHat flinter would you recommend?

I am now looking at getting a flinter to augment my cap lock 50 cal. <P>I have decided I would like a 50 cal. (Already have lots of 50 cal stuff, moulds included, no need to change calibers, no elk hunting in sight with it, biggest would be mule deer.) That is the only thing I have decided on, oh yea and it will be a flint lock and stand as tall as I. (I am 6 ft tall, ok maybe not 6 feet tall but not a short carbine) To get the old nastalgia going. <P>I was wondering what is out there that is on the market that is good quality that will not break the bank. What do you recommend or have?<p>[This message has been edited by blammer (edited February 17, 2001).]

My dad has a CVA Pennsylvania Long Rifle. It will come up to your shoulder, but you will have a very hard time finding a gun that is 6 feet long. This one is about 5 feet long. The long rifle will probably cost you about $400 to $500. You should be able to find a long gun like that. The barrel is about 41 inches long.<BR> A 6 feet long one would be very hard to find and hunt with. It would also probably be hard to pay for. DO you know how long the barrel would have to be to reach 6 feet?

Blammer, Big Hunter brings up some good points. Custom PA longrifles are expensive! CVA and Traditions both make longrifles in the Pennsylvania style. I hunt with a Lyman Great Plains with a 32-in barrel. It is about as much barrel as I care to lug around as they are heavy for all day in the woods. Remember too that all that barrel in front of you throws the balance of the gun to the front and may be hard to hold. If you hunt heavy laurel and brush like I do, it is sometimes hard to be quiet with a long barrel. Glad to hear you want to try a flinter, as they are alot of fun and challenge. Once you get the hang of it they are also reliable. Good Luck and keep the smoke flying! Rick

thanks for your concern on the quiet issue (had not thought of that) I tend to still hunt mostly. as for strength I have alway had difficulty shooting a short rifle, I tend to wave it all over the place, for me longer (but not excessive) is better, by the way I get a real good nights sleep after hiking around the woods all day carring around lots of stuff. as for breaking the bank, I was looking at not more than $500 or so...<P>I saw the Lyman GP rifle with 32" brl and was wondering about the shallow grooves? What type of bullets does that limit you to?<P>I am kinda wanting a 1:48" twist because I have had good luck with RB and sabots and maxi's with it. Not knowing much about the faster and slower twists I am kinds leary of them.

blammer the round balls are meant for the slow twist, a 1/66 barrel will group at least 2 inches at 100....gutpile

Blammer, I can only speak about the GP rifle and the T/C PA Carbine as they are all I have owned. Lyman now has a twin to the GP rifle called the GP Hunter with a 1-32 twist for sabots etc. The slow twist of the GP rifle limits you to the roundball as others have mentioned. I would'nt recommend the T/C PA hunter carbine, mine never shot well and didn't have set triggers, which I like. Don't let the shallow groove rifling worry you. You make up your bore size with patch thickness, mine like .015 and .018 thickness. If you wish to shoot sabots only, the GP Hunter may be the ticket with the 1-32 twist. Take a look a the website, <A HREF="http://www.lymanproducts.com." TARGET=_blank>www.lymanproducts.com.</A> It will show the specs on the GP hunter. Not trying to sell you on Lyman, just offering personal experience. There are other fine brands as well in the $300-400 range. Keep the smoke flying! Rick

I guess whether it is a flinter or cap lock does not matter when is comes to the bullet.<P>Is there such a thing as too fast a twist for RB? I like to shoot RB's but also like the sabots and maxi's. I just don't want to limit myself on the twist I get.<P>I saw the LYMAN GP Hunter and liked it, nice length of brl but fast twist concerns me, and I saw the LYMAN Trade Rifle and liked it too because it has the same length and twist brl I have on my T/C. I saw in the PIC that one had peep sight on front and rear. Does anyone know, can you get either in peep? I jerry rigged a peep on my T/C Renegade and it works great! Reduced my group by 2 inches with the same load. I would like to be able to get a flinter that came with a peep or the option to mount if available.<BR><p>[This message has been edited by blammer (edited February 18, 2001).]

Blammer, 1:48 twists are used in a lot of todays rifles because they are in the medium range of twist and shoot conicals and roundballs. A friend shoots a T/C Hawken in .45 with a roundball and it is a real tackdriver with the 1:48 twist. As far as sights, go to the Lyman site and take a look at theirs. They have been building exellent iron sights for many years. They may have what your looking for. Keep the smoke flying.Rick

Blammer,<P>I'm also a walker, I started flintlock hunting last year with a GPR. It's a great gun for the money, accurate and a decent lock. But it's a real "load" to get through the brush, long and a little on the heavy side. I'm currently looking around at either a shorter replacement bbl, or possibly getting mine shortened. If that doesn't bother you then it's great, just a sugestion-get a .54 and shoot roundballs, they are plenty big for Whitetails.<P>Doug

HOT DOG! I just got a new job today with a great salary increase from my old one. Wife said I could buy a new rifle to celebrate! (bet I'm special in that category!) I just ordered the Lyman Trade rifle flintlock in 50 cal, 1:48 twist, and picked up an unbreakable plastic ramrod then ducked over to brownells.com to get the lyman 57 rear sight. (peep) NOW where do I get a flintstone from? don't say outside because all I got is North Carolina Red Clay...or does one come wiht the rifle, anyway I'm sure I'll need another sometime.<p>[This message has been edited by blammer (edited February 27, 2001).]

Blammer, Congratulations on the new job, a new gun, and a good wife. Good combination, I think! Flintstones can be found on the cartoon channel, . Do yourself a favor, and save a few bucks. DO NOT buy T/C or any other cut flints. Order up some good english flints or, more expensive french flint. The cut flints are junk and you may get disgusted with your new gun. Voice of experience. If you can't find english flint locally, log on to <A HREF="http://www.rmcsports.com" TARGET=_blank>www.rmcsports.com</A> in mingoville, PA. A flint should come with your rifle. Make sure when you put it in the jaws you keep it from striking the side of your barrel as it falls, and mount it around a 1/6th to 1/8th inch back from the frizzen. There, your ready to have fun. Just concentrate when you shoot because of the flash right in front of your face. It takes a bit of getting used to. Again, Congrats. Rick