I own a couple T/C caplocks, and they cost a lot used now. But where are all of the cheap ones by Traditions, CVA, and others?
I'd like to have a few that are shooters, and to use as wallhangers. They make good wall art. The average person won't know the difference in a custom gun and a cheap foreign made one.
Also, one question: Where can you mail order real black powder now? I use to 20+ years ago, but I have no sources now.
Coopers Gun Shop up in Ft Smith Ar used to have a drum full of cheap [ABUSED] muzzle loaders, I pulled a few out one day, broke my heart to see how damn stupid and neglectful some people are!
I don't know about other gun dealers but back when Darrel Whittaker of Whittaker's Guns was still alive they used to not deal in used muzzle loaders as from experience he found that most used ones had not been properly cleaned and maintained.
I have a CVA Mountain Rifle in 50 caliber, but I don't consider it "Cheap". CVA Bobcat I consider cheap.
That's what I'm saying. Most were trashed by ignorant shooters. But there were tons of them made.
People don't throw guns in the trash. They are out there, But where in the hell are they hiding?
And this goes double for several types of modern cartridge guns. I've seen multiple types vanish from used gun counters in the past 20yrs.
And this goes double for several types of modern cartridge guns
Nylon 66 comes to mind.........
And guns from Sears like Ted Williams. Thousands were made. When is the last time you saw one?
And guns from Sears like Ted Williams. Thousands were made. When is the last time you saw one?
I collect them😊
Last one i bought 2 years ago. 30-06 . Was so accurate my cousin had to have it. They come and go
Bought all my used TC's years a go used when they were cheap. Yeah they come they go ,week a go I bought a JCHiggins model 51-L 270 that's on the HVA small ring FN clone action, walnut stock and some decent figure with checkering and a monte carlo it needed a pad and I did that. Pulled a m8 6x36 leupold off another rifle and put it on the 51-L , little bore sighting 6 rds later ready to go. Essentially the the same action as the High Standard H-100 model 270 I had light weight and a good shooter also. Got to get a deal and buy them when you see them. MB
I still see a lot of $50 used muzzle loaders in my area, but most have bores that look like old sewer pipes.
When in-lines hit Virginia, I was at a gun show and a guy had a pile of TC’s. I bought a .50 & .45 Hawken, a tree hawk and a renegade for $350. All had good bores. Still have 2 of them.
I was just gifted a new inline. Thinking I will sell my TC New Englander, just need to figure out what it is worth.
It is a 50 caliber. Looked it over last night. Very good condition with a peep sight. When I got it, it had a little bit of surface rust on the end of the muzzle. I cleaned that off with some steel wool, but you can still see where it was. Needs a dab of cold blue.
Jeff
It depends where you live, how hard that you look and what you think is cheap.
$200 or less is fairly cheap for a gun in shooting condition, and they can be found if you look hard enough or are willing to haggle with the seller.
A caplock barrel can be refreshed, re-rifled or turned into a smoothbore for under $200.
If you only want them for wall hangers then they wouldn't need to be in top condition and can be found cheaper.
Many folks part them out on eBay because the parts are worth more than the gun.
Whatever happened to the idea of hunting far and wide to find the bargain that you want?
Call gun shops throughout your county, and then expand the search to neighboring counties until you find a shop that has a motherlode.
Sometimes they don't even put them on the rack which takes up floor space, but if you ask they might have some in the back room that they want to get rid of.
If you buy more than one then you'll probably get a better deal.
Sometimes you just need to haggle by making an offer, or continue to hunt for a better bargain.
Check out pawn shops. You need to be able to haggle.
Bought a New Englander today for $175.
Had a buddy that was a traveling gun dealer.
He lived in MD, about 5 miles from the state line, and we used to
run around to gun shows together. Me a barely out of school broke ass kid,
He a retired Kelly Springfield tire builder. (Absolute best $$ blue collar job around)
He made a pile of money off used muzzleloader.
Pa only allowed flintlock, MD and WV allowed percussion.
Wayne would buy flinters cheap in those states, sell or trade them in Pa.
Caplocks were very cheap in Pa, but he did good in MD or WV.
He is gone now, along with most of the old dudes I ran around with.
Just to add..... PM me if you have any muzzleloaders that would still shoot but are mainly wall hangers. The smaller caliber the better.
I use Grafs and Sons, but lately they've been out of stock.
Sometimes cheap stuff disappears....because it's cheap!!
Grafs has been out of stock on black powder for months.
I own a couple T/C caplocks, and they cost a lot used now. But where are all of the cheap ones by Traditions, CVA, and others?
I'd like to have a few that are shooters, and to use as wallhangers. They make good wall art. The average person won't know the difference in a custom gun and a cheap foreign made one.
Also, one question: Where can you mail order real black powder now? I use to 20+ years ago, but I have no sources now.
People put them up dirty and they all have useless rusted bores......at least the ones I see around.
Before you just hang one on the wall or junk it because of a rough bore it may be able to be a shooter again. Get an old used bore brush and wrap it with 0000 steel wool soaked with Kroil. Brush it real good then clean with clean patch soaked with Kroil then dry patch it. Check the bore and if it still looks bad do it again. Do it until it starts to look good. If the rifling is still there it will shoot.
Have a great day.
Jim
Before you just hang one on the wall or junk it because of a rough bore it may be able to be a shooter again. Get an old used bore brush and wrap it with 0000 steel wool soaked with Kroil. Brush it real good then clean with clean patch soaked with Kroil then dry patch it. Check the bore and if it still looks bad do it again. Do it until it starts to look good. If the rifling is still there it will shoot.
Have a great day.
Jim
then there is always reboring up. a 50 to 54 or 58 even. economics make sense. or even boring out to smooth bore.
i don't buy BP i make it. so simple even a cave man can do it.
After you clean it up with steel wool take it to the range, wipe it out with a dry patch, and pop a few caps. Then load it and shoot it. See how it does. When the old timers had a barrel too smooth the accuracy would drop off. They would pee into the bore and leave it overnight and clean it in the morning. Then it was ready to hold a patch. Point is, a little bit of roughness won't kill it and the more you shoot and clean the slicker it will get. Good luck and Be Well, RZ.