My exp.with front stuffers

[bear300us]

Not much goin on here I think Ill write about some of my experiences of buying a new smoke pole.My first was a Thompson Center 50cal.Hawken kit in 1979.great gun wish I still had it,lot of fun to build an what a shooter.back then the barrel came with heavy mill marks down the hole barrel,it took days to file them out.
In the 90s I bought a Ridge runner 50cal.I tryied everything to get that gun to group,diffrent bullets round ball,diffrent powder combinations nuthing would work I finally sent the gun back an they gave me a full refund.They have probley got there problems straightened out I dont know.I see them on gunbroker once in a while.
I went back to Thomsons an bought another hawken,this time a 45cal.kit This time the barrel was compleatly finished.I finished the kit in a weekend,again I had problems couldnt get her to group at all.I tryied all the suggestions of bullets an powder,I tryied everything I called thompson They have great customer service.I sent the barrell back they sent me a new one an even let me have a 50cal. instead of the 45 .I gave that one to a good friend of mine for letting me hunt his land.an bought me another witch is the one I have now its a great shooter an probley my last.so I think it maybe once in a while bad barrels get out of the factory an if you get one they are happy to make things right,Ive been shooting front stuffers for 30yrs.an I think i love to shoot them most.

[dukers65]

you can't deny the fun and attachment those rifles provide. i got a renegade with a green mountain 1-70 twist. i am going to make a point to shoot her after the season. i always like round ball shooting.

down the road i'd like to see michigan open a primitive weapons season,
long or recurve bows, and front stuffers with sidelock and open sights only.
that would be a truly unique experience.
dan

[bear300us]

I heard those are some great barrels,I to used to shoot a lot of round ball,I really dont know why I switched.they do seem more traditional an they are super accurate.My brother said he is going to get a gun soon an asked me to keep a eye out for a good deal,I hope to find him a deal on a TC hawken like mine,
That would be nice to have a special season BEFORE rifle season for traditional hunters,stick an string bow traditional guns.

[russianblood]

My front loading deer rifle is an early Virginia flintlock rifle in .62 cal. It has a 42" straight Long Hammock barrel and Chambers lock. It was made for me by Jackie Brown. I load it with 110gr. 3f and a patched .600 round ball. It's quite the monster in the woods. :cannon:

http://www.muzzleloader.us/images/early-virginia.JPG

[msbcomputer]

I built this southern mountian style long rifle a few years back. Browned steel with german silver inlays, green mountain barrell in .50 caliber. A great shooter!! I took a buudy out shooting and he just couldn't understand why I would go threw all the trouble of blackpowder. I told him it's a labor of love which he just couldn't understand.




http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c106/msbcomputer/flintlock.jpg

[russianblood]

I took my father in law, a Vietnam Vet, to the range with my .45 cal Pennsylvania flinter. He absolutely loved it. He said that's what real shooting is. He totally "got it". :D

[msbcomputer]

I took my father in law, a Vietnam Vet, to the range with my .45 cal Pennsylvania flinter. He absolutely loved it. He said that's what real shooting is. He totally "got it". :D


My brother and nephew both like shooting blackpowder and going late season hunting and my nephew put together a flintlock kit that he hunts with. I own a few blackpowder rifles and handguns including a 209 primer b/p rifle but it's only used if I go north for weekend and don't want to clean it daily......using pyrodex it's ok for the weekend, can't do that with blackpowder.

P.S. russian......is that a durs egg lock on that flinter? Looks almost like mine but the pan seems squared off.

[russianblood]

It's a Golden Age Siler lock by Jim Chambers. I'm still on my original French amber flint. It's an awesome lock!

[bear300us]

I am really impressed by your pic.s those are both beautful rifles!!thanks for posting them,we should start a picture thread.Ive never shot a flint lock but always wanted to.

[pacman80]

Took A nice doe on 11/18/08 with my front stuffer, about 65 yard shot,

[msbcomputer]

I've been thinking of taking my modern loader and my flinter out to the range and warming them up for the powder season next month. From what the news stations are saying I have a good chance bringing home a pig.

[russianblood]

My Virginia rifle is my "every season" deer rifle. Though I am working on a good loading for my Colt 1861 rifled musket and a 525gr Minie Ball right now. I usually don't play with cap guns but I really like this one.

[45/70fan]

Here is a couple of my favorites, home built from cutting down the trees to carving and engraving the metal.
50 Cal flinter
http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a149/Fisherman_48768/FLINTLOCKFULLLENGTHVIEW.jpg

Next up is a Modena Hawken 54 Cal percussionhttp://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a149/Fisherman_48768/MODENAHAWKEN54CAL.jpg