Originally posted by BOLANTEJ:
y'know, i've been thinking of getting into flintlocks also.
Great. It is a whole lot of fun.
how much did you spend and what 's the cost on supplies (balls, powder, etc), and what supplies do you need?
I bought it at the Cabela's superstore in Dundee, Michigan. They had an awesome selection of guns. Hundreds. The blackpowder long guns I saw range anywhere between $199-$799. The T/C I bought was $419 in flint and $399 in percussion (it seems a lot of makers are that way, offering a particular model in flint or percussion). My gun is not historically correct, meaning it has a rifled barrel and modern iron sights. It looks historic, though. I wanted accuracy (and it is accurate) more than historical correctness at this time, but there are models out there that are historically correct. Traditions offers a flintlock that
looks modern--laminate stock, fiber-optic looking sights. It looks very sharp.
The supplies that are absolutely necessary:
FFg (called 2F) blackpowder for the main charge
FFFFg (called 4F) blackpowder for the pan (ignition) charge
powder measure (brass cylinder graduated in 5 or 10 grain increments)
patches (not cleaning, but the ones that hold the ball tightly in the barrel.)
projectile balls of the appropriate diameter
ball starter
Patch worm (helical, auger-looking device that extracts lost patches from the barrel)
piece of flint or agate (pronounced aggit)
touchhole pick
Things that are nearly absolutely necessary:
blackpowder cleaning solvent or the guy told me I can use a homemade brew of 1/3 isopropyl alcohol, 1/3 vinegar, and 1/3 Murphy's Oil Soap
cleaning jag, brush, patches (The ramrod on mine is threaded on the ends to accomodate the cleaning tips and patch worm. So a seperate cleaning rod may not be necessary on the gun you choose.)
FFFG powder measure (smaller than main charge measure)
powder flask or horn
pipe cleaners and Q-tips
The above supplies (all of them) cost $110. So I left the store, excluding tax, $530 lighter. That is comparable to a modern firearm obviously. If you are held to a strict budget, the Italian rifles for $199 didn't look all that bad. They had a nice finish, nice parts fit, and seemed to feel tight. The super long, historically accurate guns were the ones that cost big money, and they looked solid as a rock. I mean they looked beautiful. They were Italian, too, but of a much better quality.
how about smoke? a lot produced to offend surrounding riflemen?
There is a fair amount, but it is not overwhelming. I don't think there is enough to offend anybody.
ohyeah, ffl required to purchase?
You show you are from PRK. I take that to mean People's Republic of Kalifornia. Believe it or not, the four states that make you jump through hoops are Hawaii, Illinois, New Jersey, and my state of Michigan. I belive you can order a blackpowder through the mail if you live in sunny CA. Figure that one out!!!
i have no idea what else to ask.
Read the owners manual very carefully, I'm sure a lot of your questions will be answered there, like how load the main charge, how to load the pan charge, how much powder to use in each, how to position the flint in the cock jaws, safety concerns, petroleum-based lubes vs. natural lubes, etc.... If you think of anything else, let me know.
Rob
[This message has been edited by In service to His Majesty (edited 10-17-2001).]
[This message has been edited by In service to His Majesty (edited 10-17-2001).]
