Anyone build a muzzle loader from a kit?

[GeneW]

As the title says, I'm curious if anyone has built a muzzle loader from a kit. I'm thinking one might be a good fun winter project when it's just too cold and nasty to get out and do anything.

It's been a lot of years since I've owned and shot a muzzle loader but I'm wanting to get back into it again and have some fun.

Thanks
Gene

 

[GeneW]

Shoot. Just realized there is a muzzle loader section. Sorry, I guess I am having a blonde, or senior moment, lol.

 

[44minimum]

I did, sort of. It was an 1851 colt Navy pistol and all of the hard stuff had already been done, fitting the cylinder, timing, all of that type stuff. I had to fit the grips, sand and polish the brass grip frame, polish and blue the barrel, and there may have been a couple of other little things I have forgotten. I was 15 at the time, in a hurry to get it together and shooting, and it turned out just fine. Some of the kits out there don't require much fitting, and some of them seem to think that you are gunsmith and each and every part must be filed, fitted, sanded and polished before it will go into place. Don't get in a hurry, take your time and you will end up with something that you're proud of.

 

[Simon]

I have assembled 1 kit from a manufacturer, and 4 parts sets, all flintlock. A kit and a parts set are not the same thing. A kit has all the inletting done, a parts set has some, or most of the inletting done. If you have never done any of this work I suggest that you google traditional muzzle loading and read some of the forums. Good luck

 

[Blitzfike]

I've done both kits and parts sets in rifle and single shot pistol. All were percussion. I have also built a couple from individual parts that I acquired over a period of time. The kits are pretty straight forward, just assembling and finishing both the wood and metal parts. Light sanding on the wood, and browning on the metal. (or bluing if you prefer..) I built one percussion lock from scratch, but I don't ever want to tackle that again, lots of fitting of parts to get it right, and I have the tools to do it. If you decide to build a percussion revolver, brass frame kits tend to deteriorate with lots of firing. If you are building it for display, good on ya mate!! but if you plan to shoot it a lot, get a steel frame revolver. Mine has about an eighth of an inch play between the barrel and cylinder its been shot so much. The frame gets deformed behind the cylinder from the recoil. Lots of fun, go for it.. Blitzfike

 

[criticalbass]

Here is a site you will find interesting:

http://www.therifleshoppe.com/

This is located near Jones. I was almost tempted to buy their kit for a French Wall Gonne which was a sniper rifle used before and during the Revolutionary war. Washington had some at Valley Forge. I think a variety lasted up into the Civil War. Weighs in the high 30s as I recall, and has to rest on a wall or something similar.

Darned thing is a $1000 or so kit, or they'll build you one for about $2600. Shoots an 8 ounce ball, and can be accurate out to 600 yards.

They sell other more usable kits, make replacement parts for really old guns, and the company is hard to find. Most all their business is mail order, but they will deal with locals if you can find them. Call first. It's around behind the house, but have faith. Big, not very well known operation run by a very knowledgable guy.

Or you could just say phooey on tradition and build a smokeless muzzleloader, which is what I did.

 

[Ignored Member]

How did your muzzle loader kit turn out?