My Flintlock - The Firearms Forum

todd51 · 01-03-2011, 09:17 PM

For a long time I wanted to try and build a flintlock rifle. About ten years ago I tackled the job and this is the result. This is a genuine "fake"

no question about it. It is .45cal. and styled after the "Carolina" rifles as I liked the trim, lean look. It has a 42" Green Mt. barrel and a Stiler lock. I picked out my stick of curly maple and picked one that was partially carved with the barrel grove and ramrod hole precut. I figured this was going to be hard enough and needed a little help to begin. All the furniture is iron and came rough cast so lots of finish work there. Had to thread and fit the breech plug. Had to cut a total of nine dovetails in the barrel for the pipes, lugs, and sights. I made my own walnut stain from walnut hulls. The finish is many coats of hand rubbed linseed oil.

I got the stick, barrel and all the parts and pieces from Golden Age Arms Co. in Ashley Ohio. The owner James R. Johnson was a tremendous help giving me a lot of advice on my first build. Cost of all materials was right around $500.00.

It took me all winter to complete the task learning many new things along the way but it was a labor of love and I am pleased with the finished product. It shoots real good too after a little work on the touch hole. It doesn't like too much powder in the priming pan. Unbelievable accuracy or so it seemed to me.

My most glaring error is in the profile of the trigger guard but by the time I saw my mistake the stock was already cut to handle this profile. Better luck next time.

BETH · 01-03-2011, 09:39 PM

NICE JOB

jack404 · 01-03-2011, 10:35 PM

not bad at all eh , i have the same lock just arrived from Dixie , good lock !! i think you did fine mate .. the wood especially is nice

redwing carson · 01-04-2011, 12:30 AM

I am a "Rock Lock" shooter. When you consider Perc caps are as modern as ball caps and canvas shoes, you have arrived. Once you have tripped the trigger on a fine flinter you are hooked. I own a number of fine flinters, but I could not put one together my self. Fine work and the Siler lock is always a good choice. I rather like your rifles style. The early Virginia trigger guard makes a personal statement. Note the old timmers rifles did not always follow one school of builder. I have a nice rifle that includes Maryland, Virginia and East Tenn, style. Nice work.

RC

flintlock · 01-04-2011, 10:07 AM

Nicely done! Excellent finish. Did you carve the moulding along the ramrod channel?

jjmitchell60 · 01-04-2011, 11:35 AM

I reckon you would concider me more of a flint shooter being I own 8 flinters and run through as much as 100 ponds of powder a year! Good looking flinter and a real nice stock on it. I do Rev War re=enactments and most want to build/owm the fanciest flinter they can build/buy. However if you were to go back to the age of flinters here in teh states, you would find fancy guns in well settled areas but in the wilderness, they were mostly plain jane guns or what many call barn guns. Reason for that is most settling the west were poorer people so they would have guns that were fuctional, accurate, and did not cost an arm and a leg. Now when some one with means came west, he would be carrying the fanciest gun he could but.

Keep on building guns. They always say the first one is your hardest, it is your learning gun. you did goood on your first one,real good IMHO.

BullShoot · 01-04-2011, 02:41 PM

''This is a genuine "fake" no question about it.''
Unh-unh. No way. That is a legitimate original. No fakeness about it. My congratulations on a job well done.

Now, if you ever run out of room to store it and want a little help.....Well, you know you can count on me.

BullShoot

johnlives4christ · 01-04-2011, 03:19 PM

really good job. perhaps i''ll have the gumption one day to do that . awesome

todd51 · 01-04-2011, 06:18 PM

Thanks you all for the kind words. They help more than you might think.

Yes I carved the molding along the ramrod. Saw that feature on another rifle and really liked it.

I am much more comfortable working the wood than working the metal.

Just spent six hours waiting my turn in the ER. My incision had started bleeding and the surgeon was busy doing his surgeon thing and said go to the ER. Only bad thing about that is the waiting and waiting and waiting. They cauterized the place that was bleeding with Silver Nitrate and sent me on my way saying keep it elevated, ha. Just another of life's little set backs.

Want to do a flint pistol and a pipe hatchet one of these days maybe I will get up the nerve.

sewerman · 01-11-2011, 03:33 PM

i would rate your work well above beginner status!

just excellent in every aspect from my eye.

you want to see beginner? then one day i will post my hand atmy attempt if i ever finish! i call mine the butcher block fowler!

you have a talent that could bring enjoyment to many people & cash for yourself.

S.M.

01-03-2011, 09:17 PM	#1
todd51 Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Central, Ohio Contributor Posts: 2,574	My Flintlock For a long time I wanted to try and build a flintlock rifle. About ten years ago I tackled the job and this is the result. This is a genuine "fake" no question about it. It is .45cal. and styled after the "Carolina" rifles as I liked the trim, lean look. It has a 42" Green Mt. barrel and a Stiler lock. I picked out my stick of curly maple and picked one that was partially carved with the barrel grove and ramrod hole precut. I figured this was going to be hard enough and needed a little help to begin. All the furniture is iron and came rough cast so lots of finish work there. Had to thread and fit the breech plug. Had to cut a total of nine dovetails in the barrel for the pipes, lugs, and sights. I made my own walnut stain from walnut hulls. The finish is many coats of hand rubbed linseed oil. I got the stick, barrel and all the parts and pieces from Golden Age Arms Co. in Ashley Ohio. The owner James R. Johnson was a tremendous help giving me a lot of advice on my first build. Cost of all materials was right around $500.00. It took me all winter to complete the task learning many new things along the way but it was a labor of love and I am pleased with the finished product. It shoots real good too after a little work on the touch hole. It doesn't like too much powder in the priming pan. Unbelievable accuracy or so it seemed to me. My most glaring error is in the profile of the trigger guard but by the time I saw my mistake the stock was already cut to handle this profile. Better luck next time. __________________ Retired Praefectus Vigilum NRA Endowment Member --> Last edited by todd51; 04-23-2013 at 08:05 PM..

01-03-2011, 09:39 PM	#2
BETH Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: naugatuck,Ct. Contributor Posts: 6,676	Re: My Flintlock NICE JOB

01-03-2011, 10:35 PM	#3
jack404 Former Guest Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Australia Contributor Posts: 17,622	Re: My Flintlock not bad at all eh , i have the same lock just arrived from Dixie , good lock !! i think you did fine mate .. the wood especially is nice

01-04-2011, 12:30 AM	#4
redwing carson Former Guest Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: western wyoming Posts: 734	Re: My Flintlock I am a "Rock Lock" shooter. When you consider Perc caps are as modern as ball caps and canvas shoes, you have arrived. Once you have tripped the trigger on a fine flinter you are hooked. I own a number of fine flinters, but I could not put one together my self. Fine work and the Siler lock is always a good choice. I rather like your rifles style. The early Virginia trigger guard makes a personal statement. Note the old timmers rifles did not always follow one school of builder. I have a nice rifle that includes Maryland, Virginia and East Tenn, style. Nice work. RC Last edited by redwing carson; 01-04-2011 at 12:33 AM..

01-04-2011, 10:07 AM	#5
flintlock Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Upstate NY Contributor Posts: 897	Re: My Flintlock Nicely done! Excellent finish. Did you carve the moulding along the ramrod channel?

01-04-2011, 11:35 AM	#6
jjmitchell60 Advanced Senior Member Join Date: May 2004 Location: Raised in Buzzard Roost near Frog Town in hillls of Kentucky Contributor Posts: 1,471	Re: My Flintlock I reckon you would concider me more of a flint shooter being I own 8 flinters and run through as much as 100 ponds of powder a year! Good looking flinter and a real nice stock on it. I do Rev War re=enactments and most want to build/owm the fanciest flinter they can build/buy. However if you were to go back to the age of flinters here in teh states, you would find fancy guns in well settled areas but in the wilderness, they were mostly plain jane guns or what many call barn guns. Reason for that is most settling the west were poorer people so they would have guns that were fuctional, accurate, and did not cost an arm and a leg. Now when some one with means came west, he would be carrying the fanciest gun he could but. Keep on building guns. They always say the first one is your hardest, it is your learning gun. you did goood on your first one,real good IMHO. __________________ Oath Keepers NOT ON OUR WATCH www.oathkeepers.org 2nd Amendment to the US Constitution: A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed. "Democracy is two wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch. Liberty is a well-armed lamb contesting the vote." -- Benjamin Franklin When injustice becomes law, resistance becomes Duty... Thomas Jefferson

01-04-2011, 02:41 PM	#7
BullShoot V.I.P. Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: missouri ozarks Contributor Posts: 445	Re: My Flintlock ''This is a genuine "fake" no question about it.'' Unh-unh. No way. That is a legitimate original. No fakeness about it. My congratulations on a job well done. Now, if you ever run out of room to store it and want a little help.....Well, you know you can count on me. BullShoot

01-04-2011, 03:19 PM	#8
johnlives4christ Former Guest Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Kentucky Posts: 3,828	Re: My Flintlock really good job. perhaps i''ll have the gumption one day to do that . awesome

01-04-2011, 06:18 PM	#9
todd51 Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Central, Ohio Contributor Posts: 2,574	Re: My Flintlock Thanks you all for the kind words. They help more than you might think. Yes I carved the molding along the ramrod. Saw that feature on another rifle and really liked it. I am much more comfortable working the wood than working the metal. Just spent six hours waiting my turn in the ER. My incision had started bleeding and the surgeon was busy doing his surgeon thing and said go to the ER. Only bad thing about that is the waiting and waiting and waiting. They cauterized the place that was bleeding with Silver Nitrate and sent me on my way saying keep it elevated, ha. Just another of life's little set backs. Want to do a flint pistol and a pipe hatchet one of these days maybe I will get up the nerve. __________________ Retired Praefectus Vigilum NRA Endowment Member

01-11-2011, 03:33 PM	#10
sewerman V.I.P. Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: hurricane ally florida Posts: 231	Re: My Flintlock i would rate your work well above beginner status! just excellent in every aspect from my eye. you want to see beginner? then one day i will post my hand atmy attempt if i ever finish! i call mine the butcher block fowler! you have a talent that could bring enjoyment to many people & cash for yourself. S.M.