I have no experience what so ever with a black powder rifle. I want to get into it, but i know nothing. i'm looking at a Kentucky rifle kit (im crafty and have the tools) but my buddy has a cva bobcat whom he is aiming to sale at a decent price. is it ok for a first muzzleloader? Can you buy a wooden stock custom fit it to it to make it more like an old style rifle? any suggestions?
most CVA sidelocks can swap parts with one another to some extent however, the particular design of the ramrod lug on the barrel may be of the wrong orientation to switch over to a hawken style stock. as for a first muzzleloader, i'd say it would be excellent to get the basics down and see if you're really into it, not to mention the design is easier to clean than a kentucky rifle. If you can pick it up cheap enough, i'd get it, practice up, make sure there's no rust going to town on you're barrel and you're cleaning habits are up there then maybe customize it to hunt and get the kit and have at it. muzzleloaders i find are a lot like milsurp, buy one and more apear all over your house and safe. welcome by the way.
if you have the skills you can make your own stock. However, since you are just starting out I would recommend a good percussion rifle.
Thompson Center is a top of the line manufacturer but there is a bit of a price factor involved.
You want an accurate rifle with quality sights. That is why I thought of Thompson Center.
If you plan on hunting check your state regulations. It is very common for the .50 caliber to be rifle you need.
However, this is an enjoyable venture so get ready for some fun shooting.
If you actually fire the real black powder you can have a truly smoking experience in every sense of the world but get ready for some soapy cleanup of you and the gun.
Last edited by nathangdad; 11-08-2009 at 09:09 PM.
Thank you. i agree guns in general can be addictive, i already got out of a year long stint of buying/selling and trading semi-auto ak rifles. they just.. attract too much attention. The rifle i am looking at i can get for 70-80 dollars, used but is in decent shape. i was looking at a place called "track of the wolf" a web site devoted to these weapons. Their stocks they offer are nice but im confused as to if the lock (or whatever the part that carries the hammer is called) would work on their stocks. are all the cut outs the same size?
The Bobcat was marketed as a youth rifle and is very basic, new old stock on Gunbroker go for about 125.
Since you expressed a desire to build your own I would highly recommend the Lyman Great Plains Rifle kit. Several flavors to choose from and if you shop around can be found for 350-375. It's general agreement that this is the best Hawken style rifle in it's price range. You can get either percussion cap and flint lock.
Second choice would be a TC Hawken, used on Gunbroker they are 200-350. Buy a used one with a good bore and refinish it. That's what I did. If i had it to do over I would go with the Lyman GPR. I plan on a Lyman flinter some day soon.
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Thanks folks. a feller on a another forum told me bout those kits a place called midsouth supply that sales a Lyman Great plains kit percussion 350, and flintlock is like 399. I am crafty but i am more used to welding. What is difficult about building a fit and what tools does a man need? what abould caliber , 50 or 54?
Thanks folks. a feller on a another forum told me bout those kits a place called midsouth supply that sales a Lyman Great plains kit percussion 350, and flintlock is like 399. I am crafty but i am more used to welding. What is difficult about building a fit and what tools does a man need? what abould caliber , 50 or 54?
Building a rifle requires basic woodworking skills and most kits even the ones that just require sanding and finishing have more wood than is necessary. The GPR is about the closest you can get to a real Hawken as you can get in a reasonably priced production rifle. The Great Plains has a 1:60 twist for round balls only. If you want to shoot conicals get the hunter model. If it was me I'd go with the .54
Use a tight fitting patch on a cleaning rod and measure how far your move the patch to get a 1/4 turn, then multiply by four, IE, if you move it 12 inches then you have a 1-48 twist.
The gpr kit well need some minor inletting, just the final fitting, so some basic woodworking skills are needed. A sharp wood chisel or two. You well need to blue or brown the metal and stain and seal the wood. There are a lot of web sites with detailed info on this.
Get the .54
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Married men live longer than single men do, but married men are a lot more willing to die.
+1 on the Lyman. I got the Trade Rifle in .50 and percussion. Very happy with this rifle. It's accurate and has a slightly faster twist barrel for round ball or conical. This was my first black powder firearm. The quality was very good at this price. Came with 2 rear sights, a simple notched piece of steel and a full buckhorn with elevation adjustment. Mine was a finished rifle priced at $310. Highly recommended
