Recommendations for "primitive" muzzleloaders?

[Crosshairy]

At some point in the near future, I'd really like to stop hunting with this silly inline and use something that actually resembles a true primitive firearm. Problem is, I have no idea how to go about procuring such a gun.

Does anyone have recommendations for some good replica guns that won't shatter my bank account? I'd like to stay below the $1k mark, if at all possible. Since I'm not really a muzzleloader guru, I'll entertain notions of both flintlock and percussion cap ignition guns, if you guys have thoughts about either one.

Thanks!

 

[smokin]

If I were you I would look at the Lyman Great Plains Rifle in 54 cal with the 32 inch barrel. I have been told this is the closest rifle being factory produced to a hawkins rifle. They are very accurate. Get the 1-66 twist barrel for patched round ball. Hope this helps.

 

[Trapper John]

I agree. I hear great things about the Lyman rifles.

 

[Anonymous]

Lyman is a very good gun but i also like my Thompson Center Hawken. The first thing i did with it was to take the barlle off and put on a new Green Mountain 1 in 66 twist for patched round ball..According to a lot of people on this board it isn't supposed to be able to kill deer.. I only wish they had told before i had dropped 63 with it!! Been hunting with Flintlock for 27 years now and i will bet you will like it also...

 

[smokin]

Flintlock, I have a Renegade that I want to do the same thing to.and ad a Pecatonica stock to, with silver nose cap and butt plate and trigger guard.

 

[TennesseeJed]

I love my T/C Renegade and the Green Mountain barrels that I have for it. But I would also like to have a long rifle and I've heard good things about the quality of this company:

Tennessee Valley Muzzleloading

Another great site for muzzleloaders is:

Track of the Wolf

I've bought a lot of muzzleloading supplies from them. They're usually cheaper than Dixie Gun Works.

 

[jakeway]

The in-line craze has put a lot of the really authentic muzzle loader manufacturers out of business.

If you want to go "Primitive" in style, but not necessarily authentic, then the TC Hawken would give you the feel. However, the TC Hawken is very un-authentic in terms of cosmetics and internals; it has the flavor of the original, but it's looks are not like anything that was made back then.

The Lyman Great Plains has much more of the look of the true Hawken (the profile is correct, it has double barrel keys, steel instead of brass furniture, and the properly shaped trigger guard and buttplate. However the Lyman is slimmer in both stock and barrel, and weighs 2 to 3 pounds less than the original Hawken. (This may be a good thing.) The Lyman also has internal coil springs instead of leaf springs in the lock, but only the purist would scoff at that.

The world-famous Dixie Gun Works is located in Union City, TN. They have everything from completed rifles to individual parts, and their Tennessee Rifle is quite good from both a performance and historical accuracy standpoint. The finished rifle was listed as $575, and the kit version at $495, in their 1996 catalog. That's the latest I have on them. I'm sure you can find them on line.

 

[Anonymous]

Smokin... that will look Great!! The only thing that i didn't like about the Green mountain was it was 7 inches longer then original Hawken barrel.. So i sent it to Track of The Wolf and had it cut down and re-crowned.. Took a bit of the extra weight away and didn't seem so front end heavy.. They take a bit of breaking in but once they are settled down i will go against any in-line out to 100 yards..Three shots hidden by a quarter is good enough for me!! I am sure you will be pleased also...

 

[trealtree]

I have a lyman great plains hunter 1/32 .50 cal and I love it.

 

[trealtree]

Thats where I bought mine renegade.

 

[Locksley]

If I were you I would look at the Lyman Great Plains Rifle in 54 cal with the 32 inch barrel. I have been told this is the closest rifle being factory produced to a hawkins rifle. They are very accurate. Get the 1-66 twist barrel for patched round ball. Hope this helps.

Lyman is a very good gun but i also like my Thompson Center Hawken. The first thing i did with it was to take the barlle off and put on a new Green Mountain 1 in 66 twist for patched round ball..According to a lot of people on this board it isn't supposed to be able to kill deer.. I only wish they had told before i had dropped 63 with it!! Been hunting with Flintlock for 27 years now and i will bet you will like it also...

I have a lyman great plains rifle and a Thompson Center Hawken. and they both shoot well . Both are allowed in the primitive shoots around here so it depends on what you can get a good deal on
Locksley