Book Recommendations? Flintlock building?

[perldog007]

Looking to possibly put together my own flint lock from parts and most likely farming out some of the more advanced work. Own a router table and router, and a bandsaw. Have built boats that work fine without mechanical or carpentry skills, from reading.
So before I go looking up old threads here and elsewhere, wanted to ask if anyone had a book on building antique arms that helped them out?
I'm taking the attitude that with the expense and time involved to get a decent custom flintlock we should take a part in this process. Have my eye on a choke cherry trunk to mill a blank out of now, but am not adverse to buying a stock blank or inletted stock.
Just that if I'm going to sink over a grand into one weapon, want it to be one that I have a 'stake' in.
There seem to be 'estate' guns out there that fit the bill, but reading on the subject of using and maintaining flinters tells me that libraries are likely filled with that I don't know on the subject.
I just know that I've always thought flinters were 'cool', and I love assembling my own round every time in my BP revolvers.
So any build book recommendations are welcome. Leaning towards a .54-.62 ish smooth bore..

 

[Old Sandman 71]

#1 The Gunsmith of Grenville County by Peter Alexander
#2 Recreating the American Longrifle by Buchele, Shumway,and Alexander
#2a The Art of Building the PA Longrifle by Dixon.
My choices in order of preference.

 

[Fine Figure of a Man]

Black Powder Hobby Gunsmithing by Sam Fadala and Dale Story

I don't know if it's the best but it is very good, covers everything.

Your stock blank will have to be air dried for a very long time. About 20 years as I recall.
Kiln dried wood will warp. Luckily for me, the kiln dried maple blank I had warped before I put any work into it.
If you have trouble finding a blank PM me. There is a place 10 miles from my place the sells stock blanks. It's been 15 or 20 years since I bought one. Back then the prices ranged from about forty bucks to thousands of dollars. I got the forty dollar ones.

 

[4v50 Gary]

My recommendations are in the same order of Sandman's.

 

[entropy]

+1

 

[Dog Soldier]

Black Powder Hobby Gunsmithing by Sam Fadala and Dale Story

I don't know if it's the best but it is very good, covers everything.

Your stock blank will have to be air dried for a very long time. About 20 years as I recall.
Kiln dried wood will warp. Luckily for me, the kiln dried maple blank I had warped before I put any work into it.
If you have trouble finding a blank PM me. There is a place 10 miles from my place the sells stock blanks. It's been 15 or 20 years since I bought one. Back then the prices ranged from about forty bucks to thousands of dollars. I got the forty dollar ones.

I knew both Sam and Dale when we all lived in Casper, Wy. They only provided reliable information. They were both very knowledgeable.

 

[perldog007]

I knew both Sam and Dale when we all lived in Casper, Wy. They only provided reliable information. They were both very knowledgeable.

The only folks I know that go to Wyoming to hunt like long range rifles. I never knew that there was much going on with BP there. Always imagined high tech wondergear laden sports and salty guides all around...

 

[Loyalist Dave]

As recommended the Gunsmith of Greenville County and The Art of Building the PA Longrifle are excellent sources.
When it comes to doing work on your rifle or gun..., you are looking at hand tools alone, unless you're using a drill press drill a hole.
I'd suggest you talk to a builder, and think about your first kit having the barrel, lock, and trigger inlayed, and do the hardware and shaping yourself. Then if you do another try inletting the barrel and lock. Track of the Wolf will breech a barrel for you if you like.
The number one rookie mistake (imho) by new rifle builders is rushing the lock inlay, and not correctly shaping the external, lock mortise wood.

LD

 

[4v50 Gary]

There is a simple southern rifle kit that is good for a first build. Gimme some time and let me see if I can find it.

eta: found it!

http://www.jimkibler.net/kit-gun.html

 

[perldog007]

There is a simple southern rifle kit that is good for a first build. Gimme some time and let me see if I can find it.

eta: found it!

http://www.jimkibler.net/kit-gun.html

Now that's a squirrel rifle! I thought that lock was very gorgeous.

 

[Dog Soldier]

The only folks I know that go to Wyoming to hunt like long range rifles. I never knew that there was much going on with BP there. Always imagined high tech wondergear laden sports and salty guides all around...

We have a very active Muzzle Loader population in the "Cowboy State". We have some outstanding rifle builders. Steve Zinn World class rifle smith Shoshonie, Wy. builds my rifles. I have a love for the East Tennessee style flinters.

 

[perldog007]

We have a very active Muzzle Loader population in the "Cowboy State". We have some outstanding rifle builders. Steve Zinn World class rifle smith Shoshonie, Wy. builds my rifles. I have a love for the East Tennessee style flinters.

I have to say your posts have fairly ruined me. I probably would have been happy with a caplock Hawken replica from the pawn shop, but to me once we have to ask the boss about a purchase we might as well be thorough. Everything I've read about the folks who decided to get a nice built flint lock and those who have bought factory pieces I've looked at tells me there is a reason people spend the extra.
Not much of a muzzle loading community in Delaware. They are like compound bows. Most people only get them to extend deer season. General firearms season here would have to be a shock to anyone from a state with some open space. Butt Stock To Elbow on opening day. You wonder how anyone makes it out the woods. My son said he took more fire driving into Fallujah.
Our Cabela's doesn't even display BP handguns in their case. The last time I checked a deer here it was on a pre-season antlerless Saturday. I still saw more hunters than deer by a factor of four that day...

 

[Dog Soldier]

peridog, It sure doesn't keep you from being a nice fellow. You could really enjoy a nice flintlock on the target range. The custom rifles with swamped barrels and quality locks like Chambers and Siler are a real trip.
You can spend hours keeping them in the "Black". I would check out Matt Avance's semi custom rifles. Matt is a great guy and very honest. Make sure you get a swamped barrel. All early guns were swamped. They are a pleasure to shoot. Modern reproductions are straight wall and muzzle heavy. Also look at a Rice round bottom rifled barrel with a Chambers Vent.
This is a Steve Zinn .54 calibrt East Tenn. 44" swamped Rice barrel.

http://www.tennesseevalleymuzzleloading.com/

 

[Dog Soldier]

 

[perldog007]

That would be a Senator to Mayor's rifle back home. Very nice!

 

[Dog Soldier]

How about an Infantry Captain? My Great Grand Father of 1812, was a Captain in the East Tenn Militia under Andy Jackson. Steve designed that rifle around what he may have owned? I suspect he had a smooth bored military musket. It has inlaid silver thread around the muzzle. It is not signed by the builder. Back in the day the Red Coats executed gun builders. Who supplied American rebels. But since we are speculating why not first class? Oh! yes the Hunter's Moon and the Southern Star were big medicine.
It was traditional to put your chosen Bible verse on the side plate. He chose one found on an original Tenn rifle. That rifle has been shot in most Western state Matches.

 

[perldog007]

I am reportedly inflicted with dna from one Jon Nicolson, pvt type from New Jersey. He made Lt by the time they got to North Carolina in our new republic and stayed. No indication that he ever had anything custom made. What records we could find he died pretty poor, here and there in researching the family one aunt found a 'riffel' given as partial payment for a house. Speculation says whatever he had on him when he got to the end of his walk from New Jersey.
I was very smitten with not only that side plate but the trigger assembly and guard. The carving and inlays are the icing on that cake imo.

So if British executed gun makers why didn't they just sign every piece "Lord Cornwallis" or some such?

On a side note, taking temp office work once clerked at the Daughters of the American Revolution headquarters in D.C.. Some of the names on those cards... you have to wonder if those guys even needed a gun.

"Onesimus Futch" Think that guy could fight by the time he was grown? His unit may have just put his name on their flag. What kind of idiot would fight a man that grew up with that handle? "Hercules Conkwright" was another that lived to a ripe old age, no doubt due to pure meanness. "Yes my Lord, Onesimus is on that Hill! We should retreat now and attack if he goes home on leave or when his enlistment runs out...."

Also, noted that many who seemed to be active fighters by their cards out lived many who got noted for 'donating moonshine to the stump drop militia' types. The two names above stuck in my head because both lived past age eighty.

I think the flint lock was technology that tied everything all together in those wild times. Perhaps that's why having one for a 'toy' ( unless economy of 12 gauge shells becomes untenable for whatever reason ) is so appealing. That and extended seasons of course without getting bagged for bagging the King's deer.
ETA - Matt seems to be situated in Natchez, an area I've scouted for my impending escape from Delawhere? Those kits are very attractive. I'm definitely getting a book or two. Still don't know which path we'll take, if we found a Spanish/Italian flinter at a yard sale price maybe just to get started with, but we'd be more likely to get a good build book and put together a pistol kit while we continue to research.

 

[daboyleroy]

Onesimus Futch...
Wow I Googled the name and if he is the Sr.

From the south part of South Carolina, the Futch family moved to south east Georgia, mostly to Bulloch and Bryan County. Many members of the family fought in Indian wars and some were soldiers in the Revolutionary War. Onesimus Futch Sr. was born 1740-1750 in North Carolina. He died in Bulloch County, Ga. He married before 1769 in Orangeburg District, South Carolina to Ann Dukes, born about 1750's in North Carolina. She died 1835 in Bulloch County, Ga. Onesimus Sr. served as a private in South Carolina Regiment in the Revolutionary war, moved to Bryan County, Ga. After 1790, is listed in Bryan County Ga. 1820 Census age 70-80. He also appears in the same county 1830 Census.
In the Georgia Land Grants for Military Service Revolutionary War, in the Secretary of State Office, Atlanta, Ga. is the following document:

http://www.clemonsfamily.org/futch/

https://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=70493530

 

[4v50 Gary]

Dog Soldier - I spoke with Steve Zinn over the phone and he shared some insights into improving my work. He's a good guy and a highly skilled builder worthy of the olde masters.

 

[Dog Soldier]

Dog Soldier - I spoke with Steve Zinn over the phone and he shared some insights into improving my work. He's a good guy and a highly skilled builder worthy of the olde masters.

Gary, That is great news. Yes Steve is a master builder. He has a horse ranch behind a dusty Butte East of the wind River. It takes a high clearance 4x4 to get up to the house. Steve owned a major bullet manufacturing company for years.
Many of his guns go to Europe. He did a #5 Yeager for me a few years back it is a .58 caliber and a great shooter. Did you see his gun in this year's Gun Digest?