The perfect rifle
 

Doese anyone know of aremoveable barrelstyle 54.cal percussion muzzle loader you can get in a kit? I am not a big fan of the Hawken with brass. I want one with steel and a little different.

RE: The perfect rifle
 

How about the Lyman Great Plains Rifle. It is avalible in a kit from Midsouth Shooters. I think that they are beautiful rifles. I think that you can get the Great Plains Rifle (1 in 60) and the Great Plains Hunter (1 in 32 I think) in a kit. Hope this helps.
Robert

RE: The perfect rifle
 

I agree with mrfishnhunt.. if I were looking for a kit that was a no frills rifle but looked very traditional, I would get a Lyman Great Plains Rifle in .54 caliber. They would make a nice rifle.

RE: The perfect rifle
 

But I like a 1-48" twist. Wich one of those would be better? 1-60" twist or 1-32"?

RE: The perfect rifle
 

What are you shooting? Ball and patch go 60, conical or sabot go 32.

RE: The perfect rifle
 

I do not think Thompson Center makes a Renegade Kit anymore in 1-48 and .54 caliber. I think they still make a Hawkin Kit in .50 caliber with that twist but I can understand your wanting a larger caliber. Lyman does not offer a Trade Rifle in a Kit which would be just what you would want. It is in the larger caliber, 1-48 twist with minor brass modifications.

Perhaps Pedersolli has something. Its been a long time since I looked into them. Most of their rifles are assembled but they too used to offer kits. Also check Cabela's. They used to offer a Hawkins in the larger caliber in kit form without all the brass.

RE: The perfect rifle
 

I consider the 1/32" twist to be for conical bullets or sabotted bullets only - it is too fast a twist for decent performance with round balls unless you are using squibb-loads only for plinking or close-range target practice!

On the other hand, a 1/60" twist (and some even slower!!) will often perform exceptionally well with big full-bore diameter conical bullets as well aswith heavy charges behind round balls.

Take a look at this group - a typical one fired with my .50 cal. Hawken using a heavy charge and a 370-grain Maxi-Ball. This barrelhasa 1/72" twist.

Ihave no doubt that a Lyman GPR in .54 cal. with a 1/60" twist would prove adequate for all game in North America, regardless of whether you chose to shoot PRB or big heavy conicals in it! (Remember, the Civil War Springfield and other .58 rifled muskets of that era shot530-grain Minie balls,most of them were rifled 1/72", and could hit man-sized targets out to 400 yards!!)

RE: The perfect rifle
 

No such thing as a perfect rifle....like there's no such thing as the perfect woman..
That's why we gotta collect 'em all!

RE: The perfect rifle
 

Cabelas offers a Traditional Hawken kit in 50 or 54 caliber. I like the brass and all but I want one a little more traditional. Or could you see a FEW rifles with brass on them in 19th century? Do you think a 1-60" twist rifle would shoot both roundballs and maxi-hunters fairly accurate out to 100yds? I would really like a rifle like what the mountain men used. The only thing is I want one with a removeable barrel. The other thing about the Hawken is alot of people own it. I want something that you wont find very many of. I do like this rifle http://www.davide-pedersoli.com/ArmiCategoria.aspx?CategoriaId=242&lang=en. But again NO KIT. If anyone finds something like what I am looking for let me know.

Thanks

RE: The perfect rifle
 

Maybe it would be good to start out with a Hawken or a Lyman. Then, when I get older, make one more of what I really want. Customise one. I might try the Lyman 1-60" twist kit. Thanks alot guys.