Need Advice on Purchasing Flintlock?
 

Hello,

I have some time off the next two weeks and really wanted to get out Flintlock hunting for Whitetails. I didn't get a chance to hunt during Rifle season and have a couple tags left.

Anyway, I got rid of the T/C .50 Caliber Firestorm I had. After years with that gun I found using 65-70 grains of BP and either a Buffalo Ball-ette or patch & RB did the trick. I never did get use to the rear sight on that gun but found the Lock incredibly reliable and really liked the removable Breach Plug for cleaning. That flintlock ALWAY'S fired for me.

HERE'S MY QUESTION:

What other Brand Flintlock's are similar to the Firestorm? It would need to have a quality LOCK and removable Breach Plug? A better rear sight would also be nice.

I still have my Box of Black Powder supplies so I'm not starting from scratch. Any and all advice appreciated. I need to purchase a Flintlock ASAP.

Defender from Northwest PA

I think if I was looking for a good flinter that will not break the bank I would lean to the Lyman trade in either 50 or 54 cal.
I do remember on my lyman the vent liner did unscrew from the breech,I think drilling out the liner to .050 will always improve performance
The next best thing would be to find a second hand t/c with 4 to 5 digit serial number
I am not sure in t/c is still upgraded the Hammers for free and nice add to t/c locks are Lyman Frizzens and don't forget to use there new vent liners .070

You should have replaced the sights on the firestorm if you liked that rifle. Removeable breech plugs are not common on flintlocks. For the removable breech plug, your choices are the TC firestorm, the Traditions PA Pellet, or a used RMC Accusporter LTD. RMC would have a 1: 28 or 1:48 twist.

I would look at the Lyman flintlocks. I have a Lyman Deerstalker, and it is a quality built flinter. I could be wrong, but I don't think you will find a removable breech plug on a flintlock, other than the firestorm.

There are some flintlocks that used to be made in PA and they were excellent rifles, they had removable breech plugs also. I just can't remember the name of the store. They used great locks and Green Mountain Barrels. I am sure it will come to me later. The other removable breech plug flintlock that comes to mind is the PA Pellet Flintlock made by Traditions Arms. Now I have two of the Traditions Woodsman Flintlocks. Very fast lock. Very reliable. And just a nice rifle. The PA Pellet is so named because they claim you can shoot pellets out of the flintlock. Well you can if you duplex the pellets. But for cleaning you take the breech plug out.

And of course there is the T/C Firestorm like you had. And you know that is a quality rifle.

http://www.rmcsports.com/catalog.htm

the rifle was called the Accusporter. They made them there as I understand it. Top quality rifles. But I think they stopped making them as I no longer see them on their catalog. But they might have one or two in stock. Would not hurt to give them a call.

Lyman is a good choice, but I think the locks stink. Replace it with an L&R, and you're good to go.

The lock on my Lyman Great Plains is a reliable sparker and works just fine. I think it's a tad better than the L&R lock I bought for my Pedersoli Frontier.

Mine wouldn't even hold the powder. I missed a nice buck, because all the powder in the pan had leaked out. L&R didn't make a LH lock, so the gun was sold.

It wasn't an authentic copy of any Hawken anyway. I discovered that after I bought it. I never found a half stock Hawken that was a flint. Kind of blew my rendezvous plans.