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It's time to stop thinking and start doing

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Eric Krewson:
Just checked the order form for the track kit, they don't have any barrels(backordered) and only pain stock wood.

When I gave all this advice I didn't take into account that there has been a run of gun kit parts and they are in very short supply. It might take you 6 months to a year to get a complete kit.

What I did on all my rifles was to buy a part here, a barrel there, a stock blank from someone else and so forth until I had all the components for a build.

It looks like the Gun Works has barrels but just about no one else.

JW_Halverson:
Take into account that the Hawkins gunshop built rifles for many years in the East before relocating west to St Louis. And even after moving west, they built most of their guns in flintlock and fullstock, not the halfstock business you see in movies. In fact, their halfstock rifles were more expensive than the fullstocks!!!

The caplock ignition was not at all common until about 1840 when the fur trade era was in steep decline.

I remember hearing stories that in the 1970's someone started selling off the last of the Hawkins gunshop parts and a number of full rifles were assembled completely from ORIGINAL PARTS.

sleek:
Ok, definitely going to go the flintlock route. I like the idea of not being primer dependent. That should open my barrel options so.e right guys? I'm seriously gonna just ask yall, cause yall know infinitely more than me, to find me a kit please that has everything I need and I can get all the parts. I'm a bit overwhelmed with options, lack of parts, and lack of knowledge.

Eric Krewson:
Any barrel you can get in percussion you can get in flint. For a Hawken you can get a straight or tapered barrel (big at the breech and smaller at the bore), the straight sided barrel is a beast and will make a gun weigh at least 10#, I would go with a tapered barrel.

Considering the lag time for parts I don't think you will make your window of opportunity for your Dec hunt. You could buy a rifle "in the white" that is complete less wood and metal finish and make your hunt.

In all honesty flint rifles are hard to shoot, you have more lag time before they go off and the flinch factor comes into play, for that reason they are called "flinchlocks".

Parnell:
Sleek,

I am a “new guy” to building.  I did a couple of very basic Lyman kits…a good starting point.  The guns are very heavy, though.  You may look at a Plains Rifle?  Then I did a .62 Trade Gun from Sitting Fox. that was the more challenging full kit that requires inletting, drilling, etc.  A challenge, but it came out well.

To do over for that first full kit project I think I’d go with a .62 smooth bore Appalachian Barn Gun kit from Sitting Fox and the shorter barrel!  It gives the most options, I’d say…and a good price.
That guy’s winter place is down here in S FL so I went to the shop for the kit.  Very straightforward.

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