Muzzleloader Show and Tell

[vedearduff]

How about a show and tell thread for our front stuffers?

I'll start with three of mine.

First, a couple shots of my First Model Long Land Musket (AKA Brown Bess)

Next, a couple shots of my .50 caliber Longrifle.

And last (but not least), my .36 caliber Longrifle.

All three were built for me by Narragansett Armes when they were located in the Stutz building in Downtown Indy.

The Bess has a 46 inch barrel with a .750 bore, the stock is walnut. This version could have been used in the F&I war or the Rev War.

The .50 caliber Longrifle has a 44 inch B weight swamped barrel and an L&R Early Classic lock, the stock is curly maple.

The .36 caliber Longrifle has a 44 inch A weight swamped barrel and an small Siler lock, the stock is figured walnut.

 

[Cerberus]

Sweet. Mine are still in the long slow process of being built.

 

[vedearduff]

Sweet. Mine are still in the long slow process of being built.

What are building, or having built? Be sure to post photos when they are done.

 

[straight-shooter]

Armi Sport Kentucky Long rifle .45 cal

 

[indy1919a4]

All three were built for me by Narragansett Armes when they were located in the Stutz building in Downtown Indy.

The Bess has a 46 inch barrel with a .750 bore, the stock is walnut. This version could have been used in the F&I war or the Rev War.

I have never heard of Narragansett Armes before, Would like to know something more about them. I do like the Brown Bess.. What is the powder load you put in it????

 

[Cerberus]

What are building, or having built? Be sure to post photos when they are done.

Currently slogging my way thru a generic longrifle. No particular school, just parts I think will look good together. Got the parts waiting for #2, which will be an Isaac Haines style .50 for the son. After that, I'm thinking either a 42-44" .54 for me, or a Northwest trade gun.

 

[vedearduff]

I have never heard of Narragansett Armes before, Would like to know something more about them. I do like the Brown Bess.. What is the powder load you put in it????

Narragansett was located in the old Stutz building in downtown Indy. The founder retired in 2001 and sold out to his partner who moved the company to Tennessee. I'm not sure when or why, but the company later went out of business.

My Bess is the Long Land First Model. It has a Colerain barrel and was built using this parts set from "The Rifle Shoppe".

Narragansett also produced a limited run replica of the Ferguson rifle.

I've been well satisfied with my Narragansett flintlocks.

Edited to add:
I forgot the load data you asked for. I settled on a load of 70gr 3f behind a .730 PRB lubed with Bore Butter or a home made version. When I do my part, I get five shot six inch groups at 75 yards. Keep in mind that this is with a bayonet lug doing double duty as a front sight and there is no rear sight.

 

[vedearduff]

Currently slogging my way thru a generic longrifle. No particular school, just parts I think will look good together. Got the parts waiting for #2, which will be an Isaac Haines style .50 for the son. After that, I'm thinking either a 42-44" .54 for me, or a Northwest trade gun.

Sounds good. Do you have any photos you could post?

 

[in625shooter]

Nice! Finally someone else with REAL muzzle loaders none of that inline stuff!
I have a TC Renegade percussion (actually shot it out my back door yesterday gotta love the country) and am getting an itch to get a flintlock sometime. Thanks for sharing even though wife dosn't think you should have shared the pic's LOL

 

[BE Mike]

Armi Sport Kentucky Long rifle .45 cal

That is one fine looking rifle. I'll bet it shoots good too!

 

[dnurk]

I really enjoyed the pics of that Bess. I am a big fan of US military weapons and I have at least one representative of every major conflict we have been involved in except the revolutionary war. I was thinking something directly along these lines would be perfect. Pardon my rudeness for asking but could you ballpark what you paid for it? I've seen pricing from $500 up to $1100.

Thanks for sharing.

 

[vedearduff]

I really enjoyed the pics of that Bess. I am a big fan of US military weapons and I have at least one representative of every major conflict we have Ben involved in except the revolutionary war. I was thinking something directly along these lines would be perfect. Pardon my rudeness for asking but could you ballpark what you paid for it? I've seen pricing from $500 up to $1100.

Thanks for sharing.

I lucked into a deal on this one. The builder was adding the Bess to his regular catalog and I was offered a chance at their first one. I picked it up for $850.00 when their catalog price was $1250.00 (I think, I purchased this in 1998).

The parts set is still available and can be purchased with the lock assembled or as a set of castings. For the difference in price and the amount of work involved it assembleing the lock, I'd go with the assembled lock.

By the way, this lock is one of the easied on flints I'vev ever used. The least I've gotten out of a flint in this Bess lock is 75 shots. I average 90 and have gotten over 120. This was using the English flints from Track.

 

[Cerberus]

As a general rule, the quality muzzleloading arms will be higher in cost, and the differences are major.

 

[Dirty Steve]

Second what was said above regarding cost and quality. They are worth every penny though and are a decent investment. I have two customs at the moment:

Tulle Fusil De Chasse .62 smoothie, classic Indian beater gun. It was in the $1200 range 20 years ago. It's my woods gun for hunting and I wouldn't trade it for the world.

My pride and joy is a SW Virginia rifle in .54. 44" Getz swamped barrel, all hand forged iron furniture, sliding wooden patchbox, relief and incise carved, killer piece of curly maple finished almost black. It is a piece of hand-made art, easily mistaken for an original. That gun 15 years ago was $3k. It was a bargain then and can't be touched today for under $5k. It gets carried and shot often, but I'll admit, it is generally a fair-weather gun nowadays.

A friend of mine who is a custom gun whore for historical copies has/had several by makers such as Ron Ehlert, Frank and Herschel House, Butch Darrel, Eric Kettenburg, Mike Brooks, and about everyone else of notoriety in custom guns. He has never lost money on any of them and they are/were all things of beauty both aesthetically and from a performance standpoint.

Dirty Steve

 

[Cerberus]

DS, that is pretty much a large part of the who's who of the muzzleloading world.

 

[indy1919a4]

Still a work in progress, I am working on a New Carriage for her, But now I am enjoying the abandoned look

 

[indy1919a4]

Narragansett also produced a limited run replica of the Ferguson rifle.

Did do some online surfing, And did see One of the Narragansett replica Ferguson rifle. It did look very very nice.. any guess on how many different models they produced????

 

[mtb1981]

cool stuff, thanks for sharing!

 

[Salty Possum]

I summon thee thread, to be recognized again and post once more!!!
Anyway here is my first BP. It's a Kentucky Rifle, .45 cal, marked "Dikar Spain" on the Barrel. Sorry for the bad pics I'm no photographer and we have a bad camera.