Opinions on Muzzle Loading Rifle Build Kits

[iareConfusE]

Interested in fitting/assembling one of these kits: https://www.muzzle-loaders.com/rifle...rifle-kit.html

They all seem to have pretty good reviews, has anyone from here had a chance to assemble and fire one of these yet? Any opinions or recommendations for/against the kit? What size ball seems to fit these barrels best?

What would be the easiest finish to apply to the barrel since it's sold in the white? I doubt I'd be shooting it much, it might just be a wall piece for a long time and I'd take it out every now and then given the opportunity.

[highpower]

Typically the metal is browned on muzzle loaders.

[Springfield45]

I have done a few ML kits. I did an older CVA Kentucky rifle kit in 45 cal. just like that one. IN the 1970's they were imported from Spain under the name Junkar. In the 1980's they changed names to CVA, Connecticut Valley Arms. In the 1990's Traditions bought out CVA.

They are not very hard to do.

All the inletting is dune for you. You just need to do a light sanding. The outer dimensions need to be filed and sanded down. Don't sand the edges off. Most amateurs do that and they look rounded off when done.

Pick a wood stain color you like and then finish it with linseed oil.

Soak the ram rod in linseed oil inside of a pipe for a month. It will be almost as flexible as a fiberglass rod.

The barrel can be cold blued easily. But original rifles would have been browned. You can get the browning acid from Brownell's. It is not hard to do or expensive. Mostly you need to be patient. It takes about a week. You apply the acid to the outside of the barrel and it causes it to rust. Once you get a uniform brown color you clean the barrel and oil it.

The brass will be rough cast. You will need to sand it until smooth and light sand it until it turns shinny.

50 caliber ML's will use a .490 or .495 round ball. You will want a .10 or .15 lubed patch. The Lude should be a black power solvent that is the same consistency as milk.

Take your time and the kit can be a work of art and very rewarding. If you get inpatient the kit will turn out ugly.

[swift]

my kit needed a lot of fitting and took me a LONG time to finish. It seemed to me that each piece was out of spec and needed adjustment or extensive fitting. I would buy a complete bp firearm before buying a kit.

The kit was pretty old when I got it and it may not be representative of the current offerings.

[iareConfusE]

I have done a few ML kits. I did an older CVA Kentucky rifle kit in 45 cal. just like that one. IN the 1970's they were imported from Spain under the name Junkar. In the 1980's they changed names to CVA, Connecticut Valley Arms. In the 1990's Traditions bought out CVA.

They are not very hard to do.

All the inletting is dune for you. You just need to do a light sanding. The outer dimensions need to be filed and sanded down. Don't sand the edges off. Most amateurs do that and they look rounded off when done.

Pick a wood stain color you like and then finish it with linseed oil.

Soak the ram rod in linseed oil inside of a pipe for a month. It will be almost as flexible as a fiberglass rod.

The barrel can be cold blued easily. But original rifles would have been browned. You can get the browning acid from Brownell's. It is not hard to do or expensive. Mostly you need to be patient. It takes about a week. You apply the acid to the outside of the barrel and it causes it to rust. Once you get a uniform brown color you clean the barrel and oil it.

The brass will be rough cast. You will need to sand it until smooth and light sand it until it turns shinny.

50 caliber ML's will use a .490 or .495 round ball. You will want a .10 or .15 lubed patch. The Lude should be a black power solvent that is the same consistency as milk.

Take your time and the kit can be a work of art and very rewarding. If you get inpatient the kit will turn out ugly.

Thanks for the info, I intend for this to be a long term project.

[Tom-ADC]

I built a 1863 Remington Zouve kit many years ago, kit was by Zoli fair amount of fitting but it turned out great and was a good shooter with a 505 gr mini ball.
That said lots of fun go for it!

[iareConfusE]

Also i have a lot of pure Tung oil which I will use instead of linseed oil for the stock/ram rod. Is there anything that I can coat over the tung oil to give it a bit of a gloss, or should I just leave it bare?

[Bainter1212]

I would spend the money on a quality kit that you could pass on to your descendants.

Like these:

https://kiblerslongrifles.com/

I am saving up for one of his Colonial kits myself.

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[iareConfusE]

I would spend the money on a quality kit that you could pass on to your descendants.

Like these:

https://kiblerslongrifles.com/

I am saving up for one of his Colonial kits myself.

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Very nice, but unaffordable for me.

[Tom-ADC]

[Bainter1212]

Very nice, but unaffordable for me.

Yeah I can see that. On the flip side, that is pretty close to what you would pay for a flintlock from Pedersoli, but of much better quality.

I would also suggest you make your project a flintlock and not a caplock. Not only are flintlocks more fun and interesting, the resale value is much higher.

Either way...good luck.

[Bainter1212]

There is a guy on ebay who makes custom brass rods, threaded on both ends. It comes with a jag of your caliber choice. He also makes t-handles to fit.

That is what I use at the range so I don't screw up my stock ramrods.

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[Alan Block]

2 piece stock - not great. The Lyman Great Plains Rifle is a pretty good replica of a Hawken rifle. TotW has a lot of great kits but much more money. My view is that if you are going to put that much time and effort into something, use the best quality stuff you can.

[iareConfusE]

Good idea, I'll look into that.

My wife will probably get me this kit for father's day so it won't be for a while but these are good responses.

I can't afford a top of the line, and it wouldn't make a difference in the way I felt about it since any project I do I usually devote a good amount of time and effort to make it as nice as possible. The two piece doesn't bother me at all, especially at a fraction of the cost. Most of my funds are going towards the baby now.

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