my Traditions Frontier flintlock

Busyhands94 · August 9, 2011, 02:27 PM

hello everyone! i got this rifle as a kit and enjoyed finishing it! it's a truly fun project! i like to shoot Minnie balls and patched round balls out of it! it's very, very accurate with both, although i think it likes Minnie balls better. i can't seem to find a good source of BP in California, so i have been using Jim Shockey's gold with a little sulfur added to help it light better. for patches i have been using Ox-Yoke lubed patches. i don't buy my flints, i just go down to the fishing hole and get a big hunk of flint, then knap it. i don't buy my ammo either, i cast it! it's actually quite easy to do, and rather fun! that means i can recover my spent rounds and recycle the lead to shoot again! i really like that part of owning a muzzleloader! so, here's a link to my video! keep in mind the video doesn't do this rifle justice, it looks better in real life. the kit was actually a level 5, the hardest to build. however, i found that out after i built the thing, it wasn't that difficult to build! this gun has some good heft to it, it feels nice and study. the sight picture may be really big, but for some reason it is still very accurate despite the tall front sight and the huge buckhorn rear sight. the recoil is very light, it's like shooting a .410 shotgun. my mother can comfortably shoot it, with about 50 grains you have a good target load for plinking, and 80 grains has some great power to it!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ftK7M...el_video_title

once my Remington and some ammo for my Super Companion i need get here i will probably make a blackpowder shooting video!

Stay Safe and God bless America!
~Levi Hawken Dabney

Rachen · August 9, 2011, 02:36 PM

Quote:

i don't buy my ammo either, i cast it! it's actually quite easy to do, and rather fun! that means i can recover my spent rounds and recycle the lead to shoot again! i really like that part of owning a muzzleloader!

I just finished reading the spectacular novel by Arthur C. Clarke titled "2001: a Space Odyssey" yesterday,

and I realized that if I were someone who is about to embark on a journey to deep space, out to the farthest planets of the Solar System, or even to other planets around alien suns light years away, I would forget all about modern firearms as survival weapons and carry a black powder rifle and revolver combination instead.

Because black powder can be made and graded safely and easily with proper instruction, and the ingredients for black powder can be found anywhere in the universe. Saltpeter and sulfur exists on any planetary surface, and charcoal can be obtained from the starship's hydroponic farm, or a black dwarf star, which is literally a big ball of carbon. Lead of course, another common element in the universe.

Hell, building a ship that is propelled by black powder is probably more efficient and cost effective than fusion or any type of exotic propulsion

zullo74 · August 9, 2011, 02:36 PM

Levi,

Are you starting a business?
http://www.frater-dabneyco.com/

Billy Shears · August 9, 2011, 03:09 PM

Fantastic. I love the color you put on the stock. And hand knapped flints and hand made powder horns and hand made patch knives and hand cast bullets? That's really cool. You should be very proud of your self. Good job. Good skills. Wow.

mykeal · August 9, 2011, 04:20 PM

Half cock is not a safety. It depends on a very brittle and thin piece of metal. It can also be compromised by tightening the lock screws too much.

I wasn't aware that Traditions sold any level 5 kits. Where did you get it?

Busyhands94 · August 9, 2011, 09:30 PM

Zullo74, i am! I'll be manufacturing and designing blackpowder accessories as well as cast bullets! i was doing a some custom gunsmithing for someone who goes by the name of David Frater, i made him one of my patch knives with a sheep's foot blade and some powder measures as well as some other custom handmade items. he liked it and wanted to start a business.

threedogdad, i am glad you like the stock! i used some Birchwood Casey walnut stain watered down a little, then i put many layers of Tru-Oil, buffing lightly with fine steel wool in between each layer. and i finished off with a light coat of Birchwood Casey stock sheen and conditioner. i also am fond of making my own BP accessories, i figure why the heck should i spend my hard earned cash on something i can make at home, that obviously saves me cash, witch i can use to buy more guns

another thing, i gave up on buying muzzleloader ammo. i only get the .22 bullets for my Super Companion but that's actually about it. i cast bullets for the rest of my guns. using a Lyman melting pot and some Lee molds you can churn out two bullet in about 5 seconds once your mold blocks warm up. you just need to get a good rhythm going. i personally like to play some music when i cast, once i get into the casting rhythm in about an hour i can make so many darn bullets i could probably fend off a small army! just make sure if you decide to cast ammo that you get a fan to blow the lead fumes away from you, and that you do it outside. if you must do it inside because of rain or snow or something, then simply open the garage door and cast in there with a fan. it's a great feeling to know if you don't want to buy ammo you don't have to. you can even recycle your spent bullets you recover!

Rifleman1776 · August 10, 2011, 07:31 AM

Congrats on the rifle build. A worth while pastime for a young person.
You did well.

Busyhands94 · August 10, 2011, 12:34 PM

thank you

i love how one can just buy a kit and build their own rifle! it's very fun! i want to try and keep this sport alive by introducing more folk to it! i remember my first love affair with Lady BP, i was hooked from the beginning! lol!

mykeal · August 10, 2011, 06:26 PM

Perhaps you missed my earlier post - where did you get a level 5 Traditions kit?

Busyhands94 · August 10, 2011, 07:28 PM

it came from Dixie Gun Works! the funny thing is that i didn't see it was a level 5 until i already finished it! hehe!

August 9, 2011, 02:27 PM	#1
Busyhands94 Member Join Date: August 7, 2011 Posts: 31	my Traditions Frontier flintlock hello everyone! i got this rifle as a kit and enjoyed finishing it! it's a truly fun project! i like to shoot Minnie balls and patched round balls out of it! it's very, very accurate with both, although i think it likes Minnie balls better. i can't seem to find a good source of BP in California, so i have been using Jim Shockey's gold with a little sulfur added to help it light better. for patches i have been using Ox-Yoke lubed patches. i don't buy my flints, i just go down to the fishing hole and get a big hunk of flint, then knap it. i don't buy my ammo either, i cast it! it's actually quite easy to do, and rather fun! that means i can recover my spent rounds and recycle the lead to shoot again! i really like that part of owning a muzzleloader! so, here's a link to my video! keep in mind the video doesn't do this rifle justice, it looks better in real life. the kit was actually a level 5, the hardest to build. however, i found that out after i built the thing, it wasn't that difficult to build! this gun has some good heft to it, it feels nice and study. the sight picture may be really big, but for some reason it is still very accurate despite the tall front sight and the huge buckhorn rear sight. the recoil is very light, it's like shooting a .410 shotgun. my mother can comfortably shoot it, with about 50 grains you have a good target load for plinking, and 80 grains has some great power to it! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ftK7M...el_video_title once my Remington and some ammo for my Super Companion i need get here i will probably make a blackpowder shooting video! Stay Safe and God bless America! ~Levi Hawken Dabney

August 9, 2011, 09:30 PM	#6
Busyhands94 Member Join Date: August 7, 2011 Posts: 31	Zullo74, i am! I'll be manufacturing and designing blackpowder accessories as well as cast bullets! i was doing a some custom gunsmithing for someone who goes by the name of David Frater, i made him one of my patch knives with a sheep's foot blade and some powder measures as well as some other custom handmade items. he liked it and wanted to start a business. threedogdad, i am glad you like the stock! i used some Birchwood Casey walnut stain watered down a little, then i put many layers of Tru-Oil, buffing lightly with fine steel wool in between each layer. and i finished off with a light coat of Birchwood Casey stock sheen and conditioner. i also am fond of making my own BP accessories, i figure why the heck should i spend my hard earned cash on something i can make at home, that obviously saves me cash, witch i can use to buy more guns another thing, i gave up on buying muzzleloader ammo. i only get the .22 bullets for my Super Companion but that's actually about it. i cast bullets for the rest of my guns. using a Lyman melting pot and some Lee molds you can churn out two bullet in about 5 seconds once your mold blocks warm up. you just need to get a good rhythm going. i personally like to play some music when i cast, once i get into the casting rhythm in about an hour i can make so many darn bullets i could probably fend off a small army! just make sure if you decide to cast ammo that you get a fan to blow the lead fumes away from you, and that you do it outside. if you must do it inside because of rain or snow or something, then simply open the garage door and cast in there with a fan. it's a great feeling to know if you don't want to buy ammo you don't have to. you can even recycle your spent bullets you recover! __________________ We fired our guns and the British kept a'comin There wasn't nigh as many as there was a while ago. We fired once more and they began to runnin' on Down the Mississippi to the Gulf of Mexico!

August 10, 2011, 12:34 PM	#8
Busyhands94 Member Join Date: August 7, 2011 Posts: 31	thank you i love how one can just buy a kit and build their own rifle! it's very fun! i want to try and keep this sport alive by introducing more folk to it! i remember my first love affair with Lady BP, i was hooked from the beginning! lol! __________________ We fired our guns and the British kept a'comin There wasn't nigh as many as there was a while ago. We fired once more and they began to runnin' on Down the Mississippi to the Gulf of Mexico!

August 10, 2011, 07:28 PM	#10
Busyhands94 Member Join Date: August 7, 2011 Posts: 31	it came from Dixie Gun Works! the funny thing is that i didn't see it was a level 5 until i already finished it! hehe! __________________ We fired our guns and the British kept a'comin There wasn't nigh as many as there was a while ago. We fired once more and they began to runnin' on Down the Mississippi to the Gulf of Mexico!

August 9, 2011, 02:36 PM	#3
zullo74 Junior member Join Date: August 8, 2009 Posts: 374	Levi, Are you starting a business? http://www.frater-dabneyco.com/

August 9, 2011, 03:09 PM	#4
Billy Shears Senior Member Join Date: January 17, 2011 Posts: 606	Fantastic. I love the color you put on the stock. And hand knapped flints and hand made powder horns and hand made patch knives and hand cast bullets? That's really cool. You should be very proud of your self. Good job. Good skills. Wow.

August 9, 2011, 04:20 PM	#5
mykeal Senior Member Join Date: October 8, 2006 Location: Northern Michigan Posts: 2,772	Half cock is not a safety. It depends on a very brittle and thin piece of metal. It can also be compromised by tightening the lock screws too much. I wasn't aware that Traditions sold any level 5 kits. Where did you get it?

August 10, 2011, 07:31 AM	#7
Rifleman1776 Senior Member Join Date: April 25, 2010 Location: Arkansas Posts: 3,309	Congrats on the rifle build. A worth while pastime for a young person. You did well.

August 10, 2011, 06:26 PM	#9
mykeal Senior Member Join Date: October 8, 2006 Location: Northern Michigan Posts: 2,772	Perhaps you missed my earlier post - where did you get a level 5 Traditions kit?