The Firing Line Forums

Go Back   The Firing Line Forums > The North Corral > Black Powder and Cowboy Action Shooting

Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Old April 18, 2017, 01:56 AM   #1
TruthTellers
Senior Member
 
Join Date: October 22, 2016
Posts: 3,878
Flintlock pistol caught my interest

I have an interest in a replica .69 caliber Flintlock pistol. The following link to video is not the exact pistol, but it's very similar.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y44Ck5Iw3Rs

I don't plan to shoot round balls from it, just birdshot and some buckshot. With that in mind, do you think a no name replica of this type of pistol would be able to handle shooting birdshot and buckshot with a medium charge of FFg?
TruthTellers is offline  
Old April 18, 2017, 05:40 AM   #2
Old Stony
Senior Member
 
Join Date: May 31, 2013
Location: East Texas
Posts: 1,705
Don't know why not, as long as it's smoothbore you're good to go with shot. I've had a couple in .62 caliber and they are a lot of fun, although they can be a challenge to hit things with using round balls. I still have one that I bought at a flea market for 100 bucks and it works just fine. Mine was missing the front sight and that's probably the reason it was so reasonable...but a few bucks for a replica turtle sight and I was in business.
That fella in the video you referenced was a little long on wind, and short on experience. You will want to use patches with round balls, for one thing.
For shot, there are different techniques for loading and the smoothbores are very versatile and forgiving.
Old Stony is offline  
Old April 18, 2017, 09:54 AM   #3
Hawg
Senior Member
 
Join Date: September 8, 2007
Location: Mississippi
Posts: 16,177
That's one of the Tower flintlocks that was likely imported from Japan by the thousands in the 60's and 70's and they're crap. You might get one to shoot by hardening the frizzen but the quality is dismal. If it says Japan or Ultra Hi or Miroku on it leave it be. Yeah Miroku makes fine modern guns but they also make stuff to customers specs or at least they used to and if the customer wanted cheap crap that's what they made.
Hawg is offline  
Old April 18, 2017, 10:24 AM   #4
Pahoo
Senior Member
 
Join Date: February 16, 2006
Location: IOWA
Posts: 8,783
Identify what you actually have.

Quote:
That's one of the Tower flintlocks that was likely imported from Japan by the thousands in the 60's and 70's and they're crap
You need to confirm what you have. The one in the video is "likely" to be one of these and as Hawg has stated; They are crap. .......

In short, these are not worth your time and money. You need to really look it over and confirm what you have as some of these are actually non-functioning and safety is an issue. ..

Good Luck and;
Be Safe !!!!
__________________
'Fundamental truths' are easy to recognize because they are verified daily through simple observation and thus, require no testing.
Pahoo is offline  
Old April 18, 2017, 12:07 PM   #5
TruthTellers
Senior Member
 
Join Date: October 22, 2016
Posts: 3,878
Are there any manufacturers of these Tower pistols that are better quality?
TruthTellers is offline  
Old April 18, 2017, 12:10 PM   #6
Badgerstate
Member
 
Join Date: March 17, 2017
Posts: 71
Traditions makes a bunch of them, pretty much anything you could want.
Badgerstate is offline  
Old April 18, 2017, 12:11 PM   #7
Wyosmith
Senior Member
 
Join Date: December 29, 2010
Location: Shoshoni Wyoming
Posts: 2,713
Do you think you have the skills to put a kit together?
If so, go to Muzzleloader Builders Supply on line and see their kits.

FAR better quality then the one in the vid.
Wyosmith is offline  
Old April 18, 2017, 12:26 PM   #8
T. O'Heir
Senior Member
 
Join Date: February 13, 2002
Location: Canada
Posts: 12,453
"...just birdshot and some buckshot..." Probably a good idea to re-think that. Don't think there's any load data for bird or buck shot out of a short barrel.
"...manufacturers of these Tower pistols..." Lots of 'em. Dixie Gunworks et al sells Pedersoli stuff.
Don't buy stuff made in India either. May or may not actually work.
__________________
Spelling and grammar count!
T. O'Heir is offline  
Old April 18, 2017, 12:29 PM   #9
TruthTellers
Senior Member
 
Join Date: October 22, 2016
Posts: 3,878
Quote:
Do you think you have the skills to put a kit together?
Depends if I would need tools to complete the kit. If given the supplies, I can pretty well do anything if I have good reference material.
TruthTellers is offline  
Old April 18, 2017, 01:36 PM   #10
Hawg
Senior Member
 
Join Date: September 8, 2007
Location: Mississippi
Posts: 16,177
Quote:
Depends if I would need tools to complete the kit. If given the supplies, I can pretty well do anything if I have good reference material.
You will need woodworking tools, inletting tools, stock scrapers and gouges mostly and an aptitude for working wood which I definitely do not have.
Hawg is offline  
Old April 18, 2017, 03:17 PM   #11
Old Stony
Senior Member
 
Join Date: May 31, 2013
Location: East Texas
Posts: 1,705
I've used smoothbore pistols on rendezvous trail walks, where we used round balls and had some targets specifically for shot. 30-40 Gr. of 2f with 3/4 oz of shot works just fine. I've shot them with regular card and cushion wads as well as plain old wasp nests, both over the powder and over the shot. You can just load them the way folks did way back then, using whatever is available.
Old Stony is offline  
Old April 19, 2017, 12:22 AM   #12
TruthTellers
Senior Member
 
Join Date: October 22, 2016
Posts: 3,878
Now, for these Japanese import Tower pistols, would they be safe to shoot? I know others here said leave it, but if I could get one for $40, would that not be worth it?
TruthTellers is offline  
Old April 19, 2017, 09:32 AM   #13
Hawg
Senior Member
 
Join Date: September 8, 2007
Location: Mississippi
Posts: 16,177
They're safe enough to shoot but they need work and they're ugly, nothing at all like the original Towers. I wouldn't waste 40 bucks on one. That was the original selling price for DGW around 72 and they said for 10 bucks more they would tune the locks so they would spark.
Hawg is offline  
Old April 19, 2017, 12:18 PM   #14
roashooter
Junior member
 
Join Date: December 24, 2010
Posts: 508
Quote:
but if I could get one for $40, would that not be worth it?

comes to mind....


Quote:
You get what you pay for.
Prov. Cliché If you do not pay much money for something, it is probably of poor quality.; If you pay well for something, it is more likely to be of good quality.
roashooter is offline  
Old April 19, 2017, 02:21 PM   #15
Model12Win
Junior member
 
Join Date: October 20, 2012
Posts: 5,854
Get a Traditions trapper flintlock pistol. Good quality, cheap, and will actually work when you go to shoot it.
Model12Win is offline  
Old April 19, 2017, 02:56 PM   #16
Hawg
Senior Member
 
Join Date: September 8, 2007
Location: Mississippi
Posts: 16,177
Quote:
Get a Traditions trapper flintlock pistol. Good quality, cheap, and will actually work when you go to shoot it.
He said he wanted a smoothbore to use with shot.
Hawg is offline  
Old April 19, 2017, 06:17 PM   #17
bedbugbilly
Senior Member
 
Join Date: November 19, 2009
Posts: 3,283
+ 1 to Hawg's first post. These were available in kit form as well as finished in the 60s and 70s - frizziness were soft and had to be hardened - quality "iffy" at best. I picked one up a f3w moths ago for very little - I think I gave $10 for it and it was missing several screws, side plate and was poorly put together. I figured I would fix it up when I had time just as a "wall hanger". As a shooter - I wouldn't even both with it as far as my own purposes are concerned.

One to watch out for as far as poor and dangerous are the ones that used to be marketed through "Hy Hunter" if I remember the name correctly. They were sort of a "Buccaneer" type flintlock pistol form the same period as the Tower kits - 60s and 70s and I believer they were sold out of CA. I remember looking at one in the early to mid 60s and I had the opportunity to take it apart to the time. I couldn't believe it when I discovered that the breech plug in it was not threaded at all - it was a pressed in taper plug that was then cross pinned into the breech of the barrel. Not something I'd want my face to be in line with when it went off.
__________________
If a pair of '51 Navies were good enough for Billy Hickok, then a single Navy on my right hip is good enough for me . . . besides . . . I'm probably only half as good as he was anyways. Hiram's Rangers Badge #63
bedbugbilly is offline  
Old April 19, 2017, 10:30 PM   #18
TruthTellers
Senior Member
 
Join Date: October 22, 2016
Posts: 3,878
Quote:
He said he wanted a smoothbore to use with shot.
Yup and the only pistols that I can think of that have a large enough bore to work with would be either the Pedersoli Howdah or the Veteran's Arms French Charleville pistol.

I don't care for the price of the Howdah, but the Veteran's Arms is reasonable for a single shot.
TruthTellers is offline  
Old April 19, 2017, 10:39 PM   #19
Model12Win
Junior member
 
Join Date: October 20, 2012
Posts: 5,854
The Veteran Arms pistols are made in India out of seamless PIPING.

Shoot if you want, I value my health more than that. The Pedersoli howdah is a quality made firearm made of modern firearm steels and will provide a lifetime of safe and reliable service.
Model12Win is offline  
Old April 19, 2017, 11:31 PM   #20
TruthTellers
Senior Member
 
Join Date: October 22, 2016
Posts: 3,878
^ Oh. If my only option is $600 from Pedersoli, I have lost all interest then.
TruthTellers is offline  
Old April 20, 2017, 08:15 AM   #21
g.willikers
Senior Member
 
Join Date: September 28, 2008
Posts: 10,442
The company known as Navy Arms sells and has sold pretty good guns.
There must be plenty of them around.
__________________
Walt Kelly, alias Pogo, sez:
“Don't take life so serious, son, it ain't nohow permanent.”
g.willikers is offline  
Old April 20, 2017, 02:51 PM   #22
the possum
Senior Member
 
Join Date: November 6, 2004
Location: Southern Illinois
Posts: 555
I've been in the same boat for years. I like the idea of a 20ga shotgun pistol without the BATF paperwork, or price of the Hawdaw.

One potential option that came to mind, is to find a decent big bore pistol, such as a .54 or .58 cal (preferably one with a rusty bore so ya can buy it cheaper!), and then have a machine shop ream the rifling out of the barrel. A 5/8" drill bit/reamer is .625", which should be close enough for this purpose to still use 20 gauge wads. Ballistic Products sells wads that are slightly oversized, too.
the possum is offline  
Old April 25, 2017, 12:45 AM   #23
TruthTellers
Senior Member
 
Join Date: October 22, 2016
Posts: 3,878
One of those Japanese made Tower pistols sold on gunbroker for $270.

Hope that winner enjoys pricey wallhangers.
__________________
"We always think there's gonna be more time... then it runs out."
TruthTellers is offline  
Old April 25, 2017, 08:37 AM   #24
Hawg
Senior Member
 
Join Date: September 8, 2007
Location: Mississippi
Posts: 16,177
Quote:
One of those Japanese made Tower pistols sold on gunbroker for $270.
There's one born every minute. If you've just got to have a large caliber smoothbore get the Tower. Just be prepared to spend more money on it to get it to work right. I don't know if a Chambers or Davis etc lock will fit but that would be your best option but those locks will run you 150.00-175.00 bucks. If you do that then you could get a decent stock to put it all in and have a decent gun.
Hawg is offline  
Reply

Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT -5. The time now is 09:00 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.7
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
This site and contents, including all posts, Copyright © 1998-2021 S.W.A.T. Magazine
Copyright Complaints: Please direct DMCA Takedown Notices to the registered agent: thefiringline.com
Page generated in 0.10287 seconds with 10 queries