Small-bore flintlock kit with swamped barrel?

In a quick search of some of the usual sites, I didn't see much in the way of a flintlock kit that would make up into a neat, trim, simple .36 or .40 small game/target rifle with a swamped barrel. I am mostly a clod with tools, so need something inletted and close to in the white. Anyone been down this trail before? Looking for something a little more southern than northern -- Carolina or Tennessee influence.

I would give Jack a call at TVM
662-286-5014.
He will try to talk you out of the .36.. and try to get you to go with the .40 :grin:

Go with the 40. At one time was considered one of the best all around calibers.

I`ve owned both the 36 and the 40 go with the 40

Try Dunlaps. I believe they are in the links section. They have a Lancaster kit with a 38" barrel that you can get in .36 or .40. I think they might even do it with an "a" wieght barrel.

Sitting Fox Poorboy has caught my interest.

Tip Curtis might have something interesting. Can't find his contact info though. Anyone know Tips, number?

40 cal is the smallest legal for deer in Oklahoma. If I was going small, I'd still want a multi-use gun.

Same here in NC unless they've changed the rules on me again.

Tip Curtis (615) 654-4445

I'm leaning .40, as it is also legal for deer here in Oregon. Will follow up on the advice here. Lots of poor boy kits out there with straight barrels, but fewer with swamped.

Tip will have probably half a dozen of them in .40 cal already in-the-white. He usually has 75-100 rifles built up all the time..

I'll go with the consensus and put in my plug for the .40. I built one a while ago with a Colerain A weight barrel in a Pecatonica stock. It's got an L&R Durs Egg (shoulda gone w/ a Chambers). Pretty looking and shoots straighter than I can.

J.D. said:

Tip Curtis might have something interesting. Can't find his contact info though. Anyone know Tips, number?

Click to expand...

Ditto for Tip Curtis. I have examined a few of his in the white rifles and they were first rate for the price.

As you have noticed Bill, many times these topics go to talking cal. size as to what is legal for deer or not. It is kind of a noble thought, but I am not sure anyone will find the perfect cal. to do both. One will be a powder and lead hog because it is certainly over kill for small game and the other will work for deer, but certainly be very marginal, if it is legal. Kind of like the guy who wants one vehicle to do it all but wants great gas mileage also. You can't have a vehicle to haul wood out of the woods and yet be cheap on gas and other operating expenses. If you get one that has cheap operating expenses, it will be be marginal at best, to have the strength you reguire of it. You really need a vehicle that is strong enough for the job. So with cal. get the cal. that is just big enough for the job at hand and if you need a gun larger for other purposes, get one for it. That is the only way to have the best of both worlds, is to have a two guns that are best, in both worlds. Small bores? I have a .33,.36,.38 and a .40. Which is best? I don't have a real opinion, other than I like them all and they are all good for small game. Though the .38 and .40 is legal where I live for deer, it certainly is not the best choice and I have larger cal. guns for that purpose. It is also illegal to hunt small game in my state, when the deer season is in. So, during the deer season, take the gun that is better for the job and leave the small bores at home. But, what do I shoot the most for fun and plinking? The small bores. You will not be disappointed with either cal. .36 or .40. JMHO :surrender:

Dave: Appreciate your thoughts. A .32 is just too small, and a .36 so close to a .40 that it makes sense to me to have the more versatile rifle just in case.
I have a .54 GPR, a couple of .58s and a .62 fusile to hunt the bigger stuff with.
Looked at the Dunlap Isaac Haines kit, and it does indeed come with a stock inletted for a swamped barrel. Might go that way ...

A lot of companies offer their "Poorboy" kits with an option of changing the barrel to swamped and sometimes other things such, as length of pull. Give one of them a call and ask.
Slash

" Lots of poor boy kits out there with straight barrels, but fewer with swamped."

This is likely because the poor boy was a later type gun and would not have had a swamped barrel in the small cals. like a .40 a 13/16 straight barrel still makes a light gun,the swamped barrel would make a real nice gun though.

TG: Good point. Still lookin' and thinkin' ...

Bill, I looked at some of Dunlaps stuff at the gunmaker's fair two years ago. I was really impressed with his kits.