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middlesex flintlock double barrel shotgun

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Matt85

54 Cal.
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Jun 23, 2012
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ive always admired the flintlock side-by-sides but they have always been WAY outa my affordable range. well i can afford this one:
http://www.middlesexvillagetrading.com/MDBF.shtml

if you read my other posts, ya know im well aware of "india quality". but my question is, has any one bought one of these? if so how did it work out for you?

thanks
-Matt
 
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I don`t have any personal experience with any India gun myself Matt, but it seems like I remember somebody talking about one of those in an old post on here. If I remember right it was suposedly a total piece of manure. I would think a double barrel flintlock for that price couldn`t be much.
 
I have an India-made SxS caplock made back in the 70s, and it is actually great. Having said that, I have always been told that they range from excellent to pipe bombs, so maybe I just got lucky. Also, just because my caplock works, doesn't say anything about how well, or even IF, a flinter will work. I mean, look at the flinter CVAs. Some spark very well, others wont spart to save your life.
 
I have one of these I bought several years ago. They no linger have the iron sights this picture was the prototype. Every India made gun I have ever owed turned out to be a kit gun. With this kit I had to replace the locks with L&R Manton locks which requires a wee bit of fitting. I have two friends that own these. One of my friends had to replace the locks the other friend did not have to replace his locks his shotgun is just fine. India made guns are a manure shoot period. With the two locks I now have a good double barrel flintlock shotgun for under $1.000. I could not stand the bright mirror finish so I browned mine. Mine does well with shot but it does not shoot round ball very well past 25 yards.
 
Bought a French trade gun from Middlesex Village this fall. Ramrod was about as useful as a toothpick, but otherwise I'm happy with it. Posters here have said that for only a few bucks more you can get a kit with great materials. Well, there are many of us who lack the skill and the tools to do any more than to turn a collection of great parts into a worthless firearm. :redface: There are hundreds of dollars difference between ready to fire guns made in India and those from elsewhere. Enough to make a difference of precious years to a hunter in his 80s. Buying a used firearm is equally fraught with problems. :idunno: graybeard
 
i think im growing to love india guns. the onley really negative posts i seem to get on them are from people who dont own them and have no experience with them.

thanks grzrob, thats sorta what i was expecting. the finish is UGLY but that can be fixed and locks can be replaced for relatively cheap if needed. would you be willing to send me some pictures of your updated sxs flinter? (PM sent)

the next cheapest double barrel flintlock is in the range of $5000. so having to spend 200-300 to make this thing into a nice gun is nothing.

-Matt
 
Matt,

I'll sound off and although I don't have one of the India-made SxS shotguns, I do have other India made guns. Without opening up any debates on safety or esthetics there may be some things to consider that may help you to decide whether to go through with the purchase or not.

1. What do you plan to do with the gun? Hitting the occasional clay or ethically harvesting birds?

2. How well do you expect the gun to balance in hand and swing on targets with a teak stock and questionable geometry?

3. Is a straight cylinder bore good enough for what your expected use is?

4. Are the barrels regulated to a certain point of aim/impact or a total manure shoot?

I agree that the India guns are attractive price wise and may meet all of your expectations. But then again, you have to determine what your own expectations are and whether the gun is capable of meeting them.
 
In the current issue of muzzleloader a well known US gun maker has type G kits for $795 and there are more from US builders , there are some vidios on utube from Murphy's muskets that explain the whole thing look for the bess springfield comparison one :)
 
1601phill said:
In the current issue of muzzleloader a well known US gun maker has type G kits for $795 and there are more from US builders , there are some vidios on utube from Murphy's muskets that explain the whole thing look for the bess springfield comparison one :)

just watched the video your talking about (also found his reenactor rant interesting and sad). im hoping to avoid some of the problems he spoke of by buying this gun from Loyalist Arms. but i dont expect perfection as it is a "cheap" gun.

having said that, when my inspection review comes along i will be as critical as possible for the sake of any future readers of this post.

-Matt
 
Matt, I have not been one that takes advise very well. Sometimes it's OK and sometimes I get the shaft.
But if I wanted one, I would get it and certainly not listen to anybody that doesn't even have one.
The only way you are going to know for real is to buy it. Some opinions here, on this forum, are agenda driven and not factual. Ya gotta weed through them. :thumbsup:
 
Matt85 said:
just watched the video your talking about (also found his reenactor rant interesting and sad). im hoping to avoid some of the problems he spoke of by buying this gun from Loyalist Arms. but i dont expect perfection as it is a "cheap" gun.

having said that, when my inspection review comes along i will be as critical as possible for the sake of any future readers of this post.

-Matt

the above qoute was a mispost, for some reason i was thinking this was my 1768 charleville thread. (its what i get for posting when im tired)

-Matt
 
If you do end up getting the SxS, I'm real interesting in hearing what you think of it. I haven't heard anyone report one way or the other on whether the barrels are regulated at all or how the guns handle. I've been interested in them since MVTC started offering them but for me, I couldn't justify the price on a gun with unknown qualities. I could be pursuaded to drop the money if an honest assessment says that they are worth the price.
 
will be some time before i can scrounge up the cash for one of these. i just bought a 1768 charleville from Loyalist Arms, so im broke at the moment.

edit: however if yall wanna throw some money together and buy me one. i will happily perform an thorough review of it. :wink:

-matt
 
Matt85 said:
will be some time before i can scrounge up the cash for one of these. i just bought a 1768 charleville from Loyalist Arms, so im broke at the moment.

edit: however if yall wanna throw some money together and buy me one. i will happily perform an thorough review of it. :wink:

-matt

quoted -
"well i can afford this one" ( :bull: )

Also quoted:
" I'm beginning to love these India guns" ( :doh: )

You don't even own one yet, then say that people who don't like them are the ones who don't own them. Maybe they are the ones who know what they are looking at who don't like them. Advice has been given whether it is taken or not is your decision. Methinks you just like to type ..or..

"I love these guns. They are...cheap."

"They are shiny."

:idunno:
:blah:
:stir:
 
laffindog said:
Methinks you just like to type ..or..

hrm troll much? i find this statement to be insulting.

saying something is affordable and then saying to cant afford it at the moment is perfectly within reason. i make enough money to buy one of these at a later date.

my reason for saying "i love them" is mostly cause people seem to hate them without having tried them for themselves. i dont literally mean i love em.

-Matt
 
save your money!!!! I DO HAVE ONE !!!.I can go on and on ... but , you get the idea :barf:
With the same money I put together a kit that has gotten me 18 squirrels and 3 grouse so far this season.
Just please forget about it, but then again, it's your money.
If you were close by I could lend you mine for you to see what I'm talking about.I can't stress this enough, it HAS to be seen.
When I have more time I will post detailed pictures of it for all to see what They do not want you to see.
A gun like that would be reasonably priced at arround 100 to 120 bucks new ,and used more like 40 to 50 bucks.
 
juancho said:
save your money!!!! I DO HAVE ONE !!!.I can go on and on ... but , you get the idea :barf:
With the same money I put together a kit that has gotten me 18 squirrels and 3 grouse so far this season.
Just please forget about it, but then again, it's your money.
If you were close by I could lend you mine for you to see what I'm talking about.I can't stress this enough, it HAS to be seen.
When I have more time I will post detailed pictures of it for all to see what They do not want you to see.
A gun like that would be reasonably priced at arround 100 to 120 bucks new ,and used more like 40 to 50 bucks.

i would love to see some pics, if these things are indeed junk i will steer clear of em. i got a chance to see a picture of the one grzrob has and it looks like it came out decent after some work.

i would also like to know where you got a kit for a SxS flinter? if i could have one of these SxS flinters built at an affordable price then i would go that route.

thanks
-matt
 
armymedic.2 said:
Have u considered rebreaching a navy arms double? Its been done and im pursuing it now.

i had a member PM me recently mentioning this. its a good idea but navy arms SxS are tough to find at the moment. i checked all my sources and even googled them and could find none for sale.

-Matt
 
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