a source of Matchlock kits?

[Matt85]

ive been millen around the idea of building a matchlock. this will be my first attempt at building a gun so id really like a kit to work with.

can any one give me a source of matchlock kits?

i really like the early caliver kit that the rifle shoppe offers. however, the reputation of that company is pretty poor. not too mention they have not responded to my email asking if they have the kit in stock.

thanks
-matt

 

[RR_Raptor65]

Matchlocks are really quite easy to make even with minimal tools, hardest part is making the mainspring for the lock and even then it's pretty easy to do so as far as mainsprings go.
I made my first lock with nothing more than hand files and some mild steel from Home Depot and carved the stock with no prior wood carving experience.
I'd be willing to help get you started if you're interested.

Aside from that, I think The Rifle Shoppe might be the only one out there that advertises Matchlock kits, there might be a gun maker that would be willing to sell an partially finished gun as a sort of kit though but you'd be waiting awhile to get it.
You might try calling TRS instead of emailing them though, I ordered a Wall Gun barrel from them over the phone not too long ago and it was here in no time, trick is to make sure they have it in stock and not to call during their lunch break.

 

[cynthialee]

Are you planing to hunt with a matchlock...
:youcrazy:

 

[Matt85]

Are you planing to hunt with a matchlock...
:youcrazy:

ya know i was thinking while i was walking around on yer property that a matchlock would have worked for many of the birds and squirrels. it also would have been perfect for the turkeys i ran into.

-Matt

 

[cynthialee]

a shot gun or other smooth bore would be better, that burning match will give you away to half the game in the county

 

[RR_Raptor65]

Out here we have problems with ground squirrels we call Whistle Pigs, I managed to hit one of those with a roundball out of my .75 Matchlock one day and it was just the feet sticking out of a crater in the ground. :haha:

Would definitely be a challenge to actually hunt with a Matchlock but there's a few people who seem to manage it.

[youtube]YhNTB_4DjDg[/youtube]

 

[Matt85]

a shot gun or other smooth bore would be better, that burning match will give you away to half the game in the county

while i dont think i would hunt white tail in yer neck of the woods with it. i bet i could nail a grouse or even a black tail in this area.

not all critters are as skittish as those white tail in yer backyard! the deer in yer area remind me of tweekers... a mouse farts within 50 yards and they are off to the hills.

-Matt

 

[cynthialee]

:haha:

 

[Alden]

Oh, HE'S the one!

 

[Aiden Fontana]

Actually, I was thinking of scratchbuilding one myself. Can I ask how you inletted the stock for the barrel? I'm having a bit of trouble figuring out how to go about that. Thanks.

Aiden

 

[RR_Raptor65]

First I routed out the inlet along it's length with an undersized bit which removed roughly half of what was need then just used hand tools to carve it to fit. You don't have to use a router of course, I just finished inletting a barrel without having used a router and it only took slightly longer.
I also made my own blacking with charcoal ground to a fine dust, with a few drops of Hoppe's No.9 and water but I'm sure there are better ways to make your own.

Just go slow, especially toward the end and keep applying the blacking to the underside of the barrel and tap it in with a mallet to show where you need to remove wood. I like to show preference to the bottom of the inlet rather than the sides, when the black marks stop appearing on the bottom then I shave a tiny bit off the sides. It can fool you into shaving too much off the sides otherwise.

My first gun has a terrible awful inlet which has a bad side and an "Oh god what did you do?" side and it took me forever to do, but the following guns got much easier and cleaner so it's all just experience.

 

[Aiden Fontana]

Thanks for the tips. I think I will start sometime next month, still working on getting all the materials, etc.

 

[waltcowan]

try apple vinegar when making the match. good deer lure.