Perfect in everyway

[ebiggs1]

After reading the post, “Patent breech, yes or no?”, it brings to mind all the variations of opinions on what is a good flintlock. So here it is you have $5000 dollars and a master machinist and a stock maker and barrel maker available to your desire. Or pick from off-the-shelf stuff and describe the perfect rifle. I must admit I am not qualified, yet, to comment on what is the greatest because my Thompson Center Hawken is working fine. I have not yet experienced the ubiquitous custom flintlock rifle like some of you, let’s say “seasoned” shooters are.

 

[MSW]

i agree, in a round - a- bout sort of way... what i think is the 'perfect' rifle may well be considered by the next fellow to be a complete waste of time and money.

go with what works best for you!

 

[rafterob]

So here it is you have $5000 dollars

Any rifle I had would be perfect if I had $5000 in my pocket :grin:

 

There's no "perfect" anything. All the term does is start arguments. But, some people love to debate anything and everything.

 

[gizamo]

There's no "perfect" anything. All the term does is start arguments. But, some people love to debate anything and everything.

:rotf:

 

[hanshi]

I love these kind of "what if" questions. A $5000 custom gun, eh? Basically I know what I want but for something in this league it will take a lot of thought. :hmm: :hmm:

 

[Dave K]

Well, why is there a price difference between a Yugo and a Cadillac. Both will get you where you are going and beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Some men lusted for the model Twiggy back in the day and some felt passionate about Sophia Loren. Who is more correct? It just depends what floats your boat. For me, if the $5000 gun shows it's stuff as being well executed in workmanship, fit, carving and engraving, properly designed to a school that is in my style, than it fits my taste better than an equally functional factory made gun. JMHO

 

[peter hawbaker]

Perfect for what ? Big game hunting ? Small game ?, Paper ? Here is my idea of the "perfect" big game flintlock,I built it a couple winters ago. Haines style stock, C profile Colerain barrel in .54, Chambers Deluxe large Siler, White Lightnin vent, single trigger, large trigger guard for use with gloves, barrel shortened to 35.5 inches, gold bead front sight. It may not be HC or PC, has a mix of different style of parts, but it is perfect for what I wanted, a lightweight, well balanced, reliable, fast, hunting rifle with enough ooomph to hunt any animal in North America.

I built my "perfect" rifle for about $800.00, if I had to spend $5,000.00, I would send it to a master carver and have lavish relief carving and inlays done, but then I would probably be afraid to hunt with it.

 

[cowpoke1955]

Have to agree with MSW. Everyone has their version of the "perfect" rifle. I was raised on a cattle ranch where a gun was considered nothing more than a tool. If it was reliable and accurate, it was a good gun. A $300 rifle can be as reliable and accurate as a $3000 rifle. It's not as pretty, but it works. I'd like to get a custom rifle someday, but until then, I have some "good" rifles that will do the job :thumbsup:

 

[D Sanders]

After reading the post, “Patent breech, yes or no?”, it brings to mind all the variations of opinions on what is a good flintlock. So here it is you have $5000 dollars and a master machinist and a stock maker and barrel maker available to your desire. Or pick from off-the-shelf stuff and describe the perfect rifle. I must admit I am not qualified, yet, to comment on what is the greatest because my Thompson Center Hawken is working fine. I have not yet experienced the ubiquitous custom flintlock rifle like some of you, let’s say “seasoned” shooters are.

$5000 is too much. take about $500 to $700, build a good Hawken kit rifle. Put the rest in the bank. I would be too afraid to use a rifle that I spent 5 grand on. If I were to spend that kind of money on guns, I would have to have more than one, maybe several. Since game animals come in lots of sizes and shapes, you have to have different calibers. I guess I'm saying there is no such thing as one perfect gun. :yakyak:

HH 60

 

[ebiggs1]

Isn't this interesting. When specific items are discussed, nobody has a problem stating what is "perfect", but when you are asked to describe the "perfect" rifle, no one can answer? I mean hardly no one can answer.

 

[MikeChapin]

$5000 would be nice. It would get the parts for five or six guns.

The perfect rifle is one that goes off reliably, fits me, and puts the ball where the sights are at. There are a lot of them around. A lot of fine carving is nice to look at but I would feel a little apprehensive packing one in the field where it can get dropped or dinged up a thousand different ways.

Kind of like using using a new pickup to go into the mountains. I would not be happy if I ran a branch along the side. If I have a well running used pickup I don't mind so much if it gets dinged.

 

[gordy]

This is just my opinion and is not meant to be critical of anyone else . After over 60 years of experimenting with firearms of all kinds , I'd have to say , no matter if you had $5.000 $50.000 or more no one gun would be perfect for all occastions ! Most all of us who have an interest in the old black powder weapons have a style preference Penn/Kentucky , Hawkens , Trade Guns etc.
To me I think not enough people think about how a gun "fits "! No matter who made the lock , barrel , furniture or how many inlays , how much engraving and carving it may have , if the stock dosn't fit YOU or the GUN will never be able to reach the potential . Time after time I've read posts from folks that just got their long awaited expensive gun from a well known or famous builder , but rarely do I see where they have been fitted for the stock ? How a weapon fits me is the first and probably the most important factor I'm interested in when looking for the "perfect" gun .
I love the art work and carving etc. but if it dosn't fit its just a wall hanger and conversation piece. I have had some guns over the years that wern't works of art but felt like they grew from my shoulder .
So I guess my "perfect" gun is one that fits as well as possible and functions reliably . :thumbsup:

 

Isn't this interesting. When specific items are discussed, nobody has a problem stating what is "perfect", but when you are asked to describe the "perfect" rifle, no one can answer?

Maybe because you've asked for an absolute, when there is none?

 

[hanshi]

Maybe some of that $5000 could go toward making trips to your builder so he could make fine adjustments it the fit of that stock. They sorta do it that way for high end shotguns. They use "fitting guns" with stocks that can be adjusted while you stand there.

 

[Skychief]

Ha! I thought this thread was about ME !!! :rotf:

 

[Canuck Bob]

I'll take a stab at this. As a greenhorn I do this everytime I read a thread so why not fess up. I'm a lefty and a big guy. All my life everything just doesn't fit or work quite right for me. I agree with Gordy about finally getting a stock that fits me perfectly at the top of the list.

I wouldn't choose a HC piece, sorry guys. It would be a meld of features and styles to suit only me. The shorter barrel Germanic guns, called Jaegers here, would be close and a great starting place. First a superb set of left hand locks like the small Siler or L&R Mantons hand built and tuned by someone like Roller or Rice. A light weight swamped "Jaeger" barrel with a hooked flat breech from someone like Rice barrels. It would be radius grooved and hand lapped to target standards and a PRB barrel in .45 caliber. A piece of granite stable quarter sawn walnut with straight grain and no figure. It would have a full stock so wood movement is not allowed.

A stock profile that includes a pistol grip and captures the slim elegance of the American longrifle in profile, the compact effeciency of the Germanics overall, and the deadly seriousness of the big bore English Ivory rifle.

The sights would be a tang rear peep from the early lever gun designs and one of the front sights that pivot to offer a large post or a hooded bead on post. No carvings or ornaments with a deep blue low luster and oiled stock.

 

[steve nagy]

I would want a "series" of rifles or guns from one builder. Say, a set that would consist of a small game rifle, deer rifle, and a large caliber that would all be in the same or a similar style. I would want these in flintlock, done in striped maple, Rice swamped barrel, a tuned late English style large lock and iron hardware. I appreciate the embellished rifles but the plainer southern styles are more to my taste. I'll pay more for custom tuning but custom carving and inlays mean less to me. My other consideration would be a custom big bore Jaeger in flint stocked with fancy burled walnut and a couple of silver pieces in place of the iron.

 

[Capt. Jas.]

I would have a young builder named Jim Kibler make me a gun with a hand made 16 bore I have on hand. I would give him a time period and origin and let him have at it.

 

[kentucky bucky]

If I found $5000.00 in my pocket, I would immediately remove those pants, because they obviously don't belong to me!!!!