Picking out my first rifle.

[Ozz]

So as previously stated, I built a flintlock kit with my son. He also bought another flintlock. It’s a short rifle in .50 and I like it. It has a double set trigger that I is nice

One of the first questions will be my intended purpose. I honestly don’t know.

Are there any competitions out there?

I think I would like to plink a lot and get really good.

Hunting of course but i don’t hunt a lot Alabama limits deer hunting to .40 caliber minimum. I don’t know if that’s relevant or not.

I am curious to know about twist rates by caliber. Are there any good compromises? 1/66 is for ball and patch right? What’s the deal with 1/48 in a traditional muzzleloader?

My only experience is with flintlocks and I like them but I’m not married to them.

I like the handiness of my son’s shorter rifle but again I’ve never felt the balance of anything else.

There are two things I know I want.
1. A nice trigger
2. Good, adjustable sights.

So what do you guys and gals think?

 

[Phil Coffins]

There are clubs all over the country that have monthly matches. Here my I could shoot most every week end with in 40 miles. Casual competition is a good way to hone your skills. A 50 calibre is a good choice.

 

[LawrenceA]

Suggest join a club if you can.
Shoot some, handle some and take it from there.
Triggers should be easy.
Sights not so much

 

[rafterob]

If you go to the NMLRA website, you can look up clubs in your area. The advice from LawrenceA is spot on. Have patience and wait till you have a good idea what you really want. Flintlocks are more fun, just sayin'.....

 

[Spikebuck]

This is just an aesthetics thing for me, but "more modern" adjustable sights on a traditional, especially hand built, flintlock just look out of place. Even primitive sights are "adjustable"....drift and file! But I assume you're talking about something where you turn a screw and adjust. Those are certainly available and standard on some production guns. And you can always get them and install them on any gun if that's what you want. If you want a little more traditional looking adjustable sight, the marbles sight is good, or the "Hawken" type sight with a ramp is good. Still need to drift sights for windage, but elevation is easy. There are numerous "after-market" adjustable peeps as well, if you like those.

http://www.marblearms.com/rear-sights.html
https://www.trackofthewolf.com/List/Item.aspx/879/1
I think a good trigger on many production guns is harder to find than the sights you want! Many production guns have heavy pulls unless you use the set trigger which, for me anyway, is WAY too light for hunting with gloves. Well built production or hand built guns will probably have double sets where the front trigger, without using the set, is under 4# and a single trigger setup nice and crisp at 3# or less.

I agree with Phil that for all around use, a .50 is pretty hard to beat. Since most of the modern unmentionables are 50's, there is lot of readily available stuff at shops/stores if in a pinch. Great deer caliber if you want to do that. Not so big a bore that for other uses you have more money than necessary into powder and ball.