Recomendation Requested, .62 Flintlock

[5knives]

I'd appreciate any comments, suggestions or recomendations you folks might have.

I recently purchased a Pedersoli "Indian trade musket" in Flint, .62,

I'm seeking a pistol, as something of a match, ie; smoothbore , .62 and Flint. Anything in the 1750 - 1840 styles I would think.

Wouldn't really be used for much except fun and maybe the occasiional retarded sitting rabbit or squirrel, close up.

I'm retired so funds are limited.

I've built several long gun kits and one pistol but they're pretty awful. Obviously not one of the things I do well.

Sincerely appreciate any feedback.

Thank You,

Regards

 

[Ridge]

Leonard Day makes a fine smoothbore pistol, and his prices are reasonable. You have to remember though that the parts alone are going to total 350-400 bucks. A couple of years ago he was selling them for about 500 dollars.

If that's too much, Loyalist Arms has them in the $350 range. Not the most beautiful guns out there, but with a little sandpaper and some elbow grease you could end up with something decent.

 

[5knives]

Ridge,

Thank you for the response,

always did think you WV folks were first rate.

'Course there was this one lady who ..... ahem .... lets just say she made me feel especially kindly to folks from WV.

Thank you, sounds like I should look at Loyalist Arms first.

Regards,

Gary

 

[Ridge]

LOL.......I might've married that girl! :hmm:

 

[Zonie]

The nearest thing I see that might work nicely with your Trade Gun is the Dixie Charleville Pistol.

It's a .69 caliber smoothbore flintlock made by Palmetto/Italy. It comes with a belt hook on the left side.

This gun has a metal frame with a 7 1/2 inch barrel and is available from Dixie Gunworks finished at $245 or in a kit for $207.50.
The kit is listed as a skill level 1 which means it is almost built except for some polishing on the metal and some sanding and finishing on the wood.
I read where you had your problems with your previous kits, but you didn't have this site to ask questions on.

If your shooting a .600 ball in your .620 cal gun, you could use the same ball with three .015 patches or three .018 Pillow Ticking patches plus 30 grains of powder to shoot the .69.
No, it's not going to be a tack driver, but I haven't seen very many smooth bore pistols which are.

The photo below is very similar to this gun.
The picture is a drawing of the North and Cheney 1799 pistol manufacutred in Berlin Connecticut.
It was patterned after the French Model 1777.
I don't know if Lewis and Clark actually had one or more of these pistols, but the North Company made about 2000 of them for the United States military by 1802.

I just went to Dixies site (use our links forum to get there) and read a few reviews about this their gun.
Some good, some bad. If you go to the Dixie site and enter
FH0201 in their search engine it will get you to a picture of the gun. Click on the picture to get to the page which describes it. Click on the Reviews to see what people said.
A few commented about a bad gap between the frizzen and the pan. It's worth reading before sending in you money.

 

[Russ T Frizzen]

Unfortunately, the new price on this pistol is $325.00, and it comes with a birch stock. Perhaps even more unfortunately, the gun is built by Palmetto Arms.
Tennessee Valley Arms offers a pistol with a 12" barrel that might fit the bill. I've got one in 20 bore and it is a good gun. You can build it from a kit if you want. I did and it went together easily and there was enough extra wood to allow a little personalizing. Shoots fine with either ball or shot.

 

[pappydean]

5knives,
Military Heritage in the Weapons link of this site lists several of there flint pistols in .62 cal. I haven't seen or handled any of there guns so can't give any pro's or con's.
pappydean

 

[Zonie]

Does anyone on the Forum own one of these Palmetto 1777 Chrleville pistols?
If you do, what are your comments on it? ::

 

[5knives]

Thanks to you all for the fast and informative responses.

I've checked the reccomended sites and find I still have a couple of questions, if you'll tolerate my asking them.

Those vendors shipping with un drilled vents, are those serviceable firearms once drilled?

Though I've done it with stuff I built up from odds and ends, I can't say i'm thrilled eith the idea of doing my own proofing on something I paid $200 or $300 for.

Also, what is the experience with Palmetto arms?

I'm not especially concerned with strict period correctness here. It looks as if a heavy or a light Dragoon, a sea service version, the North or the 1777 charlesville would all be suitable, if in .62 bore and flintlock.

Thanks for your help your knowledge and your patience.

Regards

 

[squirejohn]

5knives.. I'm not sure exactely what you mean by "... as something of a match..." so the following may not be relevant. Having the same caliber gun doesn't necessarily mean the same size ball and patch will work equally as well in both guns. For example my .45c GMB likes a .451 ball whereas a .451 ball won't even fit down the barrel of my Pedersoli .45c pistol. I also have a ,54c smooth rifle that readily takes .535 ball. However I have a "companion" smoothbore pistol made by the same builder that I can barely squeeze down a .527 ball.

 

[Ridge]

An Indian company ships with undrilled vent holes. The reason for this (as I was told) is that it is a lot easier to ship in a non-gun than a real gun. It's not considered a real gun until the hole is drilled.

Loyalist Arms and the Indian Company (sorry, can't remember the name) are actually the same products. Just that one ships from india without the vent hole and one ships from Canada WITH the vent hole.

That's the way it was explained to me anyways.

Supposedly yes......they will shoot just fine.

For my money though......I'd load them light. I just don't trust Indian metallurgy that much. :imo:

 

[5knives]

Thanks for the reply squirejohn,

Sorry I wasn't more clear, basically just looking for something that will accept a .60-615 round ball, might well be used with a few buckshot. Probably wouldn't get very much use.

While I'm aware my Pedersole probably isn't period correct for much of anything, I'd like to find something that wouldn't be too out of place, and would use the same accouterments. ie; patches, balls etc.

Only serious use it might ever see would be on feral dogs. Something of a problem from time to time where I usually hunt, and if anyone here has never dealt with them, once they commit to attack they take a lot of dissuading. So I'm not too keen on running into any with a single shot ML.

I'd rather not be lugging a 1911 or a SBH ,I believe I'd feel quite silly hunting with a charcoal burner and a holstered 1911. Plus all the little varmints would point and laugh at me.

Actually if I can't find anything it'll be a snub .357 in my pocket, but I'd like to find a FL pistol.

Re; bore markings, I hear you there, my Genuine Uberti Hawkin, copied in perfect detail from a new Hawkin in some museum, St. Louis I believe. Marked .53 cal on the bbl. but the fella sold it to me said "everyone knew they were really .54."

Heck, I "knew" that too.

Guess how long it took me to get a .521 mold made?

Thanks for your response.

Regards

 

[5knives]

Thanks for the information Ridge,

Sounds like I should check out Loyalist again. Checked dixie and they seem to have nothing. Wonder if the in-line fad is going to put us back in the '50's and early '60's again. It was REAL hard to find anything except custom then.

Actually, as far as lighter loads are concerned, I favor them.

I figured out a very long time ago that neither accuracy nor "killing power" is much enhanced by a big ball of fire chasing the ball down range.

(Spectators seem to enjoy the sight though.)

thanks again,

Regards,