Front Stuffer Rifle Advice

[BSA1]

I am a gun accumulator. By that I mean my accumulation of guns reflect what my interests in firearms were at the particular time period I acquired them. This has left me with some interesting gaps with the types of guns I have especially with early American ones.

As a result of certain TV programs and the “Banic of 2013” has me wanting to acquire a couple of front stuffer rifles.

I am not a novice to blackpowder firearms just never have had a lot of interest in them. I have a Made in Spain 54 Hawken for many years. It is a ok quality gun but leaves much to be desired. With the quality of BP guns improving so much over the years I need some suggestions what models to look at.

I would like to acquire two different pattern long guns;

1. Gun #1 would be for deer hunting so a Hawken style 50 or 54 cal. would fill the bill. I mean what kind of Mountain Man would not have a Hawken rifle right?
2. I’m thinking for gun #2 something in a slightly smaller caliber (45?), longer barrel. Maybe a eastern backwoods 19th century model. Really I think that gun #2 is something more for just having fun with as the only game I‘ll ever hunt with it would be paper ones.

For both models I will stick with percussion caps, period correct sights, etc.

Suggestions?

 

[Choctaw]

Are you thinking about custom rifles, or those available on the commercial market?

 

[BSA1]

Commercial

 

[frontiergander]

Pedersoli if you're looking for a .45cal

 

[rodwha]

Pedersoli is excellent. I would have suggested looking at Lyman's for an good rifle that's fairly inexpensive, but I've been reading a lot of threads of poor quality and poor customer service.

If you have a .54 cal Hawken why get another? Unless it just isn't accurate I don't see a good reason to get another, especially if you won't mind scratches as much.

If rifle #2 is mainly for paper why not a smaller caliber (.32-.40)? It would conserve on powder/lead, and can be used for small game too.

Maybe you might also want a rifle that you can shoot/hunt longer ranges with. I want one I can attach a Malcolm scope to and shoot conicals/paper patched bullets through for hunting fields and whatnot.

 

[PapaG]

For #2, look for one of the old Dixie 40 cal Tennessees or a TC Cherokee or Seneca in 36.

 

[BSA1]

If you have a .54 cal Hawken why get another? Unless it just isn't accurate I don't see a good reason to get another, especially if you won't mind scratches as much.

It was Made in Spain 15+ years ago and overall quality is just ok. It originally had adjustable sights. When I went to replace them with more era correct fixed sights I discover they had butchered the dovetail notches badly. First they cut them to large and then staked them in place with a screwdriver. I recut the dovetails on the barrel to fit the sight rather than the other way around to hide as much of the damage as possible. It is a passable shooter but hardly something to have a lot of pride in.

If rifle #2 is mainly for paper why not a smaller caliber (.32-.40)? It would conserve on powder/lead, and can be used for small game too.

Maybe...

 

[BSA1]

For #2, look for one of the old Dixie 40 cal Tennessees or a TC Cherokee or Seneca in 36.

I think I probably should send off for a Dixie catalog but it won't tell me which gumball is best. ;-)

 

[alsask]

Dixie sells the Pedersoli Scout carbine in .32 flintlock. I bought one and it is my favourite flinlock rifle by far.