New to BP - Question about guns/kits

[CommanderPoopyduX]

I am thinking of buying my very first BP gun. The gun would be used only very occasionally to maybe hunt white tailed deer (more than likely my 30-06 will take all I need) and occasionally to have fun with at the range.

I am wanting to go as cheaply as possible, #1 so I can afford to do it without my wife raising a fuss and I could get one immediately, and #2 I won't be using it that much so I don't want to sink a ton of money into it.

I have been looking at the Traditions kits Bass Pro sells, and I really like the idea of actually "building" my own. Has anyone had experience with these? Do they make for decent guns? How hard are they to finish - specifically the barrel or are they ready to go when you get them (I have had quite a good deal of experience with wood working, none with metal finishing. I have also built an AR-15 all from parts so I can put guns together and make them work if BP is even in the same ballpark)?

I have also thought about the already assembled guns like Bass Pro or my local Wal-Mart sells (they have about 10 or 12 different ones), but I don't know ANYTHING about BP, except I have shot my fathers old muzzleloader he built from a kit 30 years ago. It was fun to shoot, and didn't seem to be very fancy, but had held up and shot great many years later.

Again, The only real thing I would use it for would maybe hunt white tailed deer, but even then, that would not be very often.

 

[Heinrich]

I have finished a kit by traditions for the Kentucky, Ranger, Buckskinner, and Hawken Woodsman. The hardest work is to be done on the wood, the metal is all finished, you only need to have the barrel either browned, or blued.

The overall quality of the guns are very acceptable for what you pay. I spent extra time polishing the action, and the trigger, which is not required, but gives me an excellent trigger pull. I have recently started with a kit by Pedersoli, on the Indian Trade Musket.

Getting back to the traditions, go for a .54 caliber with a 1:48 twist will give you plenty power down range, and with roughly 80gr of FFg pushing a power belt you will be very happy with the results.

 

[ky_man]

For me, the fun in building ML's that you get to put blade to wood and shape it as you see fit. It's not like simply putting parts together - any lug can do that by following instructions. There's an art to it. That being said, for your first ML build a kit from Traditions would be a good way to go. I have a Traditions Kentucky in .50 that I really like. Then again, I shoot patched round ball.

Once you decide to go whole hog, the variety of locks, barrels, stocks, etc. boggles the mind and can easily drain your finances.

My next project will be a smoothbore fowler with a 42" barrel.