First Flintlock Rifle or Musket

[ratfacedmcdougal]

I would save up and have one built for you. The expirience and antisipation alone makes the expense worth the cost. Costom drop, cast and LOP made for you will make the shooting more enjoyabe. Wood selection, furniture choice, styling discussed with your builder really are fun to go through. When you have looked at a number of options and decide on a certain model, let the fun begin. I bought the parts piecemeal, spread out the spending as l saved up. It seems to hurt less and then you might decide to go with an upgrade because an extra $50 or so doesn't seem so bad after all. Trust your builder's advice, he should know what you want and know how to get there. I am very fortunate that my builder is a friend and lives only a few miles from me. I was able to visit the builds from infancy to complete. With luck you can find a builder close enough to be able to have a visit from time to time. Better to pay more and be really happy than to pay what is still a lot and just settle.
  Cheers
RFMcD

[oldtravler61]

If you haven't acquired one as of March 2016. Head to the Kalamazoo Living history show. Be surprised at what you will find an for how much! As in a House rifle for $900. Good luck.

[The Rambling Historian]

I'll definitely be at the Kalamazoo event. It sounds like a lot of fun for a history nerd like myself. I've found a few used rifles for sale online that were semi-custom or custom built, but they have either been outside my (or should I say my wife's ) or comfort range, or had short length of pull which doesn't work for me. I also had to buy a new car after a recent accident, so that set me back a bit. I am really hoping to get some good overtime hour in and perhaps a fair year end bonus prior to heading to Kalamazoo, but I'll just have to see what happens. Thank you for all of you advice guys. If I don't pick something up from Kalamazoo there is a very good chance I'll be looking for something here.

[Mike Brooks]

I'll definitely be at the Kalamazoo event. It sounds like a lot of fun for a history nerd like myself. I've found a few used rifles for sale online that were semi-custom or custom built, but they have either been outside my (or should I say my wife's ) or comfort range, or had short length of pull which doesn't work for me. I also had to buy a new car after a recent accident, so that set me back a bit. I am really hoping to get some good overtime hour in and perhaps a fair year end bonus prior to heading to Kalamazoo, but I'll just have to see what happens. Thank you for all of you advice guys. If I don't pick something up from Kalamazoo there is a very good chance I'll be looking for something here.

You ought to be able to find the right gun where you work with out much effort....

[The Rambling Historian]

Very true Mike if only I could afford them! I'm actually working on an original Frederick Sell currently and was just checking in on the forum to see if it had been covered in any of the discussions here. I have found the knowledge shared throughout this site very helpful with identifying some of the more obscure rifles.