[Help Requested] - Colonial-Era Flintlock Rifle Parts

Greetings,

I have been working on a prop Flintlock Kentucky Rifle for approximately 3 days now. I've been carving, cutting, and sanding away at an appropriately sized length of wood. The problem I'm facing is the metal parts of the rifle and how to acquire them. It seems most of the parts out there are for real firearms and are super expensive. As I don't intend to make this a functional firearm and merely just a prop, I would love suggestions. I've gone with a PVC painted pipe as my barrel (also have a small metal rod to be used as a ramrod) that I am weathering to look appropriate for the weapon. The frame/butt of the gun is being carved out of wood and sanded down to a smooth finish. I plan to stain the wood to make it look the right color when I am finished.


This is more or less the look I am going for:

These are the metal parts that will be the problem:




While they wouldn't necessarily need to be able to move in such fashion, it would be cool to make something that could. If anyone might be able to assist me, I would greatly appreciate some suggestions or ideas of how to tackle this one.

There are replica rifles and pistols out there, which you could get and part out. Denix, amongst others, makes some.

You can get brass wall hanging pistols, which you could then hack up and borrow their mechanism. It'd be solid but would look the part - especially once weathered to look more like steel.

There are also really cheap fancy dress 'pirate/highwayman' plastic pistols.You could hack one of those up too.

I did see a couple of side plates on eBay.co.uk too, for around £10, which would give you a good start on the build.

Will those UK sellers ship to the US though?

You could also look at purchasing a toy/fancy dress pirate musket? I'm of the impression that they both use fairly similar mechanics.

EDIT: Have just seen someone mentioned this exact thing. It really shouldn't be an issue getting these from the UK though, most I imagine come from China as it is.

mcoractual said:

Will those UK sellers ship to the US though?

Click to expand...

The listing says yes, worldwide. You can see the parts on ebay.com too, search for 'flintlock lock plate'.

I did also see that the English Heritage website has a really cheap £35 replica pistol, which actually has a working action. So that's something else you could probably strip and part out.

There was a mail order firm many years ago called Dixie Gun Works IIRC, sold kits, parts, tomahawks, all kinds of reenactment clothing articles. G. G-something Godwin was the proprietor, IIRC.

Finally, a thread comes along that I have some expertise in and can comment on! I used to be an historian at Harpers Ferry, an historic site where the United States operated one of its two armories before the Civil War. We fired historic reproduction weapons on a daily basis. One of the better reproduction firearms companies is Armi Sport/Chiappa, though many of their black powder weapons are Civil War vintage, not flint.

I would suggest looking for parts related to the m1795 (USA) smoothbore musket or a m1777 (French) Charlesville - they'll fit your bill and reproductions won't be that hard to find. "Dixie Gun Works" tends to stock nearly every reproduction gun you could really want for about the best prices you'll find. They also sell many individual part, so building a lock at home would be about 70% possible (ish?). For the Charlesville in particular, most parts (save the lockplate) are available to make a functioning lock.

-John

Another good source is "Track of the Wolf"

https://www.trackofthewolf.com/index.aspx