How to build flintlock or percussion lock muzzleloaders from a kit.

by Paul Mazan

You can derive great pride and pleasure in building your own long rifle. You can buy all the components or build many of them yourself. Whether you prefer flint or percussion, left or right handed, you can build your lock from a kit and get great results.

In the world of muzzleloading there are several kinds of addictions. These range all the way from the guy that simply wants the easiest, most convenient gun to use so he can take advantage of a longer hunting season and/or to hunt one more animal. He will buy a newly-made muzzleloader from one of the manufacturers that looks and shoots like a modern rifle with an optic. The only traditional aspect to it is that it is loaded from the muzzle and must be capped to make it legal. On the other end of the spectrum is the traditionalist. This is the guy that wants to build his version of the traditional muzzleloader just like great grandpa never had because he couldn’t afford it. He will pick a school and craft a rifle that he hopes looks like it was made 250 years ago. I fall into that later category.

I start such a project determined to make as many parts as I can and follow the advice given in…

Read more in the May 2021 issue.

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