DGW Hawken flint kit assembly

[rfd]

Having assembled the caplock version, I much prefer flintlocks. So after selling the caplock I bought the DGW Investarms flintlock kit version, also a .50 calbier. Relatively easy assembly, no real issues. I sanded all the wood to meed the brass furniture, but didn't even bother to fair in the lock to wrist wood. Some LMF walnut stain and Permalyn clear coats, done deal. Pulled off the breech plug and vent liner, lubed both with anti-seize and reassembled. Instead of using the supplied iron sights I retrofitted a set of Lyman SML57 rear micrometer peep and front #17A globe. Not a bad little rifle ... if only they, like almost all other commercial production trad muzzleloaders, would stop using that damn patent breech plug, what a pita to maintain. A good rifle for cheap.

http://i.imgur.com/WyVKoUT.jpg


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BsKv5kl7z9I

[mooman76]

I've never had an issue with patent breech guns, in fact I didn't even know about them until a few years back and been shooting them for 30 years.

[rfd]

mooman76 - it's all good and to each their own, sir!

[bedbugbilly]

rfd - looks like another fine job! I've got several projects lined up for next winter but watching your posts on these kits gets a person to thinking one of them might be fun to play with putting together!

Curious - what granulation are you using for priming? 4F or 3F? Looks like the lock works well on these and you are getting speedy ignition.

Thanks for sharing! Always fun to see what you've been working on!

Jim

[rfd]

hi jim -

this DGW investarms flint kit is really quite easy to assemble and pretty much went together all by itself. if you've never built a kit gun, i highly recommend building this particular flinter. bascially, i screw down all the brass furniture and then coarse rasp the wood to meet the metal. then a bit of coarse to fine abrasive paper sanding and it's ready enuf for me to finish the wood, and a fast but solid finish is accomplished in one day. this is just a "spare" rifle to lend to newbies or take afield when i don't wanna subject the "good" flinters to woods abuse. :)

anyhoo, is use swiss 3f for all my flintlock muzzleloaders, both down the tube and in the pan. as you can see, the ignition isn't bad at all, and one horn is all that's needed. i do like to make my horns with a brass "measure" valve, for fast loading and priming. here's a large horn i just finished, it'll supply at least 50 loads of 60-65 grains of 3f ...

http://i.imgur.com/suXKxkR.jpg

i just took off the lyman aperture/globe sights, put back the investarms blade front and adjustable rear barrel, but created an aperture rear out of walnut that i super glued to the rear sight. seems like it'll work just fine, just another excuse to hit the range this week. ;)

http://i.imgur.com/5AWygNT.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/DhLa3gg.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/z4JVgoE.jpg

[bedbugbilly]

rfd - thanks for the info!

I used to build rifles from scratch years ago. I had a custom woodwork/millwork shop so I had all the needed equipment, etc. I still have a couple of Persimmon stock blanks that I bought at Friendship from a guy from Tennessee and a 3/4" octagon .36 - 42" barrel and a small Siler lock that is calling to be converted in to a slim Tennessee style rifle - I love the Bean style. I used to spend hours at Friendship talking with Myron Carlson who was well known for his Bean rifles and hand forged furniture - a fine gentleman who is now gone.

These kits look like they would be decent to putz with and end up with a good shooter for knock around use. I agree with you on the patent breech plugs - I like hook breeches for the ease of removing the barrels and cleaning but would prefer a flat faced plug - but hey - when you have noodles you make noodle soup so really not a biggie. :-)

Your horn is beautiful! I used to love to make horns. I play fiddle and used to do some fiddle repair so I had a good supply of used fiddle pegs. I often used my tapered reamer for fitting pegs to peg boxes on fiddles to fit the peg to the horn - but will admit that the measure on your horn makes life easier! :-) I sold many of my horns and only have one left that holds approx a pound of BP. A larger horn done in the F & I style that I made to go with my fusel-de-chasse. I loved to "age" the with the "Old Bones" solution. I did a lot of wood lathe work in my shop (turning spindles, newel posts, etc.) so it was easy and quick to turn horn plugs and I always set scraps of birds eye maple, etc. aside for that purpose. I miss all of that work but things change as you get older and retire!

Thanks for sharing - greatly appreciate it and enjoy that rifle. It's always a thrill when you can "loan" one to somebody to try - the smile on their face after they've shot it and "smelled the black" is worth it!

Take care!

Jim

[rfd]

whoa jim! you are way over qualified to put together an investarms kit, piece of cake for ya for under $450 @ DGW. like you said, a great knock-a-bout rifle. i love a flat faced hooked breech and the hawken that tom watson is putting together for me will sport that for sure.

i've built a bunch of powder horns, maybe 3 dozen or so to date. i have my own way of dealing with the butt plug that is easier that having to mess with the horn end and heat. most i've turned both butt and spout plugs, but i really like the one handed approach of those brass measure spouts.

http://i.imgur.com/nXe4KeD.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/9hYuVDp.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/i6rCXtf.jpg



http://i.imgur.com/9PVxxw5.jpg

[mooman76]

Nice looking powder horns. I'll have to get around to trying to make one some day.

[rfd]

here's a horn building pictorial thread i created over at the TMA forum - a simple but effective powder horn (http://traditionalmuzzleloadingassociation.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=16&t=18608)

here's a bit fancier and more period correct one i built and scrimshawed a bit ...

http://i.imgur.com/JUB0W9p.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/ZB71j7I.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/v6gk8zO.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/WIbhdco.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/b69Y43S.jpg

[mooman76]

I tried scrimshaw once. It didn't turn out so great. I need more practice I guess.

[rfd]

i've seen images of some surviving 18th century powder horns, and while a few were clearly carved by true artists (either horn makers or gun makers), most of the rest looked like they were scribbled by a 5 year old kid.

[mooman76]

most of the rest looked like they were scribbled by a 5 year old kid.

That's mine!

[rfd]

That's mine!

then you is a historically correct are-teest!

[charlie b]

OK, a bit late, but.....

I am looking for a kit rifle. Built a couple (percussion) many years ago and just feel like I want to again, and a flintlock. While I'd love to get a really nice kit this one will be a 'beater', just for plinking.

Question: Is all the hardware (esp the lock) good enough out of the box for a first timer with flints?

[rfd]

i think you want a flint kit? if so, DGW hawken flinter .50 kit, $450. i've "built" two. actually, there is little to no "building" or even assembling, it's gonna be all about the proud wood rasping/sanding, and then the finishing. too easy. the DGW is by investarms, which are rebranded as DGW, cabelas, and others. IMHO, the better of the offshore trad ml offerings. the investarms lock geometry isn't perfect, but it'll be more than fine for your intentions. i always keep an investarms flinter around, current one is a GPR .54 that was a "kit".

http://www.dixiegunworks.com/images/FK1340.jpg

the last one i finished ...

http://i.imgur.com/EikudZ8.jpg

a few tips, if i may ...

all these offshore trad ml's have patent breech plugs with ante-chambers. use a small wire bore brush (around 32 or 36 caliber) with a patch draped over it to reach into and clean the ante-chamber. a regular patched jag can't clean it out.

make SURE the chamber and ante-chamber are both bone dry before loading.

the cut agate "flint" provided with all these offshore trad ml guns is junk, IMHO. instead use a real knapped black english flint or knapped french amber flint.

have fun! i know you will!

[54bore]

rfd, Very nice rifle, and a shooter at that!! Enjoyed the video, MAN That thing goes off RIGHT NOW!! I like the sight retro, thats a keeper! Now you just gotta HANG ON TO IT!!

[rfd]

the DGW investarms flint lock is no slouch ...


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nPpbi9G1-Q0

[54bore]

Definitely no slouch! You get REALLY good lock time rfd!! Is tuning the locks fairly complex? It's obvious you have tuned a few! I have watched odds n ends YouTube vids of guys shooting flintlocks, some of them are darn right scary! Sssssssssssssssssshhhhhhhhhhhhhhht Ba BOOM! LOL, You DEFINITELY don't have that problem!

[charlie b]

Thanks for the replies. I am going to look at ordering one in a week or so.

PS I know about the interarms and antechambers. My 'other' gun is a Lyman GPH :)

[rfd]

... Is tuning the locks fairly complex? ...

simple lock "tuning" is what i do, nothing complicated.

the parts must be cleaned out well, and all bearing surfaces polished (not filed or abraded in any manner). clean is what's needed most, and why after a shooting session a lock needs to be removed, dunked in plain ol' tepid tap water, scrubbed with a stiff toothbrush, dried off well, lightly oiled. i use a good grade of oil on the moving parts, very sparingly (i use the same high speed fishing reel bearing oil that we long distance multiplying reel casters use).

the cock needs to move freely - check and fix if it's binding on the stock, this is a common problem, particularly with any kit guns where the proud wood around the lock hasn't been fully taken down.

the lyman/investarms GPR flint lock geometry isn't the best, nor in the league of a chambers-siler lock, but it can get the job done with a bit of tweaking. i use a good knapped flint - english black or french amber - a "fine" flint (thin, with one SHARP cutting edge) not a "common" flint that's thicker and with dual cutting edges. i pad the flint with leather, not lead (sorry to those who prefer lead). i adjust the fine flint in the cock jaws so that at half cock its SHARP knife edge barely touches the closed hammer steel (frizzen) - this may mean bevel up or bevel down, whatever works best is best. hitting the frizzen high usually means more sparks.

the hammer steel needs to be well tempered to throw good sparks. i've not had a problem so far with any investarms' frizzens needing tempering. the hammer steel face and pan need to clean and dry of any oil or dirt residue.

the lock is half the battle. the load process is the other half. both need to be the best they can be.

as mentioned before, i get pretty decent ignition with using 3f down the tube AND in the pan - i have no need for 4f pan powder.

[Eddie2002]

I built an Investa Arms flintlock .50 caliber Hawkens from Cabella about ten years ago. The inletting was OK except for the patch box which had about a 1/8 inch gap. I spread the brass by working it with a small hammer to fill the gap. I didn't like the geometry of the lock, the flint was hitting on the lower 1/4 of the frizzen and putting a longer flint in didn't seem to help. I ended up getting a Siler small rifle frizzen and moved the pivot point by about 1/8 of an inch which made the lock work a whole lot better. The Siler frizzen also has a slightly different angle on it's face. The Siler frizzen seemed to heat treat better than the one from Investa Arms and gives a real nice spark with the proper flint. Still have the rifle and like to shoot it when possible.
Real nice looking flinter you have there, just keep the flint, frizzen and pan clean and dry and she'll shoot fine.

[charlie b]

ok, so I have run into a second problem. All of the gun shops around here stopped carrying real black. Where do you get it?

Sorry I know this is an old question but I can't find any of the posts I've seen on this.

[rfd]

mail order, the only way to go for most folks these dayze. here's a few online vendors ...

www.powderinc.com
www.mainepowderhouse.com
www.addictedtoblackpowder.com

[charlie b]

Thanks

[Standing Bear]

mail order, the only way to go for most folks these dayze. here's a few online vendors ...

www.powderinc.com (http://www.powderinc.com)
www.mainepowderhouse.com (http://www.mainepowderhouse.com)
www.addictedtoblackpowder.com (http://www.addictedtoblackpowder.com)



👍👍 on Powder inc. IIRC prices on their web site include shipping and hazmat.
TC