Flintlock, keep it or sell it?

[Joe504]

Ok, a little background. Like many here I'm trying as best I can to prepare for the future. I have made a few small primer purchases recently, but know I need more, and more powder. The way I shoot, I have enough for about 15 years of regular shooting. I'm selling a few things to buy more. One of the things I'm looking at, is an old CVA Kentucky rifle kit I have. Never built it. What do y'all think, keep this for the possibility of the end of primers? Or sell it to buy more primers and powder?

[JLDickmon]

tough call..
flints do not lend themselves to feces impacting on the air propulsion device scenario..
more along the lines of "..I have this, because it's all I have.."
and AFAIK, even though you can use Pyrodex as the main charge, I think you're still using 4F as your priming powder..

I'd say if you have yet to put it together, put it up for sale or trade for something you WILL use..a caplock maybe..

[clodhopper]

With out knowing you, that is a hard question to answer. Putting that kit together would be a great project in my world.
But I have place to work, some time and some experience with such things.
You have had that kit a while now, and for what ever reason have not tackled it. If you did finish and shoot that flint lock, shooting it well will require some very basic skills often over looked in shooting modern rifles. Those skills are trigger control and follow through.
When you get those skills down, your ammunition supply will go much farther.
The flash in the pan and slow ignition time make a flintlock a very good training tool.

[linotype]

Building a kit can be both relaxing and rewarding. If you use only enough powder in the pan, and not too much, the firing time is almost as fast as a cartridge. I use both percussion and flintlocks (45 and 50) for target, and it's a load of fun. I like both as much as cartridge guns.
Being slower to load lets me take time to enjoy each shot.
I cast most of the RB, cut my own patches, and build my own ML rifles. Great hobby!
Still cast and reload for my more modern firearms.

[snuffy]

Pyrodex can not be used for the main charge in a flinter. It's ignition temperature is way too high, the flash of 4-F in the pan won't ignite the main charge.

You CAN however have a booster charge of black powder under a main charge of Pyrodex or other replica powder. It would have to be enough to "cover" the flash hole in barrel.

The only reason for that would be you could use only 4-F for both priming and the booster charge. You wouldn't need a separate pound of 2-F for the main charge. .45 flinters can use 3-F as a main charge, IF it's a good quality replica with a heavy modern steel barrel.

I would certainly build it, try it out, THEN if you don't like it, it'll sell for more as a proven, functioning rifle.

[FLINTNFIRE]

Build it and shoot it , you will find a lot of enjoyment in the build and in the shooting, they will fire fast and dependable ,and you can use 3f as prime I do , 3f for prime and for charge , sell if you wish , the decision is yours , buy powder , primers , lead , never have enough .

[koehn,jim]

You can always make your own black powder if it became super scarce, hard to do with smokeless.

[Blammer]

sell it.

[ElDorado]

I don't think CVA sells kits anymore, and I'm sure someone would love to build one. I'd sell it and hoard primers if you're afraid they're going away.

[starmac]

You have 15 years worth of primers. Why sell it. Build it and try it. You might find you will like it more than modern guns.
I have a couple cap guns, that aren't going anywhere, and intend to pickup a flinter next year and give them a try.

[Blacksmith]

I have added a flint lock to my prepping supplies because if you are worried about the availability of primers and powder and have a 15 year supply what will you do the 16th year? Yes you can sell the kit and buy five more years of primers but you end up with the same question, what will you do the 21st year. Unbuilt the kit will not loose value and if you decide to build it and do a good job it will grow in value. If primers completely disappear it will be worth its weight in gold as a kit or rifle. Keep it.

Starmac flinters are fun!

[41 mag fan]

Build it, keep it. stock pile enough powder and balls to make it thru any potential rough spots we'll see in the upcoming months. Might be the only type of gun they'll let you have in the end.
Reason being, the 2a was written in the time of flintlocks, so thats all we'll be able to have.

[GREENCOUNTYPETE]

not sure you would get even a years primers for what a cva is worth , i just bought a completed cva Kentucky from a kit for about 3k of primers

but if you would like i will give you 2k of primers for it , i would like to have the match to my preccussion kentucky

[starmac]

Me thinks, if you finish that flinter, you may all ready have 30 years worth of primers instead of 15. lol

Not to mention lead.

[Joe504]

Thanks for all the advise. I had decided to keep it, and pulled it out this week to start working on it.

Picture on the box, flint lock. Parts on the inside, cap lock

How I got this is a long story, but basically, I never thought I would keep it, so never paid much attention to it.

Anyway. Now I back at don't know what to do.

[KCSO]

A CVA flintlock unaltered will be about as good a club as a gun. A cheap flintlock is about the worst gun to start muzzleloading on. If it say's JUKAR on it give it to someone you don't like. A good reliable flintlock will cost more than the whole CVA kit but it will work every time and go off fast and sure. If you have the time to waste and want something to hang on the wall by all means put it together but don't expect anyy great things from it.

[docone31]

I have a JUKAR, and after a little work, new stock, some furniture goodies, it is a tack driver!
If the lock gives fits, Track of the Wolf, has drop in replacements that are of good quality.
You will lean a lot with that.
I know I did.
I got darn good at dovetailing on that barrel, and if you recrown it, it tightens the groups.
Small changes.

[linotype]

Picture on the box, flint lock. Parts on the inside, cap lock Anyway. Now I back at don't know what to do.

OK, not so bad as it seems. I believe percussion caps will be in stock for a long time, for both ML and Cowboy Action Cap and Ball revolvers.
Cheaper flint locks are not the best for sparking, but most percussion locks do well. I still vote for keeping it and building the kit.
Lots of relaxation hours finishing the stock and browning the barrel. You get to feel the pride of having built your own ML rifle.
There is nothing like the flash, smoke, and boom of a muzzle loader.
Heck, if you run out of primer and powder, it's a target and hunting rifle!