production trade guns

[burch]

I`m at a bit of confusuion. I wanted a Crockett Rifle but since i`ve been reading some of your adventures with your trade guns that`s starting to arouse my taste for something else.  I like the idea of a do all gun. So who makes some of the affordable 20`s and is that a good choice ?

             Burch  

[James Kelly]

I rather like the assorted French & English trade guns and the Northwest gun made by caywoodguns.com   Got a French Type D in November, beautiful workmanship & lock sparks very well, unfortunately also got a little physical problem that has kept me from shooting it yet.
My admitted prejudice for Caywood is that I am fond of my digits. I prefer to wrap them around a gun with a barrel made of steel that the steel mill has specifically produced to make barrels, Gun Barrel Quality 1137Modified. Almost all other muzzleloading barrels, with the outstanding exception of Green Mountain, are of 12L14. This steel is specifically designed to machine very quickly, good for high production on an automatic screw machine. Makes common hardware screws & bolts.
12L14 makes nice short, crumbly chips when machined. I am a metallurgist & have done a number of barrel failure analyses for now digitally challenged (former) shooters. Me, I just don't like crumbly steel around an explosion.

[Kermit]

http://www.northstarwest.com/

Worth a look here too.

[tg]

I would choose North Starr for a new smootbore, good quailty and fair price, most all smoothbores are now $1000 or there abouts, Caywood guns are quailty but short on historical authenticity if that is an issue, there have been some good deals on used guns on some of the forum trade blankets around cyber space.You won't find mush in the way of production smoothbores except some of the TC rifles with smoothbore barrels on them.

[Sir Michael]

Check to on-line gun shops/shooting suppliers.  There are frequently trade guns of just about every description, British and French available that have been built by local makers.  

http://www.thegunworks.com/GunIndex.cfm

This company has both new and used trade guns and the inventory changes fairly quickly.  I got a "used" NW Trade Gun from them and I don't think the lock had ever had a rock in it.  It was very very gently used.  If you see one or more you like call them and they will answer any questions you may have about it.  They will also help you decide between several if more than one is to your liking.

Since there are both British and French Trade Guns out there, I'd suggest you do some research and decide which way you want to go before buying anything.  Also in the world of the French Guns there are several types and people can get pretty worked up over each one at the expense of the others.  British Trade Guns tend to be pretty much a basic design and it depends on how fancy you want it to be.

If you want to explore British Trade Guns I'd recommend you get a copy of S. James Gooding's "Trade Guns of the Hudson's Bay Company 1670-1970".

[Longhunter]

Jackie Brown makes good smoothbores and they are reasonably priced.

http://www.jackiebrownmuzzleloaders.com/default.aspx

[woodman]

For a reliable Tradegun, Ya can't beat the Northstarwest, for price and reliability.Plus Matt is great to work with you and get you exactly what you want.
  Woodman

[rollingb]

For a reliable Tradegun, Ya can't beat the Northstarwest, for price and reliability.Plus Matt is great to work with you and get you exactly what you want.
  Woodman

I agree with Woodman,... Matt is a pure pleasure to deal with, and his guns are "second to none" in quality.  

[woodman]

The Northstarwest guns are traceble back to Curly Gomotski. One of the first people to make replicas.of the tradeguns.All of the molds that are used for parts we're taken from originals from the musuem of the Fur Trade's collection of Tradeguns.
 Woodman

[burch]

Wow, that`s a lot. I`ll do some research on the info i`ve got here and get back at ya`ll.

                               Thanks a lot folks,
                                      Burch  

[James Kelly]

Caywood has made some guns with English walnut, also with curly cherry. Look on their website under "Flintlocks Available", or some such title. Most of the guns are maple.

[chuckpa]

I'll also agree with Woodman. Matt is great to deal with even if you need a small part, he  gets it right out to you. He also returns phone calls promptly.
I have two of his guns a Northwest and the English 1750 Trade Gun. I really like the 1750 English Trade Gun to shoot.
Whatever you get enjoy it.

[Craig Tx]

I'll join the chorus on Northstar West.

I have an Early English tradegun and it's a beaut!

Matt was great to deal with and was very helpful along the way.

Craig

[burch]

These babies aren`t cheap. Just how accurate are they using a ball. I can see getting decent accuracy with shot. If these are getting good groups at 75yrds i`ll have to sell off one of my other guns, but if we`re looking at 5" groups i`ll have to pass and stay with my original idea.

[Sir Michael]

With the right load they can be almost as accurate as a rifle.  Note I said almost.  One thing about accuracy with a Trade Gun is that there is no rear sight and therefore you have to shoot it a lot to get consistent with sighting.  Some people (I won't name names) use a triangular file and file a small groove in the tang just before the start of the barrel to use as a rear sight.  But even then you have to learn how much of the front sight to look at to hit in the same spot or near it.