"Buying a Musket for Reenacting. Where to look" Topic

I am finally taking a plunge and I'd like to purchase a musket for my reenacting group. My unit's standard firearm is the French 1777 Model Charleville – An IX Version. I know about Dixie Gun Works and Military Heritage. However
Dixie is too expensive for my budget. Military Heritage while not as expensive has some issues with quality. An example is my unit commander purchased a Charleville from Military Heritage a few years ago in which the ramrod does not completely go down the gunstock and protudes about an 1/8th of an inch under the barrel opening, thus making it unsafe to fire.

So I'd like to ask some of my fellows if they can recommend any other sources. Many thanks in advance and Salut mes amis!

Bruce the Texas grognard

It sounds like the key would be to find someone who USED to be a reenactor.

Bruce, send a PM to Murphy. I asked about buying a black powder kit a couple of years ago and he was a wealth of information.

If you are reading this Murphy THANKS AGAIN!

Dan

I have sometimes seen reproduction firearms listed for sale on The Firing Line. You have be a member to see the ads. Membership is free. When you become a trusted member, by making a small number of posts on the discussion board, you can place a want ad:

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Guns America and Gun Broker are two other sites with ads:

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Yeah, gun broker is likely your best bet. I have an 1861 Richmond I picked up from Dixie over a dozen years back, and a Hawkins kit, they are both great, but if you need used prices, check Gun Broker. The nice thing with these types of weapons is you can buy them and have them mailed to your doorstep legally ion almost all states, if not all, I dont know about California. I live in a horrible state for gun owners, but have no problem having these mailed to the house…

Andy

Does your period have equivalent Fora to "The Authentic campaigner' and "CW reenactors?" I'd imagine they'd bob up on that sort of place as people rationalise their collections or leave the hobby, much cheaper than getting new.

a word of warning about indian made muskets Miltary heritage, middlesex village trading and others sell muskets made in india which to put mildly the qualties of which are very very variable…… think little if any quality control which isnt saying there junk ive owned a couple one was fine other that the way too strong mainspring and one that wasn't the breechplug was hand tight, poorly threaded and didnt have a stop sholdier in the breech for the breechplug to seat against

I bought an Armi-Sport P1853 3-band Enfield rifled musket from Regimental Quartermaster in Pennsylvania.Cost a bit less than $300 USD back in 1992. Still works OK. And I had a bud who lathed a Charleville type stock himself and built an AWI repro 1777 Charleville musket. Singed some knuckle hair when I helped test it out,from the pan flash.

I can vouch for Middlesex quality, one of the RevWar units I am involved with uses their muskets almost exclusively and we love them. I have several myself with another one on the way. As an added bonus, we ordered a batch of them at once (about a half dozen I think) and got them at "unit price". I have been using my Brown Bess for several years now (fired it yesterday!) and it works great.

Now Military Heritage on the other hand, I have heard a string of gripes about, but I can't say one way or another personally. Loyalist Arms may be another one worth checking out.

I would check out muzzleloadingforum.com/, I got a lot of info from their members when I was looking.