Good free sources for DIY muzzleloaders?

[FilipT]

Like it says in the name of the thread, what are good and free sources I can use to design my first muzzleloaders? I have will, I have wood, basic tools, power tools, etc.

I would like to make matchlock musket, similar to this:

[Eric Krewson]

I am pretty good a finding stuff on the net but couldn't find any blueprint type drawings for a matchlock, there are plenty for other early rifles. There are some Utube videos and a few basic buildalongs but not much else that I could find.

[half eye]

Stalker,
    found you some pics for giggles.....but also some really good document info with drawings see if any of this helps a little here are 4 pics and a second post hopefully with the PDF
rich

[half eye]

the file is too large....send me an email and I'll send it to you that way  rousseau.rd@att.net
rich

[FilipT]

Cool pictures, interesting how there are so few references for matchlocks. I would make a flintlock but it seems more complicated to me and not something I would successfully make at first attempt.

Email sent.

[FilipT]

I wouldn't mind making this instead of a rifle

[FilipT]

Update: Rich sent me to a good start by sending me awesome pdf file. By looking at title I managed to search and find german language website offering huge load of information regarding historical guns.

[amateurhour]

Stalker are you going to like build the barrel or buy a barrel and lock and build the stock?

[FilipT]

Plan is to buy something like high pressure tube and make a barrel out of it. It wouldn't have thread in it because I don't have tools for that. Everything else will be built from scratch using dimensions provided in free pdf files I downloaded.

If someone else is interested website is called "feurwaffen", meaning firearms in English. Its a swiss site but has english translation.

[amateurhour]

I'm really interested in that project. Let me know where you find a tube.

[FilipT]

This will be a summer project, probably going slowly. Only thing I think I will make pretty fast is these few parts for match mechanism. Fitting and woodwork will be a long work.

I will make separate thread after some time.

[Eric Krewson]

I highly recommend you buy a barrel and breech it properly, you are risking your life if you don't, gun building is serious business.

When I was 13 my best friend and I made a pistol with copper tubing for a barrel. We strapped it to a tree, put a fuse in the touchhole and ran behind a tree while it went off.

One day when I wasn't around my friend held it in his hand an touched it off, it blew up and killed him.  56 years later I still think about this tragedy several times a week.

[FilipT]

What is good barrel material?

[Urufu_Shinjiro]

What is good barrel material?

A barrel. I'm with Eric on this, don't mess around, just buy a barrel, the difference between gun and pipe bomb is too narrow to screw around with.

[FilipT]

Any good sources (websites) you recommend? There are no sources in Croatia (maybe a gunsmith), so I would have to order online.
PM please because I think we can't post links.