i would agree with birddog on the purchasing a gun in the white . any other builder kit will require some inletting and shaping of most all the components .
Its not hard , just takes time to do right .
Where birddog and I will split company is on the smooth bore . Their versatility is why even today they are still being used as trade items in south America to the native peoples there .
Most of the big game hunting I do “ elk and mule deer “ here in Idaho seem to to give ranges of well past what I feel its acceptable to shoot any muzzleloader or muzzleloading weapon or ranges well within both my smooth bore and rifle range
I will admit that when I want to hunt or shoot at longer distances IE 100 yards I use my rifle . Not because its more accurate at that distance but because “ im” more accurate with it at that distance ..
Myself I have shot smooth bore for some ? 10 ,,12 years . I have shoot against dyed in the wool smoothbore shooters that can and do hold their own against rifle shooters and have found myself soundly whipped by such fellas on more then a few occasions . Myself , the best I can do is hold a 3 inch group at 50 yards , most any day .
Last weekend I did shoot a clover leaf at 50 but I will say that’s the first time I ever was able to do that . I was playing with loads , patches and wad combos . And suddenly it just showed up on the paper . Luck
? Maybe , only more shooting will tell.
Smooth bore takes practice , lots of it to be good with it . However when that happens you can laugh at those who need a crutch like rifling to place your shot ? LMAO” just joking birddog .
On top of all the above you get to shoot shot . Think of turkey hunting , squirrels , rabbits, quail ,ducks ,geese , all with one gun .
Last piece of advice I can give you would be to remember this . Hunting with a muzzleloader isn’t about a couple minutes or hours at the range a year. No mater if you chose a smooth bore or a rifled barrel , they both take practice . You will need to work up and find a load that not only has accuracy but meets your needs. Again that makes no mater if your shooting a round ball , conical or shot .
Then you need practice to be proficient in the weapon
Lastly this IMO there is nothing more graceful then a long gun properly built . It will have the lines of a fine lady , well proportioned and delicate . The feel in your hands is something that truly must be experienced and when you pull that trigger and the girl gives attitude it’ll bring a tear to your eye and a smile to your face .
Other time you just wanta @##$^% slap the thing LOL . Naaa not really .
What ever you decide , im sure will fit your wants right now .
Ohhhh ha I just remembered something , birddog6 also makes some real nice guns , gotta any smooth bores laying around you shoppe the birddog ?
I go a little 2/3 scale NW trade gun sitting there right now for a little fella . Guess he doesn’t know about rifling yet
OHHHPS lol seems I built him a long rifle last year
LOL ahhahh be good birddog , good to read a post from you .
