Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Muzzleloaders Value of a custom

Local
Dealer has several several home made muzzleloaders he got from an estate
2 in particular I’m interested in 50 cal flint lock and a 45 precaution the 45 spears to be made for lady or kid the workmanship is pretty good done in authentic style
Maple brass furniture some carving
He doesn’t know how to price them and wants an offer.
I hate that

No makers names on them ?

Yes but don’t recall
I think jus a hobby guy from Missouri
Maybe kit guns

In recent times I’ve seen a number of flintlocks in the 2-2.5 K neighborhood. Cap locks were about a grand less. All were custom builds with maker’s name disclosed.

I really need to get this guy to set a price
I’m thinking 200
Each might buy them as he got them dirt cheap he claims
But he may be thinking 500 or 1000 or who knows
I don’t want to insult him. And I don’t really think they are a famous builder more a talented guy in his garage.

Reality is that it’s the sum of the parts, and the quality of assembly.

A good maple inlet stock is $200+ - and I’m probably low on that price.

A barrel is $150 - up to what you can afford to pay.

A good lock is $175 and up.

Kibler kits are $1100 - but you can document what it is.

If they are any mid-grade quality - $500 is probably a good starting point.

AH64guy is correct unless the builder is a known manufacturer of custom rifles. The sum of the parts is what its worth. Locks are up around $295:from whom I buy, barrels if it's a name brand ( Green mountain, Colerain...) + $300.

True market value is less than the sum of the parts.

OP asked for numbers, so here are mine. Yes, I know what they say about opinions. 🤔

Pretty good workmanship, assuming good parts : $200-300

Really well done by anonymous nobody: $300-500

Excellence by a locally known maker: $500-700

Artwork from a master: $1200-arm/leg

I agree with DD that flintlocks seem to be where the $$ are at.

It, they, are worth whatever someone will pay for them.

if you can get pictures and post them the peanut gallery can give you a better idea of what they are worth and maybe ID their builder.
i have sold some TC Flinters lately and they went for 500+/- shipping.
my hand build's are selling for 1100 to 3000. quality parts are the deciding factor.

I bought a couple percussion muzzleloaders in .45 and .50 caliber a year ago. The .50 was a left hander, and the .45 a right hander. Same guy built both, and they were probably 40+ years old, but looked like new still. He built them to use for ML deer season, and said each had taken a buck, and then not shot much after that. He wanted $200 each, which I was glad to pay as they were nicely done, and metal to wood fit was great.
I didn't shoot them much as I'm into black powder single shot cartridge guns. I took them to a gun show and put them on the table for $300 each, and got $250 and $240 for them.

It’s virtually impossible to price these without pics and info. If they are poorly done kits with carving done by someone who doesn’t know what they are doing, and kits from Spain, they’re hard to give away. If they are quality components and done by an unknown builder who had skill, they could have some value. They could be production guns semi customized and defarbed by the owner. Bubba the gun plumbers skills don’t add value, but Mike Miller’s skills, or Mike Brooks skills certainly would. There are many talented builders out there, some well known, some not.
Just too many variables to put a price on.


A TC Hawken in flint can bring $500 or more in decent shape, so a well done custom can be pricey.