We musket something straight here...

I've always liked black powder guns.  Don't know why, just seemed like fun I suppose.  In fact, the first gun I ever bought for myself was a repro 1851 Navy cap and ball revolver.  I've always kind of wanted one of those "build you own" black powder single shot cap lock pistol kits too.  But I never got one, and then the price went up into the "way too much for a low end kit" price(especially considering they were around $35 in the 80's).  I recently had a brilliant idea, I'd buy a cheap BP rifle, and cut it down into a pistol.  Normally, that is a HUGE no-no, you haven't made a pistol, you've made a short barreled rifle that is very illegal without the proper paperwork from the BATF.  According to the law, once a rifle, always a rifle.  But, since the BATF doesn't consider muzzleloaders firearms, this rule doesn't apply.  So I had this plan, and it was going good until...

...I was at a gun show and saw this.  It's a Dikar Kentucky Rifle in .45 caliber and made probably some time in the mid 1980's.  It is the same gun as the CVA and Traditions brands of Kentucky Rifles. They were all made in Spain by Dikar, and were available as kits and pre-finished guns.  Seeing as how the current Traditions kit is nearly $300, this thing was a steal at $100.  When I bought it, I had every intention of using the parts for a pistol, but when I got it home and inspected it, I changed my mind.  This thing is in nearly perfect shape.  If it was a kit, it was a very well built one.  The bore is bright and shiny, and if it weren't for the cap residue under the hammer and tarnished muzzle brass, I'd think it had never been shot.  The bluing is perfect, and there's not a spec of rust on it(which is unusual for an older black powder gun).  Seriously, the worst part of the whole thing is the slightly tarnished brass.  It's just too nice to cut apart.  Sigh...