T.V.M vs. T.V.M ?

[Scout]

I'm finally going to try my hand at building a rifle. I will buy a precarve stock with barrel channel inletted but do all the other inletting myself for my first effort.
Question, has anyone here bought component parts from Tennessee Valley Mfg. ? I see Tennessee Valley Muzzleloading also has parts and kits.

Any suggestions ?


Skip

[Rick G.]

Me too. I'd like to build a fowler and see nice stuff at both places.              Rick

[hanshi]

My only experience is with TVM(uzzleloading) so I can't compare except to say this TVM is as good as it gets.

[James Rogers]

I would suggest considering Dave Keck at Knob Mountain. He has lot's of patterns and can inlet the barrel and precarve the butt while leaving it in the square forward with no lock inlet. If I am not mistaken, Dave drills the ramrod holes instead of routing them out thru the bottom of the barrel channel.
Jack's Mountain Stocks (Mark Weader) and even Pecatonica are other options.

[Dr. Tim-Boone]

I think it would help if you tell us exactly what kind of rifle you want to build. Some people/companies do certain things that others don't. What is importtant to you? Historical accuracy, cost, ease of completion, getting a "kit" of all the right parts???

[Scout]

I think it would help if you tell us exactly what kind of rifle you want to build. Some people/companies do certain things that others don't. What is importtant to you? Historical accuracy, cost, ease of completion, getting a "kit" of all the right parts???

Thats a fair question, I would like to build a Bedford style rifle or something very similar. I own one and like the way it comes to shoulder/aims/shoots etc. I'm not going to try the raised carvings and inlay stuff this time around, just a plain rifle with the Bedford style stock. I allow my budget at about $800 on parts as I'm just starting to learn. I would like the stock precarved, barrel inletted, ramrod hole drilled and maybe the lock and trigger inletted to a point depending on price.. My other main issue at this time is the dovetails. I do not have any tools for that. I just don't want to invest in a nice piece of maple and then destroy it thru my lack of skills.
Thanks for all of your suggestions.

Skip

[Dan'l 1946]

  Have you checked out Track of the Wolf's web-site?
                                              Dan

[JDK]

James Rogers gave the best advice yet.  Dave Keck at www.knobmountainmuzzleloading.com has Fred Millers old patterns.  He has at least 4 Bedford patterns taken off or original guns and he can do as little or as much of the work as you need.  Check out his site at least.

Enjoy, J.D.

[Dr. Tim-Boone]

James Rogers gave the best advice yet.  Dave Keck at www.knobmountainmuzzleloading.com has Fred Millers old patterns.  He has at least 4 Bedford patterns taken off or original guns and he can do as little or as much of the work as you need.  Check out his site at least.

Enjoy, J.D.

Absolutely go to Dave keck for all the parts!! . And don't worry about dovetails. A hacksaw or jewelers saw and a triangular file with two sides safed (Get from Brwnell's) But do get a book or more .. Gunsmith of Grenville county or Recreating the American Long Rifle.  Read them through before you buy. For the plain gun you want you can do well just having Dabe precarve the butt and inlet the barrel. With a couple of good chisels and gouges, hand drill and a spoke shave and a rasp and some files  you can do the rest.

[mark esterly]

skip

scariest thing i did building my first was the dovetails.  it's not that bad, really.  i only had dixon's book to go on.  ya just need new hacksaw blades, new triangular file with one side the teeth ground off and a good sharp 1/4" cold chisel. set the barrel in your vise jaws with a straight edge and depth guage or rule so that the jaws are your stop for the hacksaw teeth. make lots of cuts close together then finish with the cold chisel and file. easy does it, let the tools do the work.   

[Dennis Glazener]

Take a look here:

http://www.knobmountainmuzzleloading.com/kits.html

Troy Roope, Stonewall Creek Outfitters, has a sale going on Colerain barrels. I think one would run, on sale, considerably less than $200.
Dennis

[Nate McKenzie]

Ditto Dave Keck!!!

[Bill of the 45th]

Another yes for Dave Keck, and also for Troy at Stonewall.  If barrels are on sale at Stonewall, and it's what you want, just have Troy send it to Dave for inletting, and Dave will geter done and send it to you.  They're two of the best to do business with, and it will be done right. 
Bill

[heinz]

I had Dave inlet a swamped Bobby Hoyt barrel into a fancy walnut blank from Wayne Dunlap for me.  I am 100% satisfied with the workmanship and the timeliness.