Smallpatch,
That's a really nice job of finishing your rifle. Real warm and inviting. Great job!
Wow! Concerns about the kit being too easy! Go figure....
Seriously, there definetely is a place for these. The overwhelming response we've received since launching these products is a testiment to this. Here are a few things to consider.
For somone who has expereince, they are pretty quick and easy to assemble. For those with less skill and experience, it takes a little more work and effort to make a really fine rifle out of one. The vast majority of aspiring builders fall into this category.
Those with more expereince can still learn a great deal from these. These kits have all the care one of my high end custom rifles would have. In short, for many it's a great example of a fine rifle that can be a good learning tool. How many rifles are made today with poor shape and design? Even by those with ability.
Finally, if you want to make money, a kit like this is a great starting point. Especially our latest offering.
Building guns from a blank will always be the mainstay for many, but this certainly is an option and a step forward. Once you experience something easy, it's hard to step back, though. Human nature...
A final point... We've worked super hard to make a product that is properly designed and executed. For years, many muzzleloading products have been sub-par at best. It's a bad situation when a someone has to fix a bunch of mistakes. Especially if they don't have a lot of experience. We don't want to do business this way. Things can move forward and it's a good thing.
So, enough of my pontificating. Thank you all!
Jim