Kits

[Stoner creek]

 There are other threads on the forum talking about the next big kit gun and what it might be. Obviously some of y’all have forgotten about Jim Chambers and the fine line of kits that they offer. I just finished assembly of an Early York kit and found it to be a refreshing and fun endeavor. I’m not a kit builder per se. I’m not interested in comparing one kit versus the other but you certainly should not forget about this as an option. The kit that I assembled was one of Barbie’s “seconds”. This means that there is some small issue with the stock wood somewhere which prevents it from being sold at full price. All of the seconds that I examined had no flaw that would prevent you from building a perfectly fine and functional gun. The good news is that you save in the neighborhood of $200.00 in the process. Hopefully Barbie will have a couple more of those “seconds” kits available at Friendship here in a couple weeks.
 I’ll post pictures of my assembled kit when it’s finished.

[oldtravler61]

 Stoner you are right. Absolutely nothing wrong with Jim Chambers kits.  Oldtravler

[LuVerne Schumann]

I put together one of the Chambers blemished stock Early Lancasters. The blem was a small piece of bark showing on the right side of the wrist, which is inconsequential to me.

I was extremely happy with everything about it. It swings up on target like a high end 16 ga. Belgian double.

[smart dog]

Hi Wayne,
Jim and Barbie's kits are good and varied and their locks are excellent.  I also really like their cast hardware.  The rifles below are Chamber's kits.



























dave

[RAT]

I've not built a Chamber's kit, but have seen several, finished and unfinished. They look fine, and by one of the best lock makers in the business. They just don't offer one much past ca.1800.

[smylee grouch]

On top of the good quality you get a large selection to choose from.

[Rt5403]

I ordered their New England fowler kit can't wait to get it been waiting since March but I ordered the high grade maple so extends my wait time. From what I hear it's worth it and really nice people to work with.

[bob in the woods]

My new 10 bore  N.E. Fowling gun started life as a Chamber's kit and a "second" stock.  The blemish was in the area I was going to cut off for the accommodation of a bayonet, so it was a win win deal 

[flatsguide]

I’m in the process of building one of Jim Chambers English Sporting rifles. Every component is first class, from the wood, castings, barrel and to his famous locks. Jim Chambers offers a broad selection of guns and rifles that build into heirloom sporting firearms.   Neat stuff.
Cheers Richard

[GANGGREEN]

Has anyone visited Jim's place?  Is it a retail shop?  Open for visits?   I recently purchased a seasonal/retirement home within 2 hours of Jim and would like to stop and visit one day, maybe drop off a stock blank for another project (although I know that he sub-contracts out the inletting/shaping of the stocks if I'm not mistaken, so maybe he wouldn't want it dropped off there anyway).

[Stoner creek]

Has anyone visited Jim's place?  Is it a retail shop?  Open for visits?   I recently purchased a seasonal/retirement home within 2 hours of Jim and would like to stop and visit one day, maybe drop off a stock blank for another project (although I know that he sub-contracts out the inletting/shaping of the stocks if I'm not mistaken, so maybe he wouldn't want it dropped off there anyway).

Answering your questions; Yes Yes and Yes. Give Jim or Barbie a call. It’ll be worth your time.

[heinz]

The Chambers Flintlocks organization believes in old-fashioned American quality.  If you buy a lock from them you will not have to rebuild it or tune it before you can use it.  If anything you receive is not right, they will make it right.  PS they have really nice iron powder measures :-)

[ed lundquist]

I believe the homes were severely flooded although I don't know about the shop.

[oldtravler61]

  Ed that's not good to hear at all. Hope they are all safe..!
  Oldtravler

[GANGGREEN]

Thanks a lot for the reply.

[borderdogs]

I haven't built a Chambers or a Kibler kit although I like them both. When I started to consider building a rifle after so many years after building my first I chose to build something similar to the first one i built. I chose a Pecatonica parts set, a flint Hawken and I was hoping that some of the experiences I had with the first one would help with the second one albeit nearly 40 years later. What I found was I had to learn some things all over again. It took longer than I thought it would and I made some mistakes but it came out well. I am finishing a Don Stith parts set right now and will build another shortly. One I have parts for is a Hawken I have the barrel, lock, butt plate, Roller triggers, tang and breech the stock is a plank with the barrel channel cut and the ram rod drilled. The point I am trying to make is I had to learn the layout of the rifle, where everything goes and how they fit together and I am not sure I would have learned that as well as I have if I built a Kibler kit. I have considered building a Chambers York or English Sporting rifle and I am sure I will at some point at the moment my focus is on the early to mid 1800's.
Rob