TVM kit

[snowman485]

Anybody have any experience with a Tennessee Vally Muzzloading kit?

[smart dog]

Hi Snowman,
I am surprised that others have not responded to you. I've worked on and repaired TVM guns made from their kits.  I've never built one as a kit.  The parts are of good quality and the machined stock work seems mostly OK but not near the quality of a Kibler kit. They take a lot of shortcuts compared with Chambers and Kibler kits.  For example, the ramrod hole is routed out from the bottom of the barrel channel rather than drilled leaving wood between the barrel and ramrod.  The stock styling often is generic and they use the same styles for many different models. I do not like the thickness of the web of wood left between the barrel and ramrod.  It is too wide and the forearms tend to look clunky often with the ramrod hanging below the muzzle with a distinct gap. They may seem to be a good bargain price wise but from a dollar/quality assessment, they lag well behind Chambers and Kibler's kits. 

dave

[bob in the woods]

What Dave said.    I purchased a lot of parts from TVM back when Jack Garner ran the company.
He was great to do business with, and was willing to leave a lot of the work to me, ie lock , trigger inlets, ...even the ram rod drilling. .  Many of the "brass" B Plates and guards are of a hoarder bronze material.  The kits are much more of a work in progress than other kits and of a generic nature style wise. If you are just looking to have a rifle to shoot, and aren't really concerned with the fine points of style, these kits can produce a very good functional rifle. 
There used to be a substantial difference, price wise, between TVM and others such as Chambers
If you start selecting swamped barrels, and other options, that difference melts away if I recall correctly.   In terms of the end product, vs $$ spent,  I would go with a Chambers, or Kibler or Cabin Creek kit

[bama]

There are two TVM's, one that Jack Garner owns is Tennessee Valley Manufacturing, the other is owned by Matt Avance and is Tennessee Valley Muzzleloading. Jack and Matt worked together for several years and their products are very similar. Matt buys a lot of parts from Jack for his kits. You can build a good rifle from either of the TVM kits. For the cost of the parts you can build a rifle for around $300 to $500 less than a Kibler or a Chamber's kit. You will still have a good usable rifle for a cost savings. What you don't get with the TVM kits is the better architecture of the Kibler or Chamber's kits or the CNC'd locks that Kibler's has. To many the cost for these extra's are worth the extra money. If you are on a tight budget the TVM kits are a good choice. They use good wood, good castings, thimbles are Ted Cash unless you specify different ones, mainly L&R locks and triggers, Barrels are usually Colerain. Now you may have to do a little more inletting and stock shaping but to me that is just part of the build and provides the chance to be a little more creative. 

[Mike Brooks]

The web between the barrel and the ram rod is too thick to make a good rifle with.

[bob in the woods]

Checking with the latest price list from TVM [ Matt's Company ]  the price of a standard plain maple late Lancaster kit with a straight sided barrel is $ 850.00    Add on for a swamped barrel [ includes inletting for the barrel] is another $350.   That pretty much wipes out the difference between TVM and the other kits.  When you consider the generic styling, that settles it for me.  Still, the TVM's are good, well functioning rifles, and a lot of folks enjoy them. 

[snowman485]

Thanks for the info guys thats what i was looking for.