Any suggestion about Pecatonica River?
- Thread starter rmonday2
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Ronnie,
I see you are in E. TN. I might suggest checking with Tip Curtis, just north of Nashville, if it's not to far of a drive for you. You could hand pick you stock wood rather having it shipped sight unseen.
Frontier Shop -(615) 654-4445
Not that there is anything wrong with Pecatonica. I have only heard good things about them.
I see you are in E. TN. I might suggest checking with Tip Curtis, just north of Nashville, if it's not to far of a drive for you. You could hand pick you stock wood rather having it shipped sight unseen.
Frontier Shop -(615) 654-4445
Not that there is anything wrong with Pecatonica. I have only heard good things about them.
Guest
I have a gunsmith friend who uses them a lot and has nothing but good things to say about their stuff. Generally he says he gets what he thinks is a 'grade higher wood' than what he orders every time, in other words, their grade 3 wood would be near a 4 from others. :results:
But, the advice about seeing it first is always good and Tip might have just what you want.
But, the advice about seeing it first is always good and Tip might have just what you want.
Guest
top knotch folks , i get better then what i exspect every time :thumbsup:
Guest
Zonie has built a slew of rifles from them that are all absolutely stunning. I know they inlet and provide some of the pre-carved stocks that Track of the Wolf sells. I've never heard anyone say anything but good about them as well.
I recently bought a kit (my first), and after much pondering and considering I ended up getting the Early Lancaster kit from Jim Chambers instead of Pecatonica. Advice from other builders always says Chambers' kits are the top of the line, so I took their advice. That's not to say my next build won't be from Pecatonica... I want to build an Armstrong rifle, and Chambers doesn't provide an Armstrong kit... but Pecatonica does! :redthumb:
Bonus to buying the kit from Jim Chambers, I was able to drive out there (about 2.5 hours from here) and pick it out and buy it in person. Definitely nice to see what's available and pick the one you want. I've also heard nothing but good words from Tip Curtis, and if you're that close, I'd probably go buy it in person rather than order it. Tip has sent me a price list, and has a pretty extensive inventory; you'll more than likely find what you like.
I recently bought a kit (my first), and after much pondering and considering I ended up getting the Early Lancaster kit from Jim Chambers instead of Pecatonica. Advice from other builders always says Chambers' kits are the top of the line, so I took their advice. That's not to say my next build won't be from Pecatonica... I want to build an Armstrong rifle, and Chambers doesn't provide an Armstrong kit... but Pecatonica does! :redthumb:
Bonus to buying the kit from Jim Chambers, I was able to drive out there (about 2.5 hours from here) and pick it out and buy it in person. Definitely nice to see what's available and pick the one you want. I've also heard nothing but good words from Tip Curtis, and if you're that close, I'd probably go buy it in person rather than order it. Tip has sent me a price list, and has a pretty extensive inventory; you'll more than likely find what you like.
i'm on my second grade 4 stock from them sight unseen and it's better then i thought it would be....you should not be afraid to use them :imo:....i know what my T/C stock came out like....i'm not even going to wet my lancaster stock down to see the curl in it till i have to :thumbsup:....i want to be surprized............bob
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i've only purchased a few small items from them, but i would buy anything from them any time ... they're very patient about explaining things, and their prices are very reasonable when you see what you get.
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4 stocks at last count, perhaps more, I forget. Always good crisp wood, always what they claimed. 2 out of 4 were better than I expected or deserved.
They supply about 90% of the builders kit wood in use so you will probably get their wood even if you buy somewhere else!
I have bought a bunch of parts from Tip at the Frontier shop too. (used to live about an hour from him)
and from Muzzle Loader Builders Supply (20 years buying from there, Suzzie is easier to deal with than the origional owner).
If you are going to start a winter build it would pay you to take a day and drive up to Friendship, IN for the Sept. event. All of these suppliers will be present and you can talk to them, get to know them and see exactly what you will get.
You can put together your own kit directly from the suppliers. Chambers is sometimes there with locks, Getz with barrels, Wallace Gussler and Shumway with advice on design.
It's straight up 75, turn left at Cincinnati and go 45 minutes into the woods. It would be worth every minute of the drive and every penny in gas! BP for sale in the armory (way below retail) and admission is free to NMLRA members ($4 for nonmembers). Motels are reasonable if you get out of the casino area.
:hatsoff:
They supply about 90% of the builders kit wood in use so you will probably get their wood even if you buy somewhere else!
I have bought a bunch of parts from Tip at the Frontier shop too. (used to live about an hour from him)
and from Muzzle Loader Builders Supply (20 years buying from there, Suzzie is easier to deal with than the origional owner).
If you are going to start a winter build it would pay you to take a day and drive up to Friendship, IN for the Sept. event. All of these suppliers will be present and you can talk to them, get to know them and see exactly what you will get.
You can put together your own kit directly from the suppliers. Chambers is sometimes there with locks, Getz with barrels, Wallace Gussler and Shumway with advice on design.
It's straight up 75, turn left at Cincinnati and go 45 minutes into the woods. It would be worth every minute of the drive and every penny in gas! BP for sale in the armory (way below retail) and admission is free to NMLRA members ($4 for nonmembers). Motels are reasonable if you get out of the casino area.
:hatsoff:
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I just received a pistol stock blank from them 2 weeks ago.
The curly maple blank was very straight, and was of the superior variety. The figure in the wood is there, albeit hard to detect without excellent stain.
Typically the harder varieties of maple do not have such pronounced figure as the softer sticks.
As ease of inletting and carving go this particular piece of wood is the best that I have seen in a while.
The barrel channel was undersize, exactly what you want for crisp inletting. The ramrod groove was exactly centered with the barrel channel, a somewhat rare occurence.
Permalyn stock stain brought out fantastic figure, green "flying saucers" mixed with honey colored ribbons mixed with the tiger stripes.
If you get a stick from them that figure appears hard to detect, don't worry, it's there. Just thin the stain and apply a few coats, it will come out!
The extra work staining the wood will be a small price to pay for the easy and crisp inletting that only a nice hard piece of maple will give you.
The service was great and timely.
The curly maple blank was very straight, and was of the superior variety. The figure in the wood is there, albeit hard to detect without excellent stain.
Typically the harder varieties of maple do not have such pronounced figure as the softer sticks.
As ease of inletting and carving go this particular piece of wood is the best that I have seen in a while.
The barrel channel was undersize, exactly what you want for crisp inletting. The ramrod groove was exactly centered with the barrel channel, a somewhat rare occurence.
Permalyn stock stain brought out fantastic figure, green "flying saucers" mixed with honey colored ribbons mixed with the tiger stripes.
If you get a stick from them that figure appears hard to detect, don't worry, it's there. Just thin the stain and apply a few coats, it will come out!
The extra work staining the wood will be a small price to pay for the easy and crisp inletting that only a nice hard piece of maple will give you.
The service was great and timely.
Thank you all for the information! 
eace:
I am working on a Renegade flint-kit from T/C at the present. My wife's father purchased it before he passed away in 96, and just bolted it together years ago. Needless to say, but the hammer was clutching the wood, and the stock still had the mill marks from one end to the other.
Im not as hard-core about using traditional stains and finishes as some I'v read about. I figured if they use what they had access to at the time, then so can I.
The real beauty of it all is the pride in knowing you did it yourself to the best of your ability.
I worked with my dad for many years in the welding business, and he NEVER let me by with just, "so-so"; and yes we argued a lot, but it breads something into ones-self to strive for perfection; (something you just dont find on every corner these days).
I have found over the years that there comes a time to say thats good enough, but thats (After) you have done all that your capable of doing, and I commend each and every one of you for keeping this tradition alive and well despite these high-tec times.
I enjoy working with wood and metal, and guns just seem to fill that void quite well.
I cant wait to get my first Lancaster!!!! :front:
Keep up the good work :thanks:, Ronnie...
eace: I am working on a Renegade flint-kit from T/C at the present. My wife's father purchased it before he passed away in 96, and just bolted it together years ago. Needless to say, but the hammer was clutching the wood, and the stock still had the mill marks from one end to the other.
Im not as hard-core about using traditional stains and finishes as some I'v read about. I figured if they use what they had access to at the time, then so can I.
The real beauty of it all is the pride in knowing you did it yourself to the best of your ability.
I worked with my dad for many years in the welding business, and he NEVER let me by with just, "so-so"; and yes we argued a lot, but it breads something into ones-self to strive for perfection; (something you just dont find on every corner these days).
I have found over the years that there comes a time to say thats good enough, but thats (After) you have done all that your capable of doing, and I commend each and every one of you for keeping this tradition alive and well despite these high-tec times.
I enjoy working with wood and metal, and guns just seem to fill that void quite well.
I cant wait to get my first Lancaster!!!! :front:
Keep up the good work :thanks:, Ronnie...
ghost, I failed to mention in the last post that I was at Friendship this past June. I had been invited several times by a friend that I grew up with. I finaly made the trip and now I'v got it bad. I'm so glad I found this site! I can understand now what I was looking at in Friendship. My friend (Kray) goes for the fleamarket and camping. I on the other hand, spent 2 1/2 days watching the firing line, and talking to all that I could. Everyone was very helpful, I even got to shoot a few times. One was a slug gun and the other was pedersoli at the 500 yard range,Man what a rush!!
Well, sorry about the rambeling and getting off topic, but I would highly recommend the trip to Friendship to anyone, shooter or not, :thanks: for endouring, Ronnie...
Well, sorry about the rambeling and getting off topic, but I would highly recommend the trip to Friendship to anyone, shooter or not, :thanks: for endouring, Ronnie...
I bought my first non factory "kit" from Pecatonica River 11 years ago. Sense then, I've bought 7 other "kits" and three semi finished stocks from them.
I have never felt that I didn't get my moneys worth.
They don't send part of the parts now and the rest a month later.
They always were friendly and did their best to give me exactly what I wanted.
Their prices are about as low as you will find.
They drill their ramrod holes to the full depth rather than milling them out from the inside of the barrel channel.
All in all, I have always been 95% pleased with them and their products.
The only reason I'm not 100 % happy with them is they are a little slow to respond to E-Mail and Snail Mail.
Phone calls are answered right away though.
I have never felt that I didn't get my moneys worth.
They don't send part of the parts now and the rest a month later.
They always were friendly and did their best to give me exactly what I wanted.
Their prices are about as low as you will find.
They drill their ramrod holes to the full depth rather than milling them out from the inside of the barrel channel.
All in all, I have always been 95% pleased with them and their products.
The only reason I'm not 100 % happy with them is they are a little slow to respond to E-Mail and Snail Mail.
Phone calls are answered right away though.
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