Classic Tennessee longrifle kit from TOW

Anyone have or built one of these rifles,thinking about trying one for target shooting in 40 cal with the 42" barrel,not sure of which size barrel to go with,13/16" is my initial thought, how's the quality of these kits,any suggestions or comments appreciated

 

[rootnuke]

I am building a 1770 Lancaster John Bivins from TOW, just got it a month ago.

Aside from a few in the forum that stated that I should of had a straighter butt plate based on the era to be era correct I am happy.

Only 2 people said anything about the butt plate so I really do not think its a big deal.

This is my first kit and TOW seems to have a good following.

I am happy with the kit.

I have not posted all the vendors I have used or books yet but you can checkout my progress at....

http://www.rootnuke.com/index.pl/early_lancaster_1770
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[tg]

TOW has good quality stuff, if you want historical accuracy then you must do the research and decide for yourself if it meets your level of expectation, like the buttplate mentioned on the 1770 gun, maybe not "wrong" but not consistant with the majority of originals from that period that we have to study, Bivins based his work on Haines and the early work by Haines and other builders have flatter buttplates,no big deal just an observation,it all depends on how close one wishes to stay to the norm of a given period.

 

[Gary]

Agree. There must be substantial research. Hershel House told me that the early guns were very much like the Virginia Rifles. The flatter buttplates were used and the crescent shaped ones came in generally after the war. It was an evolving thing according to the tastes of the time.

 

[Deadeye]

I recently finished one of this same kit from TOW in .45 cal. with 13/16 barrel. Had no problems with it, completely finished it in 2 weeks. It's my favorite "pack around" rifle. I used a more flat buttplace than the one they have with the kit, I don't care for the excessively curved ones.
There's a picture on here under "Southern Mt. rifle". I just happened to get that kit from a friend who bought it then decided he wasn't a rifle builder. Never was excited
about the Tennessee rifles but now that I have one, I love it.

 

Interesting thread. Before I built my TOTW Jaeger I had the Pedersoli Early American Jaeger. Thought I was all that until some people on the old Muzzleloader Mag Forum pointed out that Pedersoli had just used John Bivens furniture and and a way too fast rate of twist (believe it or not it had a 1 in 24" twist :shocking: It still shot straight enough to blast Tootsie Roll Pops off a stick at 15yrds). Sure enough, after reading up more on the subject I couldn't be satisfied with gun including the butt plate being way too curved for my satisfaction and it's other hints of being a production gun. I had even ordered the John Bivens Brass furniture set from DGW to try and diguise it's origin and every single piece was a drop in duplicate of Pedersoli's steel furniture. In the long run I wasted a lot of cash when I should've researched better to begin with. I always learn the hardest way.

 

For target I would go the 7/8",s more steady and less barrel wander and flex. Seems to hold zero better than the thinner 13/16". I have used both sizes and my favorite and current match rifle is a GM-7/8" Southern Mountian style caplock. I have been using this rifle for 7 years and it shoots cloverleafs when you do your part. I cut mine back to 40" and recrowned it. It holds steady and has won and placed many matchs and allso many Deer and Squirriels. It looks like a Gillespie of the Carolinas,iron mounted with handforged iron spoon trigger guard of Carolina style. Stocked in maple with siler lock. A nice style rifle of the Ten.-southern mountian rifle. Tow,s are not bad,get the dixon book the art of the Penn. rifle its a good study of making.

 

[Birddog6]

If you order the parts from TOW, I suggest you pin them down on Availability. I am building a Lancaster for a guy now & he ordered the parts from them. We waited 3 mo for a lock & barrel & when the time came to build it I went to Tip Curtis & got the missing parts, as Tracks still didn't have them.

As for quality, I have never had a problem with Tracks parts.

In a Tenn. rifle 42" barrel or Southern rifle, I would go with a 13/16" and would use a Goodoien barrel. Both my sons have a TN rifles with Goodoien barrels. On both rifles (LH & RH matched pair) the first 3 shots out of Both of them shot one hole groups at 25 yards. Gooddoien barrels are hand lapped & really ready for some serious shooting. Both of these are .38 caliber and awesomely accurate lil rifles.

 

Jims barrels are very good,but at a much higher cost. The average person off hand will be hard pressed to shoot the differnce. I too I'm a fan of .38cal.with a Ed Rayl barrel in 13/16" in a Lancastor style flint. I often think of a halfstock Perch Belly Ohio rifle with a 7/8", 34"-36" Jim Goodien barrel. We can dream..

 

[tg]

If PC is an issue it would be prudent to look at as many pics of original post 1800 southern/Tennessee flintlocks to see what style of lock was used, you will not likely see many 18th century period Germanic locks.

 

Most not Germanic forged like Large Siler,but like Siler mountian lock in cap. Round tailed or flattailed most. The so called generic type ,hardware Warranted locks. Great pics in Tennesse Rifles by Robin C, Hale. Check Mr. Steve Bookouts web page,www.midiowa.com/toadhallrifleshop/

 

[tg]

Right, though it seems most suppliers/builders want to use the Large Siler in everything from a French Fusil to an M1 Garand.

 

I got a pre-inleted for a lefthand Lg.siler M-1 Garand stock blank. Thats funny!!!!

 

[Darkhorse]

Yeah right,
25 years ago we made jokes about the idea of a Bolt action muzzleloader.

I understand they actually make those today? I have never owned or shot one but I see them in catalogs and on TV all the time. They are said to shoot under water and to kill all manner of game and critters at 300 hundred yards.

 

[rootnuke]

Anyone have or built one of these rifles,thinking about trying one for target shooting in 40 cal with the 42" barrel,not sure of which size barrel to go with,13/16" is my initial thought, how's the quality of these kits,any suggestions or comments appreciated

I did the .54 cal in a 42" barrel. I figured if the .54 didn't kill it I could beat it to death with the 42" barrel.

Buy yourself an extra tang bolt and side plate bolt set. Even the best efforts will lead to mangled bolt heads. Put the new bolts in for the final assembly.

TOW was out of stock for the lock also. I ordered everything except the lock from TOW. I ordered my lock from http://www.muzzleloaderbuilderssupply.com , it took 2 weeks but thats what they said it would take. If you don't order anything from mbs then just get their catalog, it worth it.

If you order the double set trigger make sure your triggerguard is long enough. Mine was not.