"Easy to learn on" kits?

[dd832]

Building your first gun can be an overwhelming project. But if the process is broken down into small parts it is more manageable. I bought a booklet (5"x8" format, 62 pages) by Robert McCrory in 1964, it was done on a typewriter with photos pasted in & it is a very simple process to follow. Track of the Wolf still sells the booklet it is titled "The Modern Kentucky Rifle" & costs $9.00 - The Modern Kentucky Rifle, illustrated instructions, for gun builders, by R. H. McCrory - Track of the Wolf

It comes with full size plans of the rifle built in the booklet. There are many books available that go into more detail & history (and cost a lot more) but this booklet is dead simple (you can find old copies on ebay for more money if you want), but it will get you to the finish line. BUT you have to know how to sharpen your chisels (or you will be urinating into a strong breeze!). Look up 'Scary Sharp' on youtube & learn how to sharpen your tools first or YOU WILL BE WASTING YOUR TIME on the project. I see far too many projects on this board & others where folks have shown progress photos of their project & you can tell it was done with a dull tool - sometimes it looks like it was done with a spoon!

Just take it slow and follow the booklet & you'll have something to admire.

Remember though, learning to gun build is a lot like learning to fish and this poster will tell you why -


take it slow & easy, Mike

 

[Capnball]

Building your first gun can be an overwhelming project. But if the process is broken down into small parts it is more manageable. I bought a booklet (5"x8" format, 62 pages) by Robert McCrory in 1964, it was done on a typewriter with photos pasted in & it is a very simple process to follow. Track of the Wolf still sells the booklet it is titled "The Modern Kentucky Rifle" & costs $9.00 - The Modern Kentucky Rifle, illustrated instructions, for gun builders, by R. H. McCrory - Track of the Wolf
View attachment 41439
It comes with full size plans of the rifle built in the booklet. There are many books available that go into more detail & history (and cost a lot more) but this booklet is dead simple (you can find old copies on ebay for more money if you want), but it will get you to the finish line. BUT you have to know how to sharpen your chisels (or you will be urinating into a strong breeze!). Look up 'Scary Sharp' on youtube & learn how to sharpen your tools first or YOU WILL BE WASTING YOUR TIME on the project. I see far too many projects on this board & others where folks have shown progress photos of their project & you can tell it was done with a dull tool - sometimes it looks like it was done with a spoon!

Just take it slow and follow the booklet & you'll have something to admire.

Remember though, learning to gun build is a lot like learning to fish and this poster will tell you why -
View attachment 41440

take it slow & easy, Mike

Lol

 

[RobinR]

I am a new builder too. Just signed up to take a course that starts in Oct at the Lob Cabin. Spoke with one of Teacher/Gunsmith at the store.

 

[coupe]

I got a traditions mountain rifle kit, it shoots fine and the fit was good. The stock was less than the best so I carved a walnut stock from laminated planks. It was my first crack at stock building took a full month of sawing, scraping, chiseling, sanding challenging but satisfying. Just remember if the lesser expensive rifle is taken into the woods you won't feel as bad if it gets a ding in it as you would with the pretty fancy one. might even use it more go for it!
coupe

 

[Mongo]

The kits offered by Lyman and Pedersoli are rather easy to build, but it helps to have some experience with basic woodworking tools, files, stains, and various chemicals (blueing, browning, etc). They are great kits, last built a Pedersoli .45 flinter back in 1997, just ordered a .50 percussion Pennsylvania rifle last week (completed the Lyman Great Plains rifle and pistol in .54 percussion last year).

 

[LuVerne Schumann]

I got a traditions mountain rifle kit, it shoots fine and the fit was good. The stock was less than the best so I carved a walnut stock from laminated planks. It was my first crack at stock building took a full month of sawing, scraping, chiseling, sanding challenging but satisfying. Just remember if the lesser expensive rifle is taken into the woods you won't feel as bad if it gets a ding in it as you would with the pretty fancy one. might even use it more go for it!
coupe

I've found that the more you know about building something, the less you care about whether it gets a ding in it. In fact, these rifles, expecially the nicer hand built ones improve through hard use, imo.

But I drive classic collector cars every day, so I'm weird that way.

 

[Bob McBride]

I've found that the more you know about building something, the less you care about whether it gets a ding in it. In fact, these rifles, expecially the nicer hand built ones improve through hard use, imo.

But I drive classic collector cars every day, so I'm weird that way.

I agree wholeheartedly. I dislike ‘new’ in my day to day life much less something that represents a 200 year old thing that would only ever be new looking for a few months unless it was a mantle gun, bought simply to satisfy the law or pride. That said, I know other people like what a gun would have looked like when the Apprentice or Journeyman brought the finished gun to the Master to approve it leaving the shop. I love those too but have a hard time touching them.... My favorite rifle, my Duprey Soddy .36, was made to look like a gun used hard but well cared for, for 20 years. I feel like I can use it.

 

[Sidney Smith]

See I'm the other way. When my gun is finished, I want it to look as if it just came out of the gunsmiths shop. Within reason and my abilities of course. The dings and dents come through my using the weapon. Then the gun begins to compile a story. My and it's story. It's unique and unlike anyone else's.

Never could understand these guys who build a brand new gun, only to distress it, and age it exponentially past its actual years, just in the name of making it look 200 years old. That gun then is a falsehood. It looks old but isn't. It's got character marks that weren't earned. It's frankly just fake.

 

[Bob McBride]

See I'm the other way. When my gun is finished, I want it to look as if it just came out of the gunsmiths shop. Within reason and my abilities of course. The dings and dents come through my using the weapon. Then the gun begins to compile a story. My and it's story. It's unique and unlike anyone else's.

Never could understand these guys who build a brand new gun, only to distress it, and age it exponentially past its actual years, just in the name of making it look 200 years old. That gun then is a falsehood. It looks old but isn't. It's got character marks that weren't earned. It's frankly just fake.

I can appreciate that as a philosophy, albeit a bit of a severe one, but it is so darn hard to be consistent in this hobby, isnt it? Especially with the living history aspect factored in. It's easy to come down all 'Book of Revelations' on some folks choices, as we all have our points of view, but I say, if your gun looks like it came from a 18th century gunsmith's shop, no reason for it not to look like you just picked it up yesterday, and likewise, if you're toting around 250 year old technology no reason for it to shine like it’s August 31, 1751.....I don't see much fakery in either, but I do see how one could choose to see the lie in both, if they were so inclined.

 

[LuVerne Schumann]

See I'm the other way. When my gun is finished, I want it to look as if it just came out of the gunsmiths shop. Within reason and my abilities of course. The dings and dents come through my using the weapon. Then the gun begins to compile a story. My and it's story. It's unique and unlike anyone else's.

Never could understand these guys who build a brand new gun, only to distress it, and age it exponentially past its actual years, just in the name of making it look 200 years old. That gun then is a falsehood. It looks old but isn't. It's got character marks that weren't earned. It's frankly just fake.

I can't say I disagree with this.

Not a big fan of going to severe efforts to "protect" the gun's finish, though.

I don't poo poo artfully done aging, either, though I prefer a naturally worn surface with patina honestly earned.

 

[Realwarrior]

I think the traditions kit is where to start. Minimal work but you are still " building" and personally invested. They shoot great. Then work a kit in the white. After you have finished the second kit, you'll be ready to build from scratch but taking your time.

 

[rp77469]

I built several kits back in the late 70's and early 80's. The only one I kept is the CVA Mt. Rifle. It's my favorite of all the ones I own, including two custom rifles and and one original I shoot. It is ugly. I bought it due to cost (less than $70), USA made, and it was the best buy around in the day. It gave me some experience though. Did I mention it is ugly and really doesn't look like any known original? Mine has lots of character marks. I cracked the forestock tumbling down a rocky hill during a deer hunt about 30 years ago. I have a Pecatonica curly maple stock I am going to restock it with. They will sell you usable seconds for a very nice price. Mine has a small knot that can be covered by a thumb piece. I plan to remount all the hardware except for the cheesy nosecap. I will pour the new cap. It will look like a plains style rifle with an Ohio trigger guard. I just love that trigger guard.

Don't worry about the cost of an entry level kit. Unless it is really butt ugly work, you can get almost all of your money out of it when sold, maybe more if you do a really nice job, and still have fun building and shooting it.

The point of all this rambling is that you can buy an inexpensive kit like the Traditions, and make yourself a nice shooting gun to get your feet wet. As your skills develop, you can upgrade hardware, sights, and stock to something more traditional looking without breaking the bank. If you are dissatisfied with your work, buy another stock blank and have at it. Sell it if you want, get your money back for it and buy another kit. The next one will be better as you know more what is needed to build it and have improved your skills. The important thing to do is to get your hands busy and build one. I made the mistake of putting it off for a career for too many years, and am now trying to build the things I should have done 40 years ago while I am still on the green side of the grass. There is only so much time allotted us on this merry-go-round. Don't waste it.

 

[Flintandsteel]

Not sure of your motivation, but if you want an easy to assemble kit, that will ACTUALLY LOOK LIKE AN ORIGINAL GUN.......... get a Kibler.

 

[Pete G]

Not sure of your motivation, but if you want an easy to assemble kit, that will ACTUALLY LOOK LIKE AN ORIGINAL GUN.......... get a Kibler.

+1.......you will end up with something worth having

 

[MI MAN]

The kibler kits are the best in my opinion. High quality plus low risk of failure at least as a beginner

 

[Cosmo]

Someone may have already mentioned this (I'm not going to read all the previous posts...because I don't want to). Kibler has a YouTube channel and goes through building his kit(s) step by step, gives helpful tips, tells viewers what tools to buy and what not to buy, even gives ideas on finishing the stock. Watch the videos. Then order the Kibler kit of your choice.

Hell, get two. It's only money.

 

[Dale Lilly]

Hmmmm? If you are careful you can make your 'made in America' CVA Mountain rifle look very much like this, Cut the nose piece in half or a bit less. Use only the forward part. Cut the part of the stock that goes in it also Think creatively. One of mine has a pretty nice maple stock. The picture is of an original Hawken marked St. Louis. I would imagine they made some like this with two barrel keys .. maybe not but ….. Polecat

 

[Flintandsteel]

Dale,
I hate to disagree, but a CVA mountain rifle, doesn’t even resemble an original Hawken. If you’ve ever seen or held one, you’d know what I mean.
There are tons of CVAs out there, and can be great little guns, but they are not Hawkens.

 

[Sidney Smith]

Hell, get two. It's only money.

Easy to say if you already have the money!

 

[Hawk78]

Look at Dixiegun works I picked up a scout kit that I think I’m going to like

I like the finish of your scout rifle, cool. And what is that hanging with it? A wrist guard?