How much work is there to a "kit"?

[bennypapa]

I have been interested in building a flintlock from a kit and would like to get an idea of what is involved. My main question is How much work is there to be done on a "KIT" gun? Does it vary by manufacturer? Many people sell kits but just how much work is left for me to do?

My main interest is an Isaac Haines style gun. As I see it I am looking at spending about $700 on the kit alone. Does that seem a fair price? Tools and supplies would be extra of course.

I have plenty of woodworking experience and a little metal working under my belt fwiw. I don't think I will try this without finding someone local to help me along. That is just too much money to waste it on a bad result.

Thanks all,
Bennypapa

 

[Birddog6]

All depends on how talented you are with your hands, tools & reading instructions.

Most of the trouble I see happen is because guy don't buy a Builders Book & a set of Plans for the rifle, guess & do things wrong....... You should have BOTH of these starting out.... No it is not essential, but it sure is allot of help ! :thumbsup:

Time ?,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, I never time one. Sometimes it takes me a month & sometimes it takes me 2 years...... Just depends on how much I want to work on it & how I feel, & how detailed the rifle is. Besides, putting a clock on it makes it Work & I have enough of that to do, this is something I enjoy as a hobby & I want it to stay FUN !! :thumbsup:

But I will say with a good builder book & if you are a handy guy woodworking, you can build a I.Haines rifle & that is a good rifle to build. As far as parts sets go, I would recommend Dunlaps Woodcrafts, Jim Chambers, & Tip Curtis Frontier shop. All have quality parts sets and it will run you 700 to 900 depending on the wood ya get. I suggest ya go for the best wood ya can get, you will not mess it up if you READ what you are to do & do as it says.

Good luck ! If I can help give me a yell, or PM me........ I have built allot of Isaac Haines rifles & am starting on building 3 all the same for 3 brothers right now. I just finished a John Bivins rifle & it is the same rifle just dif. carvings & dif patchbox.

 

[Le Grand]

Bennypapa, By all means, take a look at the kits offered by Tennessee Valley Muzzleloading. Their kits come inletted and all holes are drilled and the holes that need to be threaded already are. You get good variety too. For a first kit, in my opinion, you can't beat them. Le Grand

 

[J.D.]

This very topic has been discussed in at least two other threads in the past week.

Go to the search feature and enter "building kit", "choosing kit", or some such search criteria. Those threads should come up.
J.D.

 

[54JNoll]

Time is relative. A lot depends on the kits you get. Some kits require more work than others. Then too it depends on your skill level. Some people progress through certain steps faster than others. I would hazard a guess at 80 to 100 hours would be a good safe bet as a time estimate on a good quality kit.

Figure on having to draw file the barrel and polishing it. The same goes for the brass. Some kits require you to cut the dovetails for the underlugs and sights while other have them cut for you or offer it as an additional cost. All parts will require some minor fitting/inletting as well. Some kits will require you to drill and tap your own holes and others may offer this for you as well.

For a Good Issac Hanes kit I would look at Jim Chambers and Wayne Dunlop. Tip Curtis has a wide variety of parts and can put together a "Kit" for you based on your desires. If you go with Tip I would recommend a trip to his shop if you can swing it. He will have several books that you can look through and then pick your parts to emulate a specific gun if you wish.

 

[Birddog6]

What I never have been able to separate is..... Time.

Working Only ?
Thinking about it as you look at it ?
Figuring how to do things ?
Drawing the carving s over & over & over & over , etc. til ya get them right.
Repairing the mistakes ya made (if ya can repair them)

I would guestimate if you consider ALL the time you put in your first rifle, that really Involved the rifle, you will have well over 200 hours in it. Not counting the time spent on trips to the hardware & etc.

The ones I see that do their first rifles in 40 hours ? look like it....... :shake:

Take Your Time..... Forgot how long it takes ya to do it, do it Correctly........ :thumbsup: