I've been looking for a rifle....

[Easternhunter]

I have known Tip for years & no telling how many barrel & stocks & locks I have bought from him.

I was just there Monday, have been there dozens of times & it still took me 2 hrs to get out of there ! :rotf: Man......... what a smorgasborg of parts that guy has.... If he don't have it, you probably don't need it.......

He had ? probably 75 built rifles on hand, some finished & some In-the-White.

One rifle he had I picked up that was real nice was a big bore Lancaster in .58 caliber, Chambers Siler on it. Man it was a nice rifle & a super piece of wood on it, sliding wooden patchbox on it.

I don't know anyplace that has such a variety of built rifles you can pick up & shoulder, like Tip has there.

If you are ever within a days drive of Nashville TN, it is well worth a drive to Tips. But have some extra time, as you won't be in & out, you will be there 2-3-4 hrs & then you won't want to leave !! :grin:

:thumbsup:

Yes, he told me how much inventory he has....unreal! I wish I could visit, but Canada's a long ways away. Vacation is already booked for out west too. Dangit!!

 

[Old Salt]

I don't know where you are in Canada but Mr. Curtis sets up a huge sales tent every year at Dixon's Gunbuilders Fair in SE Pennsylvania.

That will be the last weekend in July.

Salt

 

[Easternhunter]

Good to know... but that's still 2 days away by car. New Brunswick is home.

 

[Russ T Frizzen]

A custom made rifle--say in the $2000 to $2500 range that fits you like a glove is not only a fine thing to carry into the woods or onto a target range, but it is a fine investment too. In fact, mine are doing much better in that regard than my other, more conventional investments are. And the rifle will become a family heirloom, a tangible connection to your own family's history. Not bad for such a small outlay. And try putting a price on a fall day in the deer woods with the rifle with fresh, crisp air and the brightly colored leaves and the light playing on that long barrel and the smell of burnt powder when you take the first deer with your rifle.

We have some fine builders right here on the forum that can help you make all this happen. And, depending on the rifle style you choose, you may even save a few bucks--dollars that is.

 

[paulvallandigham]

You can fly into Philadelphia and rent a car to go to Dixons, probably cheaper than driving. Anything you buy can be shipped to you back home.

Its worth the trip. I went in 2003, when I could barely walk with my back problems. Its was way too hot for me, and I struggled, but I don't regret a minute of the trip. I was able to visit friends, attend seminars, what gun makers working on guns or parts, look over all the guns submitted to be judged, checked out pistols, and hawks, and other gear, and spent at least an hour in Chuck's stores, wandering the aisles. I even hobble down to the room under his shop where they had a barrel rifling machine set up and would let people pull the cutters through the barrel, to find out what that was like. I could not do so, because of my back, but I got to watch others help rifle that barrel. I drove from Illinois across Indiana, Ohio, and most of Pennsylvania, stayed a day, and then drove back. It was a 12 hour drive at least. I may just do it again, but probably not again this year.

 

[Easternhunter]

Well boys, I'd love to attend, but maybe next year....I can't do it this year. Sounds like a hoot tho.

 

[old ugly]

some kits are easy , t/c is very simple but it is not an accurate copy . i did a north star west kit it turned out to be a nice gun but it is harder . i am again looking for a long rifle and trying to make the same decision . i like the track of the wolf cataloge as it gives lots of choices , but they don,t have any in the white , although they will do some gunsmithing for ya . so i have looked at the other sites as well , sitting fox , tvm . this is a good forum to grab all the ideas from and like you i want to take my time and get the rite one for me . i just don,t know either .

just ramblin on sorry

o/u

 

[Easternhunter]

Don't be sorry Old Ugly. This is how we all learn. It can be a difficult choice. I believe I got it narrowed down to TVM-T. Curtiss or Dunlap woodcrafts. There's a shop in Ontario called Clarks (http://www.clarkindustries.on.ca/flintlocks-lr.html)

They have a longrifle kit kinda looks like a Pennsylvania school. They build their own locks. Abit more than soth of the border, but maybe worth a look.

 

[old ugly]

i checked out the Clarks site . it seems their kit is very close to "in the white " it should be an easy one to finish ,depending on how much fancy carving you want to do . i like the j.dickert . being premium maple and swamped barrel the price may not be that far out of line as our customs people will charge duty and brokerage ( not to mention the damage they have been known to do when checking stuff over ) . that $1200.USD for the kit is about $1400 cnd . track of the wolf $800 or $930 cnd . t.o.t.w kit being a bit harder.
have you heard any feed back about the clark industries kits ?

 

[Easternhunter]

NO, I've never heard them mentioned before.
For a first the PEnn Rifle might be the way to go. Clarke's prices are USD, plus shipping. hmmmm.
I didn't notice your location before...so Left side of Canada :thumbsup: ? when facing north or south :shake: ????

So what have you figured out about this muzzleloading stuff anyhow?

 

[Russ T Frizzen]

Based on two locks I've seen, I would say that Mr. Clark offers a fine product. Might seem a bit pricey, but since you won't have to go through the bother and costs of importing the kit, you might wind up ahead. And he offers some rifles that I've not seen anywhere else.

 

[old ugly]

vancouver island bc . i am addicted to b/p . i missed a few years of shooting but stared about 25 years ago with a t/c renegade kit . im a smooth bore shooter mostly but now its time for a rifle again .

 

[old ugly]

and our cutoms officers have been know to cut stuff apart , no compensation to the importer .

 

[Easternhunter]

:cursing: Well that would not set well with me.
Russ. Interesting that you like Clark's locks. I hope others more knowledgeable than I check out the site and add their comments as well.

When I first got this bug (about a month ago) :shake: the schools that really caught my eye were the roman nosed types Kinda like early Penns and Leihighs and such. As far as I know. Just really liked the flow of the lines(architecture I guess). Clarke's longrifle kits represents the Reeding school sorta. I like the looks. Fit and finish remain to be seen with inletting etc. I may call this guy this week and see what he says.

Hey 'Ugly! maybe we should order two and get a group discount???? :hatsoff:

P.S. BC???I'm gonna be in Comox on the 3rd Aug. going fishing with my Bro. Then driving back to Calgary. Then Home to NB.

 

[old ugly]

i am not a salt water fisrherman but on the tube they said that port alberni is were the bite is now and fisheries has opened sport fishing up a bit more. also i always here that the west coast of the island is better .
im in courtenay . lived here 54 years . go figure tho i will be in williams lake till mid aug .

o/u

 

[Easternhunter]

i am not a salt water fisrherman but on the tube they said that port alberni is were the bite is now and fisheries has opened sport fishing up a bit more. also i always here that the west coast of the island is better .
im in courtenay . lived here 54 years . go figure tho i will be in williams lake till mid aug .

o/u

You Serious? Cr%#p man! :thumbsup: We coulda met up or something, have a beer!! Well, I hear Williams Lake is nice too! Just talked to my brother today and he had a few friends out on the boat within the last couple of weeks. They took home their limits I guess. 20-30lbs ea.! :shocked2: I think they stay on the east shore.

 

[old ugly]

when i was a kid we,d fish off of bates beach with my bro. was good fish,n then . you will have a blast the runs must be make,n a come back .

no kidding i was born in comox . haha small world.

i think we got off topic a bit lol .

o/u

 

[old ugly]

i would like to know about the clark kit if you buy it . i will be gone for a month maybe you will have one by then . p/m me if you get one

tom