Jack Garner

[gunpa]

Welcome from Eastern Idaho!

 

[KDF22]

Bought a rifle from you in the early 90’s and still shooting it. Got a bag from Matt at the same time too. Welcome

 

[JackGGarner]

Thanks for the invite

 

[Art Caputo]

Welcome from New England from a very happy customer!!

 

[Grenadier1758]

Welcome to the Forum. You can keep us straight on the differences between your TVM and the TVM you sold to Matt Avance.

I have one of your American Fowlers. I bought it off a rack just before you sold TVM to Matt. I still need to get it engraved woth TVM. Still shoots fine.

 

[D. Buck Stopshere]

Jack started Tennessee Valley Manufacturing back in '76.

He later got his friends, Matt & Toni Avance started up with their enterprise called Tennessee Valley Muzzleloading, initially out of Corinth MS. Jack had a commercial row booth near the firing line at Friendship at the National Muzzle Loading Matches, and had a rack of longrifles for sale.

I think the essential difference between Jack's operation and Matt's is that Jack would offer finished longrifles and parts to build one. Matt would take orders for finished pistols & longguns and also complete kits, 85% finished, for the customer who wanted to save a little money.

I gave up my booth at Friendship in 1998, having had commercial space between Erwin Fagel and Mic Koval since 1973. Great times there. Every year, I brought home a few longrifles from Jack and bought a half-dozen longrifles from Matt at the Fort Fredrick Market Fair in MD.

Great memories at Friendship with you, Dan Kindig, Jerry Kirklin, Dave & Carol Repplinger, Jas.Townsend, Fred Lambert, Ed Cain, Bob Watts, Turner Kirkland, Homer Dangler, Madison Grant, and my old business partner, the late Lewis Sanchez.

Welcome, Jack to the Forum. Feel free to correct my faded memory of your business and Matt's.

 

[Sooty Scot]

Welcome to the Forum. It's Great to see you here, Jack.
I am the very proud caretaker of one of your SMR .50 wonders. Its both beautiful and far more accurate than my old eyes can do justice.
Thank you, sir.

 

[JackGGarner]

Thanks. If there is anything we can help you with let us know

 

[Old Timer 48]

Welcome!

 

[beardedhorse]

Welcome from Colorado. I met you at a bison hunt near Fort Wallace, Kansas many years ago. Freddie Harrison and an NMLRA rep from Europe - Berger (?) was there too. Glad you are on board here.

 

[JackGGarner]

Amazing! BTW, what barrel do I have on my .45 SMR? I saw the Dixie mark inside the lock, but don't recall any marks on the barrel. (Haven't taken it apart in some time!) I send my best regards and was glad to see your post! The rifle is very authentic; I am pleased to read you are still hummin' along! Have a Great Fall, Mr. Garner!

That was a Dougl barrel

 

[JackGGarner]

Welcome from Colorado. I met you at a bison hunt near Fort Wallace, Kansas many years ago. Freddie Harrison and an NMLRA rep from Europe - Berger (?) was there too. Glad you are on board here.

That was a while back. I am 79 now

 

[springfield art]

That was a Dougl barrel

Thanks! I'm now just turned 76, so you weren't that much older than me at the time. It's amazing to look back and see how relatively inexpensive custom-mades were at the time. I have a pal who has a Beautiful F&I period Pa. rifle that cost $500 back in the day. He waited a year for it, but now you'd pay over two grand for the same thing custom. It's fun to look up the "today's money" chart and see what we were buying back then! I confess to giving your rifle away at one time to a friend who gave it back to me! And I'm so glad! I'm getting more and more "muzzleloaded" as I get older although always had the interest from the start. Have a Great Fall! -Art.

 

[JackGGarner]

I know. When I first started building my first gun I sold was $275.00. Now I have to get 1275.00 for the poor boy rifles plus the shipping which is terrible I am now 79 and takes be twice as long to build one

 

[springfield art]

I know. When I first started building my first gun I sold was $275.00. Now I have to get 1275.00 for the poor boy rifles plus the shipping which is terrible I am now 79 and takes be twice as long to build one

Yep, that's what I paid!