Kit opinions TOW vs TVM

[Arie]

Hi

I've been lurking on the forum for a while, but I now have a question. I shoot both ML and BPCR (as well as some modern) currently I'm off work due to a work related injury and will be out for another 5 months, so I have some time to finally build one just for me (unlike the motorcycle I restore...I try to keep them as stock as possible) My training is in fine arts (photography & sculpture) and I work as a senior preparator for the Fine Arts Museums of SF, my carpentry skills are good along with a shop and proper tools (a rarety here in San Francisco)

So my question is which kit would people reccomend for me to work on. I have my sights on either the TOW Dickert or TVM's Late Lancaster. I plan on getting the German silver hardware and doing a good amount of wire inlay. Is there other sources for kits? I've been looking, any suggestions or links will be appreciated.

Thanks
Arie
"Squeaky"

 

[nmdd]

http://www.longrifles-pr.com/

 

[MJMarkey]

I've built kits from all the following

TOW, which you already know about.

Knob Mountain Muzzleloading, Dave Keck owner. http://www.knobmountainmuzzleloading.com/index.html

Jim Chambers Flintlocks http://www.flintlocks.com/rifles01.htm

All very fine kits and all slightly different in presentation and amount of work required to complete. And they all stand behind thier products. I like them all, and they all go together well, and prices are very similar. I guess you get what you pay for.

 

[ohio ramrod]

The main difference between the two is that TOTW "kits" are really more just a collection of parts that need more fitting. But you sound like you are capable of the work. Both have quality parts. :idunno:

 

[rafterob]

Peacatonica longrifles. All of these companies are selling an assemblage of parts, they are not making all the components of the kits, so there will be a lot of the same elements in all of them. My top two picks would be Jim Chambers and Pecatonica. I went with pecatonica because Chambers did not have the style I wanted. Pecatonica makes it own stocks and you can get them anywhere from an unlet precarve to a fully inlet precarve. I purchased a precarve with only the barrel inlet and ramrod hole drilled. The forestock was still square stock. I found that to be a good base to work with.

 

[LRB]

You cannot beat Jim Chambers. For quality, or service.

 

[ApprenticeBuilder]

You cannot beat Jim Chambers. For quality, or service.

:hatsoff: :thumbsup: :hatsoff:

 

[Capt. Jas.]

You cannot beat Jim Chambers. For quality, or service.

And a head start on good architecture.
:thumbsup:

 

[Tommy Bruce]

Another nod for Chambers! You might also check out Cabin Creek Muzzleloading. There choices are limited but the kits are top notch. Another place to check might be Dunlap Woodcrafts.

 

The one kit I've done so far is a Chambers at the urging of forum members here. It was a nice kit with excellent parts. The one downside to Chambers kits is I wanted an iron framed Lancaster and they told me there was never an iron mounted Lancaster so they didn't sell them. I understand HC, but I was aiming more for a turn of the century Appalachian type rifle based on the Lancaster. Trouble is I'm left handed. All that said it really was an excellent kit and came together nicely and shoots really well. I've got one coming from TOW and so far the components are nice, but still waiting on the Rice barrel and stock.

 

[DTCoffin]

Blademaker, my story is exactly like yours except I put my order in Feb of 2011 and got my stock in July or Aug and my barrel came in Sept or Oct.that's a bit much of a wait when they said expect 8-12 weeks..I've almost got everything set into place with ToW " kit".Not a bad kit but if there's another in my future it will be Chambers.

 

[Headhunter]

Tip Curtis will fix a man up in a heartbeat too.

HH

 

[Pete G]

Just as a side note;German Silver was not used until much later than the time period you are looking at. If you are going to the effort to recreate an historical piece you might as well follow tradition and use sand cast brass (which I much prefer over investment cast). Pecatonica usually supplies a better grade of wood than most others, so I get the stock and have them breech and inlet a barrel, then use the other suppliers, usually TOW for other parts, and build a few parts from scratch. Get a couple of books and do some research along the way also, and be aware that there is no such thing as building one rifle, you are building the first. There will be more.

 

[MJMarkey]

Something I forgot to mention. As far as brass castings go, some are soft brass and work well, some are bronze castings and are much harder and do not bend well at all (snap). I believe Chambers castings to be soft Brass, and Dave Keck's Castings are soft brass as well. I am not certain of any others but soft brass is yellow and bronze has a definit copper cast to it.

 

[Zonie]

Usually, a sand cast part will be soft brass.

Often, a investment or wax cast part will be hard bronze.

This isn't always true but it's worked out that way for me more often than I wished.

 

[kodiakmarine]

Hi Arie. I too am hoping to build a rifle later this year. I would most like to build a NC of the Salem school, but this would require buying parts from more than one supplier and might be too much of a project for me. I might do a Virginia instead.

I have been looking at kits from TVM and Jim Chambers. Another maker of kits that are particularly appealing is Jim Kline. He doesn't offer a Dickert but he does offer a Beck kit. His kits are high quality and have a lot of the difficult work done. They also are actual copies of surviving originals.

Good luck with your project. - John

 

[kodiakmarine]

I forgot to add the link www.jklongrifles.com

 

[Arie]

Well I just ordered a TVM iron Penn. this afternoon, I already know this will only be the first with more to come. So after getting my feet wet with this one from TVM, I'll probably try one from pecotonica.
Now I can't wait for it to get here (feel like a 6 year old a month before christmas)

 

[silly goose]

Please keep us posted, I'm currently on the list for a fowler, but have been considering having a go at doing it myself. There are a lot of talented guys on this board that share their expertise, and I love the posts of "first builds". Let us know. Thanks.

 

[MFordney]

You cannot beat Jim Chambers. For quality, or service.

This.

:hatsoff: