Northwest trade gun kit

[bender20]

Looking to buy a trade gun kit. Have done some research and in looking around have found quite a few options. I was wondering what you guys thought about the different kits and which ones are the best in your opinions. Was also wondering about the locks and which one is the best. Also seems like most of the kits use the same parts so are they pretty much the same thing minus the precarve stock or is one or two companies supplying all of the stocks. Thanks for the help.

 

[Stringbean]

Hello from a fellow Keystoner. I built a trade rifle a few years ago and didn't go with a kit. I pieced it together from parts at Track of the Wolf. I used a precarve stock and a double wedding ring Colerain .62 barrel. I used one of the Chambers English locks. I decided many projects ago that i would never build a gun using a lock other than one of Jim's. The barrel left a little to be desired as it was drilled off center. If I had it to do over I would have asked for a replacement barrel. I like to pick and choose my parts and a kit dosent give me the freedom to do that.
String

 

[bender20]

Thanks I was wondering about that. I'm trying to talk myself into putting together my own kit. Would love to use a chambers lock as well. Would you do anything different other than the barrel? And whose precarve did you use and where you happy with it?

 

[Stringbean]

I used Tracks fowler with fancy maple and a 5/8 barrel channel. I inlet the rest of the way by hand. It took me about three nights just to inlet the barrel but i enjoyed it. I think they get their stocks from Pecatonica River Supply and they are pretty good stocks. I also used a TC 1/28 flash hole liner in that gun but any more I use the White Lightning flash hole liners. I had that gun "jug choked" by Danny Caywood and it shoots a pretty good pattern. In fact i killed a spring gobbler a couple of springs ago with it. It will also shoot a patchedd round ball fairly well out to 50 yards.
String
https://www.trackofthewolf.com/Categories/PartDetail.aspx/894/1/STK-FW

 

[Trot]

The kit from track of the wolf makes a nice gun. Nothing wrong with the Davis lock it comes with, they make a darn good lock. I built one some years ago and went with the maple stock, walnut would be more correct so if I was to do it again I would probably go that route.

 

[chuck-ia]

I used the colonial virg. lock on mine, no regrets. flinch

 

[BigBoreBLR]

You need the explain kit.

Pretty inlet for lock and other parts, or roughed put stock with barrel inlet only.

Also, metal work like dovetail tenons etc....

 

[tenngun]

It took me about a hundred hours to do the Track kit. Mine is in plane maple and has no stamps. It should be walnut and the stamps were so important that were imitated by America and Belgium makers.
The breach has to be fitted, the side plate inlet ect. The dove tail and soildering has to be done. Lock mortise just requires a little cleaning. The fore stock is just square. The butt is well shaped and buttplate is pretty easy to fit. You get 1816 plans with it. Except for squaring the breach area my barrel just dropped in to the stock. It ain’t a North Star west: Curly repo, but it’s a good gun.

 

[coloradoclyde]

I wonder what ever happened to Matt or the business?

 

[tenngun]

I don’t know if any body bought it, they were the gold standard

 

[bender20]

What made them better than everyone else?

 

[Black Hand]

I wonder what ever happened to Matt or the business?

The last I saw, the business was for sale.

 

[Black Hand]

What made them better than everyone else?

Quality parts (molds were also made from originals), attention to detail, the personal touch and excellent customer service. Matt would spend hours on the phone with people who needed advise or help with his Trade Guns.

 

[bender20]

Ok so second best would be?

 

[Black Hand]

No idea - I got my Trade Gun kit from Matt.

 

[Cruzatte]

Looking to buy a trade gun kit. Have done some research and in looking around have found quite a few options. I was wondering what you guys thought about the different kits and which ones are the best in your opinions. Was also wondering about the locks and which one is the best. Also seems like most of the kits use the same parts so are they pretty much the same thing minus the precarve stock or is one or two companies supplying all of the stocks. Thanks for the help.

It all depends on how accurate a reproduction you want. Most of the locks I've seen aren't quite right in my observation. That said, I think the Caywood lock is one of the most closely reproduced locks to the old ones on some of the HBC guns pictured in The Northwest Gun by Charles E. Hanson Jr. On the other hand, a Caywood kit only comes in maple.

If an accurate reproduction is your goal, get a copy of the Hanson book.

 

[bender20]

Not overly concerned with historical accuracy I'm looking for more of a shooter but don't want to make something that isn't at least reasonably accurate. That being said not sure I want to build anything without a chambers lock. Seems like they are the best so why not.

 

[coloradoclyde]

Time to post this again.....

http://www.google.nl/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwiZlIGhn8zXAhWFtxoKHW_aAlkQFggqMAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Famericansocietyofarmscollectors.org%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2013%2F03%2FB014_Hanson.pdf&usg=AOvVaw1G_xKDnyl8McImvcfLdYT8

 

[coloradoclyde]

Not overly concerned with historical accuracy I'm looking for more of a shooter but don't want to make something that isn't at least reasonably accurate. That being said not sure I want to build anything without a chambers lock. Seems like they are the best so why not.

Maybe you could put a Chambers lock on a Remington 870...That should fit the bill.

 

[Wes/Tex]

Sometimes the choice should run on a decision firstly of which era you are wanting your trade gun to fit into...they were around for close to 124-150 years. This shows several modern made guns based on originals from several sources.
http://www.loseyfirearms.com/trade-guns.php