I picked up a North Star West Trade Gun kit from Dixie Gun Works when I was visiting Union City on business this week. I made this decision after researching the gun for some time and looking at kits from various sources and a half dozen completed guns made from various kits in Dixie's used and antique arms racks.
First thing I noticed is the North Star West stock is the most accurate to the real thing. Its a walnut stock--as were the originals. There are no known surviving specimens in maple or any other wood. Some other kits give you the option of Walnut for a significant coast upgrade--but they all come with maple wood as standard. The NSW kit also comes with a stock with a length of pull of 15"--obviously you will want to cut this down some but its nice to have the option. Lastly, the lines seem very close to the originals I have studied. Most of the kits have way too much wood in the wrist and forend...which is really no big deal if you understand this and can use a rasp. Still...no reason to put that much timber on there if you are going to go to the trouble to use a stock duplicator in the first place. Its not as fully inlet as other kits. For example the lock mortise is only about 75% done. But the HARD work is done and this allows you to focus on the fine fitting of parts. Some of the kits I've assembled from other makers often suffer from being "over-inletted" meaning a close fit is impossible because the stock duplicator cut the mortises too big. No problem here...and its a nicely figured piece of walnut free of knots too!
Next, the lock is a super copy and VERY nicely made reproduction. Nobody else offers a direct copy of an original Trade Lock. The lock comes with outline engravings and the correct sitting fox logo that came on original Barnett English trade guns. NSW locks are custom cast for them and assembled and tuned in house. They temper their own springs and harden their own
[url] fizzens...again[/url], I was VERY impressed with the lock. The thing I really like about it is it comes ready to go--no rough finish to polish--and more importantly the lock looks like an authentic handmade 18th century flintlock--not a cookie cutter precision casting with a bead blasted finish like you get with L&R or Siler, or Davis--and that's not a dig on their superb locks either. I can't say enough good things about the NSW lock.
Matt gets his barrel blanks from Longhammock barrels and contours and breeches them in house. The countours are taken directly from a Barnett gun. Most everyone else uses a generic "fowler" barrel which, while not a bad choice, lacks the unique countors of the original Trade Gun
[url] barrels...again[/url], Matt's barrels are as good as it gets. Also his barrels are marked with the sitting fox logo and "LONDON" which again, is correct for this type of gun.
Every part is correct. I can't wait to get this gun together... Its one of the best, most period correct gun kits I've ever seen.
