Now what?

[Gvilleddie]

I just finished a Traditions Woodland Rifle Kit and I’m pretty satisfied with the results. I also built a CVA Kentucky kit many years ago. I’ve learned some basics like browning and rust bluing but I think I’m ready for a more advanced kit where I can do some inletting / mortifying. I’m not confident enough to start from a stock blank. Any suggestions? Thx, E..

 

[tenngun]

Track kit, best without a lock mortise already cut. That way you can adjust lock placement as needed

 

[Sidney Smith]

Track of the Wolf, Jim Chambers, Kibler, etc. Or do like I did last time and decide what type you want to build then buy the parts piecemeal as needed.

With the internet its easy to assemble all the necessary parts you will need to complete a gun. All youre getting with a ready furnished kit is the convenience of having someone else putting all the parts in the box for you. I enjoy hunting for parts as much as the actual build.

 

[user 34300]

Do whatever Kibler you like best. Don't balk a the price, they are a bargain for what you get. From assembling one you will see and feel what an outstanding long rifle is supposed to be. You will also learn how these rifle are supposed to be constructed. That will help you do a good job on other projects in the future. Starting with an ordinary parts set and going in blind will probably have a suboptimal result.

 

[Gary Whiteman]

Have done both TOW kit(.45 Dickert) and just finishing a .50 Kibler, much more work in a Track kit if thats what your looking for. Lots more stock shaping and cleaning up brass castings, inletting on a TOW.

 

[Sidney Smith]

Do whatever Kibler you like best. Don't balk a the price, they are a bargain for what you get. From assembling one you will see and feel what an outstanding long rifle is supposed to be. You will also learn how these rifle are supposed to be constructed. That will help you do a good job on other projects in the future. Starting with an ordinary parts set and going in blind will probably have a suboptimal result.

I dont agree. I started out with a TVM kit gun that required a decent amount of work. And while my first attemp wont win any awards, it taught me a lot about the building process. It turned out much better than I even thought. The OP has said hes put together a few kits. Having him get a Kibler,while a much better quality kit, will only perpetuate another easy to assemble rifle. Wheres the learning on that. Time for him to get his feet deeper into the mud.

 

[Spikebuck]

I dont agree. I started out with a TVM kit gun that required a decent amount of work. And while my first attemp wont win any awards, it taught me a lot about the building process. It turned out much better than I even thought. The OP has said hes put together a few kits. Having him get a Kibler,while a much better quality kit, will only perpetuate another easy to assemble rifle. Wheres the learning on that. Time for him to get his feet deeper into the mud.

While I don't entirely disagree, the "learning" in the Kibler would be what proper architecture actually is. I don't think one learns too much about proper architecture from CVA or Traditions kits. I do agree it's not going to teach much, if anything, about inletting parts or shaping.

Chambers kits (except for the Little Fella kit, which I'd never recommend for a 1st timer) are probably one of the better blends of starting with something that has the basics of good architecture there, but still requires some inletting, shaping, etc. In addition, you are pretty well assured of a quality lock (not that it doesn't take some work).

Track of the Wolf's kits can vary quite a bit in difficulty depending on which is chosen. They are good kits, but for best results, the builder should study the correct architecture for what they are buying so they know how to properly do the kit build. Also, I've found that many of the kits have L&R locks and triggers which take an immense amount of work to get to a well performing status. Once done, the L&R's are just fine, but I've spent a week just on the lock. This is another reason to try to get a kit without the lock inlet already there. Minimal limit to getting the lock you might really want.

Kibler, Chambers, and ToTW kits are the only ones I've built, so cannot comment on others. I will say, however, that if one wants to really choose how much challenge they want, don't overlook Knob Mountain Muzzleloading/David Keck. You can have them provide anything from a blank, to just the barrel channel and ramrod hole done to even more. You can get your barrel (if something you want is not what they have) and have it sent to them and inlet, etc. Probably one of the more flexible places to work with if you have any special desires as to what you want to do vs the kit provider.

 

[ord sgt]

I started my journey into muzzle loading firearms with a T/C Hawken kit. Got curious and a bit adventurous, deciding to build a flintlock. The only guide I had was from Chuck Dixon and his book. Bare minimum inletting of the stock, barrel channel and ramrod hole were done. I had to inlet the lock and all of the furniture. It took over 6 months to build. It isn't the best looking piece but it works. That was the first real build, followed by others since then.

 

[Crow-Feather]

I just finished a Traditions Woodland Rifle Kit and I’m pretty satisfied with the results. I also built a CVA Kentucky kit many years ago. I’ve learned some basics like browning and rust bluing but I think I’m ready for a more advanced kit where I can do some inletting / mortifying. I’m not confident enough to start from a stock blank. Any suggestions? Thx, E..

It sounds like you might want to look at the Pecatonica Kits.

 

[user 34300]

Kibler and Chambers are outliers.

All the others are parts set bundlers. None of them "make a kit". You get the same thing from all of them. A very few suppliers of stocks, locks, brass, and such make all of it. Debating that one or the other parts bundler is better is pointless.

Traditions is their own thing. CVA and TC are out of business.

 

[billraby]

Believe it or not, building from a blank is actually easier than working for one of the pre-carve stock kits.

 

[user 34300]

I agree with Bill. About half the time the pre carved stock is messed up. I got two bad ones in a row from a respected vendor. I gave up and built from a plank. I find it easier to build a square gun then shape it after the various parts are installed. Removing the excess wood goes fast if you have the right tools.

 

[Sidney Smith]

It sounds like you might want to look at the Pecatonica Kits.

My latest build, a.32 caliber squirrel gun based on an Andrew Verner styled stock was built using a Pecatonica river stock. I had them do the barrel channel and ramrod hole and thats it. It was challenging but also very satisfying when I pulled the trigger and it went Bang!.

 

[Eric Krewson]

I built two plank builds before I tried a precarve, Bill is right, a blank with the barrel inletted and ramrod groove done by an expert before you start is a much easier way to go than from any precarve kit except a Kibler. I have never done a Chambers kit so I don't know where they fall in the mix.

The really good builders don't like TOW plans but not being a thread counter when it comes to a build I like to use them as reference for a plank build like the one below. Fred Miller inlet the barrel and drilled the ramrod hole on my plank.

 

[SOLANCO]

Cabin Creek Muzzleloading builds beautiful rifles. They also offer semi custom kits. But I expect you'd have a wait.

 

[billraby]

Inletting a barrel and drilling a ramrod hole is not nearly as hard as everyone seems to think it is.

 

[Gvilleddie]

Thx for all of the great input. I’m 70 years old. Maybe too old to start a new hobby but I sure do enjoy woodworking with hand tools. Might just concentrate on shooting what I have.

 

[Loyalist Dave]

Thx for all of the great input. I’m 70 years old. Maybe too old to start a new hobby but I sure do enjoy woodworking with hand tools. Might just concentrate on shooting what I have.

Nothing wrong with that....

You could always ask Cabin Creek Muzzleloading, or TVM, or Mr. Kibler if they can do a rifle for you partially-in-the-white.

Usually, "in-the-white" is a fully assembled rifle in an unfinished stock. (Like a Perdersoli "kit" so to speak.) You have to remove the hardware and polish it, and you have to finish the stock and add carving if you want that. "Partially" in-the-white means that you ask for the kit from a company, with a little bit done by them. So you get the barrel inlet, BUT you put the lock and trigger in yourself, and install the hardware and experience the angst of drilling the pin holes for the ramrod thimbles (personal experience LOL) . Some folks do this with a pre-carved stock where the lock mortise is partially cut and they finish the inletting job, and some do all the inletting of the lock as the precarved stock they chose has had nothing done for the lock mortise even though the barrel is in place. So the amount of work and time that you need to put in will be more toward where your skills are right now, with less room for error. You have fun and save some money and get to learn as well.

LD

 

[Col. Batguano]

Key to building a slim looking LR is web thickness. Shoot for 1/16" at the breech and 5/32" at the muzzle. Most inletters will send them to you with 1/4" webs in both places, which makes it hard to achieve slim proportions, particularly if you are using a 3/8" RR.

 

[Gvilleddie]

What is LR and RR? I’ve got a lot to learn..