ok, where do I start?

[Ppanepinto]

It has been a while sense I've been on, but I have been reading to post to catch up. I've got some books on order, and now I what to know where to start. I would like a .32 caliber kit to build, but I've never done this before. I thought I wanted a Sitting Fox Kit, but after reading the begainner's thread, I feel that may be something to try later on. Can anyone point me to a good begainner's kit? How are Dixie Gunwork's kits? Will this be my only kit? No, but I want to start off slow with a kit that for a lack of a better word easy to work on. Any help with what kits I should be looking at would be appreciated.

 

[Swtodd]

The Possible Shop has "Crockett rifle" kits. www.possibleshop.com

steve

 

You might check out Jim Chambers kits, so far I've been very satisfied with mine, all mistakes are mine alone. The one I ordered came with a stock that was carved very close to shape, even got a bit of cast off in the butt stock. One note is I should have moved the barrel back about an 1/8", wound up getting into the breach just a bit with the vent liner.

Jim Chambers kits came highly recomended to me, but it's the only kit I've every built.

I'd also suggest a good build video, it really helped me. http://www.flintlocks.com/rifles02.htm

 

[Dalekg6]

Hi,

Kit or not, read the gun building tutorial by Mike Brooks. There is a sticky about it in the beginning of this section. He does some fancy work well beyond what you probably would want to do on a first build but there are also a lot of basics there as far as how it all goes together and in what order. I've printed out most of it and keep it handy right along with my two gun building books.

 

[Vtsmoker]

What Toots said. Crockett rifle kit! Take it from me, the Sitting Fox kits are not for a beginner :grin:

 

[rich pierce]

I'd start with a Lyman GPR kit or the like to learn the basics. Chambers kits are great but expensive and it's easy to turn an $800 kit into a $400 gun. Start plain, no patchbox, no carving, etc. Next step is to learn how to sharpen your tools and then practice inletting a lock into a piece of firewood 2-3 times. I like to compare gunbuilding to playing a musical instrument. Lessons and practice usually help, before trying to play a whole complicated piece before an audience.