Pecatonica kits?

[lakota]

I really want a flint lock baaaaad! And I would like to build it. I have fallen in love with the Tennesee Mountain Rifle like Pecatonica carries. How difficult are these kits? I have never built a muzzleloader, but some of the projects I have completed are converting a Ruger Black Hawk to a Bisley configuration and converting a post ban AK-47 to a pre-ban configuration(after ban expired!)So I have a little gun tinkering experience. I will have a gunsmith install the touch hole and mill out the dove tails for the sights. Other that those items how involved are these kits? Any books I should read before undertaking this? I envision this as a winter project that would not be ready to fire until next summer.
Thanks :thumbsup:

 

[Slash]

I haven't seen any of their kits, but Dixon's bok "The Art of Building the Pennsylvania Rifle" is a good book to have. It is an excellent place for a newbie to start. There are several more books and videos on the market that are also good. Dixon's seems to me to be one of the easiest to understand.
Good Luck,
Slash

 

Actually, drilling a touchhole and filing the slot for the sights are two of the easiest things about building a rifle. It just takes care. I have not put together a Pecatonica kit but I and a gunsmith friend have used them as a stock supplier and have been very happy with them. Most kits require some woodworking skills--final fitting and in some cases lock/trigger inletting, metal bending (the breech tang must be fit to the stock profile), hole drilling, wood and metal finishing, etc...you might want to read Dixon's book and the one by Peter Alexander and maybe the Shumway book on gunbuilding.

 

[CoyoteJoe]

My first build, near 40 years ago was a Pecatonica stock and the fact that they are still in business while many others have come and gone. I think that speaks well for the quality and price of their products.
As to difficulty of the build, it depends on which "kit" you're talking about. Some, like their M1803 Harpers Ferry are fully inlet for buttplate and all. They are pretty easy for anyone to assemble without problems. Other "kits" are more like a set of parts with a lot of work to put them all together and lots of places where a first time builder could go wrong.
I've found "The Gunsmith of Greenville County" to be an excellent book and I like the ring binder which allows one to keep it open on the bench without breaking the spine and losing pages.

 

[CoyoteJoe]

I might add, if you buy your barrel from Pecatonica they will install underlugs and cut sight dovetails for $5.00 each and will fit up the breech plug for $15.00, which is way less than a gunsmith or custom machine shop would charge.

 

[Vaino]

My elk rifle started as a Pecatonica half stock Hawken kit and has taken a few elk. A few hours into the kit and I noticed the lock inlet was mislocated, so went to their shop and they agreed and replaced the grade 4 stock w/ a grade 5 and I went merrily on my way...very satisfied w/ an outstanding piece of curly maple. Had no further problems w/ the build and would buy from them again......Fred

 

[lakota]

Is this a project that would be easily accomplished with common hand tools and a little patience?

I know I should probably start with a GPR kit for my fist build, but I already have two half stock rifles and I love to looks of the full stock Tennesee Mountain Rifle. :bow:

 

[Packdog]

Lakota,
You might want to consider an "In the White" kit. Along the lines of a GPR as far as work needed but you could still get a TN styled longrifle. I know Tip Curtis has a TN and so does TVM.
If you decide to order a parts kits like Pecatonica has then get a builders book like Dixon's or Alexander's. Either or both will save you the price of the book in mistakes. This website will be worth its weight in gold for you as well.

 

[CrackStock]

Do you mean this rifle?
[url] http://www.trackofthewolf.com...d=308&partNum=KIT-CLASSIC-TENN-13-40TO45-PERC[/url]

I have one -- it was my first fullstock kit. However, I would ask about a more correct lock. That Germanic could have been handed down and put into a gun, but it is not truly the right lock to have on those rifles. It was just available when this replica was developed; has not been updated and stands out in a bad way.

CS