Problems with TVM fowler vent.

[Birdwatcher]

WOW Birdwatcher, If I would have made the two posts that you just made about a TVM gun I'd have been immediately crucified by the usual suspects. Lets see if they all pile on you.....

Oh manure, the house next door to us had a drive-by last summer... :shocked2:

How loony are these guys anyway?

 

[Mike Brooks]

How loony are these guys anyway?

They have their eyes closed and their hands over their ears for fear they'll learn anything. So, they're harmless and highly entertaining. :wink:

 

[gizamo]

How loony are these guys anyway?

They have their eyes closed and their hands over their ears for fear they'll learn anything. So, they're harmless and highly entertaining. :wink:

Mike,...

Is there a emoticon available that fans flames? :rotf:

 

[roundball]

There's this one that might work.....LOL

 

[Va.Manuf.06]

About the ramrod problems you have had, how is it that your ramrod "crumbled right below the brass tip before use"? What did you catch it on to cause it to crumble? What kind of wood was used for the rod?

 

[rich pierce]

I think all this has been covered pretty well. My gun-buying advice to folks:

1) Don't buy a gun you have to order or anything approaching a "one off" until you know what you really want, and can tell the difference between a $600 gun, a $1400 gun, and a $2000 gun that might seem to be basically similar.

2) Be an experienced shooter before you buy such a gun. You can learn how to shoot a flintlock using a factory gun, though you will have to unlearn some things later.

3) When possible, buy a gun already constructed, off the blanket or maker's rack, so what you get is what exactly you thought you were getting.

4) If you decide to have a gun built for you, have a written agreement between you and the builder outlining all the components and specs that are important to you. See enough examples of the builder's work to let that aspect speak for itself.

5) Have a plan for payment and receipt of the gun, with incentives or disincentives for late delivery. Obviously, forget this if you are working with a builder who will do their best work when left alone. Many builders won't and don't have to agree to such terms. With those builders, you know what you're getting into and you decide whether it is worth it, or not.

6) Work out any and all problems with the builder, not online somewhere. It diminishes everyone to do all this in public.

 

[Capt. Jas.]

I would add to beware of any internet opinions as they may not know what they think they know, even with a gun in hand. There is always a powerful lot of praise for some pretty poor execution on the net.

 

[rabjr]

Boy ain't that a sad fact... :shake:

 

[hanshi]

Hey, roundball. Ain't it good to finally learn that you and I only have garbage to shoot/hunt with? :shocked2:

 

[rich pierce]

For some folks a gun is a tool, a fun toy, and it just needs to look like a gun and work well. I'm like that with my cars. Other folks want something a little more special, and still others want a one-off custom car, maybe a restored antique. I have friends that are car nuts that wouldn't be seen dead driving what I'm happy driving. I don't take it personally at all. It works because I don't go to them and say, "Look at the awesome car I got!" I race mountain bikes. I know guys who think my bikes are manure even though they are worth 10x the price of a department store bike. It's fun beating those guys in races. From what I've seen, Roundball could select about any firearm he wanted and kill more deer in a week than most guys could in 5 seasons. I don't see a need to have other folks think yer stuff is great.

 

[jbrowngunmaker]

:hatsoff:

 

[Robby]

Ditto!
Robby

 

[tg]

From Hanshi
"Hey, roundball. Ain't it good to finally learn that you and I only have garbage to shoot/hunt with" I did not get thta at all about the guns you guys use the only point O have seen pressed home is that a more forthcommong explaination about what one is getting vs ones expectaions may be someything some builders may need to work on to avoid such posts as this, one cannot excpect a new buyer to ask about barrel taper and many common ML details and certainly not know about the PC/hC isssues associated with most of the different styles, I have seen many people mentuoned about how correct their gun were due to the fcat the their bulder told them so and often any forum of experienced gun students would find things to be quite to the contrary as the ever present alure of that market share has a strong hold over many vendors, often stronger than an accurate disclosure of what we know at this time about mnay issues about the original guns and those things we have accepted at this point as being correct or not so correct, basic honesty and integrity may cut the current sales a bit but would probably give a higher return in the long run, and greatly diffues much of the current confusion about the dreaded PC/HC factor, particularly amongst newcommers.I do not know how to put it any plainer or more simple and if I am wrong then I guess I have absolutely no understanding of the ML market and it's needs and wants and level of offerings vs what is being described, produced and sold as accurate reproductions, granted not everyone is interested in such a gun but all pertinent info need be presented in case someone may be, the best thing to do is put forth all the facts/details and let the customer use that which they find relevant to their needs, this is generaly recieved much better than smoke and mirrors.

" Work out any and all problems with the builder, not online somewhere. It diminishes everyone to do all this in public"

I totaly agree with this Rich ...up to a point and once this point has been crossed the gloves come off, and I have no particular builder in mind but some in this and other industries will put folks of untill the issue becomes public and thye must come forth and present whatever they have which sometimes is good and sometimes is not so good.

 

[Birdwatcher]

About the ramrod problems you have had, how is it that your ramrod "crumbled right below the brass tip before use"? What did you catch it on to cause it to crumble? What kind of wood was used for the rod?

Dunno, the rifle was leaned in a corner in a linen case, pulled out the rod and it was bent at the tip, it crumbled there when it touched it as if the grain was bad. Dunno the wood, (hickory or maple ??).

I use a couple of steel range rods at the range now, and a fberglass one for show installed at present. Got a couple of TOTW hickory rods now, bud gotta taper the ends before they fit in the channel.

Birdwatcher

 

[Birdwatcher]

6) Work out any and all problems with the builder, not online somewhere. It diminishes everyone to do all this in public.

No sir, what should be done is the exact same as would be done with any other product on the market. There exists entire forums on motorcycles, cars, binoculars, schools, anything you can think of. People learn mightily from these exchanges.

As to the merits of any particular argument, folks can judge for themselves.

Birdwatcher

 

[ApprenticeBuilder]

Whole heartedly agree with everything you stated in those last two posts, excellent advise across the board.

 

[aeatwood]

Wonder if it could have been that ramin stuff that TotW sells?

 

[Birdwatcher]

From what I've seen, Roundball could select about any firearm he wanted and kill more deer in a week than most guys could in 5 seasons. I don't see a need to have other folks think yer stuff is great.

My car has got to be WAY crappier'n your'n (heck, its a Saturn :haha: ), and my oft-dropped, oft-ridden cross-coutry KLR 650 turns 20 next year, the Specialized I commute to work on is about that old too (road bike style steel frame, 1" headset, elastomer forks :haha: )

Overall, this thread never was about caring what people think or telling someone else their stuff dont work.

Birdwatcher

 

[ApprenticeBuilder]

Overall, this thread never was about caring what people think or telling someone else their stuff dont work.

In all honesty this thread would have never happened if someone had not told you that your barrel was sposed to be tapered.

Or the other one, hell cant keep up with them anymore .

 

[Birdwatcher]

In all honesty this thread would have never happened if someone had not told you that your barrel was sposed to be tapered.

Yepper, its my fault for going where serious shooters gather :haha:

I got my first caplock (Navy Arms Zouave) in 1985, but this is my first flinter. I'll fess up that I had never picked up a fowler before my own until Friendship (stopped in four times now in the last two years) and Ti. Stack a pipe barrel fowler against a tapered one and its like night and day.

When selectng a builder, TVM was recommended on a board of serious reenactors (I'm not a serious reenactor, but name a book on history; I've probably read it).

Being as TVM was and is recommended as a fine outfit, I went with them, opted for the brass furniture version, a more generic style of brass sideplate, and a round-faced lock. These for a wider range of potential historical correctness (I live in Texas, but visit New York). Like with other folks, it had never occurred to me to ask if the barrels were tapered.

TVM sure as heck doesn't say anything. Even some folks who thought highly of TVM didn't know about the barrels.

Now, I've never said this issue is the end of the world. S--t happens, ya know?

Am I gonna put it out there so that OTHERS know to ask? OF COURSE I WILL.

How is this a bad thing?

Birdwatcher