Working on a NSW gun right now. Drilling and tapping is really no big deal. You need the correct size drill (in the case of the NSW kit you'll need some numbered drills) and a tap/tap wrench. A little light household oil or gun oil will work as a cutting fluid. The taps can be purchased at Sears for less than $10. You can do the drilling with a hand drill but a drill press makes it easier.
You will also need to solder the barrel lugs onto the barrel and drill them for pins. Again, a fairly simple task--providing you have a handheld propane torch.
In all honesty though these are minor tasks and I've spent considerably more time fitting the barrel, tang, and lock than I did with the tang bolt/barrel pins.
Its coming along nicely and the gun kit is VERY well done and very historically accurate.
Matt's barrel profiles are unigue and accurate. Very different than what you will get in a standard fowler kit. Also, the lock Matt makes is superb and ready to go out of the box. I plan to leave mine shiney exactly as it came from NSW and exactly as the originals were.
Buy with confidence but realize its not simply a kit you screw together. You will also have to drill and tap the lock bolts.
If this seems beyond your skill level consider letting Matt build you a gun "in the white" and you can finish it yourself.
He's great to deal with either way.
