TVM Base Prices

[Urban Coyote]

Maybe I'm just out of tune with what the market will bear but I just downloaded the Tennessee Valley Manufacturing price list and almost all finished models base price at $1,950. I own a few of their guns. I was never impressed with them for the price, just my opinion. I ordered two and bought a Leman flint in like new condition used.

What do some of you others think of their pricing?

 

[sussexmuzllodr]

Kiber has seemed to corner the market on quality and price point

 

[EC121]

Considering that even at wholesale the parts will cost around $900, a selling price for a finished piece between $1500 and $2000 isn't out of the question. They might get the wood a little cheaper, but the metal parts are costly. I still wouldn't buy one at any price. A finished Kibler is in the same price range.

 

[Eric Krewson]

I bought a second-hand Track Issac Haines kit for a bargain and ran the parts numbers through Track's on-line order form; I paid $650 for the kit shipped, the parts ran $1100 on the order form. Looked like a steal until I started building the kit and found out the pre-carve was so poorly done that it took me a year to make second rate shootable gun out of the kit.

Parts are out of sight now compared to what they were 5 years ago so I understand the prices charged for some guns now.

I went to a big rendezvous a couple of years ago, a surprising number of folks were carying TVM rifles and seemed to like them. Like any mass-produced product, they tend to be pretty generic, nothing special.

On the other hand, Kibler's are special, I owned a SMR and it was flawless.

 

[Tumbledown]

Well, they're all priced out of my market. Spending a couple of grand on something I would only shoot for fun a few times a year just isn't doable.

I'm willing to put sweat equity in with a kit, but waiting 1-3 YEARS for parts is absurd.

 

[Comfortably_Numb]

I could get all the parts in a week.

 

[Tumbledown]

I could get all the parts in a week.

It depends on the gun. For many generic styles, sure. But there are also a good many gun models where it takes forever to get the parts if they're not in stock.

 

[Comfortably_Numb]

It depends on the gun. For many generic styles, sure. But there are also a good many gun models where it takes forever to get the parts if they're not in stock.

Not having a problem.

 

[Tumbledown]

Not having a problem.

I'm not specifically referring to TVM. Plenty of people told of waiting years for parts from some suppliers. If you are able to get them in a week regardless of where, good for you.

 

[Spikebuck]

One of our former top contributors, Roundball, had a slew of TVMs all with highly figured stocks. When he decided to sell I bought a .40 cal from him. All of them were personally made by Matt Avance.

First, it was a very accurate rifle. It could shoot round ball or conicals very well. Roundball had the locks sent to a guy who apparently knew how to tune them. The one I got was unbelievably fast.

As far as aesthetics it was so-so. The nose cap was less than desirable in fit and epoxied on, so I had fun with that fix. The stock from the lock forward was slab sided because the web was so thick. TVM just routes out the ramrod channel, which I didn't like. They also tend to have a clunky cheek piece. Nice piece of stock wood, which helped.

Just my opinion, but I wouldn't pay two grand for a TVM, even if Kibler didn't exist.