TVM Builder’s kit

[Kyblackpowder]

Hello
Has anybody put a builders kit together from TVM ? If you have about how many hours did it take. and how does it ranked with chambers kits .

 

[Zonie]

All of the "kit" guns except perhaps for the Jim Kibler and "in the white" guns are just a box of rough parts and a roughed out wooden stock.
Although it is in working condition, the lock even needs a lot of work on it. Things like the butt plate and trigger guard are rough sand castings.

Because of this, you should figure on spending at least 100 hours to build a rifle from one of these kits. Most likely, you will actually end up spending over 170 hours on the build if you want it to look like a really nice gun.

 

[A Wyatt]

I think zonie is pretty spot on. I have built a couple from TVM parts sets and a couple from Chambers. Chambers parts and wood were better quality, but at a greater price. TVM parts were very serviceable, but more work to get to the end product. My first parts set was a TVM and I had it shootable in 50 hours roughly, and it shows. My last one was a Chambers and I had over 200 hours in it and that shows as well. If I can tomorrow I will post some pics of a couple. My biggest mistake in the beginning on the TVM was not having handled enough originals or quality built customs to know where they were supposed to be thin and how to make the lines flow. I ended with rifle that for a long time I was proud of, but was a bit thicker than it should have been. It shoots really well and the good news is I can always tear it down, put another 100 hours or so in it and finish it out properly. That will be some winter project.

 

[A Wyatt]

Sorry it took so long to get back. Here are two rifles built in similar styles , one from Chambers parts , the other from TVM parts. Both are b weight 38inch rice barrels. The TVM is a 40 , which was my earlier rifle and the Chambers is a 50. The biggest difference between the two is about 10 years of hand skills between and more knowledge in studying architecture and design. As you can see on my earlier gun it is somewhat clumsier and the lines do not flow as well. The biggest issue I see with it is how much wood I left around the lock and down the forearm. I do not feel I was rushing the build of the first one , I just had nothing to compare it to and not a lot of references to look at. Both rifles shoot beautifully though and I have shot some really nice deer and won many a match with the first one. I think next winter I will probably strip it down and refinish it as there is still enough room on it to pull out a trimmer more well designed rifle.

 

[Kansas Jake]

Both are nice A Wyatt, but I can see the difference. Thanks for sharing and giving a good explanation.

 

[Sidney Smith]

I'm in the same boat as A Wyatt. My first build was a TVM, and I as well didn't have anything to compare mine too, so I left more wood than probably was supposed to be there. But you know what, for a first build it turned out decent, and has accounted for two deer so far. I'm not in it to win contests or to be judged by somebody. If that was my intention Id have realized by now that I'm no craftsman and would have thrown in the towel. I'm just a guy in my basement building functional Flintlocks , having fun, and learning a few things along the way. My guns will never hold a candle to some of those beautys I've seen, and I'm ok with that.

For a kit gun produced by a novice in his basement, if it looks ok and shoots good and makes the builder proud, that's all that really counts.