TVM Early Virginia

[rice1817]

Gentlemen:

Saw an ad in Muzzleloader for the TVM early Virginia rifle kit. Swamped barrel, choice of barrel lengths, caliber up to .54.

My builder friend is willing to build it for me, but he prefers not to work with 90% inletted kits as he says "OFTEN TIMES PARTS DON'T LINE UP, ESPECIALLY THE POSITION OF THE LOCK AND TOUCH HOLE."

Is anyone familiar with the nature of these kits? Are they a true parts kit or will I be getting a 90 % inletted job? The price seems right, but I have learned that you get what you pay for. My friend is an experienced builder and prefers to work with Chambers kits. Is a Chambers kit worth the extra money?

Mark "La Longue Carabine" Rice

 

[Mike Brooks]

Is a Chambers kit worth the extra money?

Yep!

 

[Capt. Jas.]

Chambers kits are worth the difference plus.

 

[Slowpoke]

Is a Chambers kit worth the extra money?

It depends on how much you like/dislike your gunmaker friend. :rotf:

I hate kits but the lesser of the evils is a Chamber's kit.

 

[kentucky bucky]

If the TVM still uses the large Siler (Germanic) on the VA rifle, I would definitely go for the English styling on the Chamber's kit. It would actually look like a Early VA rifle. As my grandpa always said when going "whole hog", "Snake bit and gonna die anyway!"

:winking:

 

[jdixon]

Your friend is trying to tell you something. Those highly inletted kits often do not meet the standards of a capable gun builder. Once that wood is cut or inletted - wrong, you usually can't change it. Factory inletting will never rival that which the practiced hand can do. Spend a little extra and get him what he would prefer to build, I suspect you will be well satisfied with the end product.

 

[Packdog]

Mike Brooks has a nice looking Virginia kit he is selling. You might drop him a PM and check into it.
PD

 

[Capt. Jas.]

I second Packdog's suggestion. Here is a link to another thread on this board about the gun. It's quality.[url] http://www.muzzleloadingforum.com/fusionbb/showtopic.php?tid/195171/post/283085/#283085[/url]

 

[CrackStock]

If this is Garner's kit, the lock is not pre-inlet.

CS