TVM - Tenn Valley ML - Question

[Micah Clark]

Does anyone know where TVM gets their stocks? I heard that Track of Wolf may get them from Pecatonica River . . . just wondered if TVM did too, as I was looking at the Pecatonica Catalogue and looked at their stocks today, at Friendship. . . (just not sure they have quite what I am looking for available in .32) but I liked their stocks. . had some decent curl in lower grades.

 

[Grizzly Adams]

They make their own stocks.

 

[Micah Clark]

OK thanks . . . seeing a lot of built ML's today, many (not most) with maple stocks with curl in the grain got me wondering what to expect from their basic maple. Heard there were 3 kinds of maple, sugar, red and another . . . also forget which stain the best. . and which cut the best with a chisel due to hardness. . took in a lot of info today at Friendship.

 

[frogwalking]

My good friend Frank bought a basic Tennessee rifle kit from TVM a year ago. His precarve was the lightest and softest maple stock wood I have ever seen. His stock did not have the ramrod hole drilled deeply, but hat a deep channel routed out beneath the barrel inlet. His precarve also had a thick rib between the bottom of the barrel channel and the ramrod groove. This makes for a slab sided and deep forend. I have shot one of Matt's finished rifles, and it shot fine.

 

[Micah Clark]

I won't make this a long thread. It can end after this. Do you know when TVM says "Siler Lock" is that a Jim Chambers lock or are there others who make a Siler? I thought it was a style of lock, but as I look it seems only Chambers makes them . . . which is perfectly OK, I think he make great locks. . just wondering, though I know it is a question for TVM.

 

[frogwalking]

Oh. One other thing. The curl is only one aspect of grading a stock blank. Its weight and thus strength and the grain direction , especially through the wrist, are more important.

I strongly suggest you choose to attach the barrel to the stock with dovetailed tennons rather than staples. It is easier to ruin a barrel drilling a staple hole too deep and you can learn to cut dovetails where they don't show before cutting sight dovetails.

 

[frogwalking]

It is my understanding that Matt buys Siler lock kits from Jim Chambers and someone in his shop assembles them. (Do ask Matt to verify this.) The two I have seen from his shop worked fine, but Jim may not guarantee them. So many people do this that I always buy locks from Chambers himself.

 

[Zonie]

Jim Chambers bought and owns Siler lock and his company builds and sells them.

They also sell flintlock and percussion "kits" that consist of all the lock castings, parts and screws which anyone can buy and assemble. (Some are well built and some, not so well built, depending on who did the assembly).

Pecatonica River drills the ramrod hole to full depth. TVM drills it about 3 inches deep and then mills out a channel thru the bottom of the barrel channel.

 

[Rifleman1776]

kit

That is what it is. Not completed. Your friend, and knowing his name, I assume he is a very bright person :grin: , will figure out that he can shape the stock anyway he wants and eliminate any perceived "slab siding".

 

[kopfjaeger]

kit

That is what it is. Not completed. Your friend, and knowing his name, I assume he is a very bright person :grin: , will figure out that he can shape the stock anyway he wants and eliminate any perceived "slab siding".

:thumbsup:

 

[hanshi]

Matt does indeed make trips to buy wood (not precarves) and carves his own stocks by hand from various grade planks. Being unschooled in the art of building rifles, I can't comment on approach "A" vs "B" but can say that the Siler locks on my TVM guns are simply great. They are as good as the three locks I bought directly from Chambers for three other guns.

TVM did replace frizzens on two of my locks - they worked fine but were (according to TVM) a bit softer than they like. The only unusable lock was a Chambers Colonial Va lock that was delivered with the cock broken off. I called Toni and she told me to send them the lock and she'd forward it to Chambers. Got a working lock back in a matter of days. I do have a pistol with a small Siler lock that required me to remove the fly (single trigger). Only time I ever had a fly interfere with a single trigger gun.

 

[Artificer]

I do have a pistol with a small Siler lock that required me to remove the fly (single trigger). Only time I ever had a fly interfere with a single trigger gun.

Was the "working" end of the fly too long or not shaped correctly?

Gus

 

[Micah Clark]

That's very helpful. If I order from TVM, do I request or choose how the barrel is attached? I am looking at a late lancaster, but as the price mounts up, I am reconsidering TVM somewhat. . my problem is that I want a 32. I may have to call Tip Curtis, He told me he has a lot of .32 barrels. Petaconica River is not sure they have any .32's. I saw their stocks in Friendship yesterday . . .but still looking at TVM because they seem to do the most work with their kits. I am not looking for a new hobby building rifles, just want an excellent squirrel rifle.

 

[Micah Clark]

I know for some reading this I am beating a dead horse . . . but I am really thinking out loud. . dropping $825 on a kit is a big deal, and a risk if I get a crappy stock . . . and if my wife reads this, I'm also screwed.

But I being a novice. . . here's where I am. TVM Late Lancaster, Left Hand - in .32 with large siler lock, davis double set triggers and Rice Barrel. Not sure if its 36 or 42 inch barrel yet that I go with. I assume its 13/16th's . . . Melanie at TVM just informed me that I have a $75 extra charge for .32. . which didn't float my boat. . . no patch box. . .

Anything struck you all as odd about this set up? Don't want a chunky gun . . . large Siler is my only option in LH, I think with TVM. I'd prefer a slightly smaller lock like a Dickert or Durs Egg from L&R on this gun, but I could be all wet on that thought. . and I think Chambers locks may be a bit better than L&R from the high praise I hear about Chambers locks.

TVM's big selling point with me is that their components are good and they do a lot more work on their kits than others, making it easier for a newbie like me. . wanting a high quality squirrel rifle (not a new hobby building guns or a historical re-enactment piece )

Thoughts?

 

[Critter Getter]

Did you stop and talk to Tip at Friendship when you were there? Good value for an excellent rifle. Pecatonica will do most everything as an extra for you with their kits......for a price of course. My kit from them was right at a grand but it had everything extra done to it that they would do ( and that is a lot) and it included a swamped barrel and an up charge for fancier wood. If money is a concern a production rifle from Pedersoli might be a good option. I was in your shoes last year and know what you are going through. Greg

 

[frogwalking]

He is indeed a bright person. However, when a precarve is made with a thick web, the ramrod hole is already drilled to match. (In this case, the first few inches is drilled.) Unless one plugged and re-drilled the ramrod hole, and filled the routed channel(under the barrel) to match, no, I don't think a normal builder could fix this issue. Many who are new to the sport don't realize there is a problem. After one has looked at hundreds of rifles, the problem becomes apparent.

 

[Micah Clark]

Thanks Greg . . Yes, money is a concern . . here's what bites. I picked up a Pedersoli Cub and Dixie and they fit me wonderfully . I really liked them in a lot of ways, but customs are quickly growing on me. Dixie has a kit for the Scout in flint in 32. . that would be perfect. . it cost less and has a walnut stock.

However, I am left handed, and they are not. I want a flinter. Not a real big deal . . . I have a Traditions Crockett . .I want a better squirrel rifle. I know Pedersoli is better and perhaps that one step right below a custom. But I have noticed they depreciate some. . and it seems that performance on a custom is 2nd to none. But the Pedersoli is VERY tempting and were it made in LH . . I'd be there.

(I like the Pedersoli Scout because it doesn't have a patchbox and shooting it LH I don't want a patch box in my face.)

Just not sure what to do. . . confident the pedersoli kit is doable . . but somewhat intimidated by custom kit. . but getting past that. . . problem is .32 is not very common or easy to get according to some builder supply folks.

Tip Curtis told me he has a bunch of Green Mountain barrels in .32. I should have talked to him some more yesterday at Friendship. May give him a call next week. . . I know what his in the whites cost, just wondering about what he might do on a kit and how much work he'd do. To be honest. when I asked him about a lancaster, he said he had like 20 styles . . . I just responded a late lancaster. I didn't want to say, umm . . . a late one like TVM makes. I didn't know enough to say "Oh a Beck Boys" or a "Dickert" when I can't tell many apart outside of a fusel and a southern. But all his built guns were 40 cal and up. . so I couldn't hold a .32 outside of one he had as a stock & barrel match.

 

[Blackbruin]

Use your squirrel gun that you have now and start saving up your money until you can have a competent builder or tip in the white etc... build you a nice one. Going cheap as possible can lead to issues, barring the fact you have never built one before can impact your return as well.

 

[Dewey]

Use your squirrel gun that you have now and start saving up your money until you can have a competent builder or tip in the white etc... build you a nice one. Going cheap as possible can lead to issues, barring the fact you have never built one before can impact your return as well.

I agree.

I really don't think you will be happy with anything less at this point.

 

[Micah Clark]

I really do like the Pedersoli . . . and I think it would work fine . . but I really don't want to be back here in 5 years hoping to sell it so I can raise and spend over $1,200 for a kit then.

I'd like to be one and done. . . with a .32 that will have nail driving accuracy, that I can hunt with for the next 20 yrs until I meet my maker.