Which would you buy?

[charcloth]

Hello all,

I am currently exploring the idea of building an "Issac Haines" rifle in .54. I am looking at kits from Chambers and Dunlap. If any of you have completed either of these or both I'd really appreciate hearing from you. In addition if you know of any better kits I'd like to hear about those as well. I am fairly well experienced having done several scratch builds, I am more concerned with quality of the components and wood.

Charcloth.

 

[Slowpoke]

Char,
Since you know what you're doing, having built a few scratch built guns, you know that you're gonna have to take off a lot of wood not mater which kit you buy. I believe Chamber's Haynes kit is superior in quality and the amount of work you will have to do. I have never put one together from start to finish but I have save a couple from the burn barrel. :winking: Chambers's would be my first choice...

SP

 

[Flintandsteel]

I've put together both.

Both are excellent quality kits.
With Chambers, you'll pay a little more, but have to finish a little less. But you will get soft yellow brass furniture.
With Dunlap, a little better wood for the money, but investment cast furniture.
As time goes on, I suggest Chambers. They are quality, but again, if wood is the main thing, and you don't mind doing a little extra shaping, Dunlap. :youcrazy:

 

[Packdog]

The Dunlap kit is nice but be sure to use the hardware he sells. The inlets are cut for the parts he sells.
I second Smallpatch's recomendations. Both make top quality kits.
PD

 

[chipper]

I just finished a chambers .50 cal Isaic haynes. It's a joy to shoot. It has a rice barrel.

My complaints..
The ramrod channel was drilled goofy. The ramrod goes into the stock and winds up touching the lock. I would simply check that when the gun arrives. I'm sure you could send it back.

The brass butt piece is cast, of course, and I filed on that thing forever and ever, trying to remove air bubbles. I filed so much, it changed the look of the butt piece. Again, I don't see why you couldn't refuse a bad piece and send it back for replacement.

The lock needed a bit of tuning, my first outing, it shot 5 times and siezed up. Again, that's straight out of the box. My gun smith buddy did some work on it and it's never missfired since.
At 20 yards, I can pretty much overlap the balls every shot if I'm concentrating.
It's a real shooter.

None of the stuff I mentioned would be considered "out of the ordinary" if you ask me. All in all, I love the gun and I would surely buy another.

Regards and good luck

 

Here is another guy you may want to look at..James Klein, He is out of Mich. No web site..Phone 269-729-4407. You folks that went to Kalamazoo last weekend saw him there...He sells kits, in the white and finished guns. Good stuff,good prices...Just some more food for thought..