Any Gun Builders Here?

[Dan Chamberlain]

I'm thinking about the Track of the Wolf English Fowler kit.  It's supposed to be their easiest kit.  Having never tapped anything, I'm looking for some technical advice.

Thanks

Dan

[forest2]

Before you buy the "kit" buy the book, "The Art of Building the Pennsylvania Longrifle" by Ehrg, Miller and Dixon. 25$ now will save you 100's later!

[Dan Chamberlain]

Thank you.

Dan

[captchee]

 I would say that a north west gun would be easier.
 Some things also to remembers .
1) purchase  one of the building books . Myself I like  Recreating the American longrifle By Shumway  . While its an older book it has all that you will need .
 Many folks  are recommending  for those starting out in building   The Gunsmith of Grenville County .
 They say its alittle more self explanatory as it has color photos and such  . However I myself learned to build long ago using  shumways book .

2) these kits are not production kits .  These are builders kits and even though they sell them as pre-inlet , they are not  finish inlet . You will still need to finish inletting the barrel, lock trigger guards, side plates , drill and tap for all bolts and screws . Solder on  barrel lugs   front sights  or in the case of many rifles cut dove tails .
 So you may  want to pay to have the barrel lugs done .
3) there is  even in a pre carved  stock , a lot of  wood to be removed  before you can  get to the finishing as well .

 My best advice to you is before  you purchase the rifle , buy the book . Read through it  a couple times .  Before tackling your rifle.
Also if you chose to purchase through track of the wolf , have them confirm that ALL  again I said   CONFERM that      ” ALL”      your  parts are in stock ..
 Nothing is more infuriating then  to open the box and find the stock  or barrel missing with a back order note  saying sorry for your luck . Then only to find when you call for a delivery date that they don’t have one  or worse have them give you one  only to find that  it keeps getting pushed back .

Track sells a fair product  but over the last few years I have stopped purchasing kits from them because of  that very problem ..
 Basicly what I order from Tow is just parts  IE locks , bolts  some brass  and such .
 I would also say  don’t fall for their 250 to 300 dollar  stocks . You can get  better grades cheaper through pecatonica river .

 I would also recommend that you join one of the forums that have a  section dedicated to specifically traditional muzzleloader  research and building

 I would recommend  either the
Traditional Muzzleloading Association
www.traditionalmuzzleloadingassociation.com
OR
The American long rifles .com
http://www.americanlongrifles.com.

 Both have very good quality builders forums with high volumes of traffic with folks that are willing to help you  when you get stuck  or just need an answer to something .

  Personally , the TMA is more down to earth  , with folks willing to walk you through  step by step  or answer the same questions  again and again without advising one to do a search of their data base .
but there is no  doubt of the quality of builder on the American long rifle site either. Some pretty well know folks over there   

 Above all remember have fun , don’t rush  and you will end up with a piece you will  treasure 

[flintlock]

Did you have any specific questions...You mentioned that you have never tapped, are you talking about tapping screw holes in the lock and trigger plate???

I don't make my money building, but I have built a few flintlocks through the years, if you have specific questions, ask them here....

[captchee]

Did you have any specific questions...You mentioned that you have never tapped, are you talking about tapping screw holes in the lock and trigger plate???

I don't make my money building, but I have built a few flintlocks through the years, if you have specific questions, ask them here....

Let me clarify  flintlock
 I wasn’t getting that this wasn’t a good forum  or that there wasn’t qualified people here  or that you must be a professional builder to  be said qualified .
 Some of the  most wonderful rifles I have ever seen have been made by folks who have never sold  or  build on request .

 My point is that  sometimes this forum can be slow in reply  and low on traffic.  The ones I listed above are not  and will most times yield a reply either within minutes or  in maybe a short hour .

Also things like engraving , carving , trigger tuning , lock tuning  all are things that   a more specialized location may be able to  answer .

So please don’t take my post as down trading Gray beards . It was not meant to be that way .
I was only  providing  this person with what In my mind would be the best possible places to  provide the best possible out come  to his investment

[flintlock]

Cap...I wasn't thinking along those lines at all, I really meant that if the guy had any specific questions then maybe one of us could help...

I also visit other forums and another good one is www.muzzleloadingforum.com

I built my first without any builders books, just used Shumways Colonial Rifles book...I later acquired
Hershal House's original workbook and tape and a couple of years ago bought The Gumsmith of Granville County....

I would encourage anyone interested in traditional muzzleloaders to build at least one gun, it is a very relaxing hobby and the gun can be as fancy or as plain as you want...It took me two years to complete my first, but it wasn't a kit gun, the barrel had been inlet and the ramrod hole drilled and that was it...I did everything else with hand tools, I already had a .45 and wanted a .54 but couldn't justify paying a builder...I still use the gun and it works great...

[forest2]

My point is that  sometimes this forum can be slow in reply  and low on traffic.  The ones I listed above are not  and will most times yield a reply either within minutes or  in maybe a short hour .

 And that's a good point. TY captchee. Sometimes a person just needs a little information so they can decide for themselves what they want.

 Discussions and disections of a simple query on an hourly basis can be overwellming. And just like this, the topic is lost, it changes to ?? A topic of who knows best about another topic?
 piffle, some advise to all about traditional stuff, turn your computer off, go outside. It's summer.

I'll read this thread again. But I'll not respond. too many guy's trying to sell other stuff. again Dan Chamberlin,read some here, go to the other sites read there, go to your public library,,it's free,
 best wishes to all.

[Dan Chamberlain]

Thanks for all the replies. 

I go the the traditional muzzleloading forum every day.  I have found that it's difficult to ask this question there as the first thing I get is lectures on what is historically authentic/accurate and will be accepted by my "muzzleloading" peers.  There are one or two who accept the fact not everyone wants to dress up like the son of John Smith and eat with pewter table ware in front of a canvas tent in 98 degree temperatures.  I'm not dogging those who do, but I'm into guns, not role playing. 

I understand that the kits are not snap together.  I've don a significant amount of stock inletting and wood/metal fitting.  It's tedious but I enjoy it.  I've also done a significant amount of metal work like cutting dovetails with files, but I've never had to drill and tap holes on tangs and trigger plates or sideplates and lock plates and while screwing up a trigger plate would tick me off, screwing up a lock plate would just about turn me inside out!

The truth is, that's the only part of the whole endeavor that I fear.  Any further advice?

Dan

[captchee]

 no dan not the traditional muzzleloading forum

 you want to go the the Traditional muzzle loading association
 you will find that it is nothing like the one you been going to.
 the Traditional muzzle loading association  has also a public forum .

 the forum you have been going to is not associated with us in any way


www.traditionalmuzzleloadingassociation.com

  you need to set you up alignmentent jig . this jig is set to the tip of your drill . with this jig  you know where your drill well come out.

take a look at the TMA  you WILL get help there . evrything in muzzleloaders is is aloud but  modern muzzleloading 

[flintlock]

Drilling and tapping is not a big deal, just make sure you use the right sized drill bit...I don't worry about screwing something up, I did enough of that as a teenager, working for my dad as a mechanic that I realize that everything can be fixed...A new lock plate doesn't cost that much, or you can just drill the hole the next size up and use a over sized screw....

I would go down to Lowe's hardware and buy some cheap steel plates and just practice with them...to get the holes lined up perfectly you need the drill press, jigs, etc...I just drill and tap by hand and it seems to turn out OK...

btw...I'm over at the Traditional Muzzle Loading as well...handle over there is nchawkeye...I don't worry about those types, let them pound their chests...I've got better things to do...