[rivitir]

While working on my Mauser I've been itching to try my hand at building a Kentucky long rifle. I know there are kits available, are any of them good?

http://www.airbum.co...ainesPart1.html

[Paul S]

The last rifle I built was from Pecatonica Longrifle. They have great stuff and you can get em as close to finished as you want. I built my wife a Vincent Ohio rifle and it turned out beautiful. They have a good web site :


http://www.longrifle...com/index/shtml

[Paul S]

Link didnt work ;) so just google it and you should find it easy

[Dr.Hess]

I am reminded of a chapter in one of the Foxfire books on building your own rifle from scratch. It starts out with "find some red dirt" and goes on from there. Pretty amazing, really, but that might be a tad more DIY than you were looking for.

[rivitir]

Paul S, on 12 July 2010 - 12:45 AM, said:

The last rifle I built was from Pecatonica Longrifle. They have great stuff and you can get em as close to finished as you want. I built my wife a Vincent Ohio rifle and it turned out beautiful. They have a good web site :


http://www.longrifle...com/index/shtml

They definitely have some pretty awesome looking muzzle loaders. I was thinking of starting a little cheaper though. From the looks of things their kits start at almost $500 and go up. Hard for me to swallow since this will be my first muzzle loader project, I'm to afraid I would ruin it.
What about the Traditions kits for $260? Are they any good for someone just starting out?

[AzRednek]

Rivitar the cheapie kits are just fine especially if you're a rookie. Years ago I saw what a jeweler could do with a cheapie CVA brand kit. The jeweler a Korean War Vet had no interest in guns, shooting or as he said "killing". He was given the kit as a gift and assembled it as a show piece to show off his skills. The barrel and most parts were highly polished and black nickeled (or chromed) and the brass items were gold plated. He traded labor with a furniture restorer that did the stock and built a mounting plate. The stock and mounting looked like it had been cut from the same tree and matched perfectly. The assembled kit was a beautiful piece of art only men could appreciate.

Shortly after seeing it I bought two CVA kits. I assembled the Philadelphia Derringer kit but quickly lost interest. I never even started the rifle and wound up horse trading it away. I suggest something simple to start with. If the project turns out ok and sparks an interest in your mind. You will likely find yourself hooked into another hobby. Then you might consider one of the higher priced kits and you will have some practice and lessons learned from the school of hard knox.

[e3mt]

I built a Thompson-Center Hawken kit as my 8th grade shop class project. Carried it to school on the bus and everything. Try that now. And I'm not that old!

Just poked around and does not appear T-C makes a kit any longer. My father saw a T-C kit on Gunbroker a while back, but I was not interested. Might keep you eyes peeled there or other sites. Mine was a quality kit and I have the rifle to this day.

[sonic1]

here are some,,,,,, but pricy

http://www.dixiegunw...Path=22_162_193

[Paul S]

Pecatonica and dixie gun works have a lot of seconds material that is discounted. If you call em and tell em you want a stripped down inexpensive kit they may not be much more than most factory kits. Not to mention you would have much better parts. The trick if you have never done it is get a step by step book. Both of these companies have such books. But they may still be a lot more. I definitly understand budgets these days :( The guys at Pecatonica are really nice and helpfull. I dont think they would mind giving you some ideas at all.

Good luck!!! I love taking white tail with a rifle I have built

[FC]

I took on a harder kit, but gave up and farmed it out to an expert. Simple kits should be fine.