New rifle choices HELP WANTED !!!

[BigCountry1]

i am in the market for a new muzzleloader. On one hand i can get a St Louis hawkens kits and build one. An id probably be happy with it. On the other hand i was thinking of getting. TVM flintlock built .50cal with either a 36 or 42in swamped barrel with all the works done to it. I know both rifles are totally and opposite ends of the spectrum. I have seen how accurate and and affordable traditons rifles can be. Does anyone here have any experience in owning or shooting. TVM ?  Does anyone have experience with high end rifles ? This topic is open for discussion to all who wanna join. What would be one of yalls dream guns

 

[BrownBear]

Does anyone here have any experience in owning or shooting. TVM ?  Does anyone have experience with high end rifles ?

A couple of my hunting pards have TVM's. There's a waiting period for them, but they're worth the wait. Compared to pure custom built, they're still pretty reasonably priced.

One guy's TVM is a 12 gauge (72 caliber) swap barrel flinter he had them put together. Came with 2 barrels, one smooth and the other rifled, and both are perfect fits in the stock. Rather than pins and fixed tangs, he had them put together with hooked breeches and wedges. They worked with him start to finish on it, and he has good reason to be proud of the results.

The other guy has a 58 caliber "Virginia" style flinter with the oversize mostly flat butt for recoil comfort, though I don't recollect the ferzact model. It has a 42" barrel, and it's a rip snorter of a game rifle with his usual charge of 140 grains of powder under a ball. Doesn't recoil painfully by any means, but it sure snot-slaps moose.

At a little over a couple large, I paid more than either of them for my own 45 caliber engraved Leman Squirrel Rifle with premium wood from the GRRW Collectors Association. I got what I wanted and was proud to pay for it, but I certainly paid.

Best thing of all, every one of those three guns shoot better than factory guns, and your sure don't think "factory" when you see them! 

 

[BigCountry1]

Yeah they have a 9mo waiting period. I dont live to far from TVM couple hours. I am gonna go there and look again at rifles. Maybe have my length of pull checked. If all thats happens then im gonna be lik PLZ take my money lol !!!

 

[Kentucky Colonel]

Get all of them...
Try them out...
Keep the one you like the best... 
Sell the others... 
:cheers:

I am partial to a rifle with a great story that can also be perfect for what 
I want to use it for.

 

[BigCountry1]

Thats pretty sound advise for sure. But i dont think my bank account would like it LOL !!! I wish i could own one of everything.

 

[Randy Johnson]

I had two TVM rifles, one a .36 southern rifle and one a .50 Virginia rifle. I have no complaints about either one, but they both had straight sided barrels and I really like swamped.
The .50 was replaced with a high end custom rifle, also a fifty, built by Ken Moors of North Carolina. The .36 was replaced by a .32 southern rifle assembled in the white by Jim Kibler from one of his kits.
Kibler offers two kits that are about as close to finished as you are going to find. The drawback in your case is that the southern rifle is not available over .45 due to the barrel profile. He now offers a earlier style that is available in bigger calibers.
If you have the skill to do the work (I don't) there are even more choices from Jedidiah Star, Jim Chambers, and Pecatonica. Chambers locks are top shelf and are also what Jim Kibler uses with his.
Another place for a finished rifle is Tip Curtis in Tennessee. He will be the most likely to have several choices on hand and his work is as good or maybe better than TVM. He is always at Friendship but I don't know if he ever sets up anywhere else.

 

[BigCountry1]

Thanks for the information Randy. I like a southern style rifle bc the ones ive seen have sleeker look to them. Kibler builds a fine rifle for sure !!!

 

[Randy Johnson]

I am a little over a month away from the start of my 50th year in muzzleloading. In that time I have owned more rifles and smoothbores than I can remember. None of them have been as slender and graceful as my Kibler rifle.

 

[BigCountry1]

One of his guns is for sure on my list. I handled one of his in .45cal. I agree it was indeed a graceful rifle. I wanna get one maybe in a squirrel rifle.

 

[BigAl52]

You might take a look at John Bergmann he is in Granville,Tn I have 2 of his rifles and cannot say enough good about him. He has a flicker site if you want to look at his work. He is also very reasonable. Al

 

[Buck Conner1]

Get all of them...
Try them out...
Keep the one you like the best... 
Sell the others... 
:cheers:

KC has a great rifle with a wonderful history and he uses it. That's the fun part of getting that special item and then use it, enjoy it and have fun.  :ttups:   :Red tup:

 

[Kentucky Colonel]

Get all of them...
Try them out...
Keep the one you like the best... 
Sell the others... 
:cheers:

KC has a great rifle with a wonderful history and he uses it. That's the fun part of getting that special item and then use it, enjoy it and have fun.  :ttups:   :Red tup:

I do, I really do. 8) Thanks to Buck and Carl

 

[Buck Conner1]

Get all of them...
Try them out...
Keep the one you like the best... 
Sell the others... 
:cheers:

KC has a great rifle with a wonderful history and he uses it. That's the fun part of getting that special item and then use it, enjoy it and have fun.  :ttups:   :Red tup:

I do, I really do. 8) Thanks to Buck and Carl.

:Red tup:

 

[BigCountry1]

I have an appointment June 8th at tvm to get fitted for a rifle and place a order. Then theres a 9mo waiting period no biggie though. I am also gonna purchase another rifle btw now and then. Trying to find somthing that catches my eye.

 

[JLBSparks]

TVM's business must have really picked up to have a 9mo waiting period. Coupla' years ago, I waited 2-3wks for my .58 Early Virginia.
Being a Connoisseur of Fine Procrastination, I haven't started it, yet.

    -Joe

 

[BigCountry1]

I build kit im sure wouldnt take them that long. I am having them completely build the rifle start to finish.

 

[Hanshi]

I, myself, want a Kibler SMR in .45.  I already have more than one flintlock from TVM, including a .50 chimera that is truly one of a kind.  Based on an early Lancaster but with late Lancaster hardware, York influences and a 12.5" lop.  It's basically a youth rifle with Rice "B" wgt X 38" rb barrel and a Chambers golden age flint lock.  And it's a featherweight!  This is a true woods hunting rifle.  

It will take over from my original go-to deer rifle a late Lancaster .45.

Tip Curtis also makes very a fine rifle as does, of course, Jim Kibler.

 

[BigCountry1]

Nice rifle !!!  I want a Kibler rifle also. I want a 32cal or 36 for squirrel hunting. Although i been considering a SMR in 45cal. Just for a conversation piece and if i were to ever to decide to go to a gathering. How accurate is your tvm .50cal

 

[Hanshi]

Their both very accurate and still surprise me on those accasions when I have a good day.  They're both TVMs and I did not order super grade maple for the .50; I just got one step up from plain.  Matt is really a great guy.  

The .50 has a Rice barrel, don't know what the .45 barrel is.  Both are capable of  one hole groups at 50 yds but I've never been able to do under 3.75" at 100.  My eyes are just so bad now it's difficult for me to see the front sight due to all the "floaters".  With my .36 TVM I've shot sub 1" groups at 50, also.  I've come to the conclusion that muzzleloaders are simply inherently accurate, unlike suppository rifles.  Also have a .45 kids rifle (I'm a pretty small guy) built By Mike Lange that I use as a target rifle.  It has a 15/16" X 26" heavy straight barrel & percussion lock.  I only have one of each calibe I own except for the .45; I have three of those.

 

[BigCountry1]

Sounds like you have some shooters !!!!  I am stil kinda new to all the traditional guns. But im learning fast. I really enjoy the guns and the history from the longhunter to moutain man era.