Is this rifle maker any good??

I have been looking for a reasonably priced American made fullstocked flintlock rifle for some time now.
Kind of like looking for the holy grail I guess. Anyway I found this company on the web
Tennesseevalleymanufactoring.
They are out of Mississippi they have nice poor boy kits and finished rilfes for a reasonable price. I am interested in buying either the kit or one of the finsihed Poor boys, but have gotten gun shy about buying stuff on the web.
i have been burned more then once.
Have any of you bought a rifle kit/finished weapon from these people and if so what is your impression of them?

TVM has a good reputation for quality work, and use quality parts at a reasonable price.
Check around this site and you'll find lots of TVM info, and many happy customers.

YMHS
rollingb

I stopped in a muzzleloading shop Thursday & asked if he had any squirrel rifles. The man handed me a TVM. What a beautiful rifle! If the price tag wasn't so high, I would have been taking it home with me. I just can't justify $800 for a squirrel gun.

$800 is a cheap price to pay for a good gun. Think of what you spend on your new pick-up truck, drive it for three or four years and trade it in. Go back and take that Squirrely rifle home.

Having a custom rifle maker make you exactly what you want for $1200 or so is a good investment. Most will take payments which will go very fast, while they are building the gun. You will probably enjoy that rifle for the rest of your life, and then pass it on to your children who will do the same.

If reasonably priced means prices close to the mass produced, over seas factory offerings...that makes it hard to find a truly good quality rifle. (nothing wrong with the factory rifles...for their price)

$800 is chicken-scratch for a good rifle, and $800-$1000 is MORE than resonable for a QUALITY rifle. Trying to save a couple hundred bucks can really back-fire and cost much more.

Don't ask me how I learned all this the hard way.

:shake:

I'm telling you from the heart, if you are thinking in terms of spending $600, take that and save some more until you have around $800-$900 to play with, and you will be very glad in the long run that you did.

Rat

Well said Rat. I might also add that by carefully choosing the builder, the value of my custom built rifles/smoothbores has doubled and tripled over the years as well as providing me with quality equiptment.

By the way, I think that everything I've heard about TVA has been good.

From personal experience, I would either get a finished rifle, or one "in the white". Do not get a kit unless you really are a somewhat experienced builder. Sometimes the "kits" are actually just "parts".

Don't ask me how I know that either.

:curse:

And again, don't pass on a feature or option you would like in order to save a measly $100 or so.

Rat

I am the proud owner of a tvm early virginia and i absolutely love it.The parts and workmanship are well worth the money and it shoots great too.I think the only thing i found wrong with the rifle was the wait to get it 10mos but great things come to those who wait! The wait disturbed me so much i had to order another gun [a fowler] from them.This time the wait will be much easier!

Which TVM are we talking about? There's the Tennessee Valley Muzzleloading company run by the Avances, and then there's Tennessee Valley Manufacturing run by Jack Garner. I could be very wrong, but as I understand it Mr. Garner used to work with Mr. Avance, then struck out on his own.

I can't speak for Jack Garner's work, but I have a custom "Virginia" rifle by Matt Avance of Tennessee Valley Muzzleloading, and I couldn't ask for a much better rifle. Since I don't have the skill I wanted a good riflesmith to custom make a rifle for me, and Matt did it good. I also had a long wait (a year), but it was worth it. Out of 480 rounds it has never hang-fired or failed to flash unless it was time to knap the flint, and I've had seven flashes in the pan (yeah, I count 'em) and they were my fault. It fires in the rain, it fires upside down (just wanted to test it), it fires all the time. I'm not the best shot in the world, but that's me, not the rifle.

Here's some pics. My boy would rather have a guitar in his hands, but he graciously consented to prop up the rifle for the photo.

Regards,
Greg

i have a TVM fowler that is an awesome piece of work. great wood to metal finish and great lock time. i highly reccomend TVM!!! also Tim Brown is another fine rifle maker. i have a 45. longrifle made by him that is a real tack driver.

oldarmy
Other than a couple in the white type TC kits, the first rifle I built was from TVM. Great people to do business with. Good folk!

Actually, Jack Garner & Ernie Tidwell left DGW to open TVA in Union City, Tenn. Jack later moved to Corinth, Miss. and the company later changed their name to TVM. Matt Avance bought out Jack a couple years back and seems to have held up the quality of the product. I've heard that Jack Garner has gone back to making guns rather than staying in retirement, and this may be the confusion of the TVM names.

I've owned s couple of Jack's guns through the years. In fact, the first was back in the late 70's after jack moved to Miss. The box came with the gun solidly packed in popcorn...that's right, Orville Redenbachers' finest white! No butter or salt, of course!! Those I know who've bought rifles or fowlers more recently are pretty universal in their praise. Those who've had problems have generally gotten satisfaction after contacting the company. Not all can say that!

Yes, Jack Garner has gone back to making rifles. Earlier this year, I picked up a .50 calibre Tennessee Flintlock from Jack at the Spring Friendship shoot. I bought it from Jack, but this particular one was made by Brian Turner. I mention this because some of the Tennessee rifles, and some of the Poor Boy variants will be made by Turner. Check with Jack, and he can tell you who the maker is.....whether it is Jack himself, or someone else.Anyway, the quality of my rifle is HIGH. It's got a plain maple stock, stained dark and oil finished. It's got an L&R Manton lock, and it has a 7/8s Green Mountain barrel. The gun has been mildly antiqued (more of a gentle patina), and would be right at home in a museum. Fit and finish are perfect, and the gun is reliable and accurate. The lock is so fast that once the trigger is touched (set trigger), the whole thing is over with....the tack has already been driven, and there is no separate sensation of pan flash. Jack has a fair number of rifles (and smoothbores) in stock, and I would buy another one from him in an instant. If you want to get a good look at his work, you will find several of his offerings on Track of the Wolf's website, as he has recently started putting some of them on there for sale.I would definitely recommend you check out his offerings.

well that is great news. i have allways wanted to have Jack make me a rifle but i thought i was a day late and a dollor shoet when he sold his bussiness! thought he was just making shooting accessories and hardware now. i must say that matt & Toni's work is exceptional and the change of hands didn't skip a beat as far as craftsmanship goes. what is Jacks new website?

How about http://www.tennesseevalleymanufacturing.com/?

Nice stuff there.

I was asking about Tennesseevalleymanufactoring
The feedback was just what I was looking for.
I e-mailed them at work "don't tell" and hope to have an answer on Monday.
I will probabley call and ask about having one made.
The ones they have in stock sound nice, but If I am going to spend $600 I might as well have a better piece of wood and some other custom features put on it.

ok before there is a big understanding let me try to clarify something. Tennessevalleymanufactoring is Jacks new company. a fine builder is he indeed. (TVM) Tennesse Vally Muzzleloading is his old company that was bought out by Matt & Toni Avance who are the new owners. this is the company i recently got my 62. fowler from. i would highly reccommend either company. i have never owned a rifle that Jack has made but have talked to mant that have and never have i heard a bad word. hope this helps. let us know what you deciede and what kind of rifle you get.
Ken

"$800 is a cheap price to pay for a good gun. Think of what you spend on your new pick-up truck, drive it for three or four years and trade it in. Go back and take that Squirrely rifle home. "



:crackup: :crackup: :crackup: :crackup:

$800, thats what I'd pay for a pickup !

app

I have handled several of the TVM guns and have heard nothing bad about them from those who shoot them, from a historicaly correct point of view, their basic guns may be a stretch as most use the Siler lock and straight barrels, one would have to specify correct parts to get a really PC gun which would boost the cost.

Jack Garner, and his son-in law , Stephen Turner, are Tennessee Valley Manufacturing.
His web site is on the above MUZZLELOADING LINKS forum, under PARTS.
Mostly parts/stocks/stock work/kits, etc. Usually has swamped barrels in stock.(I just got a Green Mountain 44" .54 swamp from him, and he has some jam up wood if you ask.)(he will do inletting and shaping to any stage.)

Matt and Toni Avance are Tennessee Valley Muzzleloading.(mostly finished or in-the white guns and also parts.)(last one I got from Matt was about a year wait for a finished gun)

The two TVM's are easily confused, as both are in Corinth, Miss.

Also, both are super good folks to deal with, and highly recommended

Regards,
Terry

I can speak with a little authority on this subject. I was looking for a Revolutionary War pistol in 75 cal. I know, a little large. I contacted TV Manufacturing and had the PLEASURE to speak to Jack Garner, a well respected craftsman in the field of gunbuilding. He built me a BEAUTIFUL Rev War pistol in .75 cal. His workmanship is second to none. He is honest, delivered as promised, and the project was reasonably priced. I am proud to own this fine pistol and carry the J Garner signature on this piece. I believe that any deal you strike with Jack and TV Manufacturing with result in your complete satisfaction. I have not had any personal dealings with TV Muzzleloading, but I have heard nothing but GOOD things about those folks.
Good luck. It seems that you can't go wrong with either "TVM"

Patriot