My 4 examples of excellent Flintlocks built by TVM...

Damn, I wish that were true! Then I wouldn't have had to wait 2 and a half years for my name to come up on his list...

I don't know what that all means, but I was making a general statement, not referring to anyone here.

 

[rabjr]

Yeah...I knows ya was Jack...

 

[Mike Brooks]

I think your attitude sucks. You've somehow taken a thread about TVM and made it about you. Which suggests all sorts of unflattering things about your character

Yep, thats me, genuine A-hole with a bad attitude. That's the box you get put in here when you try to teach. And, it's not all about me. Not once did I suggest anyone EVER buy anything I build. The point is, it's really difficult to have these sorts of guns shoved in your face as the end all of custom guns.
Take my information as a lesson on what makes a good gun as that was all that was intended, nothing more. Some of the most outstanding guns I have seen lately were made from straight grain maple, not a curl in sight.
By the way, what's your name, I want to make sure you don't try sneaking on my list one day.... :haha:

 

I think your attitude sucks. You've somehow taken a thread about TVM and made it about you. Which suggests all sorts of unflattering things about your character

Yep, thats me, genuine A-hole with a bad attitude. That's the box you get put in here when you try to teach.

With all due respect to your knowledge and abilities, there are some very knowledgeable people on this forum who do not criticize and belittle others in their effort to "teach". There are more constructive ways to tell someone what you think about their gear. I know, some will defend a person's "style" and say, "Well, that's just Mike", but that doesn't justify anything. :v

 

[Keb]

I know this fella doesn't need my sorry ashes defending him but I like what he says. I think many of you just don't see the truth he is telling you. He doesn't sugar coat anything which can be a double edged s word at times. He makes a hella good looking gun, too. I may not like a gun that's artificially aged but I gotta love his ability to make pleasingly looking guns. So it doesn't matter that you think he's an a-hole. He seems to think he is too... :/

 

He doesn't sugar coat anything which can be a double edged s word at times.

Present company excepted, that's the excuse people use to try and justify bad behavior. Somewhere between "sugar coating" (which no one is asking for), and being an a-hole, is just being "civil". That's all people are talking about. Deliver the cold, hard facts without being condescending. I guess some people just cant do that and that's why others make excuses for them? Spewing wisdom is fruitless if people quit listening.

 

[Robby]

Yes Mike, the socio-politico, touchy feely's demand that you cede the sum total of your fifty-four years and become one of, of............ them! Don't fall asleep!!!:rotf: :rotf:
Keep'in on,
Robby

 

[Mike Brooks]

I know this fella doesn't need my sorry ashes defending him but I like what he says. I think many of you just don't see the truth he is telling you. He doesn't sugar coat anything which can be a double edged s word at times. He makes a hella good looking gun, too. I may not like a gun that's artificially aged but I gotta love his ability to make pleasingly looking guns. So it doesn't matter that you think he's an a-hole. He seems to think he is too... :/

What he said. :blah: :haha:
Thanks Keb, You are cursed with an artists eye and I'm glad you get what I'm talking about.
Let me make clear again, TVM is a good company and makes a good product that many are very happy with...especially the wood. :wink: They probably make more guns in a month than I do in a year. Many find them exactly the gun they want and need which is good. Others seek alternatives and I have given the reasons why.... which seems to be upsetting to many who are incapable of grasping artistic concepts. :idunno:

 

[Mike Brooks]

Spewing wisdom is fruitless if people quit listening.

More like "Spewing wisdom is fruitless if people aren't educated enough to know what you're talking about."
This is nothing but a learning opportunity. See an other professional gunbuilders taking the time to explain this stuff?

 

[roundball]

I may be wrong, but it appears my thread has been hijacked by sour grapes / elitist attitudes, so I'll try to get it back on track.
My thread is about the fact that TVM builds fine quality Flintlocks and as a result of all the constant growing amount of good press on Internet forums like this, they're covered up with orders.

Thats great for traditional muzzleloading as a whole...sort of in step with the main theme of the MLF...helping to keep tradition alive.

Its particularly interesting that instead of wasting any of their time trying to put down others who compete in the custom build market, they just let their work speak for iteslf and busy themselves responding to the ever-growing business their getting.

The following are photographs of their work with the brands of components I selected being listed as well. A couple three years of flawless shooting and hunting with them is testimony to the quality of the products, the builds, and TVM's outstanding customer service attitude.

My 4 Flintlocks from TVM...thankfully outfits / builders like this exist so that all muzzleloaders other than T/C Hawkens don't cost $5000.
They are excellent quality and built exactly the way I wanted them for my year round shooting / hunting needs.
TVM has been excellent to do business with, clear communication is the key, they operate from an establish detailed spec sheet which I demand as well, and handle any questions/issues that come up before, during, and after the build very responsibly.

.40cal Late Lancaster
Super Premium ++ wood
Brass furniture
38” x 13/16" GM barrel
Chambers Deluxe Siler
Davis double set triggers

.45cal / .54cal Smoothbore 2-Barrel Virginia
Super Premium ++ wood
Brass furniture
42” Rice B-weight swamped barrel
Chambers Deluxe Siler
Davis double set triggers

.58cal Virginia
Super Premium ++ wood
Brass furniture
38” Rice D-weight swamped barrel
Chambers Deluxe Siler
Davis double set triggers

.62cal Smoothbore Virginia
Super Premium ++ wood
Brass furniture
38” Rice D-weight swamped barrel
Chambers Deluxe Siler
Davis double set triggers

 

Spewing wisdom is fruitless if people quit listening.

More like "Spewing wisdom is fruitless if people aren't educated enough to know what you're talking about."

many who are incapable of grasping artistic concepts

Always blame the other guy for not accepting your abuse. You make my case with your condescending attitude. :rotf:

 

[Keb]

(some stuff)..."sugar coating" (which no one is asking for)...(some more stuff)

I think people want their stuff to be accepted even if it is not acceptable. People want a pat on the back even if they don't deserve it.

Don't ask for a critique if you can't handle an honest one. I can't say I've ever seen one of his being wrong.

 

Don't ask for a critique if you can't handle an honest one.

There's a big difference in asking for a critique and receiving personal belittlement.

Anyway, I'll drop it here. People see things for what they are.

 

[Keb]

But I put a smiley face on it...

OK I get it. I'm out.

 

[Mike Brooks]

That's great RB. If you like TVM then stick with them. I only jumped into this thread because I know you have broad shoulders and are confident in who you are and what you like.
I jumped in on what I thought might be a teachable moment with all of the comments about "nice wood". Of course as everything tends to evolve on this board I'm afraid things did go off on another tangent.
I'm not trying to "compete" with TVM. I can't work that cheap and I have no intrest in the styles of guns they offer.
They may be "covered up with orders", (as are all good gunbuilders) but do they take the time to interact with you folks on the internet? Do they answer the building , HC/PC questions the board participants have? Have they made a building tutorial for all to use free of charge? Do they teach any gunbuilding classes in the USA?.....Seems they may be in the business just for profit. Others, myself included take the time out during the day to teach and expect nothing in return.
Whoa :shocked2: ...pretty self righteous eh? :haha:

 

[Mike Brooks]

You make my case with your condescending attitude

Impossible, I don't even know what the word means... :idunno:

 

[Mike Brooks]

I can't say I've ever seen one of his being wrong.

Thanks again. :bow: I give more positive critiques than negative if you have been keeping count.
By the way, my stuff isn't bullet proof either.... :grin:

 

[Capt. Jas.]

I would not take insult to the good wood comments because they are usually innocently given by those who really have no clear knowledge of handmade firearms. If you know what a particular point of a gun should be, it stands out like watt on the nose.

I agree some of the guns being produced are a good deal for those who are more familiar with factory guns. They do not however contain good longrifle architecture and they are not comparable to a real custom handmade firearm in my opinion. I do believe.some have received a level of kudos on the net so as to create a false impression of what they really are. A lot of praise for corrections that should not have gone put the door in the first place does not impress me either.

Now as to the original intent of this thread.....Roundball, you have quite a collection going there and those guns are EXACTLY what they should be to you. They are serving your hunting needs to a T as is evidenced by your posts. They also meet to your requirements for aesthetics. Congratulations!!
You are a hunting machine!! I have actually been out a couple of mornings this year with content to take one for the freezer bit have not made contact. I have not spent that much time deer hinting in 8 years or so.

 

[Mike Brooks]

And....I have just as much right to voice my opinion of RB's guns as everybody else did. I guess mine just pee'd everybody off.... :idunno:
If you don't want to know what people think of your guns, don't post pictures of them and say "Gee aren't these pretty?". It seems what you may hear may not be what you had hoped for.

 

[Trench]

That's great RB. If you like TVM then stick with them. I only jumped into this thread because I know you have broad shoulders and are confident in who you are and what you like.
I jumped in on what I thought might be a teachable moment with all of the comments about "nice wood". Of course as everything tends to evolve on this board I'm afraid things did go off on another tangent.
I'm not trying to "compete" with TVM. I can't work that cheap and I have no intrest in the styles of guns they offer.
They may be "covered up with orders", (as are all good gunbuilders) but do they take the time to interact with you folks on the internet? Do they answer the building , HC/PC questions the board participants have? Have they made a building tutorial for all to use free of charge? Do they teach any gunbuilding classes in the USA?.....Seems they may be in the business just for profit. Others, myself included take the time out during the day to teach and expect nothing in return.
Whoa :shocked2: ...pretty self righteous eh? :haha:

I wouldn't begrudge profit as a man's sole motivator for doing business. Neither would I for taking his own time to educate after the profit has been made.

People like Mike and TVM fill a market niche. They're both different. I wouldn't say that Mike or TVM could compete with each other if they tried. They serve two very different customers. I went with TVM for the same reasons that all their other customer's probably did. I recently also went with a custom builder like Mike for the same reasons that other people seek them out. Neither businesses deminish the other.

Now, Roundball, I love your Virginia's. Thanks for posting all of them together. I've got to say, gentleman like you are a merchants dream. Once you find a quality product, you certainly do sing their praises!