New kit, First kit

[blyne]

Well, I've got the ML bug big time. So, I found TOTW and looked at all their kits and decided on the Bucks County kit. This will be my first kit but I'm confident in my woodworking skills and believe it or not, I have patience ::. Plus my dad built a few long rifles so his insight will be a big help. Anyways, I ordered the kit and got everything but the lock and stock and I was just wondering if I should cancel the order on the stock and go to dixons and pick one out? I ordered the chambers deluxe lock and I was kinda thinkin that it should be comin soon? Maybe not? Christmas break is comin up real fast and I was hoping on gettin as much done as possible over break.
Any ideas would be greatly appreciated.
Little Brother

BTW.. I've picked up a ton of info just reading old posts. Thanks

 

[creekbottom]

Your post reminded me of when I built my Rifle In my college apartment. I did most of the work at home on the weekends but the barrel browning and lock work in the apt when I should have in class. Good luck on your build
I went to Dixons in Kempton once they are good folks and will help you all they can. Your track stock will be pre inletted for the barrel and furniture not sure what you will get at dixons

 

[Birddog6]

I would send it back & order it someplace else. You may be waiting for Months on the parts from TOW.....

Call Chuck Dixon, Tip Curtis Frontier Shop, MBS, or Jim Chambers (if Jim has them) or someplace that has it ALL in stock. I know Tip will have it in stock & he has a really nice Bucks rifle parts set he sells & I have built several of them.

I have recently had two different purchases from TOW & both were unsatisfactory & I will not deal with them again unless I am Totally in a bind & they are the Only last resort.... No use going into all the saga details of what went on for 3-4 months trying to get parts for a simple 1770 Lancaster, just saying I would look elsewwhere where I know they have them in stock.. Years ago TOW was really reliable... everything changes I guess. :results:

 

[rootnuke]

Call Susan @ http://www.muzzleloaderbuilderssupply.com ,she is the owner. They keep about a half million in inventory. They will have what you need and be square with you whenever they don't.

The MBS website is down because their website really sucks. But you should see their catalog WOW! They have a broad range of complete kits and dedication to inovation that is truly unique.

As time has gone along I have been buying more and more from MBS. Yes TOTW has a cool site, but like I said, get the catalog and give MBS a call.

I do not want to be critical, but it seems you are getting ahead of yourself. If you settle for partial shipments from a vendor it seems to me you are just wanting to get things rolling, just to get things rolling, without the finish line clearly in sight.

You have to have all your vendors and sources nailed down before you lay your money out. :imo:

TOTW did not have a Chambers lock when I ordered my kit. As a result I did not place my order with them until I found a vendor that did have the lock. Once I found the lock I needed, I called and placed orders acordingly with each vendor.

In support of birddog's opinion, yes you may have to send it back. Birddog has given me much good advise and I agree with his return to vendor solution.

Not having a stock to me is like buying a bunch of paint and brushes then finding out I have to wait on canvas to paint on. It's just not the order of things.

One more thing, if you don't finish the gun til summer next year, don't sweat it. Take your time, you will have a better product. It's the journey......

 

[blyne]

Thanks for the info guys, its greatly appreciated. I think I'll call TOW and see how long it will be for the lock and stock, if its gonna be a while I'll find what I need from the companies you guys suggest.
Thanks again, Little brother

 

[brushbuster]

I ordered the chambers deluxe lock and I was kinda thinkin that it should be comin soon?

i have a siler delux lock on my york rifle and thought you should know that the delux lock has a different tuumbler in it then the standard lock.
the hammer on the delux lock sets farther back at half cock than the standard lock which makes it a little harder to set the flint.i solved this by putting the gun in a well padded vice and manually holding the hammer back with the flint in the jaws,frizzen closed.with my other hand i moved the flint until i had the flint square and at the propper angle ,then without moving the flint pulled the hammer to half cock and tightened the screw.then went to full cock and checked for spark... and man did it ever!!! :results: :thumbsup: :thumbsup:

 

[Birddog6]

The Lancaster .36 cal I am finishing now needed a Chambers lock from TOW also, we waited over 3 months for it & finally had to buy it elsewhere. Same way with the barrel.... Over a 3 mo wait & I went to Tip's & got it.

I would call them & if they have it fine & if not send it all back. That is total :bull: and people are just letting them go on & on & on with this back order manure. Everyone OI know that is using them are getting backorders on every order. They need to get in the business or out of it.... They are almost as bad as Dixie, well, I said almost...

On setting the flint on the Deluxe Siler, you can make yourself a lil cheater block to use to make it easier if you can't just eyeball it. Set the lock on Halfcock, cut a small block now that will fit squarely & perfectly between the frizzen (in closed position) and about 1/16" from the flint, with 1/16" clearance. When ya change flints, slip the flint in the cock jaws, slip in the lil spacer block up against the frizzen & set the flint square with the face of the block & you are set to go.... The 1/16" clearance should be enough to give you a lil leeway on flint lengths. :thumbsup:

 

i have a siler delux lock on my york rifle and thought you should know that the delux lock has a different tuumbler in it then the standard lock.
the hammer on the delux lock sets farther back at half cock than the standard lock which makes it a little harder to set the flint.

Therein lies the problem with the advice often given to new flint shooters to "set the flint so that at half cock it is almost touching the frizzen". If that new shooter has a chambers golden age or delux siler (which use the same tumbler and hammer), the poor guy/gal will be totally flustered as to why he/she can't get the flint out far enough to "almost touch the frizzen". Sorry for veering off topic. If anyone wants to discuss this further, please start a new post with a proper heading and I'll be glad to exchange some thoughts on the subject.

 

[blyne]

I would call them & if they have it fine & if not send it all back.

You suggest sending the whole kit back? All I need is the stock and lock, which I realize are big parts of the kit, but cant I just find the lock and stock somewhere else and keep the rest of the parts?
Thanks
Litte Brother

 

[TwoShadows]

I agree with these guys....send it all back....any leverage with these people is already gone anyhow, and they evidently dont intend to be concerned with your busines. If that isn't incentive enough...consider that the parts you are holding now and the ones you get somewhere else may be a long way from being compatable. Someone said MBS has a half millon dollar inventory.....very good, but it is true that Frontier Gunshop(Tip Curtis) ALWAYS keep over 3 million dollars in inventory. If He tells you it is in stock you can bank on it! 40 years in dealing with most of the various suppliers has no doubt given me somewhat of a jaded opinion of current dealers/suppliers, and I am too damned old to to concern myself with the myriad excuses of little people who try to pass themselves off as reputable suppliers.....I dont deal with excuses very well!

 

[Birddog6]

The problem you could run into is the inletting. Dif suppliers sometimes inlet for dif parts. So a Lancaster buttplate on on place mayy be dif. than another. Same way on a entryypipe, RR thimbles, lcok, etc. Noww if it was not inlet at all. wouldn't matter. But if it is partially inlet you could have a problem, especially on locks inlets, trigger inlets, buttplates, entrypipes......

Well, you do as yyou want. But if it was me, I would call them & if they don't have it, return it all & buy it elsewhere, get the stuff & get on with it. Not let them string me out for months.... Plus the parts may have come in & your order may be laying on someone desk untouched also.. ya never know.....