Should I reach out to builder or adjust at home? Gap between lock and barrel

[Joemolf]

how is $2350 way to cheap for a rifle made for a person? are you making a joke?

It’s not cheap that’s the problem. My experience has been a decent Pennsylvania style patch box and carving custom rifle goes for around 3 grand and way up. Guys that build Jim Kimbler rifles you can sometimes get a deal on. I paid $1700 for a finished SMR from a gent here on the forum about three years ago. It was walnut the high grade maple a few hundred more.
I paid 2400 a SMR style rifle 4 years ago off the shelf from TVM. I recently was quoted a price for 1500 add 100 for shipping to have it restocked because it cracked at the butt. To me it was not worth it I’ll live with the repair i did poorly and unload it someday.

 

[Joemolf]

It ain’t bondo. It’s some kind of filler, maybe brownell’s. You keep saying the same things over and over. Post the company name or wait until they deal with it.

You are correct some kind of filler! Smelt like fiberglass. Maybe fiberglass with the powder I used to use when I was into model aircraft 35 years ago. I don’t know. If you want to know what it is specifically I bought the rifle from TVM.

 

[Joemolf]

Oops

 

[S.Kenton]

Are you sure Ken Netting builds rifles that inexpensively?

He doesn’t take orders anymore, but the last time I asked him… I could have got one for around that price..so yes I’m pretty sure.

 

[S.Kenton]

He doesn’t take orders anymore, but the last time I asked him… I could have got one for around that price..so yes I’m pretty sure.

And if your patient enough, every so often one comes up for sale on this site and the ALR site, although normally they go for more than what Ken sells them for.

 

[sturmkatze]

You are correct some kind of filler! Smelt like fiberglass. Maybe fiberglass with the powder I used to use when I was into model aircraft 35 years ago. I don’t know. If you want to know what it is specifically I bought the rifle from TVM.

That was my assumption. Tvm. As to the filler, unless it was really visible, I’d be less worried. They use glass bedding compound. Still, way too much for a gun with problems.

 

[SOLANCO]

I had a long rifle built and I am quite pleased with it. That said, I would not have done it except that the builder has a good reputation and is only a 40 minute drive away. Made an appointment to visit his shop. Saw multiple examples of his work. Placed the order face to face.
Have another rifle on order. This builder is at the far end of the state from me. But I have seen examples of his work on this site. And I enjoyed the conversations we've had. I am not worried about his rifle.
Commissioning a custom rifle is expensive and the gratification is far from instant. I would not give the order to just any willie-off-the-pickle-boat.

 

[Joemolf]

That was my assumption. Tvm. As to the filler, unless it was really visible, I’d be less worried. They use glass bedding compound. Still, way too much for a gun with problems

Then too knowing full well they have the humidity that they have and not to keep the wood in a controlled environment. Telling me they had three rifles returned they loaned that shrunk and the best they could do was 1500 to restock mine i didn’t care for. Not to mention shipping back and forth adding another 2 hundred to the bill. I think they should have done better I might have met them halfway. And yes 2400 plus 100 to ship was a lot but they supposedly cut there own stocks. That is time consuming and costly. I wonder what they get for the same rifle today. Take care!

 

[PathfinderNC]

Then too knowing full well they have the humidity that they have and not to keep the wood in a controlled environment. Telling me they had three rifles returned they loaned that shrunk and the best they could do was 1500 to restock mine i didn’t care for. Not to mention shipping back and forth adding another 2 hundred to the bill. I think they should have done better I might have met them halfway. And yes 2400 plus 100 to ship was a lot but they supposedly cut there own stocks. That is time consuming and costly. I wonder what they get for the same rifle today. Take care!

Have you itemized every flaw you have found in the gun? In addition, if that gap between the barrel and pan could be considered a safety issue ( I think it could as fine priming powder could leak inside), such a flaw might convince them to issue you a refund rather than a date at Small Claims Court for product liability or something ( not to mention the bad publicity).

 

[Joemolf]

Have you itemized every flaw you have found in the gun? In addition, if that gap between the barrel and pan could be considered a safety issue ( I think it could as fine priming powder could leak inside), such a flaw might convince them to issue you a refund rather than a date at Small Claims Court for product liability or something ( not to mention the bad publicity).

That was original post I just added my comments because it was similar. I think I faired better than that fella though we both in a sense got the short end of it. Thanks for your input!

 

[smo]

Any updates on the repair?

 

[cjsoccer3]

Any updates on the repair?

Note: Video attached at the bottom of this post.

I’ve abstained from posting the builders name because I’m not the type of person to name drop without giving the chance to mend. I believe people are generally good including this builder. Unfortunately, I found another issue with the rifle that puts it in an area, where I think I need to mention the builder. Not out of emotion or a belief someone tried to pull one over me, but because the rifle really does seem to be “that bad.”

I’m saying this also from the context of being a person new to flintlocks, who surfed the web to find a builder and didn’t see anything questionable on forums about the one I chose. I want to also warn the next guy/gal, who if new to flintlocks like me, and doesn’t know the ins / outs to look at what they have much closer at the outset.

The builder is Tennessee Valley Muzzleloading / TVM out of Natchez MS (Matt Avance on the barrel).

The latest issue is the patchbox doesn’t even latch shut. See the video, where I can push it off. You will also see in pictures the latch itself is canted / torqued. I’m guessing that’s not normal and there’s some kind of nick under the patchbox too from the build that’s hidden by the patchbox.

 

[cjsoccer3]

Any updates on the repair?

Update: I am making a long out of state drive to a very generous member of this forum (and builder), tomorrow, who’s built many flintlocks. They sent me a message and offered to look at it, help make it right, and do this only at cost. A number of other members messaged me as well and I am extremely thankful.

At the end of the day, the rifle is unsafe (from what I gather here), I’m unfortunately not patient enough to wait another 2+ years for a build, spend hundreds to ship the gun risking damage, or only maybe get something (maybe workable) back from the original builder, who I’d struggle to trust given everything on this page.

I’m going to take the gun to someone else that is clearly knowledgeable, kind, and reputable. They are going to see what they can do. Immensely appreciative of this community - I basically stared at this rifle for months and folks have done a lot to square me away.

 

[TDM]

I know it’s easy to say now, but I suspected it was TVM. It’s a dang shame you got stuck like this.

 

[cjsoccer3]

I want to publicly thank @ColonialRifleSmith for helping me today. This was a professional builder with over a dozen active projects in his shop. He stepped in to do all of this for free with me right in front of him in his shop. I learned a lot. He:

1. Performed various wood inletting so the barrel / lock gap is appropriately so. This included inletting to stabilize the lock in the stock given it could be wobbled by hand ever slightly in the stock.
2. Took off burrs beside the lock to further aid with the barrel / lock gap.
3. Filed down the front screw to keep it from applying pressure to the frizzen spring, which risked breaking the lock near the frizzen screw.
4. Took burrs off the cock to aid with flint orientation.
5. Rebrowned the cock after filing.
6. Corrected the dovetail cut in the front sight. The sight fishtailed left because the dovetail was cut slightly diagonally. Photographed here was the correcting measurement leveling it right ward.

7. Peaned the existing front sight to make it fit the corrected dovetail.
8. Pointed out that the stock was cracked by the builder and repaired before sending me the rifle. I didn’t know this. Here’s a clear photo of the cracked stock repair.

9. Filed relief in the patch box latch, so that the latch now works.
10. Stained and waxed the stock to address where the cock struck and took a gash out of the stock. The finish matches perfectly. It seems this issue of the cock hitting the wood originally came from the slight play / wobble the lock had in the stock paired with not enough inletting.
11. We sighted the rifle together, filing, setting the front site, etc. He taught me as a new guy a number of new things.

We sighted the rifle in given an ever slight cant of the barrel inside the stock. This is referenced in an earlier post. Also to ensure reliability given a high touch hole.

Separately, I’m definitely getting a build through colonialriflesmith in the future. He had a number of interesting custom projects going. For example, three wall guns in process right now.

Regarding, Natchez located TVM, I guess I’ll put the ball in their court and ask for a discount or partial refund. Sending a $2,400 rifle with a stock repair, barrel / lock gap, crooked front sights, and a patchbox that doesn’t latch is pretty bad.

 

[smo]

Thanks for the clarification on the builder..

 

[BillyC]

Good on Colonial riflesmith for going above and beyond to help you out. He deserves at least a few atta boys so I’ll give him the second one. I’m sure you gave him the first

 

[hawkenhunter50]

Glad you got it sorted out and NICE JOB ColonialRifleSmith. Pretty cool gesture. Nice you were able to be there and learn along the way.

 

[PathfinderNC]

@ColonialRifleSmith ; your generosity speaks volumes. As thay say, "You the man"

 

[Campbell]

I want to publicly thank @ColonialRifleSmith for helping me today. This was a professional builder with over a dozen active projects in his shop. He stepped in to do all of this for free with me right in front of him in his shop. I learned a lot…

Dang! What a kind and generous gentleman.