So what's the consensus on Pecatonica kits?

[TNGhost]

I am looking at getting one of their Tennessee Mountain Rifle kits. They seem reasonably priced and have a lot of options.

I am in no way a master builder, but I have built a couple of CVA kits and a Dixie TN Mountain rifle and was wondering about the difficulty level and what from the list of gunsmithing services, like mounting thimbles, inletting, installing the beach plug etc might be recommended.

 

[billraby]

Go for it! It is not difficult if you take your time and pay attention to what you are doing. Those gunsmithing services are things that are rather easy to do yourself. And you will never learn how to do it if you pay someone else to do it for you.

 

[Zonie]

Having built over 12 Pecatonica River kits the first thing I'll say is if your going to get one of their curly maple stocks, the grade they send you is higher or better than a similar grade some other company will send.

They have always done a good job of installing the breech plug and cutting the sight dovetails for me and their price is much less than any of my local gunsmiths want to charge for similar work. I will admit after the first 5 rifles, I did my own breech plug installation. It takes time and some careful filing but it isn't real hard to do.
I've never had a problem with their lock mortise inletting but a few people have. I asked them to leave the lock mortise off on my later guns but that was because I wanted to install a more correct lock than the one they offered with the style of rifle I was buying. By leaving the mortise uncut, I could install any lock I wanted to use. Speaking of that, the Siler locks they offer with their Tennessee's are incorrect for that style gun. The L&R Manton is closer but it should not have the teat at the rear. If you are making a flintlock I would suggest buying a L&R Late English style lock with its smooth rounded rear. Likewise a rounded rear on a percussion lock would be correct.
It would be a good idea to have them cut the surfaces for the butt plate. You will need to give them the length of pull for them to do this right. Count on spending more than a few hours "fine tuning" the cut. It won't be an exact fit for your butt plate because the butt plate that comes with the gun is going to be a rough casting that you will need to finish.

There is LOTS of extra wood on all of the surfaces. If you leave it as it comes, the gun will turn out looking bulky. Find a picture of a real Tennessee and use it as a guide for what your stock should look like.

All of the metal parts are rough castings that will need filing and a LOT of sanding before they are ready to mount.

You will need to be able to layout all of the screw locations because there are no holes pre-drilled to guide you. A good Vernier caliper is almost a must to do the measurements and layouts you will need to do.

Figure on spending at least 100 hours to complete the gun. That's 100 hours of actual work time, not counting your sitting there thinking of other things you want to do to the gun.
Most of the rifles I've made took over 160 hours to complete. These are not a typical big factory made "kit".

 

[tenngun]

Do not have any thing but praise for them. Top notch company.
If your planing on getting dovetails, breech plug and such work done by them they will do it right.
But you might want to look at Kibler.
mall the breech plug anddove tails and such ain’t hard to do.

 

[Rangefogger]

I am looking at getting one of their Tennessee Mountain Rifle kits. They seem reasonably priced and have a lot of options.

I am in no way a master builder, but I have built a couple of CVA kits and a Dixie TN Mountain rifle and was wondering about the difficulty level and what from the list of gunsmithing services, like mounting thimbles, inletting, installing the beach plug etc might be recommended.

Have you Checked out Kibler’s southern mountain rifle kit? They are very similar to a Tennessee Mountain rifle. They’re very fairly priced at 875.00 plus the 200.00 for their Lock which is CNC machined. Jim’s lock is faster and smoother than any other lock ever made, Period. it blows anything else out of the water. These kits need very, very little, or even no inletting on all parts included, even down to the ramrod pipes! they are CNC machined to near perfection, and you will not find a kit that is easier to assemble than one of these. I just ordered two of them myself. I’ll paste the link for you.

https://kiblerslongrifles.com/colle...kit-gun-base-price-950?variant=32247970005110
And here are some finished ones.

https://www.jimkibler.net/customer-kit-gun-gallery---southern-mountain-rifle.html
Jim Kibler also has a series of YouTube videos to guide you through assembly and finishing his Rifle Kit.
Whatever you go with, Good Luck!

 

[TNGhost]

Do not have any thing but praise for them. Top notch company.
If your planing on getting dovetails, breech plug and such work done by them they will do it right.
But you might want to look at Kibler.
mall the breech plug anddove tails and such ain’t hard to do.

Have you Checked out Kibler’s southern mountain rifle kit? They are very similar to a Tennessee Mountain rifle. They’re very fairly priced at 875.00 plus the 200.00 for their Lock which is CNC machined. Jim’s lock is faster and smoother than any other lock ever made, Period. it blows anything else out of the water. These kits need very, very little, or even no inletting on all parts included, even down to the ramrod pipes! they are CNC machined to near perfection, and you will not find a kit that is easier to assemble than one of these. I just ordered two of them myself. I’ll paste the link for you.

https://kiblerslongrifles.com/colle...kit-gun-base-price-950?variant=32247970005110
And here are some finished ones.

https://www.jimkibler.net/customer-kit-gun-gallery---southern-mountain-rifle.html
Jim Kibler also has a series of YouTube videos to guide you through assembly and finishing his Rifle Kit.
Whatever you go with, Good Luck!

Thought about Kibler, but I was looking for a left handed rifle and I didn't see them offering that option on their website.

 

[MSW]

built a SMT from Pecatonica some years ago ... they're great folks ... having said that, i'm saving up my money for a Kibler

 

[Sidney Smith]

I used one of their stocks on my last build. The wood itself is beautiful. Now not having the tools, or skill to do the barrel channel, and ramrod hole, I had them do that for me. Getting the barrel to fit the channel was not a problem. The ramrod hole was a different story. The hole was not straight at the lock area which caused the lock mortice to enter the channel. It took me a lot of work to straighten it enough to allow the ramrod to fit. I had to make a scraping tool to get it to work.

Aside from that, I would buy from them again, as the wood looks gorgeous once finished.

 

[Hatman/2nd line]

I am looking at getting one of their Tennessee Mountain Rifle kits. They seem reasonably priced and have a lot of options.

I am in no way a master builder, but I have built a couple of CVA kits and a Dixie TN Mountain rifle and was wondering about the difficulty level and what from the list of gunsmithing services, like mounting thimbles, inletting, installing the beach plug etc might be recommended.

Buy the Kibler kit, I built the Colonial, no doubt about it, they are the easiest and best looking after they are finished! You won't be disappointed, and, you don't have to worry that your money is not misspent!

 

[Nameless Hunter]

For everyone saying get a Kibler, if you want a LEFT handed rifle, then you can scratch Kibler.
I've got a Kibler Colonial arriving tomorrow in 58 cal. - and am VERY much looking forward to the enjoyment of finishing it.
However, my next rifle kit build will probably be a Pecatonica, as I want a TN/SMR in 50 cal (something not offered by Kibler).

 

[Sidney Smith]

A Kibler kit may be great but Ive heard they dont take much time or effort to finish since most of the work is already done for you. . I wanted more of a challenge when I built my .32 caliber. Pecatonica will do as much or as little on the wood as you want. A Kibler kit wont give you much of a challenge. If youre a first time builder, thats probably a good thing. Once youve built a couple, most guys Id imagine would want to try doing more of the build themselves.

 

[Kansas Kid]

I’ve done a Tennessee rifle and a late Lancaster in left hand within the last two years. Both were cut for lock. One Siler type and one Manton type lock. I had no problems with the lock location on either rifle. I would also highly recommend having them cut for butt plate, both of mine were cut very close as was well worth the price. Will eventually get two more from Pecatonica River.

 

[Cpt Flint]

We have used Pecatonica for the last 12 or 13 builds. I am about to order again.