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Right, but the triggers get a little weird unless the screw is easily turned by hand, I.e. not even remotely snug.

When the set trigger is pulled, the front has a “click” takeup almost like a two stage trigger, and the set trigger (rear) also clicks when squeezing it. This doesn’t happen when the lock screw is loosened. I tried adjusting the trigger set screw and it didn’t do anything to fix the issue. maybe this has to do with the new tumbler?

Like the others said, the side plate doesn't need to be tightened down using very much force. After all, it is the wood lock mortise that keeps the lock in place and prevents its moving.

There is nothing on the tumbler that touches any part of the set triggers, set or unset. The set trigger assembly is a unit by itself and the only part of it that touches the lock is the blades on the top of the triggers. These make contact with the sear arm on the lock and when the trigger is pulled, they push the sear arm upward, disengaging it from the notch on the tumbler.

When the rear trigger is pulled against its spring load, it is moving a blade with a "catch" on it to a position that will engage the latch that's built into the front trigger. When the two mesh and lock up, it makes a "click" sound. That is normal. I'd be concerned if I didn't hear the faint click sound.
 
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Check to see if the end of the sear bar is hitting the other side of the hole. That might make it feel like the triggers are off. Also the new tumbler might be letting the sear bar hit the trigger bar.
 
Maybe its just me but for the $$ paid that would not be acceptable. I hope yer not just "settling" after so many issues. If its not even "remotely snug be sure to carry the appropriate tool to "hand tighten" in the field.....opps that would be yer hand huh? Perhaps another builder could go through this rifle and assist in turning it into what you paid for?

Spending more money won't always guarantee a functioning rifle. I had to do some work on this one by Tom Caster. A nice rifle but it has some issues. Check it out out in my blog. www.bricestultzhisblog.blogspot.com April 2017
My buddy got one from another builder so bad that there was no saving it. The pictures on the builder's website had to have been pirated from another builder. He saved the metal parts and burned the stock. We called the $1500 (that he spent for labor) tuition in the college of gun collecting.
 
Guys, in reality $1800 is not that much for a semi custom built gun.

I don’t know of any place much cheaper for an assembled gun.

But I can understand the frustration ......
 
Right, but the triggers get a little weird unless the screw is easily turned by hand, I.e. not even remotely snug.

When the set trigger is pulled, the front has a “click” takeup almost like a two stage trigger, and the set trigger (rear) also clicks when squeezing it. This doesn’t happen when the lock screw is loosened. I tried adjusting the trigger set screw and it didn’t do anything to fix the issue. maybe this has to do with the new tumbler?
The new tumbler may have lowered the position of the sear/bar putting a lil pressure on the triggers and when you tighten the lock bolt the whole lock tilts a lil making it worse. Flintleather
 
Thanks, friends. I’ll take a look at it and see what’s going on. Wasn’t doing this before the lock repair. No way in hell am I shipping her back I can fix it, no problem. Worked a long day on the construction site so going to sip a little ‘shine and fall off to sleep now though, I’m beat.
 
Gang I got in my first “custom” long rifle today, a TVM Tennessee rifle. Came home from work at lunch super excited as I got an email from UPS showing delivery. I get home and gingerly open the package, my heart pounding!! Well, this is the first thing I see emerge from the bubble wrap and newspaper clippings:

47-E2-CE63-4322-4464-B615-4-B2-CE12-AB951.jpg

47-E2-CE63-4322-4464-B615-4-B2-CE12-AB951.jpg


Alright... not a huge deal... nothing a little cold blue won’t fix right up. No biggie! But then I see THIS:

E77-E9-FC9-B056-4406-A76-F-CB021-EB0-D1-C7.jpg

E77-E9-FC9-B056-4406-A76-F-CB021-EB0-D1-C7.jpg


Minus the natural spots of rust around the crown (non issue) it all looks good and normal right? Well it would be... but I ordered ROUND bottom rifling!! Yes sir, I got the invoice right here and during the order process confirmed with TVM they’d be using a Rice A-weight round bottom rifling barrel. Even say so on the invoice plain as day.

Aside from that, the inletting for the sideplate and lock are lackluster, even borderline amateurish. There are clearly evident chips and gouges around the lock especially. It’s livable and I wouldn’t complain much about it but man... what a massive disappointment about the barrel.

Guys I’m just venting. 8 months of waiting and just under $1800 all said and done... yikes. I’ve emailed TVM letting them know about the issues and sure hope they make this right. Guys I’ll keep you all updated. Thanks and take care,

-Dillon
Sorry to hear this my rifle looks ok but they did not put the patch box in 175.00 lost . Thanks for the loss of 175.00 TVM 03/05/2021
 
Sorry to hear this my rifle looks ok but they did not put the patch box in 175.00 lost . Thanks for the loss of 175.00 TVM 03/05/2021

That company does not care. I found Matt Avance to be rude as well. I wouldn’t do business with TVM again if they were the last folks on Earth.
 
I'm surprised about the TVM comments. I never dealt with them, but you'd think a company so visible in advertising in the black powder world would be more amenable to deal with.
 
Smokey's comments are very concerning. Matt has always been a gentleman and always taken care of any problems I have heard of. With all due respect to Smokey, Matt's attitude may have been caused by the way he was approached and Smokey's attitude.
 
I have been dealing with Matt Avance for over twenty years. I have, or had, at least eight of his guns. I have never had one complaint or issue with him or his staff. While I have had two minor issues with guns after I got them, his answer is usually to immediately send a pick up slip, fix the issue, and return it quickly. I agree that if treated with the respect his work has earned him, Matt is a gentleman and a fine craftsman. His guns are dependable, strong, and accurate. My next gun will be another TVM.

ADK Bigfoot
 
Been around these forums for a spell and can honestly say that the issues described with the QC of the mentioned builder has all been discussed before, there are posts going back years describing offset ramrod holes (not centered on the barrel) hurried inlets, non existent architecture, and on and on, the threads are there. Seems that each time this issue comes up, it starts out the same, OP "I'm thinking about using X builder what say the community?" Generally there are gads of people singing the praises while EVERY time and without fail the few dissenters are dismissed as being too picky or maybe snobbish and a bit of a purist. Do your research and consider the source of information, not everybody has the same standards. That said, one mans trash is another mans treasure.

For my money, spending $1800.00 better net me something with solid (correct) architecture and clean inlets, add some period stain and finish techniques, carving, engraving, polished lock, and I'd expect to pay double that price, correctly tune and case harden the lock, hand make mounts, etc. and again the price goes up. That said I could not afford to buy the kind of rifle that my standards demand, I learned to build.

Remembering back on the conversations I believe the consensus was if you didn't have anything nice to say about a pictured muzzle loader then mention how nice the wood is...........................................

This thread has been like a stroll down memory lane for me, as an aside I quit commenting in the threads as many of the "snobbish purists" did as well, something about leading a horse to water etc. If you really want a fair assumption of satisfied buyers look in the "for sale section" and count the numbers or frequency of used adds for a particular builder, and always remember, buyer beware.
 
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Been around these forums for a spell and can honestly say that the issues described with the QC of the mentioned builder has all been discussed before, there are posts going back years describing offset ramrod holes (not centered on the barrel) hurried inlets, non existent architecture, and on and on, the threads are there. Seems that each time this issue comes up, it starts out the same, OP "I'm thinking about using X builder what say the community?" Generally there are gads of people singing the praises while EVERY time and without fail the few dissenters are dismissed as being too picky or maybe snobbish and a bit of a purist. Do your research and consider the source of information, not everybody has the same standards. That said, one mans trash is another mans treasure.

For my money, spending $1800.00 better net me something with solid (correct) architecture and clean inlets, add some period stain and finish techniques, carving, engraving, polished lock, and I'd expect to pay double that price, correctly tune and case harden the lock, hand make mounts, etc. and again the price goes up. That said I could not afford to buy the kind of rifle that my standards demand, I learned to build.

Remembering back on the conversations I believe the consensus was if you didn't have anything nice to say about a pictured muzzle loader then mention how nice the wood is...........................................

This thread has been like a stroll down memory lane for me, as an aside I quit commenting in the threads as many of the "snobbish purists" did as well, something about leading a horse to water etc. If you really want a fair assumption of satisfied buyers look in the "for sale section" and count the numbers or frequency of used adds for a particular builder, and always remember, buyer beware.

Well said. I know much more than I used to when Matt and crew got me in their wallet. Simply put, never again.

And that's all I have to say about that.
 
I once sent a rolling block action to a big name along with a custom barrel profiled by CPA for installation. Never had a quote but was planning for up to $800.00 for installation in the action, sight installation, and bluing. After a year I called and asked he return my barrel and action so I could have someone else do the work. About two weeks later I get the rifle and a bill which included charges for the barrel I had sent them! Looking the rifle over quickly I notice there is a break in the direction of polishing on each flat of the 34 inch barrel. Guess they polished 1/2 way down each flat then reversed the barrel and polished the other half. When I called Mr. Big Name and started telling him I was not pleased his first reaction was to cut me off and say "I have to tell you, I'm not having a good day". I said: "well Mr. Big Name, frankly I don't give a *** about your day, your work is piss poor and I'm not paying you for a barrel I sent you". We agreed to go our separate ways, I certainly won't provide his references to anyone.

SS
 
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I have a couple of Matt’s rifles and they were well made, nicely finished, and have performed very well. All dealings with TVAm staff over the years has been quite positive. Can’t deny that from the photos shown by the OP that I would be satisfied, and would make a strong attempt to resolve the issues. Given my past positive experiences with TVM I would speak with them before going public with any dismay.
 
Well I guess I fall in the class of the haters. Will never buy from them again. My rear sight just fell out of the dovetail 2 days after I received the gun. Looked like someone just handed a 3 year old a hacksaw and said go to it. Front sight was just as bad. Ended up properly re-cutting the dovetails myself. Figured if they were that incompetent the first go around the second try would probably be no better.
Also had to re-work the lock. Gun wouldn't stay at full cock. This may or may not of been totally their fault. Shipping a gun from the nearly 100% humidity of their shop to my 7-15% humidity in the high desert Rocky Mountains may have been partly to blame. Though the wood should have been totally stable before building with it I would think. The sights were inexcusable though.
 
Been around these forums for a spell and can honestly say that the issues described with the QC of the mentioned builder has all been discussed before, there are posts going back years describing offset ramrod holes (not centered on the barrel) hurried inlets, non existent architecture, and on and on, the threads are there. Seems that each time this issue comes up, it starts out the same, OP "I'm thinking about using X builder what say the community?" Generally there are gads of people singing the praises while EVERY time and without fail the few dissenters are dismissed as being too picky or maybe snobbish and a bit of a purist. Do your research and consider the source of information, not everybody has the same standards. That said, one mans trash is another mans treasure.

For my money, spending $1800.00 better net me something with solid (correct) architecture and clean inlets, add some period stain and finish techniques, carving, engraving, polished lock, and I'd expect to pay double that price, correctly tune and case harden the lock, hand make mounts, etc. and again the price goes up. That said I could not afford to buy the kind of rifle that my standards demand, I learned to build.

Remembering back on the conversations I believe the consensus was if you didn't have anything nice to say about a pictured muzzle loader then mention how nice the wood is...........................................

This thread has been like a stroll down memory lane for me, as an aside I quit commenting in the threads as many of the "snobbish purists" did as well, something about leading a horse to water etc. If you really want a fair assumption of satisfied buyers look in the "for sale section" and count the numbers or frequency of used adds for a particular builder, and always remember, buyer beware.
Where there is smoke........
 
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