Hello The Campfire!
Need a bunch of help here. Want to build my own rifle. Got a couple good shooters, that have made meat, but want a "personal gun." Gonna build my own, hopefully with your help. Went back and forth between Chamber's and TVM, I guess TVM seems they do a bit more work for you and seems it's my 1st build I'll need every bit of help I can get.
Ok 1st Greenhorn question, it will be either an Early or Late Lancaster I guess, so now Brass or German Silver? I've read you can peen brass to make up for mistakes, how about German Silver?

Thanks again!
Stone River

With the help of others I have an answer. Thanks for looking though, much appreciated!


Thanks again!
Stone River

Stone, are you only planning to only make one rifle, or do you think you might want to make more as time goes by. If your planning to make more then I would suggest you start with a "kit" that offers the least ammount allready done for you. Make lots of mistakes and learn from each of them. You'll have a lot of fun and end up with a far more personal rifle.

Stone, German Silver is basically just white brass. Yes, you can peen it if need be... Shoot sharp, Mike

Whether you go early or late would be a consideration in which metal to use, the German Silver would not be found on the early guns.

Now you got my curiosity going. What do you anticipate peening on your rifle.

Hoot AL

Hey you all,
Warmutt, I would say yes, but that would be untrue. If the 1st build comes out being ok or close to it, more will be one the way. I have the same compusive ailment that you all have. Not the skills for a grassroots build so I figured I would cut my teeth and tools on a parts set.
Mike, see the ... Yup probably not politically correct, but I have a .54 that was either built by TVM or by someone else with a kit of theirs. Actually I see my same rifle on TOTW now in a .50 cal by TVM I think, but it isn't listed as a kit offering. Not sure what the story is there. I was thinking the German Silver to be alittle different from what I already have. Why another .54? Well seems like the best all around cal. so I figured if I was going to go through all the work, well at least I would have a gun that would do most anything. I figure the 1st build will be a plain jane hunting rifle and hopefully I'll expand from there. A different thought on cal.?
trg, I was just "shooting" for some,what do they call it now, Bling. Plan on an up grade on the stock, why I don't know probably just make a mess of it anyways, or if as usual, it will take me 3 weeks to inlet a piece and I still won't be happy. Kind of a perfectionist thing going on.
Hoot, my new friend, planning on messing the 1st build up. If the butt plate doesn't quite fit, might have to "tick" it to fit. Again I won't have the skills like you to get it to work correctly, and if there is a space between the butt plate and the stock, it will bother me. I also saw on a couple DVD's that it is done sometime when that problem arises. I guess it will be a poor crutch if I mess something up.

Dan/aka Stone River

Stone River,

You've got the right mind set. You get the butt plate down to the best you can and you can peen the edges down to the stock. Filing and cleaning up the brass wipes away any peening you may have done to get the tight fit.

Note, we are all perfectionists to some degree. However, sometimes you have to work on something and then move on to another part of the gun work. Then return later and work on it an it falls together nicely. Patience is the key. Have faith in yourself and it will turn out better than you can imagine.

Best wishes and go to it.

Hoot AL