If you are fairly new to gun building in the black powder world , try these tips for an insight into the fun game. https://www.americanlongrifles.com/WorkShop_frame.htm
doggoner
I have a couple of friends who build guns. One only builds for himself but the other is (or was) a professional builder. Me, well, I have no talents of any kind whatsoever. But I do think I am potentially capable of building a "useable" rifle from something like a Traditions kit or maybe a Kibler or TVM kit. My efforts would, of course, bring a few laughs. ROFL
Thanks, Doggoner, for posting the workshop help page. Years ago I wouldn't even think about assembling a kit due to tremors. But the tremors have been very minor in recent years thanks to pain management. The doctor put me on morphine three times a day which coincided with the tremors virtually going away. I guess the chronic pain I was having allowed the tremors to develop. Yep, I still hurt but nothing like several years ago. I hope you are doing fine and not in that kind of pain. I'll soon be 79 so you're 3-4 years older than me. So take care of yourself and learn, if you haven't already, what took me much too long to learn; and that is we're no longer in our 30s or even 40s & 50s. Stay healthy, my friend.
The best gun-building tip I ever heard was, "find a good builder".
For sure that is good advice.
doggoner
From scratch I've build about a dozen. From kits maybe two dozen. I have worked on, tuned up, or restored at least 50. That's just the muzzleloaders. Couldn't have done it without the support and advice of this forums membership.
Just sayin'.
Brother hotfxr, you see, inherited all the talent while I inherited...hmmm... I'll get back to that. I will admit that way back when my hands functioned okay, I could do a good job on MODERN rifle triggers and revolver modifications. If that sounds like I have any ability understand that my teacher was a chimpanzee. He is still miffed that I returned him to the zoo. But it gave him the opportunity to get rich from the stock market.