.54 caliber kibler checklist.

[Osseon]

Hi there, I'm soon to be getting a .54 caliber long rifle, and while I've shot smoothbore flintlock BP before I've never owned a rifled flintlock musket. Can you see if I'm missing anything?

• 44 inch cleaning rod with .54 cliber ball puller, mop, jag, super jag, muzzle guard, and bronze brush attachments.
• 1lb FFFF powder, 1LB FFF powder, 2-1/2LB FF Powder.
• 100 .015 cleaning patches.
• 100 prelubed wonder lube .010 thick patches for shooting
• 100 prelubed wonder lube .015 thick patches for shooting
• 100 dry .010 thick patches for shooting
• 7 flints between 3/4ths and 5/8ths length.
• Adjustable 50-130 grain brass powder measure.
• I didn't get a ball starter because I've heard some people don't need them and its up to preference.

Can anyone think of anything else?

 

[Phil Coffins]

Knife for cutting patch.

 

[Grenadier1758]

I'm not a fan of prelubricated patches. Over time the lubricant will deteriorate the cotton fibers in the patch. Much better off getting unlubricated patches and lubricating just prior to cutting at the muzzle. Patches could be cut to approximate size. Square or round makes little difference in performance.

Didn't see any round ball in your list. I'd suggest 0.530" or 0.526 to ease the loading.

 

[longcruise]

Ball starter cause your rifle will not have a muzzle suitable to loading without one.

 

[Osseon]

I'm not a fan of prelubricated patches. Over time the lubricant will deteriorate the cotton fibers in the patch. Much better off getting unlubricated patches and lubricating just prior to cutting at the muzzle. Patches could be cut to approximate size. Square or round makes little difference in performance.

Didn't see any round ball in your list. I'd suggest 0.530" or 0.526 to ease the loading.

I plan to use them all up immediately as I want to sight in and break in the barrel. I'm aware of that issue and also am working on creating my own lubricant from olive oil and beeswax, so far I think its too on the thick side, but working on it getting it better. Oh yeah I bought 200 rounds of .535, I can't edit the original post to reflect that.

 

[Grenadier1758]

With that 0.535 ball, you probably need a straight starter.

 

[FishDFly]

Yep, some water and dish washing soap.

Oh, a pan charger.

 

[Hatchet-Jack]

Forget the cleaning rod you want a range rod for loading and cleaning. Also forget the mop, and bronze brush. Use your jag to clean your barrel. Forget the precut patches. Just go to Joan's fabrics and buy some cotton diaper material and cut it into squares for cleaning, buy some #40 drill cloth for patches, maybe also buy some pillow ticking. Bring you calipers if you want to mic the fabric for thickness.
Olive oil is fine but beeswax is not a good idea. It will just gunk your barrel up with fouling. Try a wet patch lube like Murphy's oil soap and water for the range, and an oil or tallow lube like mink oil for hunting.
You will need a ball starter because your muzzle will not be coned.

Have fun, be safe and good shooting!

 

[Osseon]

Yep, some water and dish washing soap.

Oh, a pan charger.

Check.

Forget the cleaning rod you want a range rod for loading and cleaning. Also forget the mop, and bronze brush. Use your jag to clean your barrel. Forget the precut patches. Just go to Joan's fabrics and buy some cotton diaper material and cut it into squares for cleaning, buy some #40 drill cloth for patches, maybe also buy some pillow ticking. Bring you calipers if you want to mic the fabric for thickness.
Olive oil is fine but beeswax is not a good idea. It will just gunk your barrel up with fouling. Try a wet patch lube like Murphy's oil soap and water for the range, and an oil or tallow lube like mink oil for hunting.
You will need a ball starter because your muzzle will not be coned.

Have fun, be safe and good shooting!

I'll keep that in mind when I run out of patches, I have a Joan's about 10 minutes away. I heard beas wax was good for making the olive oil a little more gooey and not straight oil. Hmm. I'll try the soap and water.

What is the difference between a range rod and a cleaning rod? The one I got was this:
Track of the wolf rod

With that 0.535 ball, you probably need a straight starter.

I fired a Kibler before and I could easily push the ball down the barrel with my finger before using the rod, now that I think about it I don't remember his ball/patch combo. It wasn't crowned I do recall him saying that.

 

[Hatchet-Jack]

I'll keep that in mind when I run out of patches, I have a Joan's about 10 minutes away. I heard beas wax was good for making the olive oil a little more gooey and not straight oil. Hmm. I'll try the soap and water.

What is the difference between a range rod and a cleaning rod? The one I got was this:
Track of the wolf rod

I put my Murphy's Oil Soap and water in a spray bottle. My patch material is in strips, spray it pretty wet.

That's a range rod you got there. A range rod is a metal ramrod that is also used for cleaning, ball pulling, patch pulling. A cleaning rod is for modern rifles and shotguns that is about 3/16" thick and breaks down into several sections, only for cleaning.

 

[KC Clem]

How about a shooting box or a shooting pouch to hold all your stuff?

 

[Osseon]

How about a shooting box or a shooting pouch to hold all your stuff?

I have a shotgun bag I could use. No snaps or zippers.

 

[EC121]

You'll get tired of digging in that bag. Buy a fishing tackle box that will hold all that. If you don't already have one, look for a cheap spotting scope and a tripod. Most will work fine to 100yds. or more. I just bought an 80mm Tasco 20x60. for $100. A bit of overkill(a 20x40x60mm is fine) but it was on sale. I rareley set it over 20 power.

 

[OhioHawkeye]

You are well on your way.
I don't use a short starter either, so do what you want with that.
If you are using real black powder, use the same powder to prime as to load and you won't need a pan priming horn.

Things I don't see on your list:
Vent Pick
Rag - to wipe your flint clean
Pan Brush
Screwdrivers (2sizes)
plyers
beeswax
rod end adapters(both sizes because paired, they are handy for lengthening the rod in the thimbles for varying tasks)

I carry a 'possibles bag' or tool bag separate from my shooting pouch for the caliber I'm using.
You indicate rod ends with your range rod.... to be more specific:
cleaning jag for the caliber
breech brush
breech scraper
ball puller
funnel
rod pulling aid. I use the criss-cross legs, some use a piece of metal about three inches long with a hole drilled somewhat larger than the rod.
patch retriever (has a wire curled end to grab the cloth)

I suggest carrying the flints in a little leather bag separate.
the tools and rod ends I carry in a flat leather case that folds in half

note, those are my plyers in the center near the feet of the legs.. the black horn thing that I scratched my dog onto is my funnel. As you see, the kit is well used.... I don't carry the flints along the left side anymore... that's what the little bag seen just inside my possibles bag is for.
It is just carving leather with a coat of olive oil...and now plenty of Ballistol over the years

 

[Osseon]

You are well on your way.
I don't use a short starter either, so do what you want with that.
If you are using real black powder, use the same powder to prime as to load and you won't need a pan priming horn.

Things I don't see on your list:
Vent Pick
Rag - to wipe your flint clean
Pan Brush
Screwdrivers (2sizes)
plyers
beeswax
rod end adapters(both sizes because paired, they are handy for lengthening the rod in the thimbles for varying tasks)

I carry a 'possibles bag' or tool bag separate from my shooting pouch for the caliber I'm using.
You indicate rod ends with your range rod.... to be more specific:
cleaning jag for the caliber
breech brush
breech scraper
ball puller
funnel
rod pulling aid. I use the criss-cross legs, some use a piece of metal about three inches long with a hole drilled somewhat larger than the rod.
patch retriever (has a wire curled end to grab the cloth)

I suggest carrying the flints in a little leather bag separate.
the tools and rod ends I carry in a flat leather case that folds in half

View attachment 89122


note, those are my plyers in the center near the feet of the legs.. the black horn thing that I scratched my dog onto is my funnel. As you see, the kit is well used.... I don't carry the flints along the left side anymore... that's what the little bag seen just inside my possibles bag is for.
It is just carving leather with a coat of olive oil...and now plenty of Ballistol over the years

I do have the beeswax, what do you use it for (I was using it for possible lubricant base)
Do you need a breach scraper often?

I have all the attachments but that one.

 

[Are. M.]

I use .535 balls in mine. The first one is always kind of tough to get down, but subsequent loading isn't a problem.

 

[Osseon]

I use .535 balls in mine. The first one is always kind of tough to get down, but subsequent loading isn't a problem.

I figure making my own starter if I have an issue probably would be easy.

 

[SDSmlf]

A lot of good stuff. Question for you. What is your intended purpose or use for this gun, hunting, target or woods walks for example? I try and set up my big game hunting guns with a small pouch that that carries the few items I find I normally need. Maybe 5 patched roundballs in a loading block and 5 vials to hold the powder, or a few loose balls and a small horn. A cleaning jag, some some cleaning patch material and a patch puller. Possibly a short starter. The idea is why carry a lot of stuff you are not going to use. Practice reloading with your guns ramrod and use only items you will carry into the woods. Now going to the range, bring that range rod and tool box full of goodies and have fun. But note what items you really need to load and shoot a couple of shots. That will become your critical list of necessary items.

 

[Osseon]

A lot of good stuff. Question for you. What is your intended purpose or use for this gun, hunting, target or woods walks for example? I try and set up my big game hunting guns with a small pouch that that carries the few items I find I normally need. Maybe 5 patched roundballs in a loading block and 5 vials to hold the powder, or a few loose balls and a small horn. A cleaning jag, some some cleaning patch material and a patch puller. Possibly a short starter. The idea is why carry a lot of stuff you are not going to use. Practice reloading with your guns ramrod and use only items you will carry into the woods. Now going to the range, bring that range rod and tool box full of goodies and have fun. But note what items you really need to load and shoot a couple of shots. That will become your critical list of necessary items.

Mostly range and people's back yard ranges. I've been interested in doing woods walk but never have been to one and don't know if there are any available in my region (NE Florida).

 

[MSW]

not actually a shooting accessory, but you might want to check out Dutch Schoultz' method.

here's a link:


Black powder rifle accuracy system -