A lil embarrassed to admit but I'm struggling to inlet a Kibler Colonial kit

[Henry2357]

As mentioned, we stand behind our product and are happy to get any issues worked out. For those jumping to conclusions, consider the fact that this stock sat for 3-4 months before the barrel being fit by the customer. Also, instead of relishing the opportunity to to take shots at somebody, consider we are all human and can make mistakes. Those who are so quick to judge, often seem to have little show for themselves. Try making thousands of anything without issue.

I think a very high percentage of folks in this thread stood behind you. While i have not ordered a kit from you,,,yet, I plan on it over your next couple releases. I have never seen here or anywhere on the internet any bad reviews of your products and all have been 5 star reviews. But, it human nature to judge without thinking, or to act without thinking. We’re behind you Jim and appreciate your dedication to this hobby.

 

[Jim Evans]

All i need to see to know I'll never buy a Kibler kit. It didnt warp that much during shipping, thus it was packed that way knowing how badly it was warped. Poor quality control on Kiblers end.

If Farm Boy would of told us that it sat out for 3 or 4 months after he got it would of been nice to know,The warped stock had nothing to do with seller or packaging

 

[Eric Krewson]

It all boils down to experience, for those of us who have built a few rifles this would be a non issue, our types take way too much for granted and think that others will know "stuff", when they really don't have a clue like most of us were when we started out.

Case in point; a friend who lives a couple hundred miles from me had my gunsmith friend build him a Kibler Colonial, beautiful rifle. I had put together a nice SMR so he decided to build one himself.

My friend is a very intelligent guy but short on tools and crafty experience, very short. He is new to flintlocks but hasn't haunted the gun building sites like most of us, he had zero knowledge of any aspect gun building.

As many of you might have noticed, I am a picture guy, I do my simple minded builds and document everything so I can tell a newbie how to do something and have a picture to illustrate what I am talking about. You would be surprised how often, almost daily, that I see a question asked here and run out to the shop to take a picture to include in my answer. I have already done it once today.

My friend and I got together on Facebook messenger (I don't have a smart phone, don't want one), he would send a picture of where he was at on his build and what had him stumped, I would fire back a picture of what he should do and what the end result should be. We did this back and forth for at least a month as his gun took shape.

One thing that I have found as a teacher of bow making and sharing gun building experience is that people just don't follow instructions very well, they tend to go off on a tangent and have to be brought back down to earth. Stuff that we see in bold print is Greek to them.

My friend had the biggest problem with parts browning with LMF, a simple process to me. I initially told him to stop at 220 grit on his metal sanding but the kept sending me pictures of very streaky parts that would brown in some areas, turn black in others and stay bare metal in others. When he finally threw up his hands in frustration and said he was putting his gun together even though the browning was just so-so I questioned him and found that he had just about polished his metal before he started, he had read part of the LMF instructions but not the part about sanding to 180 and went for a high polish mentioned at the end of the instructions, my advice fell on def ears

I bought my SMR kit at a bargain from a guy who realized he didn't have the skills to put it together, not everyone is cut out for this stuff.

I see some pretty lofty advice given to beginners on all of these building sites, some so technical that I couldn't even follow it, giving this type of advice to a beginner is only going to confuse him further.

We should help these guys out with very simple step by step instructions that make sense to them that they can follow.

 

[Farm Boy]

If Farm Boy would of told us that it sat out for 3 or 4 months after he got it would of been nice to know,The warped stock had nothing to do with seller or packaging

My kit did indeed sit for 4 months after it arrived and yes I should have mentioned that but it didn't set out and exposed in any way. It remained in its original packaging.

My intent in starting this thread was not to denigrate Jim's kits. Mine was either a freak or my delay in working on my kit caused the warp. I was seeking advice on how to move forward and many of you came through with advice and guidance saying that this was a simple enough fix. In speaking with Jim he provided much the same advice on how to get it right. He also generously offered to get the barrel set. Being a young man with a busy farm and family to tend and with the creator of this beautiful kit and highly regarded custom rifle maker offering to help I found it hard to turn down.

 

[oldwood]

In 1971 ,I was building an 1862 Springfield rifled musket from mostly original parts , except for the STOCK. Dixie Gun Wks. had stocks from Belgium in European walnut. Received the stock and assessing it , found it to have a 4" lead off to one side , at the muzzle end of the forearm. Called Dixie and the nice lady said the stocks they had on hand were all warped like mine. I didn't have enough stock making experience to just make one from scratch , back then , so decided it was , "me, or the stock". Thought , "what would dear old Dad do? " I clamped the stock just before the bend , bend up , Took a pc. of heavy cordage and hung enough weight on the up bent wood to straighten the forearm . I left the bend just slightly beyond where it was straight. Just said screw it , and went to my regular job. The next day , went to check on how bad it was messed up , and was pleasantly surprised. The forearm was straight enough , I squeezed the barrel into the stock , and clamped it in place. After a few choice words blessing the wood , for all the trouble it caused me , In the end , the rifle shot well. ............oldwood

 

[Johnny Too-Tall]

As mentioned, we stand behind our product and are happy to get any issues worked out. For those jumping to conclusions, consider the fact that this stock sat for 3-4 months before the barrel being fit by the customer. Also, instead of relishing the opportunity to to take shots at somebody, consider we are all human and can make mistakes. Those who are so quick to judge, often seem to have little show for themselves. Try making thousands of anything without issue.

Amen brother I have built a 36,40,and 45 SMR and helped my buddy do one of your 58 cal colonials everyone was a great easy/stress free build. I do have a question for ya. I got a guy wanting me to build him a 54 colonial but with double sets, does your colonial lock have a fly on it.

 

[3Setters]

If Farm Boy would of told us that it sat out for 3 or 4 months after he got it would of been nice to know,The warped stock had nothing to do with seller or packaging

Very true. I like many others assumed thats how he received it. A stock wont warp that badly in a few day shipping. Glad Jim is helping him out when it wasnt really his problem to solve after that long a time.

 

[COTNTOP]

Fixin to order me a SMR from Kibler. Did not need no convincing before or now from what I have read on this forum. Jim's reply just put my decision in concrete, just got to decide on caliber.

 

[deerstalkert]

i haven't been building muzzleloaders very long in the scheme of things, but have been building stocks for years. all those skills come in handy.
even with every tool known to man, (according to the CEO) and good skills in wood working, my first couple rifles are what i call 12 footers. the next couple are six footers. they look great from those distances.
i am a glutton for punishment and started right off the bat with a plank build. and no real plan. that one shoots, impresses the common (read muzzleloader illiterate) and is precious to me. most of the accomplished builders here would wet themselves laughing at the pitiful thing.
those kits of Jims are on my list just so i can have a long rifle folks will drool over.
crooked wood is just a fact of life, especially when it is a long thin unsupported piece sitting in a natural environment. that is the beauty of wood. it still lives even in the form, especially in the form, of a long rifle.

 

[painter]

After reading this thread I opened up the SMR I got from Jim last May. I was expecting the worst, but I guess I got lucky.

I left the barrel in the stock.

Glad Farm boy is getting his squared away. Jim is a stand up guy. It doesn't surprise me that he offered to help.

 

[deerstalkert]

besides, anybody with a three legged dog in his shop has to be a good guy!!

 

[edrutecki]

I received my Kibler Colonial on a Friday in December and came down with the "Rona" that weekend. I did take the lid off the box and look ,the thinnest of the forearm scared me. I've had the most perfect 2x2's that I have hand picked at Lowes turn into "Sherman's bow tie's" after sitting in the garage for a couple of month's. First opportunity I had when I started to feel better, I did the barrel inletting and masking taped the forestock to the barrel. So far all is well and I'm proceeding along in my build.

 

[Fly Navy]

I started work on a Kibler Colonial that had been sitting in its box for over a year. I have not had any problems with the fit of the stock. I'm not sure if it matters, but I live in SoCal.

 

[Redlemur60]

Jim has no control of the humidity or temperatures his stocks are subjected to during shipping.

Minor issue that is easily solved and you have already received good advice above, you will not find a better kit gun anywhere.

Ya ever hear of ,RAIN?

 

[deerstalkert]

I received my Kibler Colonial on a Friday in December and came down with the "Rona" that weekend. I did take the lid off the box and look ,the thinnest of the forearm scared me. I've had the most perfect 2x2's that I have hand picked at Lowes turn into "Sherman's bow tie's" after sitting in the garage for a couple of month's. First opportunity I had when I started to feel better, I did the barrel inletting and masking taped the forestock to the barrel. So far all is well and I'm proceeding along in my build.

i realize this is ancient history, but want to comment on masking tape and gun stocks and barrels .
i picked up not long ago, a TMR stock inletted for the barrel, with said barrel taped in. three places along the forearm. taped in as close as we can figure 35 years ago at Friendship. wrapped with cellophane, put in the rafters and forgotten .
it took me longer to get rid of the tape adhesive than it took to finish the inletting and do the finish.
and i was just looking and one spot is still showing up 6 months later.
guy's, use zip ties!

 

[oldwood]

Back in the 1970's , i had a hankerin' to build an 1862 Springfield rifled musket. I could still get original parts from several sources , so ordered a Belgian wood precarved and shaped stock from Dixie Gun Works . When the stock showed up , the forearm had a 3" deviation from straight , and a 1" fall in the down direction.. The fix.......Put the stock in a vise held at the lock panels , upside down. Tied a rope to the forestock and anchored the rope , to a heavy concrete block on the floor. Moved the block around , until the forearm lay in the proper geometry. Borrowed the wife's ironing spray bottle of water , and spritzed the errant stock , until it was much less warped. In a few days , of this torture , the stock gave up and was good as it gets. Installed the Dixie , Numeric made barrel , and clamped it in place with the correct original barrel bands , and springs , that hold the bands in place. Went on w/the build with no more problems. Ya sometimes gotta just git creative , and make it happened..........oldwood

 

[Trapper Scott]

As mentioned, we stand behind our product and are happy to get any issues worked out. For those jumping to conclusions, consider the fact that this stock sat for 3-4 months before the barrel being fit by the customer. Also, instead of relishing the opportunity to to take shots at somebody, consider we are all human and can make mistakes. Those who are so quick to judge, often seem to have little show for themselves. Try making thousands of anything without issue.

As soon as a kit gets delivered I install the barrel and tie it up in three places with rubber or elastic bands and they stay that way until I'm ready to work the stock on the barrel end especially since my mountain area is typically high humidity. Thin wood of any type will warp over time and folks please be careful about laying blame on manufacturers so quickly. As a former gunsmith, I have seen reputations smeared because of loose talk and careless customers. Jim Kibler is a top-shelf artist and if you ever notice anything out of sorts from one of his kits, he should be the very first person you discuss the problem with before making it public. I can't wait to get my second Kibler rifle from him.

 

[Trapper Scott]

i realize this is ancient history, but want to comment on masking tape and gun stocks and barrels .
i picked up not long ago, a TMR stock inletted for the barrel, with said barrel taped in. three places along the forearm. taped in as close as we can figure 35 years ago at Friendship. wrapped with cellophane, put in the rafters and forgotten .
it took me longer to get rid of the tape adhesive than it took to finish the inletting and do the finish.
and i was just looking and one spot is still showing up 6 months later.
guy's, use zip ties!

I use those wide rubber bands you can get from Brownells. Wrap them in three or four places, tie them off and they will stay straight until you take them off.

 

[ZUG]

You can use twine, cord, string, surgical tubing, but NEVER tape ---. I tie the barrel and stock together every 6 to 8 inches as soon as I get the kit. This is the FIRST thing I do. I then let the kit sits in my house for at least one week before I start working on it. This acclimates the wood to my surroundings