After the Kibler Kits

[S.Kenton]

I have built one SMR from a plank.. with help. That was my first and last I’ve ever built. Building that first one, along with learning the architecture gave me the confidence to buy a few “beater” flintlocks and work them over into somthing presentable. I’ve since ordered a kibler woodsrunner and am hoping that Jim Kibler decides to manufacture a long barreled Fowler next!

 

[sturmkatze]

I love Kibler stuff, it's just I need a different size stock. Once you have a gun that fits you, kinda spoils you for others. That's all... Kibler makes the best kit. Doesn't fit me.

 

[oreclan]

At his open house the sawmill was set up, logs on the ground waiting. There were a few Amish he was talking to, don’t know if they were the log supplier or just interested in the saw.

At that time they were his suppliers from near Altoona, or State College, Pa. ; however he may be cutting his own blanks now.

 

[Bullit]

I love Kibler stuff, it's just I need a different size stock. Once you have a gun that fits you, kinda spoils you for others. That's all... Kibler makes the best kit. Doesn't fit me.

How would you find out if it fits you if you don't have access to one of his guns? I don't have a flinter, but would like my first one to be one of his. I don't want to buy a gun I can't use.

 

[Comfortably_Numb]

How would you find out if it fits you if you don't have access to one of his guns? I don't have a flinter, but would like my first one to be one of his. I don't want to buy a gun I can't use.

You can always sell it. The market for these is good.

 

[Bushfire]

I just wish Kiblers did the Woodsrunner in a .58 or .62. If I didn't have a great 54 it wouldn't matter but I've no use for two and I love my current 54 too much.

I'd do the colonial 58 but I've read they can be a bit unwieldy and bulky to carry around. For my western style hunting having something well balanced and the right weight is important.

 

[brushyspoons]

I can't really speak to Kibler kits since I started with a blank for my first build, but I will say I am thankful for Jim since there's a plethora of pictures featuring well-shaped stocks being posted on the internet thanks to his rifles. All of the print resources I have are wonderful, but since I don't have a single longrifle at home for reference, finished Kibler SMRs have been a great resource for the three dimensional aspect of the comb, lock panels, and wrist. While I don't think I'll ever buy one for myself because I like doing things on my own too much, I'll always scroll all the way through threads of new Kibler builds. They're just good looking rifles.

 

[Comfortably_Numb]

I just wish Kiblers did the Woodsrunner in a .58 or .62. If I didn't have a great 54 it wouldn't matter but I've no use for two and I love my current 54 too much.

I'd do the colonial 58 but I've read they can be a bit unwieldy and bulky to carry around. For my western style hunting having something well balanced and the right weight is important.

The .58 Colonial is an excellently balanced gun.

 

[Ballshooter]

I can say I appreciate my .58 Colonial smoothbore...It is everything I imagined!

 

[TDM]

I can say I appreciate my .58 Colonial smoothbore...It is everything I imagined!

I’m getting an itchy finger to pull that trigger.

 

[Lippy984]

How would you find out if it fits you if you don't have access to one of his guns? I don't have a flinter, but would like my first one to be one of his. I don't want to buy a gun I can't use.

I’m in the process of building my first Kibler kit. His Southern Mountain Rifle. It’s a smaller, more slender rifle than I’m used to, but I bought it knowing it’s a “squirrel” rifle. I’m 6’5”, 225lbs, so yeah this thing seems like a toothpick to me, but I still think it’ll be a lot of fun to shoot, as well as look good on the wall. I can’t speak for the Colonial or Woodsrunner’s, though they seem to be heavier guns. I just liked the lines of the SMR, and always wanted a small caliber flintlock. After this build, I can see a Fowler from Jim would be awfully tempting

 

[springfield art]

Where are you getting your parts? Maybe I’m not shopping right. A quality lock and barrel alone now are running me about $600. By the time I get a blank and the rest of the hardware, I’m at about $900-$1000.
Cheaper than a Kibler kit, but not much. I don’t know how Jim puts out such high quality at his price point. The ability he now has to manufacture a lot of his parts evidently pays off for him.

He's an engineering genius! CNC machinery, his knowledge of the actual antiques, his vision for the market, all come together like the Henry Ford of muzzleloaders! JMHO.

 

[Timmit]

I have all 3 of Jim Kiblers guns. I have a Colonial in .54, a Woodsrunner in .54, and two SMR's, one in .45 and one in .36. As for weights, Colonial is 9lbs. 4oz., the Woodsrunner and the .36 SMR are 7lbs. 8oz., and the .45 SMR weighs 6lbs. 9oz. They are all very nice shooting, but the Woodsrunner and the .45 SMR are my favorite to carry. The length of pull is shorter on the Woodsrunner than the others. Since I got the Woodsrunner in .54 I am going to have the Colonial bored out to a .58 by Bobby Hoyt. That will lessen the weight a little.

 

[Hatchet-Jack]

The Kibler rifle kits have been out for a few years now and seem to be very popular. I am just wondering how many have built a Kibler kit, or a few, then went on to build from blanks afterwards? If so, how did it compare and how much did the experience with kits help?

I'll attempt to get this thread back to Bill's original question.
I assembled a Kibler SMR, then built a Chambers Fowler now I'm building a custom gun from a Blank stock. The gateway for me was CVA, TC and a Sante Fe Hawken kit when I was a kid. I put several kits together back then. The Kibler kit got me back into building as an adult. It taught me what it should look like, some minor inletting, how to drill pins, how to finish metal, draw file a barrel, and use aqua fortis.

 

[Sean E Bug]

I refinished a cva kentucky rifle then put a crocket kit together. once I understood how things are supposed to fit together I had enough confidence to try working from a plank. still a lot of head scratching and doing things wrong but it turned out ok.

 

[PathfinderNC]

I've made many Pecatonica rifle and pistol kits, a few MBS pistol kits, and about fourteen Kibler kits. Obviously we all know Jim's is the epitome of a well-designed and furnished kit that can produce an extremely fine longrifle of amazing quality for a very attractive price. As to a plank build, I have just done just one, a Wheellock pistol (like 30 years ago). I would like to build another pistol from a blank. (My shop is not equipped to do a long gun from a plank and I will not even consider it an option for me at this stage of my life. I am enjoying the kit road fine enough)
I find it somewhat curious how many times I have read people say that building from a plank is better than a kit. Perhaps it is, and perhaps it is not. There are no absolutes in anything; I dare say that this includes gun building.

 

[TDM]

Agree @PathfinderNC

 

[Bullit]

You can always sell it. The market for these is good.

True.

 

[david w]

Keep in mind there is significantly more than just ease of assembly and completeness when comparing our kits to many others. Our design, style, aesthetics, historical correctness etc. are a significantly better than any other offerings in my opinion. I know many don't understand this point since they either don't have an appreciation for those things or haven't taken the time to study and learn the attributes of well built longrifles. Let me just say that you are getting all the quality of that would go into a 5 figure custom longrifle. This isn't true with other products available.

Jim

You seem to have the highest quality locks!

 

[Eric Krewson]

I showed off the flaws in my pre-carve from hell rifle to some of the top builders at the Alabama Kentucky Longrifle show, they all said they had seen pre carves that were a lot worse and a bunch of them.

If you get a well done pre-carve kit it will save you a bunch of time, if you get a bad one like many of us have you are in for a long bumpy ride trying to correct the flaws.

A Kibler kit does not fall into the above category, they are as good as you can get.