anything close to Kibler ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

[olskool]

i know Kibler is well respected. and Jim has made a big splash with his kits, and they are well liked and very nice. but is anybody making a kit as good as his is in regard to them being as close to a finished gun as his is, and with the quality? just curious,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

 

[dave_person]

Hi,
Not that I am aware of. There are other kits that have high quality parts but nothing nearly as shaped and fitted as Kibler's kits. For example, I essentially assembled a Kibler colonial rifle ready for sanding, scraping, and decorating in one work day. It would take me several weeks to reach that stage with any other kits.

dave

 

[olskool]

no doubt Dave, they are quite unique,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

 

[hanshi]

TVM does sell a kit for those who've never built before. Word I've heard is that they are mostly done with all the hard things completed and fairly easy to build. TVM stands by their products as does Jim and are happy to offer help if you get stuck. Jim's kits are another level up and likely the very best available. Both also offer "in-the-white" builds that come assembled but you have to finish it. They cost a bit more than the kits but much less than a full build.

 

[Hatchet-Jack]

No nothing like a Kibler kit exists. The next closest thing might be a kit "in the white" meaning you pay another builder to get it to the point where all the parts are fitted and you just do the final metal and wood finishing.

 

[Flintandsteel]

Nope!

 

[dave_person]

Hi Olskool,
Let me be clear. What you get with a Kibler is the most finished and snap together high quality rifle kit ever produced by a long shot. In addition, in the end, you have a fine gun for which the architecture and details are the same used by Jim, one of the finest custom muzzleloading gunsmiths in the world. No other kit maker offers that.

dave

 

[EC121]

I believe that Kibler is the only one using CNC routing to inlet and shape his stocks. The rest are done by hand(routers, chisels, and sidegrinders) or on a duplicator.

 

[SDSmlf]

i know Kibler is well respected. and Jim has made a big splash with his kits, and they are well liked and very nice. but is anybody making a kit as good as his is in regard to them being as close to a finished gun as his is, and with the quality? just curious,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Wondering what you are looking for. Better price? Different style? Bigger challenge? Or just stirring the pot?

 

[olskool]

yea just wondering, i here such good things about Jim's kits i was wondering if there was another company that offered anything close to what you get with one of his kits, i guess not. but hanshi said TVM has a kit that is mostly done for the first time builder, that is interesting i never knew that,,,,,,,,,,,,

 

[oldhunter1954]

I built Kiblers Colonial in 54 cal. I love it. If he offered a trade gun I would buy it in a heartbeat.

 

[Osseon]

I built Kiblers Colonial in 54 cal. I love it. If he offered a trade gun I would buy it in a heartbeat.

There have been rumors of a Kibler Trade or Fowler in the works. Perhaps its just wishful thinking though.

 

[olskool]

he is going to make them,,,,,,,,,,,,,

 

[olskool]

i just got off the phone with Jim, he said the trade gun would be available for order mid to late fall,,,,,,,,,,,,

 

[Russ T Frizzen]

i just got off the phone with Jim, he said the trade gun would be available for order mid to late fall,,,,,,,,,,,,

That is good news! By fall I'll have completed my Southern Mountain rifle and be ready for a new project!

 

[Osseon]

i just got off the phone with Jim, he said the trade gun would be available for order mid to late fall,,,,,,,,,,,,

Forgive my ignorance, what does a trade gun's characteristics differ from other early colonial rifles? I know the SMR is more of a small caliber later period weapon, but I'm not seeing what a Trade gun would change up his catalogue compared to the colonial.

 

[olskool]

Forgive my ignorance, what does a trade gun's characteristics differ from other early colonial rifles? I know the SMR is more of a small caliber later period weapon, but I'm not seeing what a Trade gun would change up his catalogue compared to the colonial.

the trade gun will be a smoothbore,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

 

[springfield art]

i know Kibler is well respected. and Jim has made a big splash with his kits, and they are well liked and very nice. but is anybody making a kit as good as his is in regard to them being as close to a finished gun as his is, and with the quality? just curious,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Nah! I've mentioned to him in e-mails to please make a Pistol kit!

 

[springfield art]

i just got off the phone with Jim, he said the trade gun would be available for order mid to late fall,,,,,,,,,,,,

Good! I'll keep an eye open. He's got a great thing going there.

 

[Smokey Plainsman]

TVM does sell a kit for those who've never built before. Word I've heard is that they are mostly done with all the hard things completed and fairly easy to build. TVM stands by their products as does Jim and are happy to offer help if you get stuck. Jim's kits are another level up and likely the very best available. Both also offer "in-the-white" builds that come assembled but you have to finish it. They cost a bit more than the kits but much less than a full build.

Please don’t insult Jim Kibler’s kits by comparing them to anything pumped out by TVM.