Flintlock Kit

[ScPiper]

I am looking to order a flintlock rifle kit to build, I have narrowed my choice down to Pecatonica River or Kibler's Longrifles. Is there any advantage of one over the other?

 

[Des52]

Depends on your skill set. The Kibler will require less skill than the Pecatonica.

 

[BillyC]

Kiblers will be darn near perfectly inlet and will require very little tweaking of the inlets and parts and easy to assemble. The vast majority of the work will be in finishing the wood and polishing the metal parts. I have no experience with Pecatonica kits.

 

[longcruise]

Pecatonica can't truly be called a kit. More appropriately a parts set. Much more work to be done than on a Kibler. A Pecatonica set will save you 4 or 5 hundred dollars. A Kibler will save you a couple hundred hours!. If you order the Pecatonica? Don't order the lock, tang or trigger inletting. The pre inlet is never quite right and can be more trouble than doing the inletting yourself. If doing that inletting worries you then get the Kibler.

 

[64Springer]

Pecatonica River Fanboy doesn't roll off the tongue.

 

[longcruise]

I like them ok. They have mostly met my expectations. The one time they didn’t they disagreed with me but exchanged it anyway.

 

[Bnewberry]

If you want to build as fast as possible with the smallest set of tools possible the Kibler is the (only) way to go.

If you want to save a little money, want a challenge or want a type of gun that Kibler doesn’t offer then Petaconica is a fine option. I, and a lot of others would recommend NOT having the lock inletted on the Petaconica as you will probably find the touch hole doesn’t end up where you need it.

 

[TDM]

I am looking to order a flintlock rifle kit to build, I have narrowed my choice down to Pecatonica River or Kibler's Longrifles. Is there any advantage of one over the other?

You’ve gotten the straight scoop from the previous post. Comparing the two “kits” is like comparing apples to oranges. If it’s your first build I’d suggest a Kibler.

 

[springfield art]

I am looking to order a flintlock rifle kit to build, I have narrowed my choice down to Pecatonica River or Kibler's Longrifles. Is there any advantage of one over the other?

Kibler=lot easier to build, precise fitting.

 

[James Kibler]

One thing others haven’t mentioned. Excellent design, aesthetics, and historical correctness. No comparison in this regard as well.

 

[TDM]

Well, @ScPiper, there’s your recommendation from Jim Kibler himself.

 

[Johnny Tremain]

I did not buy a kit. I bought the parts I wanted, for the look I wanted, and got those parts and made a much cooler rifle than Id expected.

Of your two choices, Kibler all the way. I like their cookies too.

 

[Togo]

Get one of the Kibler kits, I have the Southern Mountain Rifle in 40 and the Woodsrunner in 54. The locks are tight and provide super-fast ignition. You will get match grade accuracy out of the barrels with the right load.

 

[Kentuckyjed]

Get a Kibler, I think the Woodsrunners are on sale with a 2 week delivery for certain options listed on the site. I bought a Pecatonica River Trade Gun because Kibler had not come out with one yet. It cost me about $1000 shipped and then I spent a couple hundred on various tools and supplies, learned a bunch about gun building. Also got the book that they recommend, a wealth of info. Someday I will get a rifle from Kibler , just waiting for the right one to pop up.

 

[PathfinderNC]

For your first kit gun, yes I would suggest getting a Kibler kit. I have built two SMR kits, twelve or thirteen Colonial rifle kits and just one Woodsrunner ( my favorite in many ways and my own personal rifle now). Each one fun and easy and turned out fantastically with not a whole lot of work.
Pecatonica offers “ component parts” for that go with their own carved stocks. Some of the parts they include/suggest are not the best choices in my experience, such as side plates or trigger guards, but you can shop around for these and other parts which will work on their stocks. They also offer a few pistol options as well.
I have built ten of their long guns and two of their pistols over the past forty years. I have found that some lock mortise locations require the barrel to either be set back farther than they inlet for (namely on both of their “ Lehigh” models, and on the “Tennessee Classic” one that I had to bring the barrel forward about 1/4” using a spacer at the breech.) Two of them I made without the lock mortises or trigger inlets pre-inlet.
I am happy with their products and will continue to purchase from them when the Spirit moves me and I am able. With basic tools these sets can be made into nice guns. Lots more work then. Kibler- there’s no question about that. But they provide a nice challenge and the company has been around a good long time and they are good people to work with. And Jim Kibler and his people are a delight to work with as well in every way.
Good luck and happy building.

 

[Bnewberry]

Get a Kibler, I think the Woodsrunners are on sale with a 2 week delivery for certain options listed on the site. I bought a Pecatonica River Trade Gun because Kibler had not come out with one yet. It cost me about $1000 shipped and then I spent a couple hundred on various tools and supplies, learned a bunch about gun building. Also got the book that they recommend, a wealth of info. Someday I will get a rifle from Kibler , just waiting for the right one to pop up.

A Woodsrunner at $1000.00 is a very good deal. I almost wish I didn’t already have one! I love mine and it is reportedly the easiest of all of the Kibler models to assemble. I found it to be so. I am sure I could have assembled and shot it in one day if I didn’t take time to finish the brass past the point of assembly. The trigger guard and buttplate took longer than the rest of the project put together. Except for working up the courage (and practicing in scrap) to try some carving.

 

[Rifleman1776]

Wise words all. Unless you are a skilled and experienced builder avoid parts sets. Kibler will go together easily but will still be a great learning experience.

 

[ScPiper]

One thing others haven’t mentioned. Excellent design, aesthetics, and historical correctness. No comparison in this regard as well.

I appreciate the honesty, I personally like the look of your rifles and how period-correct the locks and designs are. I just need to convince the wife I need one now.

 

[Fitzhugh Williams]

If you are looking for a particular style of gun, many times the Rifle Shoppe is the only place a kit can be found. But be prepared for a little work and, at least in my opinion, get the lock in parts and assemble it yourself.

 

[ronaldrothb49]

A Kibler kit is pretty much an in the white rifle. Most all the shaping is done you just do the final finish. Down side is you have 3 tyles to pick from and the one size fits all average stock,

Pecatonica is going to be a lot more work and as others have pointed out probably best if you don't order a lock inlet. A lot of styles to choose from and you can build the rifle to custom fit YOU.

Another option would be Jim Chambers. Kind of a middle of the road between the others. More work than Kibler but lot less than Pecatonica. You also have more styles to choose from and if like myself if you need a length of pull slightly longer than the average you have the option to order it without the butt plate inleted with some extra wood left so you can get ir to fit you.