I had no idea a Kibler was like this

[Johnny Tremain]

Any of you thinking of getting a flinter. This kit for surpasses what I have.

The swamped barrel is really nice. The lock fit looks like 96%.
If I had one of these I could build in a a week or so. It took 5 months to build my first one.



Still would want double set triggers

 

[Nazgul58]

To each his own but the triggers on the Kibler are nice. I have 2 and the geometry on the locks as well as the trigger is superb. Pull weight is around 3 lbs.

Don't think it will disappoint.

Don

 

[Indy Durtdigger]

The Woodsrunners are like that. The SMR and Colonial aren't far behind it but do require a little more fitment of parts. They are all refined far beyond any other kit I've ever done. My skill set and available time don't allow for a scratch build.

And yes the trigger pulls are superb. My Colonial averages 2.8 lbs on a Lyman digital scale.

 

[EC121]

The video is misleading. The rifle can quickly be assembled that way, but to look right all the metal but the side plate needs polishing. You can see the cutter marks in the closeup of the nosecap. Also the man in the video didn't know how to install the front sight(it's backwards) or the nosecap. According to the instructions, the screws are installed from inside the barrel channel.

It is still a very nice kit. It just takes longer than he said.

 

[Indy Durtdigger]

The video is misleading. The rifle can quickly be assembled that way, but to look right all the metal but the side plate needs polishing to look right. You can see the cutter marks in the closeup of the nosecap. Also the man in the video didn't know how to install the front sight(it's backwards) or the nosecap. According to the instructions, the screws are installed from inside the barrel channel.

It is still a very nice kit. It just takes longer than he said.

The videos like this are what leads to all the comments on here from folks that have never touched one saying things like "they can be snapped together in one evening at your kitchen table". The 2 older kits require final inletting and fitment/shaping of parts.

 

[reddogge]

I noticed the screws in the nose cap and the front sight myself but the essence of the ease of building the kit came through.

 

[IanH]

The wood stain is also terrible on that one.

I had mine put together out of the box in five minutes to the point it could have been taken to the range and shot right then and there and the only tool I used was a hollow-ground screwdriver to install the screws and tap in the barrel pins and trigger pin.

Draw filing the barrel, cleaning up and installing the sights is another hour or two of piddling, finishing the butt plate, side plate, trigger guard, pipes, and nose cap is probably 4-6 hours of work, sanding the stock to final finish and fitting the two rammer pipes and patch box lid and latch another two-three hours, then polishing the trigger, trigger plate, fitting and finishing all the screw heads properly another hour, and add however much time it will take you to disassemble and file/polish the lock and fit/finish the patch box end plate depending on your preference and skills, plus time to actually put finish on the stock and all the metal parts if you desire, and I figure it's about 15-20 hours to achieve detailed perfection.

I have about 20 in the SMR but I fitted every part exactly and did a lot of machining on the trigger guard and butt plate for an absolutely perfect fit.

I'm fairly certain that Kibler's Woodsrunner is the finest longrifle kit ever produced.

 

[tnlonghunter]

I think the term "kit" is often misapplied. Most of the offerings from ToTW, Pecatonica, etc al. are more like boxes of parts with a substantial amount of work needed to get anywhere near finished. The old CVA "Hawken" kits are more like actual kits but lack even the most remote connection to any historical piece, and the quality is variable depending on what brand you buy.

Here's where Kibler really hit the sweet spot. It's an actual kit - meaning, they can be assembled and fired with minimal work - but is very well reflective of period rifles. A dedicated weekend will get you to a plain but well completed rifle. Above all, they're very high-quality components.

 

[64Springer]

If the Hawken Brothers had access to CNC milling machines, they would have used them.

 

[Rifleman1776]

The wood stain is also terrible on that one.

Looks fine to me. I wouldn't kick it out the door. BTW, no way I would wear all those clothes, bag, horn, etc. while working in the shop. But, he was making a vid to show off.

 

[Bad Karma]

Any of you thinking of getting a flinter. This kit for surpasses what I have.

The swamped barrel is really nice. The lock fit looks like 96%.
If I had one of these I could build in a a week or so. It took 5 months to build my first one.



Still would want double set triggers

I just watched that video last night. (He’s an interesting character…) and I didn’t care for the Woodsrunner before, having only seen it in the website. I’m still more partial to the Colonial rifle. And… manure, should not have visited the site. Oh my…

 

[Bad Karma]

The video is misleading. The rifle can quickly be assembled that way, but to look right all the metal but the side plate needs polishing. You can see the cutter marks in the closeup of the nosecap. Also the man in the video didn't know how to install the front sight(it's backwards) or the nosecap. According to the instructions, the screws are installed from inside the barrel channel.

It is still a very nice kit. It just takes longer than he said.

Noticed the sights as well… he published an addendum to the original video in which he addressed this and a couple other things. Overall I think it was a pretty well done video giving some idea of what the process might look like. We’ve all seen butchered examples of TC kits, CVA kits and what have you. This kit at least gives the average schmo a shot at a reall bery nice rifle within the skill set of an untrained wood butcher.

 

[IanH]

Looks fine to me. I wouldn't kick it out the door. BTW, no way I would wear all those clothes, bag, horn, etc. while working in the shop. But, he was making a vid to show off.

It's a blotchy, cloudy mess. He covered up most of the grain with stain. If he wanted to adjust the color that the iron nitrate left, he could have done it differently without the blotching and haziness.

 

[Grenadier1758]

If the Hawken Brothers had access to CNC milling machines, they would have used them.

They used hired master gun builders (John Gemmer for one) instead of CNC machinery.

 

[The Appalachian]

Also the man in the video didn't know how to install the front sight(it's backwards)

For those griping about the sights backwards.......

 

[wiscoaster]

Still would want double set triggers

The SMR's double set trigger is awesome.

 

[user 34300]

You all know I like Kibler kits. I have assembled eights so far. I have also assembled a dozen old school parts sets. I have scratch made another dozen. What stands out about the Kibler kits? The architecture is well researched, correct and beautiful. The rifle will feel right in your hand. It will look svelt and not clunky. The wood to metal fits about perfect as received. They may be a couple of tight spots here or there but none ever had a loose spot. If you keep your head on straight there will be no gaps. The last one did require a tiny bit of wood removal in the lock recess. On the SMRs I relieve the tang inlet. IT is tight as received and scares me that I will bend the tang. The locks are all made by CNC and fit together like a swiss watch. The heat treat and alloy selection is correct. I normally take and easy slow day to fully assemble one. I could slam it together in an hour but I choose try and do a perfect job. I currently own and shoot five Kibler rifles. Every one has nothing that I would have done better or different. I can not say that for parts sets guns with precarve stocks or even my own scratch built guns. IF you build a Kibler with skill and attention to detail it will be worth more than what you paid for the kit.

 

[duca]

I have all 3 models and love them All! The trigger on the Woodsrunner is fantastic! Beautiful let-off. The SMR triggers on mine are sooo smooth I rarely use the set trigger.

 

[olskool]

i am on my 3rd SMR, i have a 45, a 36, and now doing a 40 that should be done this week,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

 

[sturmkatze]

The video is misleading. The rifle can quickly be assembled that way, but to look right all the metal but the side plate needs polishing. You can see the cutter marks in the closeup of the nosecap. Also the man in the video didn't know how to install the front sight(it's backwards) or the nosecap. According to the instructions, the screws are installed from inside the barrel channel.

It is still a very nice kit. It just takes longer than he said.

Really? It’s a kit. That means YOU, the kitee are supposed to do the finish work, including polishing. How much do you want them to do for you? Should Jim Kibler come to your house and wipe your butt for you? Egads.

As to the sight, Peter said quite clearly in the next video what was up and why he did that.

It depends on who it is. Some people might take months. Someone who builds these for a living, say Uncle Evil ( @Comfortably_Numb ) might be able to get it fit together in hours due to his skills and knowledge. Lighten up Francis.