Jim Kibler's Colonial Kit

[F.G. Ford]

Here is a few pictures of the kit finished. Turned out very nice.

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My most sincere compliments! Great looking rifle!
Fred

 

[R.C.BINGAMAN]

Very nice rifle, I have been following the posts on these weapons,I wonder if in the future he will offer a left hand version. I attempted to contact Mr. Kiebler via. a text but it came back as un-deliverable. Perhaps someone closer to him may be able to ask. Thanks R.C.

 

[Davemuzz]

I like your finish. What stain and finish did you use?

 

[Flint62Smoothie]

... I wonder if in the future he will offer a left-hand version.

Boy oh boy I’d buy one in a second! I bet he’d sell a TON too, as there is really no other ”˜as good’ options ... historically correct design to boot!

At least in the ”˜righty’ version, haha!

 

[dave_person]

Hi RC,
Jim will likely consider a lefty but not for a while. One problem is that none of the locks he uses come in left hand. He chose the Chambers Virginia fowler and late Ketland locks because they are HC for the guns he is producing, are the best quality and performing production locks out there, and Chambers keeps tight quality control on those locks because I believe he has LC Rice doing the assembly work exclusively on those models. Jim Kibler's only choice for a lefty would be a left handed Siler. None of the other locks by other makers are of sufficient quality and quality control to work with Jim's CNC system. Remember, Kibler's CNC inletting is extremely precise but that also means the metal parts have to be made to a similar standard of precision to consistently fit the stocks. To do a lefty, Jim would probably have to design a new gun around the Siler or a lock of his own production. He would have to make sure the Silers were assembled with the same precision as the virginia and late Ketland locks (and they are not as far as I can tell).

dave

 

[Flint62Smoothie]

Jim will likely consider a lefty but not for a while. One problem is that none of the locks he uses come in left-hand.

Thanks Dave ... I totally forgot :redface: about that part of the equation!

 

[BillinOregon]

You did a wonderful job assembling what is apparently a wonderful kit. It is really lovely. Looking forward to hearing about the stain and finish used.

 

[R.C.BINGAMAN]

I have 2 silers very good locks neither have had any problems, fast and reliable. first one was built by HERBERT GREENLY of Waynesboro Penn. this was my first custom build 1986. only problem is it is a right hand rifle. Took a few trips to the range to get used to shooting a right handed rifle, but it worked out really well. This rifle has took quite a few deer. The other is on a rifle I purchased at Ft. Frederick market faire from a doctor whom was walking with the rifle, The builder was from Ohio, story was his wife had won it in a raffle for breast cancer. The builder met her at the local range and instructed her in the proper way to load and shoot it. I do not believe the rifle is any particular school but a really nice lefty that has took 3 deer so far. I will wait on Mr. Pearsen I really would like one of his rifles. R.C.

 

[R.C.BINGAMAN]

Opps I met KIEBLER

 

[Flint62Smoothie]

Opps I met KIEBLER

KIEBLER makes cookies ... KIBLER makes longrifles :rotf:

 

[R.C.BINGAMAN]

O.K.I like them both. R.C.

 

[MSW]

great looking rifle!

thanks for the post ”¦ gotta save up my money and get me one of those someday

 

[tlallijr]

Thanks for the comments.

I like your finish. What stain and finish did you use?

I stained the stock with black trans tint dye then lightly sanded it back with 320 grit and applied the aqua fortis. After stain I applied 2 coats of chambers oil, then probably a half a dozen coats of boiled linseed oil.

 

[Artificer]

None of the other locks by other makers are of sufficient quality and quality control to work with Jim's CNC system. Remember, Kibler's CNC inletting is extremely precise but that also means the metal parts have to be made to a similar standard of precision to consistently fit the stocks.

and

He would have to make sure the Silers were assembled with the same precision as the virginia and late Ketland locks (and they are not as far as I can tell).

dave

Because what Dave wrote is so important for others to understand and because I believe Dave made such great points, I wanted to go a little further with it.

What Dave is alluding to is the necessity of at least the most important parts for Kibler's Kits be done on the "Interchangeable Parts System of Manufacture."

Many commercially available locks today are not made on the Interchangeable Parts System both because they don't have to be AND most importantly, that makes the locks cheaper for both the manufacturer and the buyer. That means the dimensions of those parts will often vary a good deal from one of their parts to another.

Manufacturers who make a copy (good or bad) of a entire period firearm, have to have at least their own internal gauges or gauging specifications. This makes parts close enough in dimensions to allow mass production at a cost people can afford.

Since Jim Kibler is not a manufacturer of all the items in his kits, he must rely on the ability of those who make parts for his kits to at least come very close to the Interchangeable Parts System. That way Jim can program his CNC machinery VERY CLOSE to the final dimensions of the various parts and thus make his kits much easier to assemble.

When locks (especially the lock plates) are not held to pretty tight tolerances, Jim can't program his CNC machinery to the tight tolerances that make assembling his kits as easy as has been reported.

Gus

 

[dave_person]

Hi Gus,
That is exactly right. I believe tighter quality control during assembly is why Jim Chambers is having Liston Rice do all the assembly on his round-faced English, Virginia fowler, and Late Ketland locks. These also happen to be the ones Jim Kibler is using and I suspect that since Kibler is selling a lot of kits, he is one of Chambers biggest customers. That is also why I believe those 3 locks are currently Chambers best offerings. Your comments also highlight some of the hurdles that Jim Kibler has to jump when developing a new product. Until he controls production of all the parts he has to closely coordinate with his suppliers. That must be a nightmare at times. Soon Chris Laubach will be offering a new lock that is completely CNC machined. His first offering will be a Germanic lock much like the famous Albrecht lock. Chris showed it to me at Dixons and it is incredible. You won't have to do anything to it except install it and either brown, blue, case, or polish it bright. I've offered Chris my original round-faced English fowler lock to copy and am looking for a high quality original flat-faced English lock for him. His price will be about $290 and that will be a bargain given the time I spend finishing and tuning even the best Chambers lock, which I won't have to do with Chris's.

dave

 

[Henry Bowman]

That's one fine-looking rifle!

I bought a .58 Colonial from Jim at the CLA. I have never built a gun before. I am almost finished with inital assembly. I'm headed back to the basement to install the nose cap in just a few minutes.

Did you use his Iron Nitrate alone to get that finish, or is tannic acid or Bone Black part of the formula?

 

[Henry Bowman]

What did you use to finish the barrel and brass?

 

[Elnathan]

Hi RC,
Jim will likely consider a lefty but not for a while. One problem is that none of the locks he uses come in left hand. He chose the Chambers Virginia fowler and late Ketland locks because they are HC for the guns he is producing, are the best quality and performing production locks out there, and Chambers keeps tight quality control on those locks because I believe he has LC Rice doing the assembly work exclusively on those models. Jim Kibler's only choice for a lefty would be a left handed Siler. None of the other locks by other makers are of sufficient quality and quality control to work with Jim's CNC system. Remember, Kibler's CNC inletting is extremely precise but that also means the metal parts have to be made to a similar standard of precision to consistently fit the stocks. To do a lefty, Jim would probably have to design a new gun around the Siler or a lock of his own production. He would have to make sure the Silers were assembled with the same precision as the virginia and late Ketland locks (and they are not as far as I can tell).

dave

I also note that Jim Kibler almost never uses Germanic style locks on his custom builds, either. Grand total of one that I am aware of....I think he just doesn't like them.

 

[Rifleman1776]

That is absolutely a fine rifle anyone would be proud to carry. :applause:
I have this feeling, the Kibler type CNC kit could be responsible for reviving the ml avocation much as the TC 'hawken' did in the earlier years of this game. Kibler is bringing a fine rifle well within the financial reach of many would-be ml'ers. Would be interesting to compare the prices of a 1970 TC 'hawken' to a 2018 Kibler kit in dollars then and now. Will have to Google that.

 

[longcruise]

KIEBLER makes cookies ... KIBLER makes longrifles

Hmmmmmm maybe you have stumbled upon the secret to his ability to offer these kits at a reasonable price. I think his shop is abuzz with enslaved elves! :shocked2: