Kibler Colonial Caliber Question

[geb324]

50cal. rifled thats the smallest in the colonial, should be sufficient even if you should change you mind and take up hunting

 

[Hatman/2nd line]

I have 2 , .54cal, ,one in a smooth rifle and the other is rifled. I haven't shot the rifle yet but I've been able to get 3" groups with the smooth, can't beat it! A .54 gives a lighter barrel I think and makes good handling.

 

[Codger Craig Wilcox]

" Have not shot it yet but dry firing in the house it is a joy so far. "

Please be sure to have a flint - or a wooden representative of a flint - in the cock jaws, and always have the frizzen down when "dry firing in the house." An empty cock, or one that is not slowed/stopped by the frizzen, is a good candidate for getting bent or broken. That "stop" at the back of the pan is to arrest the cock AFTER it hits and is slowed by the frizzen.

I had a couple small pieces of Ebony, shaped them into a flint shape, and keep one in the jaws of whatever flintlock I happen to be working on. A real flint is capable of slicing your hand or finger in the blink of an eye. Many people have failed to notice that the "flint" is actually a piece of wood. Until they try to actually fire it!

 

[French Colonial]

I use whatever piece of scrap wood I have laying around to make wooden flints and shape them on the bandsaw in just a short time, don't have to be pretty or of particularly hard wood.

If I lose one I just make a couple more.

 

[hanshi]

If you no longer hunt, I don't either, I'd choose the Kibler SMR in .45! It will be much, much lighter than the colonial, even in .58. A .45 will handle longer ranges and would be all you would need if you happened to decide to hie into the woods for game after all. For shooting past 125 yards, give or take, a lesser caliber will be a disadvantage.

 

[MSW]

Were it my decision, i would pick the .58.

free advice - well worth the cost

 

[Rock Home Isle]

Were it my decision, i would pick the .58.

free advice - well worth the cost

Rifled or smooth?

I’m looking at the .58 smooth as a 24 guage.

 

[Zutt-man]

Rifled or smooth?

I’m looking at the .58 smooth as a 24 guage.

I did the rifle and it’s incredible. My next will be the smoothie version

 

[Rock Home Isle]

I did the rifle and it’s incredible. My next will be the smoothie version

I really like the way you think…keep us informed.

I want the SMR .40 calibre because…well because I want the .40 calibre SMR.

I want the .54 calibre Colonial, because the gun is heavy enough, that I can shoot it very accurately off-hand if I ever have too. The gun performs incredibly well, the .54 is my favorite calibre for hunting elk with a roundball.

I want the .58 calibre smoothbore becuase I really enjoy hunting and shooting my smoothbores. Smoothbores are just amazing fun firearms on a blackpowder muzzleloading platform. I was torn between a .54/28 gauge or a .58/24 gauge as a smoothbore, so I looked around and bought supplies for the 24 guage.

…so yeah, now I’m committed…or is that, I should be committed? I don’t know, I’ll have to ask my wife. She says one of those two, a lot.

 

[Zutt-man]

I really like the way you think…keep us informed.

I want the SMR .40 calibre because…I want the .40 calibre SMR.

I want the .54 calibre Colonial, because the gun is heavy enough, that I can shoot it very accurately off-hand if I ever have too. The gun performs incredibly well, the .54 is my favorite calibre for hunting elk with a roundball.

I want the .58 calibre smoothbore becuase I really enjoy hunting and shooting my smoothbores. Smoothbores are just amazing fun firearms on a blackpowder muzzleloading platform. I was torn between a .54/28 gauge or a .58/24 gauge as a smoothbore, so I looked around and bought supplies for the 24 guage…so yeah, now I’m committed…

I have a .40 from my youth and it shot great. Won a lot of rendezvous matches, state matches, and put a few deer in the freezer. It’s seeing some age and needs some attention, but the butt style doesn’t fit me anymore so it rests in the gun cabinet. It’s very similar to the SMR style plate.

I need (have an unmentionable) turkey gun and really wanted a Kibler. Since I already have a .58 rifle, I figured I could use the same RBs for my 24 gauge. Have a side business that supports my hunting/shooting funds l, so when I get some spare cash after my Idaho bear hunt, I’ll be purchasing one. I’m sure my next gun (after the .58 smoothie) will be his fowler.

 

[longrifle1757]

I decided on the .40 cal SMR and the .54 Colonial rifled. I wanted a smaller caliber for shorter distances and thought the .40 would be good. I think the .54 Colonial rifled will be a good pick for longer distances. One light duty and one heavy duty so to speak…

 

[Kmcmichael]

I have the SMR in .40 and the Colonial in .50.
It boils down to what you like. I am 63. I don’t hunt much but like a heavy gun, especially for offhand. my Colonial weighs just under 10 pounds.
I could have been pretty happy with a SMR in .45 if I were wanting to carry it much.
I would like to kill a deer with my .50 but if I do I will just be taking it to a stand.
If I lived out west and thought I might get a tag I would wait on the newer one in .54.

 

[Timmit]

I have a Kibler Colonial in .54 that weighs 9lb. 6oz., and a Kibler SMR in .45 that weighs 6lb. 9oz. I like shooting both and both are accurate, but if I am doing any walking while hunting I take the SMR. I'll be 70 this year and it is a lot easier to carry. If I am going to sit on stand I use the Colonial. I have shot deer with both. At BP shoots I switch off between the two and even sometimes I shoot my Kibler SMR .36 for fun. It is hard to tell if there is a hit on some of the longer targets with it though. I did give Jim my order for a Woodsrunner in a .54 cal. He said it would weigh somewhere around 7.5lbs. Three years ago I took the 54 Colonial elk hunting in Colorado and 9lb. 6oz. is a lot for me to carry around at 10,000 to 11,000ft. of elevation.

 

[longrifle1757]

I have a Kibler Colonial in .54 that weighs 9lb. 6oz., and a Kibler SMR in .45 that weighs 6lb. 9oz. I like shooting both and both are accurate, but if I am doing any walking while hunting I take the SMR. I'll be 70 this year and it is a lot easier to carry. If I am going to sit on stand I use the Colonial. I have shot deer with both. At BP shoots I switch off between the two and even sometimes I shoot my Kibler SMR .36 for fun. It is hard to tell if there is a hit on some of the longer targets with it though. I did give Jim my order for a Woodsrunner in a .54 cal. He said it would weigh somewhere around 7.5lbs. Three years ago I took the 54 Colonial elk hunting in Colorado and 9lb. 6oz. is a lot for me to carry around at 10,000 to 11,000ft. of elevation.

I know that Colonial is heavy but I won’t be walking too much with it. My range is directly behind our home so that makes it easy. If I do any distance walking it will definately be with the SMR. I have never owner .40 or .54 calibers so anxious to get these. Never built a kit either and never had a flint.

 

[Rock Home Isle]

So…9 lbs…9.5 lbs for the Colnial? That’s in the ballpark of a Brown Bess…

 

[Zutt-man]

So…9 lbs…9.5 lbs for the Colnial? That’s in the ballpark of a Brown Bess…

Depends on the caliber. 50’s will weigh a bit more than the .58. My .58 weighs a little more than the average, but I don’t even notice the weight with its unmatched balance

 

[Dphar1950]

I plan to order a Kibler Colonial in the next day or so and wonder which caliber/smooth or rifled to get. This along with SMR I already have on order in .40 cal will be my first flints. I am about to be 70, not a hunter so I’ll be target shooting and just having fun. I have a 50, 100 and 200 yard range at home. I shoot steel plates, paper targets, water filled jugs, bowling pins and any thing else that looks like a good target. I have 50 cal goods that I feed my Lyman Great Plains percussion bit wanted to consider another caliber. Any suggestions? Thanks

50 is adeqate for most hunting. It will kill elk with good shot placement and a LOT, probably most original rifles back to at least the 1770s were no bigger. This from writings of the time. I like a 50. Its a great deer caliber and I would shoot an elk with no fear or a black bear. The 50 will give you better results if you shoot past 50-75 yards in matches and such. The Colonial is a traditional rifle and will weigh about 9 pounds. But its not really very muzzle heavy. Big buttplate and barrel has a heavy breech. But gets smaller pretty quick With little flare at the muzzle.

 

[Zutt-man]

50 is adeqate for most hunting. It will kill elk with good shot placement

Will have to check regulations. Some states you must have a .54 or larger for elk

 

[Dphar1950]

Will have to check regulations. Some states you must have a .54 or larger for elk

Did not think about that. I would not dispute this requirement by any means. Montana is fairly lax on calibers required. I could shoot elk with any center fire here. Unless they changed it. But back in the day people were routinely killing Elk with things that would astound the modern day elk hunter or gun writer for that matter.