kibler fowler

[Doc Ivory]

I have one of his Colonial smooth bore kits on order and they’ve pushed it out till April delivery from February. I’m nit worried at all, glad there is demand.

I’m kinda looking forward to seeing which Fowler he brings to production.
Awesome people to deal with.

-Doc

 

[Smokey Plainsman]

Hi guys. I just thought I would give a little update on the fowling piece kit project as well as business in general.

This past year has been very good for us. We are very busy trying to get all orders filled in a timely manner but realize we still have a ways to go until we get where we would like. We're taking steps to control the production of more and more parts. This will allow us to hopefully get to a point where virtually all products are stocked. We will have a great deal of money in inventory, but we feel it will be worth it. In the past year, we've moved all lock production "in house" as well as much of the barrel making process. Labor has been a difficulty and we're happy to announce we've hired a new production supervisor who will be starting very soon. This will allow more of my time to be devoted towards new projects. Sales continue to grow by leaps and bounds each year and we're thankful for all who have supported us. We have big plans for our business and are working hard to achieve them.

We have done some work on the new fowling piece project. It's not as far along as we had hoped, but we'll get there. I understand there are a lot of different preferences as to styles and designs. We may end up offering a couple of different options. A nice quality trade gun such as the Wilson I mentioned will be offered first. We've purchased a good original example to reference during this development. My personal preference tends to lean towards high-end London made fowling pieces, but other grades have a lot of merit as well. Especially when viewed in the context of their role in this country. That aside, trade guns can have great form, design, and aesthetic appeal on their own. Trust me, what we offer will be nice and no corners will be cut!

Thanks again for all the support. We would have never guessed our business would have become what it is so fast. If you have any questions, for me just ask.

All the best,
Jim

Jim your success brings a tear to my eye. My heart soars like the hawk to know the American entrepreneur can still succeed even today. We will be here to support you and I will be buying two kits from you when you guys can get caught up. Godspeed sir!

 

[Ross5403]

Hi guys. I just thought I would give a little update on the fowling piece kit project as well as business in general.

This past year has been very good for us. We are very busy trying to get all orders filled in a timely manner but realize we still have a ways to go until we get where we would like. We're taking steps to control the production of more and more parts. This will allow us to hopefully get to a point where virtually all products are stocked. We will have a great deal of money in inventory, but we feel it will be worth it. In the past year, we've moved all lock production "in house" as well as much of the barrel making process. Labor has been a difficulty and we're happy to announce we've hired a new production supervisor who will be starting very soon. This will allow more of my time to be devoted towards new projects. Sales continue to grow by leaps and bounds each year and we're thankful for all who have supported us. We have big plans for our business and are working hard to achieve them.

We have done some work on the new fowling piece project. It's not as far along as we had hoped, but we'll get there. I understand there are a lot of different preferences as to styles and designs. We may end up offering a couple of different options. A nice quality trade gun such as the Wilson I mentioned will be offered first. We've purchased a good original example to reference during this development. My personal preference tends to lean towards high-end London made fowling pieces, but other grades have a lot of merit as well. Especially when viewed in the context of their role in this country. That aside, trade guns can have great form, design, and aesthetic appeal on their own. Trust me, what we offer will be nice and no corners will be cut!

Thanks again for all the support. We would have never guessed our business would have become what it is so fast. If you have any questions, for me just ask.

All the best,
Jim

Can't wait would love a smoothbore. Was going to order the colonial but may wait for the fowler or trade gun. Keep up the good work.

 

[appalichian hunter]

would be a limited market and expensive for your set up but a guy can whish---LEFTY,LEFTY,LEFTY

 

[JHB]

There are more people that want a left hand gun then they than. Most lefty's are tired of asking (being ignored) than they think and just adapt. Chambers has some left handed models. I guess they see enough sales to make them.

 

[Doc Ivory]

We have done some work on the new fowling piece project. It's not as far along as we had hoped, but we'll get there. I understand there are a lot of different preferences as to styles and designs. We may end up offering a couple of different options. A nice quality trade gun such as the Wilson I mentioned will be offered first. We've purchased a good original example to reference during this development. My personal preference tends to lean towards high-end London made fowling pieces, but other grades have a lot of merit as well. Especially when viewed in the context of their role in this country. That aside, trade guns can have great form, design, and aesthetic appeal on their own. Trust me, what we offer will be nice and no corners will be cut!

Thanks again for all the support. We would have never guessed our business would have become what it is so fast. If you have any questions, for me just ask.

All the best,
Jim

Good morning Jim!
I'm looking forward to your fowler kit, should be a really well received.
I was curious as to how your "in house' barrel finishing was coming along. If I remember correctly, you brought in rough finished units then brought them to tolerances in your shop, no?

--Jim

 

[smoothshooter]

It's the 'copy it' part you brushed over a bit too quickly. No to mention selecting just the right original for the best mass appeal. Then take the amount of time a high production small shop has in a day to work extra projects (Jim and a few helpers), design and program every single part that has to be made in the lock, fine tuning, testing, and making adjustments along the way, which then, cascading down, have to be made to a whole list of parts, program the breech plug, develop a process for the pipes, each part in the triggers, sights, and furniture, each dialed in to be plug and play, and you're talking months, then figure a workable production schedule as you don't have 25 CNC machines. That is all after you go through the long process of choosing an original to copy, find an excellent example, purchase it for 25k, get it in the shop, stock up on the appropriate blanks, then get a pipeline of materials going so the first few thousand can go out quickly after announcement (suddenly your screw supplier can't hit your tolerances though they promised they could) and still have enough pipeline to keep up with demand, in this friggin ridiculous environment. I'd be pleased if we could get on the list by July. It's not Pedersoli, it's Jim, Kat on the phones, and a few kids.

Why would he have to make his own locks?
Chambers, L & R, and others already have the process down. Plenty of styles to choose from. Does he not use these locks already anyway?

 

[smoothshooter]

That would just be a copy of a copy.

What would be the problem with that?
Who would care?

 

[Bob McBride]

Why would he have to make his own locks?
Chambers, L & R, and others already have the process down. Plenty of styles to choose from. Does he not use these locks already anyway?

It’s not a matter of ‘has to’ but he does make his own locks. He used Chambers in the beginning but felt he could make a better lock and so he decided to do that. He uses a process that gives more consistency lock to lock and that doesn’t require tuning to get the most out of the lock. His locks locks are better than the ones he was getting from suppliers, he controls production, and he’s making them cheaper. Smart.

 

[smoothshooter]

It’s not a matter of ‘has to’ but he does make his own locks. He used Chambers in the beginning but felt he could make a better lock and so he decided to do that. He uses a process that gives more consistency lock to lock and that doesn’t require tuning to get the most out of the lock. His locks locks are better than the ones he was getting from suppliers, he controls production, and he’s making them cheaper. Smart.

Don’t see how a better performing lock can be made than anything Chambers puts out.
But I can see the advantages of making them in-house IF they can avoid the problem common to almost all makers of traditional muzzleloader parts, which is production backlogs of 6 months or longer.

 

[Bob McBride]

Don’t see how a better performing lock can be made than anything Chambers puts out.
But I can see the advantages of making them in-house IF they can avoid the problem common to almost all makers of traditional muzzleloader parts, which is production backlogs of 6 months or longer.

I’m a Chambers guy for sure and consider them virtually the gold standard. I love them and run them all, especially the Silers and Ketlands, but the Kibler’s are superior. Get one in hand and it’s pretty obvious. That said, yea, small operations have some issues keeping up when they become popular. It’s really hard when running a business to scale up before the demand is there and it’s not obvious that’s the best way to go anyway from a business perspective, nor is scaling to the peaks like this COVID period. We’ll see. Hopefully theyll get back up to a month or two turnaround on their kits. Their parts are pretty much order and ship.

 

[JHB]

When a manufacturer keeps everything in house he has better control over the finished product. Take the lock plate for instance when he makes a run of stocks and has a problem with the size of the plate mortise he can adjust the program on the mill that produces the lock plates to compensate. That equals less scrap and back log.
When planed properly the only back log you have is lack of production capabilities or help.
The down side is machinery is expensive and good operators are hard to find. Very few people want to go into a trade they don't want to get their hands dirty.

 

[smoothshooter]

Thank you very much Jim for the products currently offered. I have just ordered my 4th kit and look forward to your next offering.

Hi guys. I just thought I would give a little update on the fowling piece kit project as well as business in general.

This past year has been very good for us. We are very busy trying to get all orders filled in a timely manner but realize we still have a ways to go until we get where we would like. We're taking steps to control the production of more and more parts. This will allow us to hopefully get to a point where virtually all products are stocked. We will have a great deal of money in inventory, but we feel it will be worth it. In the past year, we've moved all lock production "in house" as well as much of the barrel making process. Labor has been a difficulty and we're happy to announce we've hired a new production supervisor who will be starting very soon. This will allow more of my time to be devoted towards new projects. Sales continue to grow by leaps and bounds each year and we're thankful for all who have supported us. We have big plans for our business and are working hard to achieve them.

We have done some work on the new fowling piece project. It's not as far along as we had hoped, but we'll get there. I understand there are a lot of different preferences as to styles and designs. We may end up offering a couple of different options. A nice quality trade gun such as the Wilson I mentioned will be offered first. We've purchased a good original example to reference during this development. My personal preference tends to lean towards high-end London made fowling pieces, but other grades have a lot of merit as well. Especially when viewed in the context of their role in this country. That aside, trade guns can have great form, design, and aesthetic appeal on their own. Trust me, what we offer will be nice and no corners will be cut!

Thanks again for all the support. We would have never guessed our business would have become what it is so fast. If you have any questions, for me just ask.

All the best,
Jim

I will be ordering a smoothbore when they are available.
Also, a .36 or .40 rifle with a 38” swamped barrel if you ever offer one.

 

[DickS]

KIbler's cnc machining allows precise inletting with the lock fitting perfectly. Making the lock in-house guarantees the compatibility of the lock and stock inlet.

 

[Kansas Kid]

There are more people that want a left hand gun then they than. Most lefty's are tired of asking (being ignored) than they think and just adapt. Chambers has some left handed models. I guess they see enough sales to make them.

Probably bought a dozen left hand parts kits over the years, and have my eye on maybe two more. There’s more of a market for decent LH guns than one thinks. Chambers, Pecatonica and Sitting Fox are the only places I bother to look at.

 

[JHB]

I don't have a choice about shooting a rifle left handed. I am right handed I wont say I am blind in my right eye but not far from it. My percussion rifles are right handed but I have this phobia about a flint lighting off a pan full of powder right in front of my eyes. A full face shield would work but try to get a decent check weld.
When I finish the latest percussion kit I am working on the hunt for a LH flint lock begins. Sitting Fox has a nice poor boy that I think they sell in LH.

 

[Rock Home Isle]

I just recently discovered Kibler Longrifles...yeah I'm a bit excited to order one when they become available...

A sweet little 28 gauge would be awesome fun.

 

[Smokey Plainsman]

Don’t see how a better performing lock can be made than anything Chambers puts out.
But I can see the advantages of making them in-house IF they can avoid the problem common to almost all makers of traditional muzzleloader parts, which is production backlogs of 6 months or longer.

Eh. His backlog is about 4 months now. That's how long it took for my order which I had to cancel due to leaving the country for a while.

 

[Art Caputo]

I will surely be interested when Jim reaHaving built and used the most recent version of the the Kibler Colonial with the GM barrel, I’m quite impressed with quality and attention to the design and foment of the components, and overall performance of the rifle. I later added a different caliber barrel and was quite impressed that it fit “perfectly” into the inletting, only requiring me to drill the barrel tenon holes, and slight filing of the top of the tang to bring the surface even with the wood. With the exception of the bore size, the two barrels are in-distinguishable from each other when mounted. While the lock design, fitment, and internal finish is reminiscent of a fine watch, the exterior surfaces do require finish work to remove the machine/casting marks. The lock performs very well but I wouldn’t make the claim that it’s the “best” performing lock if sparkling, repeatability, and lock time are the criteria. I have Silers that perform comparably in this respect. As to long term performance, it’s too soon to tell, but my well tuned/maintained Silers have performed without issue for decades of use. I wouldn't hesitate to use one on a fine rifle. IMO.

 

[Ross5403]

Any updates?