Kibler kits

[.36Rooster]

Guys I was looking at these for perhaps a later date to work on.

My gun building knowledge is not quite yet up to it, but will get there soon enough...

I was really liking the idea of a .40 southern flintlock, bit heavy for the kind of hunting I do though, but I'd love one. I think these are green mountain barrels...is it a simple matter to purchase, at a later date, say a .36, and drop it into the gun? Or would I need to commit to a caliber from the get-go?

 

[forty_caliber]

Since these barrels are hand fitted to the stock, changing one out later might be possible but not easy. Outside dimensions would have to be spot on for it to work. All dimensions would have to match...exactly. Jim might be able to tell you exactly.

.40

 

[Nameless Hunter]

If you get the barrel from Kibler, it should be a near drop in. I've got a 58 Colonial on the way, and was told I could order and drop in one of their other caliber offerings in the future...

 

[Trot]

Breech plug would also have to be fitted to the barrel and the inletting on the stock, barrel lugs would have to be installed in exactly the same spots. Definitely would not be a drop in proposition, I'd commit to something and stick with it.

 

[Flintandsteel]

With Kibler, as long as you order the barrel from Jim, it will drop right in.

 

[.36Rooster]

Also, does anyone know whether or not he is supplying swamped barrels with his kits? I have not found mention of that anywhere on his site.

 

[user 34300]

He only offers swamped barrels. The barrel contours have changed slightly over time. IF you have an old kit rifle a new barrel will not fit right. IF you really want two barrels get two barrel with the kit. Be warned, changing barrels on a long rife is a pain compared to a hook breech halfstock. It is customary to leve the barrel in a long rifle for cleaning. Swapping barrels to much is likely to result in a beat up stock. I'd get a second rifle.

The 40 cal is a great choice, it is as small as I can load easily. 40 is my favorite target caliber. The 45 cal is very light weight and handles great. The 36 is a little heavier, it is a bit fiddley to load. I have not owned a Kibler 32.

The kits are complete with all parts. The CNC inletting is 99.5% done, and it is perfect. The steel parts are CNC machined. The styling is extremely HC and well researched. Jim KIbler is one of the top custom long rifle makers. Kibler takes no shortcuts on anything in his kits. The quality of the kits are the best ever produced by anyone.

 

[.36Rooster]

That is exactly why I'm considering his kits. That's good to know about the barrels. And yes. I'm aware. Removing the pins is a delicate process that is best done as least often as possible.

Not that I'd be interchanging barrels, It's just that I would really enjoy a .40, however, as a squirrel hunter I feel that a .32 or .36 makes much more sense. And was wondering about the possibility of making a change down the road. Thanks for all the info guys.

 

[Eric Krewson]

I saw where he CNC machines the underlugs as part of the barrel now, they will always be in the same place barrel to barrel.

 

[Buckskinn]

I use a 40 for squirrel and don't really see what the difference would be between 32, 36 or 40 for them. If you hit head or ribs your good, if you hit meat - bad and that goes for all of them. The 40 is a sweet, easy loading, well balanced caliber that shoots very accurately.

 

[.36Rooster]

Yes, I would like to build a. 40 as a squirrel rifle, but since I'd be investing the money and time into finishing the kit, I would be more comfortable knowing I had the option to put in a smaller caliber barrel in case the .40 doesn't work out for the style of shooting I do on squirrels. I also hunt a lot of pine (red) squirrels, which tend to be much smaller than the gray and fox squirrels, so that's a real factor too.

But I'd definitely say at this point, my heart is totally captured by the idea of a .40 flintlock southern rifle.