Kibler Woodsrunner historical accuracy

[Magungo1066]

Hello all! I hope all is well and that everyone is having an enjoyable holiday season. I realize there are several threads on the wood runner but none of them touched on this specifically. I know the inspiration for the kit is from an original rifle tentatively attributed to Virginia. My question is this, how accurate is the Kibler kit in terms of being from a rifle from that (rough) location and time frame? Ie. geometry/stock shape etc. The reason I ask is that I got a college friend into muzzleloading, and he was born/lives in Virginia. I am not so interested in how accurate the kit is to the original rifle. Rather, how accurate is the kit truly to rifles potentially made in that period/location. Assuming the timeframe is mid-late 60s-1780s. Thanks!

 

[Jamie Hurley]

I'd say it is a very faithful recreation of a rifle from that time and place. RCA Volume II has quite a few Valley of Virginia rifles showcased, and the Kibler Woodsrunner is of very similar geometry, with similar caliber options, and the large English roundfaced lock.

As you mentioned, it's not an exact copy of the original rifle, which is 58", .52 caliber, and a larger buttstock. But as Jim his said, his Woodsrunner can be looked at as a rifle made by the same gunsmith, slightly later in his career. Shumway estimated the original was made roughly between 1765 and 1775.

Those rifles did tend to be very plain with little or no carving and engraving. In my opinion, the pre-carved Kibler Woodsrunner is a contemporary (albeit beautiful) touch.

 

[Magungo1066]

I'd say it is a very faithful recreation of a rifle from that time and place. RCA Volume II has quite a few Valley of Virginia rifles showcased, and the Kibler Woodsrunner is of very similar geometry, with similar caliber options, and the large English roundfaced lock.

As you mentioned, it's not an exact copy of the original rifle, which is 58", .52 caliber, and a larger buttstock. But as Jim his said, his Woodsrunner can be looked at as a rifle made by the same gunsmith, slightly later in his career. Shumway estimated the original was made roughly between 1765 and 1775.

Those rifles did tend to be very plain with little or no carving and engraving. In my opinion, the pre-carved Kibler Woodsrunner is a contemporary (albeit beautiful) touch.

I think it is right up his alley. The colonial is nice but the woodsrunner seems so handy, and more importantly, has a swamped barrel.

 

[Indy Durtdigger]

From the wording in the opening post, I take it the op has seen this but in case they haven't. Here is a vid where he compares the kit rifle to his copy of the original. My question would be. Given the research he has shown himself doing on other kits based off his rifles based off originals why he chose one unsigned and can't be proven an authentic location correct piece.
I don't doubt him though. Before he started offering kits to us plebs he made his name as a rifle maker.

First 10 minutes.

 

[nchawkeye]

A Lancaster would be accurate as well.

 

[Comfortably_Numb]

It's spot on.

 

[Magungo1066]

It's spot on.

Excellent. That is high praise from you. Thanks for all the replies everyone! I went to school in Virginia and all this talk of one of these kits is starting to have me wanting to create a little "woods runner piggy bank". My friend is handy enough with staining wood so I think he would love one of these kits. The assembly wouldn't be an issue from what I understand, even if he has no prior experience. I am going to relay all of this to him.

 

[user 34300]

It's spot on.

https://americanlongrifles.org/forum/index.php?topic=49297.0

 

[Salty Cracker]

Which RCA book has the "Woodsrunner "
Thanks

 

[zerosprk]

I think it is right up his alley. The colonial is nice but the woodsrunner seems so handy, and more importantly, has a swamped barrel.

I'm not trying to talk you out of a Woodsrunner. However, the Kibler Colonial sports a swamped barrel as well. Pretty darn accurate as well!

 

[Jamie Hurley]

Which RCA book has the "Woodsrunner "
Thanks

It isn't in either book unfortunately. Shumway wrote a short article in the October 1982 Muzzleblasts on the rifle, and stated he wished he'd included it in the RCAs.

 

[Cayman like]

It isn't in either book unfortunately. Shumway wrote a short article in the October 1982 Muzzleblasts on the rifle, and stated he wished he'd included it in the RCAs.

I have that issue.

 

[rich pierce]

Wallace Gusler wrote about the original in Muzzle Blasts articles. I got to handle it once. A little crooked but a nice handling rifle. There’s a near relative known as the feather rifle. I like that one a lot.

 

[Magungo1066]

I'm not trying to talk you out of a Woodsrunner. However, the Kibler Colonial sports a swamped barrel as well. Pretty darn accurate as well!

Hmmm I learned something new! I always thought the colonial had a straight barrel and it has put me off on them for a while!

 

[Magungo1066]

Wallace Gusler wrote about the original in Muzzle Blasts articles. I got to handle it once. A little crooked but a nice handling rifle. There’s a near relative known as the feather rifle. I like that one a lot.

That is amazing that you were able to handle it. I will check out the feather rifle!

 

[Comfortably_Numb]

That is amazing that you were able to handle it. I will check out the feather rifle!

I compared both of them laying side by side at f ship years ago. Gusher had one and Goehring had the other. I have bp and tg castings of Goering feather rifle. It's pretty obvious they are both built by the same hand when side by side.

 

[Pilgrim]

I have not researched the Kibler woodsrunner. I have studied a lot about the SMR. Before purchasing the kit I studied his information. The gunsmith he patterned the SMR from did some of his work from a shop in the county immediately south of where I live. So I had a vested interest in the history of the SMR. I can say Jim is just as good of a historian as he is a gunsmith. I am honored to own a contemporary long rifle pattered from a gunsmith in my geographical region of the Blue Ridge Mountains. I believe you can have the highest confidence in Jim Kibler's knowledge and research of his products. This is my personal experience and what I have learned through research and study.

 

[Mike in FL]

Although I very much prefer the Colonial, the more I look at the WR the more I like it. I'm torn between buying the WR or waiting on the Hawken. FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO HAVE ASSEMBLED MORE THAN ONE KIBLER, DO YOU THINK THE WR IS THE EASIEST TO FINISH OF JIM'S CURRENT OFFERINGS?
I so very much like "easy." I'm not very experienced or handy. The Colonial gave me a fit. To bring it to finished took me two months, which is me, not the kit. I know some of you have completed a Kibler in days, not weeks or months. Now that I've done the Colonial, I have all the needed tools/marerials.

 

[stikshooter]

I'm not trying to talk you out of a Woodsrunner. However, the Kibler Colonial sports a swamped barrel as well. Pretty darn accurate as well!

But does everything the Colonial does and does it better ,shorter/lighter/HANDIER to load for all us shorter folks .
One friend has both and likes the woods runner (it's funner ) Ed

 

[French Colonial]

Although I very much prefer the Colonial, the more I look at the WR the more I like it. I'm torn between buying the WR or waiting on the Hawken. FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO HAVE ASSEMBLED MORE THAN ONE KIBLER, DO YOU THINK THE WR IS THE EASIEST TO FINISH OF JIM'S CURRENT OFFERINGS?
I so very much like "easy." I'm not very experienced or handy. The Colonial gave me a fit. To bring it to finished took me two months, which is me, not the kit. I know some of you have completed a Kibler in days, not weeks or months. Now that I've done the Colonial, I have all the needed tools/marerials.

I think you will find the Woodsrunner is the easiest gun to assemble that Jim has made to date. I do not know for sure but the CNC machining seems more accurate and much smoother, I ASSUME it is made on better and newer CNC machines.

I truly believe you could take it out of the box and put it together and go shoot it the same day, no finishing obviously.