Made the Kibler Leap

[Rock Home Isle]

So I’ve been pondering how to I’m going to finish the stock to really bring out the curl.

This morning, I’m getting ready for a final sanding, and I dampened the stock to raise the grain…

I don’t think I need to worry about whether or not the curl is going to show…

 

[longcruise]

That's going to be beautiful. You going to have it done for State Shoot?

 

[Rock Home Isle]

That's going to be beautiful. You going to have it done for State Shoot?

Wouldn’t that be nice…I highly doubt it though. Once it’s built, it needs to sighted in with a solid load…probably not.

 

[Rock Home Isle]

@BigAl52 came over today. He wanted to see the Kibler kit, and take at close look at quality. Together, we pinned the barrel…and did the ramrod ferrels.

I took a small chisel and removed just a tiny bit of wood from one end of each of the ferrels, so that they sat flush.

The trigger guard, again, had almost no fitting required. This kit is just awesome quality.

The tang simply lightly tapped into place…perfect fit

 

[Rock Home Isle]

Yesterday after @BigAl52 left and went home; I finished pinning the gun and assembled in the white. Today, I completely disassembled the gun & I’ve put a grey antique finish on the barrel and all the hardware.

Then I put the first coat of stain on the stock…that doesn’t even look real.

 

[jarentz]

I can't wait to see a photo when it is finished!

 

[garypl]

Yesterday after @BigAl52 left and went home; I finished pinning the gun and assembled in the white. Today, I completely disassembled the gun & I’ve put a grey antique finish on the barrel and all the hardware.

Then I put the first coat of stain on the stock…that doesn’t even look real.

View attachment 155256

That is amazing figure! Which stain is that?

 

[Rock Home Isle]

So after lunch…it’s dry. Went over it coarse steel wool and then put on a darker stain

I took these images under direct sun…so it should be harsh lighting…I like this darker brown better

 

[BigAl52]

Looks really good Rock. I forgot what you told me was going to be the final coat.

 

[Rob Davis]

That is an amazing stock and you should be very proud of it as well as your work on it. Outstanding!

 

[Hatchet-Jack]

Looking good. Take your time reassembling especially when installing the pins. Oil/Finish can fill the holes and dry and cause the pin to bind and go off course. Whatever you do, don't force a pin if it feels tight as you're tapping it in. Learn from my mistakes. Use a finger drill to clear the pin holes, and a small piece of wire to check things have lined up. You can also shine a light from the other side to see if everything is lined up. Looking forward to seeing both guns on this thread finished.

 

[TDM]

Very nice work. One of my Sons is also building a .36 SMR in Maple. Hope his turns out as well.

 

[Jim K]

Looking good. Take your time reassembling especially when installing the pins. Oil/Finish can fill the holes and dry and cause the pin to bind and go off course. Whatever you do, don't force a pin if it feels tight as you're tapping it in. Learn from my mistakes. Use a finger drill to clear the pin holes, and a small piece of wire to check things have lined up. You can also shine a light from the other side to see if everything is lined up. Looking forward to seeing both guns on this thread finished.

Thanks for that advise. I’m just coming down the home stretch on my smr. I will heed your advice.

 

[Redlemur60]

Yesterday after @BigAl52 left and went home; I finished pinning the gun and assembled in the white. Today, I completely disassembled the gun & I’ve put a grey antique finish on the barrel and all the hardware.

Then I put the first coat of stain on the stock…that doesn’t even look real.

View attachment 155256

I strongly disagree, it looks real,REAL GOOD!

 

[Snooterpup]

Looking good. Take your time reassembling especially when installing the pins. Oil/Finish can fill the holes and dry and cause the pin to bind and go off course. Whatever you do, don't force a pin if it feels tight as you're tapping it in. Learn from my mistakes. Use a finger drill to clear the pin holes, and a small piece of wire to check things have lined up. You can also shine a light from the other side to see if everything is lined up. Looking forward to seeing both guns on this thread finished.

Great hint with the finger drill. I recommend the drill Kibler sent . Use it as a finger drill turning it backwards slowly and carefully. Do not go all the way through! Just halfway, then do the same on the other side. Backward rotation will not lift the grain at the entry point if done slowly and carefully. Beautiful stock! Can’t wait to see it finished.

 

[Rock Home Isle]

I was looking over the finish on my barrel…this barrel has a 1:48 rate of twist. I should be able to shoot conicals with this gun, farely accurately…I’m stoked.

I got 5 coats of MinWax Antique Finish rubbed into the stock yesterday…final coat went on at 5:30 last night.

This morning, around 9:30 I started with my final finish of TrueOil rubbed into the stock. Rubbed in 4 coats, it’s warm outside, so things are clipping along. The 4th coat was completely dry at 12:15…so I went over the gun with very fine steel wool. My stock is drying from its final coat.

If the final coat finishes glass smooth, I’ll pin it together tomorrow morning….following @Hatchet-Jack ‘s advice.

 

[Rob Davis]

Looking forward to seeing the final product.

 

[longcruise]

The figure in that stock is astounding. Just beautiful. I ordered my Woods Runner in plain maple becuase I just couldn't eake out the extra $$$ for the nicer stuff. Now you got me thinking........ That's a dangerous thing!

Please tell more about the method used on the metal.

 

[Redlemur60]

The figure in that stock is astounding. Just beautiful. I ordered my Woods Runner in plain maple becuase I just couldn't eake out the extra $$$ for the nicer stuff. Now you got me thinking........ That's a dangerous thing!

Please tell more about the method used on the metal.

"And many,years from now. As yea lay tgere dyin in yer bed. Will you ask yourself. Should i have ordered the extra fancy?"

 

[Rock Home Isle]

The figure in that stock is astounding. Just beautiful. I ordered my Woods Runner in plain maple becuase I just couldn't eake out the extra $$$ for the nicer stuff. Now you got me thinking........ That's a dangerous thing!

Please tell more about the method used on the metal.

The stock on this gun is unlike anything I have ever owned. I’ve never held a gun with this much curl in the stock.

For finishing the barrel, I called Kibler directly. I told them I wanted an antique grey finish on the barrel of my gun. They recommended Jax Black.

I took a length of soft wire and hung the barrel from the ceiling of the garage, and put cardboard down. I then took a soft rag soaked in alcohol and wiped down the barrel thoroughly, twice. I even cleaned the wire that I used to hang the barrel.

You will want to use rubber gloves when applying the bluing solution. I put a small amount of Jax Black into a small glass bowl and dobbed it onto the barrel making sure that I had an even finish on all sides. The metal instantly turns a dark grey/black. Then I took a green scotchbrite pad and very evenly started burnishing off the finish, still wet with bluing solution, until I had the amount of grey color that I wanted; as I did this I took a paper towel and wiped the barrel clean as I finished sections. Otherwise, the barrel kept bluing and getting dark again.

Final step was to wipe down the barrel 3 times with BreakFree CLP, to end the reaction; and then do it again the next day.