Woodsrunner and Colonial

[Salty Cracker]

Can anyone post a photo of these two rifle profiles side by side? I really like the comb on the woodsrunner but I'm not sold on the 39 inch barrel. I understand folks like the shorter barrel for being somewhat more handy but I personally prefer a 42" plus barrel. Anyhow, does anyone feel the shorter barrel appears unbalanced? No doubt it is a great kit and rifle. Only wondering about the overall profile.

 

[OKWilliam]

Can anyone post a photo of these two rifle profiles side by side? I really like the comb on the woodsrunner but I'm not sold on the 39 inch barrel. I understand folks like the shorter barrel for being somewhat more handy but I personally prefer a 42" plus barrel. Anyhow, does anyone feel the shorter barrel appears unbalanced? No doubt it is a great kit and rifle. Only wondering about the overall profile.

I don’t have a colonial but I can say the woodsrunner is definitely well balanced

 

[TDM]

Ditto what @OKWilliam said. I have 2, a .50 and a .54. Very well balanced for me.

 

[Jamie Hurley]

Here are mine. Pictures don't really do justice to the fact that in-hand, these rifles are dramatically different. The Woodsrunner has a much slimmer profile and is much lighter. If I had to pick one, it would be the Woodsrunner.

 

[Salty Cracker]

Here are mine. Pictures don't really do justice to the fact that in-hand, these rifles are dramatically different. The Woodsrunner has a much slimmer profile and is much lighter. If I had to pick one, it would be the Woodsrunner.

View attachment 270645

Thanks Jamie. That's what I'm looking for. I'm kinda partial to the flat butt on the colonial. The trigger guards appear to be the same. Are they?? In your photo the rifles appear to be roughly the same length. I thought there was about a five inch difference. Am I mistaken?
Thanks,
Jim

 

[olskool]

i have a friend who has a colonial in 50cal. it is like handling a block of lead, very heavy. but it is a tack driver,,,,,,,,,,,,,

 

[Hatchet-Jack]

This might help. If I recall he compares the WR to the Colonial in the video.
https://www.ilovemuzzleloading.com/blog/the-kibler-woodsrunner-everything-you-need-to-know

 

[Jamie Hurley]

Thanks Jamie. That's what I'm looking for. I'm kinda partial to the flat butt on the colonial. The trigger guards appear to be the same. Are they?? In your photo the rifles appear to be roughly the same length. I thought there was about a five inch difference. Am I mistaken?
Thanks,
Jim

No the trigger guards are a similar shape, but not the same size. Everything on the Woodsrunner is more petite.

The woodsrunner is 54" and the colonial is 58". The Woodsrunner is more pointable. Both rifles are very well balanced, but as olskool pointed out, the Colonial is pretty heavy and to me it feels awkward.

I think the Colonial is a beautiful rifle. I enjoy owning it and admiring it, but when it's time to pack up and go shooting, the Woodsrunner is what I grab for.

 

[Capt. Jas.]

I dont know what the OP terms as ideal balance but I like the weight between my hands for hunting and general overall use. That is ideal balance to me. That said I prefer the Colonial model in .58 and the Woodsrunner in .54 to achieve that end.
If you are a paper puncher only, dropping in caliber size will take the weight forward which many offhand target shooters like.

 

[BJamesBeck]

I have had a Colonial and now have a Woodsrunner, both in .50. I hunted with the Colonial and will be hunting with the Woodsrunner soon. The Woodsrunner's handling and balance is far superior in my opinion.

 

[Salty Cracker]

This might help. If I recall he compares the WR to the Colonial in the video.
https://www.ilovemuzzleloading.com/blog/the-kibler-woodsrunner-everything-you-need-to-know

Yes. Helps alot. Thank you.

 

[Eric Krewson]

I hunted with a Beck like rifle I built with a 42" barrel for the last 10 years, this year I switched to an Issac Haines I built in .54 with a 38" barrel, A few trips to the woods with my Haines rifle and it has become my favorite, I love the shorter barrel, balance and weight of this rifle.

 

[akroguy]

Have .58 Colonial and .54 Woodsrunner.

The Colonial is a big rifle and amazing for it's size but the WR is such a nice balance between barrel length, weight and handling qualities. For a day at the range, the Colonial balances forward better for bullseye work whereas for a day in the field, the WR wins hands down.

 

[GriscomRun]

It's hard for me to see over the muzzle of the Colonial. So, I'm for the Woodsrunner. Even tho I'm more like a woods shuffler now.

 

[LongWalker]

I dont know what the OP terms as ideal balance but I like the weight between my hands for hunting and general overall use. That is ideal balance to me. That said I prefer the Colonial model in .58 and the Woodsrunner in .54 to achieve that end.
If you are a paper puncher only, dropping in caliber size will take the weight forward which many offhand target shooters like.

Some of us prefer the weight balanced forward for hunting and general use. To my mind, my .54 Colonial is too muzzle-light, so I tend to substitute a steel ramrod when I'm the only one shooting it (it still feels a bit light in front).

When I use it for teaching/introducing new shooters to flintlocks, I have the wood rod in place. I've collected comments from many of the 112-113 new shooters who have shot it: about a third like the balance, while another third say they think it is muzzle light/butt heavy. While I don't have enough data to be sure, there seems to be a tendency for modern shotgunners to like the balance and rifle hunters/high-power competitors to say it is muzzle light. Different strokes and all that.

 

[Mike in FL]

I have been wondering - is the WR a reproduction of any original? Does anyone here have a reference to show that it is? Because I know of none. Perhaps Mr. Kibler just wanted to make a kit for hunters - one that would be easy to tote but still have some semblance to originals. This is why I opted for his Colonial, a rifle I know to be like those of a particular era.

 

[Jamie Hurley]

I have been wondering - is the WR a reproduction of any original? Does anyone here have a reference to show that it is? Because I know of none. Perhaps Mr. Kibler just wanted to make a kit for hunters - one that would be easy to tote but still have some semblance to originals. This is why I opted for his Colonial, a rifle I know to be like those of a particular era.

The Kibler Woodsrunner kit is indeed inspired by a specific rifle known for decades as the Woodsrunner. There was a Muzzleblast article featuring the original in 1982. Shumway himself said he kicked himself for not including it in Rifles of Colonial America.

The original has very similar lines, brass features, wood patchbox with round bottom cavity, etc however it was a 58" rifle as opposed to the 54" kit. The original is also a .52 caliber, which is not offered in the kits.

Here are some pictures of the original. Woodsrunner rifle detailed pictures

 

[BigAl52]

Ive got a Bergmann gun that has a longer barrel than the Colonial. I also have a Woodsrunner. Im old and I can tell you Id pick the Woodsrunner everytime. It really handles nice.

 

[Mike in FL]

The Kibler Woodsrunner kit is indeed inspired by a specific rifle known for decades as the Woodsrunner. There was a Muzzleblast article featuring the original in 1982. Shumway himself said he kicked himself for not including it in Rifles of Colonial America.

The original has very similar lines, brass features, wood patchbox with round bottom cavity, etc however it was a 58" rifle as opposed to the 54" kit. The original is also a .52 caliber, which is not offered in the kits.

Here are some pictures of the original. Woodsrunner rifle detailed pictures

That is good to know. My other issues with the WR is the bumpy look of the butt stock. But if it is indeed an accurate reproduction, that makes it easier to like.

 

[DCAN]

Love my WR for many of the reasons mentioned above. My SMR still hasn't been shot but it feels nice in the hand. The Colonial is half finished but sure feels nice. Definitely a more substantial feeling rifle compared to the other two.