Mike Brooks Kibler Kit Assembly Class 2020

8 Students are spending the week at the NMLRA Education Center assembling Kibler Longrifles Kits under the instruction of Mike Brooks and his faithful sidekick Wayne.

I’ve only read about these kits and watched Kibler’s videos, so it’s neat to get semi hands on with the construction. I’ll have to try my hand at this someday!

Very cool, what an opportunity to learn.

We will be just about ready to shoot by dinner time at this rate! Students are finishing up their patch boxes and fitting their ramrod pipes now, soon they’ll be fitting their locks and draw filing their barrels.

It’s wonderful to chat with each student about their connection with muzzleloading. 6/8 are building their first muzzleloader. Some are accomplishing retirement goals, others connecting with family history, and one is seeking to add some challenge to squirrel hunting season.

These might all start as the same kits, but they are influenced by the builder and their history just as any muzzleloader is.

I see they're practicing social distancing and wearing masks.....

We wrapped up just before 5pm this evening, both the students and instructors were losing the high of the first day excitement.

We’re gathered back in the Education Center for a presentation of high quality photographs of original flintlocks to take inspiration from as they complete assembly and begin finishing.

Day 2 of the Kibler Kit Assembly class with Mike Brooks is well underway.

Mike spent part of the morning helping a student modify the Colonial Kit to include a set trigger, while Wayne showed others the delicate techinique of draw filing.