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Joined
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Hello I have a Kibler rifle on order with a 46” long barrel.

I am 5’ 7”

I am a bit nervous it could be too tall for me to load well. Anybody know? Any shorter men own one and if so, how do you load it?
 
I am 6'3" tall, and thin. I have a TVM Southern Rile with a 44" swamped barrel in .54 caliber. I thought it would come to my lower lip, but is does not. It comes to the top of my breastplate, below my adam's apple. It is as easy to load as my 42" Early Virginia.

When shot with the N-SSA, I had teammates who shot three-band Enfields, including one shooter who couldn't be more than 5'7". The only difference was my rifle was perpendicular to the ground, and his was at an angle to the rear. He loaded as fast as I did.

I don't know if that helps, but you will find a way to get it loaded. And if it is well balanced, you won't notice the length when mounted.

ADK Bigfoot
 
I am a bit nervous it could be too tall for me to load well. Anybody know? Any shorter men own one and if so, how do you load it?
I'm 5' 9" and this smooth rifle has a barrel 49 1/2". I've never had a problem loading it. Just set the gun with the butt away from you a bit and you can adjust how high the muzzle is.

smooth_balance3.JPG


Spence
 
Thomas Page was thinking about tall and short men and guns when he wrote this in 1767:

"...should a short gun go off by accident whilst you are loading it, you are more exposed to danger, as you will more naturally lean over the muzzle; which, however, in short or longer guns ought always to be avoided." :)

Spence
 
Used to be 5ft. 8" when young w/ good eyes , so 44" barrel worked. Could see the sights and the target. Loading in the deer woods was easy , just find a hole to put the butt into to make rifle shorter. Just make sure the stock wood under the butt plate is well sealed as some of those holes have water in them.
I'ts easier to make sure all the powder goes down the bore , if the barrel not so tall. ....oldwood
 
On my 42" barrel 40 caliber, I set the ball, sprue up on the patch with no problem. I am 5' 7". But if I had another 4" on the barrel, I guess that I would get swagged round ball. I do enjoy the way it sits when I am shooting.
 
I'm only 5'6" and have no issue with gun length, yet. I'm right handed. I place the heel of the gun in the ground behind me on my left side, the muzzle is now pointed up and forward. I can trap the gun under my left arm when I need both hands for something. The height of the muzzle can be altered with how much angle the gun I'd held at by moving the grounded heel forward or back.


Things do get interesting when one needs to reload without standing up.
 
I always lean mine to load, with the drum facing down, to get the powder to shake into the flame channel. It ignites faster that way ( I shake it while ramming, too) Tinhorn
 
I have a Fowler with a 72" barrel, 7'4" overall and I' m 5'10". Just stick the barrel over in one County and stand in another. Biggest danger is tripping the shooter next to you.
 
I'm 5' 9" and this smooth rifle has a barrel 49 1/2". I've never had a problem loading it. Just set the gun with the butt away from you a bit and you can adjust how high the muzzle is.

View attachment 36720

Spence
what is a smooth rifle? does it have two sights on it? don't most smooth bores have just one front sight? what caliber is it?
 

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