Plain maple Colonial first shots

MountainSmoke · Apr 26, 2023

I finally got a chance to fire off a few rounds with the new Kibler Colonial that I recently finished and it did not disappoint. I ended up putting 2 more coats of Tried and True varnish on it, I think I'll call that good. My first 3 shots were shot offhand at 40 yards. The load was 80 grains of Schuetzen 2f with a .530 ball and a .015 patch lubed with mink oil. I primed with the same 2f with all the shooting that I did. First thing I noticed, that lock is FAST! Second, I was pleasantly surprised at how close the sights were to where I was aiming. I plan on doing some more testing with different loads before I adjust the sights. Sometimes I like to shoot a .526 or even a .520 out of my 54s so I thought I would try a couple of the . 520 balls and they performed pretty good as well. Usually the group size of these smaller balls is not what the .530 or . 535 balls are but they are so nice to load and for my primary purposes which is hunting they are usually plenty accurate. The gun performed flawlessly and I can't wait to do some more shooting and ultimately get it out in the WV mountains this fall.

64Springer · Apr 26, 2023

That is one dead deer.

Loja man · Apr 26, 2023

Nice! It was a good day!!

teflonhunter · Apr 27, 2023

I'm new to the flintlock. I'm hoping my shooting will be that good soon.

HSmithTX · Apr 27, 2023

Shoots great and looks great, love it!

LongWalker · Apr 27, 2023

I test-fired mine (.54 Colonial) back in March, still in the white. I shot 3) 10-shot groups using a .530" ball and .018" patching lubed with neatsfoot oil. Charges were 80/90/100 grains of FFg. Group sizes shrank with each increase in powder charge (no surprise given the twist rate). At 50 yards, the respective groups were 3"+ a hair, about 2 5/8", and just a hair over 2". Unfortunately, while loading the next round to plink at some gongs, I noticed the the wrist was cracked. After doing the repair I'm still trying to find time to get the rifle finished.

Forty-plus years building and shooting flintlocks and this was the first time I'd seen or heard of a wrist breaking while loading or shooting. There may have been a few profanities uttered. . . . :doh:

akroguy · Apr 27, 2023

LongWalker said:
I test-fired mine (.54 Colonial) back in March, still in the white. I shot 3) 10-shot groups using a .530" ball and .018" patching lubed with neatsfoot oil. Charges were 80/90/100 grains of FFg. Group sizes shrank with each increase in powder charge (no surprise given the twist rate). At 50 yards, the respective groups were 3"+ a hair, about 2 5/8", and just a hair over 2". Unfortunately, while loading the next round to plink at some gongs, I noticed the the wrist was cracked. After doing the repair I'm still trying to find time to get the rifle finished.

Forty-plus years building and shooting flintlocks and this was the first time I'd seen or heard of a wrist breaking while loading or shooting. There may have been a few profanities uttered. . . .

What wood is the stock and if maple, is it highly figured? The really curly stuff is more prone to weak spots, so I've read. I just built two with CM4 grade wood and they both seemed more bendy at the wrist. My regular grade maple Colonial is tough as an oak 4x4.

oldwood · Apr 27, 2023

Wrist breakage can be a sign of a quarter sawn stock blank , with the wood grain running across the wrist in a stacked direction instead of a slab sawn blank running vertically through the wrist. The quarter sawn wrist is best repaired with a 3" long piece of 3/16 threaded rod drilled back into the wrist from the breach plug tang mortise. Set the bolt in a drilled hole , with an appropriate amount of epoxie glue. Have fixed several using this method. Epoxie the two broken pieces together , then do the screw fix. Never fails again.. .....oldwood

rusty · Apr 28, 2023

What did you use to stain the rifle...

MountainSmoke · Apr 28, 2023

rusty said:
What did you use to stain the rifle...

Hi, I did one heavy coat of iron nitrate and let it dry a couple hours then did another heavy coat and let it dry and then used a heat gun. I was wanting a dark stock. I have noticed it has gotten slightly darker with each coat of Tried and True that I have put on and I might be crazy but it almost seams like setting it out in the sun to cure has darkened it even further.

rusty · Apr 28, 2023

Thanks...

duca · Apr 28, 2023

I too shoot.520 balls out of my .54 colonel and Woodsrunner rifles. Try lowering your powder charge to 60gr. You might be surprised what it will do at 40 or so yards!

rusty · Apr 28, 2023

I have used .520 balls and I like them, and they are easier to load...

MountainSmoke · Apr 28, 2023

duca said:
I too shoot.520 balls out of my .54 colonel and Woodsrunner rifles. Try lowering your powder charge to 60gr. You might be surprised what it will do at 40 or so yards!

Thanks, I actually did shoot a couple . 520 balls with 60 grains and they were pretty much in the same hole at 40 yards! I didn't post that pic because the plate had a bunch of other shots on it also. Really enjoyable to shoot also, easy to load and hardly any recoil.

rusty · Apr 28, 2023

I agree, I don't have a .520 mold or a.526, but I have lots of lead I just buy them from Track, the postage to Canada is a killer...

MountainSmoke · Apr 28, 2023

I think Track has the Lee 6 capacity mold for .520 and .526. I wish they made their double ball molds in those sizes.

rusty · Apr 28, 2023

Thank You...

LongWalker · Apr 29, 2023

akroguy said:
What wood is the stock and if maple, is it highly figured? The really curly stuff is more prone to weak spots, so I've read. I just built two with CM4 grade wood and they both seemed more bendy at the wrist. My regular grade maple Colonial is tough as an oak 4x4.

Plain maple; just a piece of wood with diagonal cross-grain through the wrist. The crack ran through the lock recess and diagonal back towards the opposite side, but it wasn't a complete break.

I opened the crack enough to run in some Titebond, and used compressed air to blast the glue all the way through the crack. I used the lock to line up the open side of the crack, then clamped it with surgical tubing. When I got back to it a couple days later I scraped the squeeze-out. By the time it is sanded again the repair won't be visible.

I'm pretty sure it won't break again at that point, but the grain suggests a few places where similar fractures could occur. I'm undecided on installing a rod in the wrist or other further repairs.

Reds · Apr 29, 2023

Nice looking rifle and group! Had a place in WVA twenty some years ago and just bought in same place last week! Can’t wait for this fall in the WVA Mountains, it’s a magical time!

buckleymarka56 · Apr 30, 2023

MountainSmoke said:
I finally got a chance to fire off a few rounds with the new Kibler Colonial that I recently finished and it did not disappoint. I ended up putting 2 more coats of Tried and True varnish on it, I think I'll call that good. My first 3 shots were shot offhand at 40 yards. The load was 80 grains of Schuetzen 2f with a .530 ball and a .015 patch lubed with mink oil. I primed with the same 2f with all the shooting that I did. First thing I noticed, that lock is FAST! Second, I was pleasantly surprised at how close the sights were to where I was aiming. I plan on doing some more testing with different loads before I adjust the sights. Sometimes I like to shoot a .526 or even a .520 out of my 54s so I thought I would try a couple of the . 520 balls and they performed pretty good as well. Usually the group size of these smaller balls is not what the .530 or . 535 balls are but they are so nice to load and for my primary purposes which is hunting they are usually plenty accurate. The gun performed flawlessly and I can't wait to do some more shooting and ultimately get it out in the WV mountains this fall.View attachment 217790 View attachment 217791

Me at 50 yards , first time to stand and shoot. Colonial kibler. She's heavy.
Next range trip work on load and sighting it in better

Plain maple Colonial first shots

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