Is the Kibler SMR light and whippy?

[beagle74]

I had an old timer tell me a long time ago, that SMR's were too light and whippy, hard to hold still. He believed that you needed a little heft to shoot accurately. For those that have them, How do they feel? The .45 Kibler seems pretty doggone light, though I've never held one. Considering one for small game, probably in .36, but this gent's words kind of haunt me.

 

[beagle74]

I am not denigrating Mr. Kibler or his products in any way, just asking about how the SMR feels in hand, and shooting in the field. I know Mr Kibler and his company are first class all the way

 

[BillyC]

Mine is light but I wouldn’t call it whippy. I like a lighter rifle for the ease of carrying and I haven’t had any trouble getting it to settle on the target and not float around. Mine is in .45 caliber FWIW.

 

[RMH]

I have a 45 SMR and a 36 SMR. Both seem to hold pretty well for me. What is "whippy", too heavy, or too light is highly subjective. The only way you will know is to put one in your hands.

 

[sportster73hp]

Mine is in .40. Bought it to punch holes in paper at matches. Light , yes. Whippy , no! I think it was well thought out and balances well.
Other threads suggest the Crocket rifles in 32 or 36. Not sure if they are in flint or just percussion.

 

[wiscoaster]

I think a lighter rifle is LESS "whippy". I think it has more to do with how well it balances and how close that balance is to the point on the forearm where you'd support it with your off hand, and IMO, the Kibler SMR comes probably as close to ideal as you're going to get along those lines. But as noted above, it's subjective. How you hold may depend ....

 

[Troopertree]

I had an old timer tell me a long time ago, that SMR's were too light and whippy, hard to hold still. He believed that you needed a little heft to shoot accurately. For those that have them, How do they feel? The .45 Kibler seems pretty doggone light, though I've never held one. Considering one for small game, probably in .36, but this gent's words kind of haunt me.

I have 40 cal. TVM that is heavy and for me to shoot off hand is a challenge with a 42" barrel. I have a Kibler 45 with a swamped barrel that shoots better than I can. I am 70 and have had injuries from a wreck that weakened my left shoulder. That's probably tmi but on the bench bagged up they both shoot 5 shot groups at 50 yrds zero holes all touching in a tight group. The difference is holding or carrying for a distance or the swamped barrel does not wear me out like the heavy straight barrel. I have 3 swamped barreled rifles now and shoot better than I could with the straight barrel 40. That's my experience for what its worth.

 

[Notchy Bob]

While I have never handled one of Mr. Kibler’s southern rifles, I have handled a number of originals, and I understand Jim’s southern rifle is very faithful to the style. It certainly looks the part!

The originals I have handled and shot were neither ”whippy” nor particularly light. Forty-four inches seems about average for barrel length in the ones I have handled, and smaller (sub-.40) calibers predominate. I don’t remember what our originals weighed, but they had some heft. When I was younger, and shooting more, I was able to shoot these rifles off-hand. I’m not sure I could handle the same rifles as well now, with loss of muscle mass and strength due to aging, but it is documented that the old-timers generally preferred shooting from a rest when possible, so that point may be moot. Most people these days, at least the folks on this forum, seem to want light weight, thin walled barrels. The physicists amongst the crowd here may educate the rest of us regarding barrel whip and harmonics, but it has always been my simple-minded understanding that thin-walled, light-weight barrels are more prone to whip, as would be hard steel barrels as opposed to the soft, “dead iron” that was used for barrels in the old days. I guess this may be the OP’s concern, and reason for asking.

Again, the Kibler southern rifle looks true to the type. I don’t think it was intended to be a mass-marketed, all-purpose rifle engineered to fit “the average guy.” It looks to me like a real specialty product, intended for people who specifically want an authentic, high-quality reproduction of a late era longrifle from our southern highlands. If I were in the market for a rifle of that type, I would not hesitate to order one of these. I really don’t think you need to worry about whippiness.

Best regards,

Notchy Bob

 

[springfield art]

It's all in the experience of the user; everyone has a different stabililty factor.

 

[SOLANCO]

I do not shoot a rifle well off hand without a sling. And I do much better still using a rest.

 

[wganz]

I'm sure that Andre the Giant would describe the Long Land Pattern Brown Bess as 'light and whippy'.

 

[French Colonial]

I am not sure the term "whippy" could be used on any rifle, a very small rifle like a TC Seneca or other light/short rifle may be harder to hold on target but I would use a different term, something less stable perhaps.

Anyway, the Kibler SMR's barrel is long enough and the swamped barrel makes it balance and hold well. No "whippyness" detected on my part.

 

[olskool]

i have put together 5 Kibbler SMR and the 6th is on the way. from 36 to 45cal. they handle like a dream. offhand at 50yds i can consistently hit a 3/4 hanging pump pipe, they are good enough for me,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

 

[waksupi]

I would question how good of a rifleman the guy telling you this is.

Considering the short period of time these have been on the market, it's strange he told you this a "long time ago."

 

[beagle74]

I would question how good of a rifleman the guy telling you this is.

Considering the short period of time these have been on the market, it's strange he told you this a "long time ago."

I'm not sure how good of a rifleman he was, he used to hold the record (and maybe still does, though he is passed now) for smoothbore at 50 yards.

He was referring to SMR's in general, not Mr. Kibler's offering.

 

[beagle74]

I do appreciate the thoughts of those who responded who actually have one or more of the Kiblers, thank you.

 

[sturmkatze]

I had an old timer tell me a long time ago, that SMR's were too light and whippy, hard to hold still. He believed that you needed a little heft to shoot accurately. For those that have them, How do they feel? The .45 Kibler seems pretty doggone light, though I've never held one. Considering one for small game, probably in .36, but this gent's words kind of haunt me.

Only you can determine that. Find someone who has one to hold. In your own hands.

 

[Kmcmichael]

I have one in .40 and consider it a good offhand gun. The 45 would of course be easier to carry.

 

[Josephg]

I have a .40. Light and nice to carry. The grip is not comfortable for target shooting offhand. Not meant to be a target rifle. Not sure what whippy is.

 

[olskool]

my Ol pappy told me long ago, you tote one more than you shoot one,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,