SMR. 40 cal. Kibler

[Mike Rayburn]

Yep, looking forward to the new cnc locks for the SMR that Jim K. is making, shouldn't b too long before they're ready...

 

[hawkeye hugo]

His video on the lock shows it's a great sparker

 

[Buckskinn]

Thanks for the info Mike, would be very useful.
I like you buy a .40 cal. Flintlock, but struggling between a Kibler SMR or a Chambers York rifle
Wich barrel is a little more heavy I guess?
Hawkeye

I was in your shoes in October. I built my first flinter last winter, a Chamber's Edward Marshall in 54 cal. I decided to do a 40 this winter and was deciding between the Kibler and the Chambers York. I just did not see the SMR fitting me, so went with the Chambers again. They are more fun to make anyway, if you are into that. The Kibler would be little more than a weekend project. I got the York in early January and am in the final sanding stage about ready to hit it with Aqua Fortis...

 

[hawkeye hugo]

Hi Buckskinn,
Is there also a great price difference between both kits?

 

[Buckskinn]

I think Chambers rifles are about $100 less than Kiblers. I upgraded the wood, so cost me a bit more...

 

[Kestrel]

Pics Buckskinn???

 

[Buckskinn]

I'm no expert, but here you go... Glad I took some pics, because I found a few areas that need attention before whiskering/staining.

 

[Kestrel]

 

[hawkeye hugo]

Buckskin
What's the weight of the gun in. 40 cal.
Look great to me

 

[Buckskinn]

The 40 is about 7.5 and the 54 is about 9.5 lbs. 40 actually feels lighter than that to me, but probably due to the heft of the 54.

 

[BruceL]

The kibler rifle is a much easier kit to put 2gether, I've had both...For whatever reason, that skinny Rice A wt. barrel is extremely accurate, can't go wrong , in my opinion...in choosing the kibler kit over the chambers kit.

I'm a newbie to flintlocks and am in the final stage of finishing the .50 Cal. Kibler Colonial.Will be using iron nitrate stain and then Tried & True Oil finish. The CNC machining on the in-letting required very little tweaking to fit the hardware and Chambers lock. Jim's videos have been super helpful for someone who had never even owned a gun never-mind built one from a kit.
I'm learning a lot from you guys on this forum and look forward to connecting with BP shooters in the Nashville area.

 

[Buckskinn]

Did some finishing work on it today, so I figured I'd post a few pics. Guys on the builders section see this stuff all the time and probably get tired of it...

First pic is after applying ferric nitrate solution, second pic is after blushing with heat gun (looked darker in person), third pic is after first coat of finish.

 

[hawkeye hugo]

Gunstock has a very nice curl in the wood, is that the extra fancy upgrade? Looks already really good

 

[Mike Rayburn]

Very nice color...

 

[Buckskinn]

Thanks, yeah It's came out about the color I was looking for. I asked for best available grade, to help hide my mistakes...

 

[Smokey Plainsman]

I like the .40 a hole lot,

 

[Leatherbark]

I built the Kibler SMR in walnut and .45 caliber last May. I use it monthly in our local matches. Last fall at Friendship I placed first in the Flint offhand hunting rifle Marksman class with a score of 164 and third place in the long range silhouette. I would have won the long range silhouette but I had 5 hits that failed to topple some buffalos at 150 yards and bears at 200 and didn't count.
So the rifle is capable.
I shoot 65 grains of 3f Goex under a .440 ball patched with JoAnn's #40 cotton drill lubed with either moose milk or TOTW mink oil. For 50 yards and under I use 40 grains of Goex. I have shot offhand 5 shot groups at 50 yards of around 2 inches. So once again the rifle is more capable than my 64 year old eyes. Plus it feels so good to carry and shoulder.

 

[Grenadier1758]

While the silhouette targets are supposed to topple with a 45 caliber and 65 grains of powder, I have found that 90 grains of powder is more likely to make the bear fall.

It sounds as if the Kibler makes a fine rifle. Looks good and is on target accurate.

 

[Buckskinn]

Got it done! Now just waiting on 40 caliber balls...
.

 

[hawkeye hugo]

Howdy Buckskinn,
The rifle looks certainly very nice to me. You did a great job