What Caliber?

[starman]

I want to order a Kibler Colonial Rifle Kit in the near future, but I am somewhat conflicted as to what caliber to order. All of my black powder experience has been with a .75 caliber Brown Bess Musket. This will be my first BP rifle. The Colonial Rifle kit is available in .50, .54, and .58 caliber. What do you see as advantages and disadvantages of the different calibers? Thanks for your help!

 

[Peregrine]

I have the same question. I have narrowed my choice to either a 54 or 58. I can't wait to hear what others think. This has been hashed out before on here but maybe there are some new thoughts.

 

[Art Caputo]

I have a Kibler Colonial with two interchangeable barrels, 50 and 58. I have found that is use the 58 exclusively. Since all three available barrels have the same outer dimension, my 58 is the lightest, coming in at 8.5 pounds, and, IMO, perfectly balanced for off-hand or rested shooting and less in about 4# increments with the smaller calibers. Recoil of the 58 running a 570gr LRB with 80gr of 3F is not much different from the 50, and quite comfortable to shoot. Having shot my buddy’s 54, the 58 cal feels and handles the nicest to me, and is surely appropriate given the era of the rifle and its rather “beefy” dimensions. Other then personal preference for overall weight and balance of the rifle, and of course caliber preference, I can see no advantages or disadvantages between the caliber offerings.

 

[BV]

I built a similar rifle from Jim Chambers and went with .58. I knew any of the available calibers would work fine for whitetails, but I went bigger in the event I get a chance for a black powder elk or moose tag and the barrel is lighter in the larger caliber.

 

[Spikebuck]

It all depends on what you might want to use the rifle for. If for normal "deer type" big game, all of those calibers are fine. If you're going moose hunting, the bigger caliber might be needed. Since the barrel is the same external dimensions, less caliber will equal more weight. So if you want the lightest rifle to carry around, the .58 will be it. If it's just for targets, perhaps the .50 is better from a "cost to operate" standpoint as well as a bit more weight.

I will relate this regarding weight. I recently had a .54 built with one of the goals to minimize weight and length. It's in the 7 1/2 pound range. My other .54's (three of them) range from near 9# to 10 1/2#. With a 90 gr charge and PRB, that light weight one has noticeably more kick than the others giving me a pretty good wallop to the cheekbone. No big deal for the infrequent hunting shot...big deal when shooting targets for fun with the hunting load.

While I do not own a Kibler Colonial, I do own three "Early Virginia / Colonial" rifles. Two are .54 and one is a .62 smoothie. I have owned .50's and a .58. They are all good, but you will need to think about your priorities and make the choice.

 

[EC121]

I have a .58 because that is what Mike Brooks had for sale. It is lighter and well balanced. I don't think I would want anything smaller. I use a .562 ball in it for easy loading.

First five shots out of the barrel off the bench at 50. High shot is the clean barrel shot.

 

[Old Hawkeye]

The advantages or disadvantages of each caliber is totally dependent on your intended use. Any recommendation I could make would be based on that.

 

[FishDFly]

The advantages or disadvantages of each caliber is totally dependent on your intended use. Any recommendation I could make would be based on that.

Yep, need to know what you intend to do with it.

Want to hunt bison, 50 kinda small, want to punch paper, 58 kinda big.

 

[longcruise]

The only thing that would sway me from the 58 would be a 62.

But, you need to examine your interests and intents to decide for yourself.

 

[Col. Batguano]

In the same outside dimensioned barrel, the largest caliber will be lightest, and the smallest heaviest and the barrel most stiff, so in theory, more accurate in windless conditions.

As above, intended use has more to do with caliber selection than anything else. 50 cal RB's are the easiest to find commercially if that makes any difference to you. The smaller the caliber the less lead per ball, and they are cheaper too. Less powder needed as well.

 

[Pete G]

My personal favourite is .50. Big enough but not too big.

 

[hanshi]

I'll never shoot anything larger than deer; so my favorite is my .45 longrifle. A good argument has been made for the .58 in a colonial rifle. But the decision is yours and should be based on the rifles use and your own requirements.

 

[starman]

Thanks for all your replies. I am ready to make a decision!

 

[TreeMan]

Not to highjack someone’s thread but I have questions. I have a 58 cal 2 band enfield and Zouave. Both of them I shoot round-balls and minies. I have both of them sighted in dead on with round balls at 50 yards. I find that the 58 drops horribly from 50 to 100 yards. 50 and 54 cal round balls have a much flatter trajectory in my experience. What is the fascination with the 58 that everyone recommends it over the 50 or 54 other than maybe having a lighter barrel because of the bigger bore? I like shooting my 58s but I cringe at the amount of lead I use making balls and minies. I’m not knocking anyone’s preference, just curious.

 

[oldwood]

Built my hunting buddy a Getz barrel .58 in the early 1970's . 1 in 66 " twist. To get it to shoot absolutely flat to 100 yds. , used 90 gr.ffg. oldwood

 

[Art Caputo]

Not to highjack someone’s thread but I have questions. I have a 58 cal 2 band enfield and Zouave. Both of them I shoot round-balls and minies. I have both of them sighted in dead on with round balls at 50 yards. I find that the 58 drops horribly from 50 to 100 yards. 50 and 54 cal round balls have a much flatter trajectory in my experience. What is the fascination with the 58 that everyone recommends it over the 50 or 54 other than maybe having a lighter barrel because of the bigger bore? I like shooting my 58s but I cringe at the amount of lead I use making balls and minies. I’m not knocking anyone’s preference, just curious.

Curious what load you are using. At 80gr FFFG with a 570LRB running 1400FPS the trajectory compared to my 50 cal at 1700FPS is within an 1 1/4” at 100 yards, less then an inch at 75 yards, both with a 50 yard zero. 10MPH wind correction is an inch less with the 58 at 100 yards. The 54 cal falls between them. With open sights holds are just about identical.

 

[appalichian hunter]

I like the big bores especially the .62 cal. but a .54 is about right for anything I would hunt, my mountain rifle is a .54 and deadly if I do my part. Never disappointed me.

 

[bpd303]

I really like my 54 caliber guns and absolutely love the 58 caliber one.

 

[olskool]

not a kibler, but i love my 54, i think they have to be inherently accurate. this is 3 shots at 50yds off hand. it always is a tack driver with no excuses. 75gr. of goex ol eynsford,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

 

[MTGUNNER]

View attachment 57241
not a kibler, but i love my 54, i think they have to be inherently accurate. this is 3 shots at 50yds off hand. it always is a tack driver with no excuses. 75gr. of goex ol eynsford,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

There's that beautiful Ash-stocked rifle again. Thanks, Olskool!

>> Jan <<

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