I went to Kibler Longrifle's open house

Status
Not open for further replies.
T

tallpaul

Member
Joined
Oct 17, 2006
Messages
1,536
What a pleasure and a great facility run by some real good folk. The crowd was great folk on friday morning when I was there, One thing I heard over n over as Jim talked to people is that Jim's attention to detail are second to none... he had some "seconds" for sale that looking at other manufacturers or sellers would be selling as their regular stock. He is planning on some new models but will not sacrifice period correctness or quality to the new or existing lines just for sales! Looking around the shop is really set up nice and was really clean. there were about a half dozen CNC machines and the lil ones were 60 grand or more- the large onesI bet were north of 200 grand... I handled several Southern Mountain rifles and I had never elda Longrifle before- I am a large guy at 6'5 and 315 and they fit fine.what balance! And the .45 feels light. I will have no issues in my mind spending the money for one of his kits... even the boxes he makes in house out of wood to ship are really well thought out and made!
 
Somebody mentioned Kibler's rifles on another current thread as an option to a regular kit from the big manufacturers. Out of curiosity I looked them up yesterday or the day before and went down a 3-hour rabbit hole looking at his kits and site and then another site linked from Kibler's for someone who will finish one of his kits with a number of additional touches to include exceptionally fine engraving for both metal and wood. Old world craftsmanship is alive and well in the black powder realm. Some incredible work out there.
 
Frulk said:
Somebody mentioned Kibler's rifles on another current thread as an option to a regular kit from the big manufacturers. Out of curiosity I looked them up yesterday or the day before and went down a 3-hour rabbit hole looking at his kits and site and then another site linked from Kibler's for someone who will finish one of his kits with a number of additional touches to include exceptionally fine engraving for both metal and wood. Old world craftsmanship is alive and well in the black powder realm. Some incredible work out there.
Click to expand...

You’re welcome.
 
Frulk said:
Hahaha…it WAS you… that was 3 hours well spent…thanks
Click to expand...

No problem. Guys who like flintlocks are probably well acquainted with Kibler. I have a friend who assembles them for clients and then the gun is his canvas. I've fired more than one Kibler that he's finished and testing prior to sale. While the price of a Kibler kit is up there, it's a very high quality kit and very easy to assemble. As with anything, the finishing is what will determine how the kit ends up, either a solid shooter or a work of art. If you handle a Kibler and then one of the "cheap" kits, it'll be painfully obvious what the difference is. For my money, a Kibler kit is a top drawer item in the world of semi-mass produced kits.
 
The gunmaker that built my .45 flinter for me has assembled a few kibler kits. He says they're first class quality, and very easy to build. Not much fitting to be done. He was impressed.
 
I wish you-all would stop talking about these. With the shortages in percussion caps I found myself thinking, “Hmmm. Maybe I should have at least one flintlock…” And no, I’m not throwing good money at something maybe kinda sorta works. So something along the Colonial Kibler kit looks useful without being ridiculously priced. It doesn’t hurt that they’re so beautiful to look at!
 
woodnbow said:
I wish you-all would stop talking about these. With the shortages in percussion caps I found myself thinking, “Hmmm. Maybe I should have at least one flintlock…” And no, I’m not throwing good money at something maybe kinda sorta works. So something along the Colonial Kibler kit looks useful without being ridiculously priced. It doesn’t hurt that they’re so beautiful to look at!
Click to expand...


if ya aren'tdigginginto your monthly mortgage or bills after seeing them I say go for it!
 
I belong to the "Contemporary Longrifle" group on FaceBook and so am constantly assailed by pictures of these rifles. I don't know how much longer I can hold out!

In particular, I note that Kibler offers "in the white" guns which are essentially completed rifles, needing only stock sanding and finishing, and metal finishing if one so desires - I personally like the look of unfinished steel left to age naturally - which adds $700 to the bill. At the moment, I have more money than time, so that seems like a bargain. The catch is that while I had my heart set on a "Colonial Rifle", I notice they now are offering a "Woodrunner" rifle, which also is very attractive. Decisions!
 
Jackrabbit1957 said:
Yes we are, been playing with my Ferguson, it's a really cool system, takes some getting used to. It's definitely on its way to being my all time favourite rocklock.
Click to expand...

Heaven help me if they ever offered a Ferguson kit. I fear to think of what I might sell to finance that.
 
I left my Bess in the white. It was a Pedersoli "kit", but more like a finished gun in the white, and almost no sanding. Kind of an assembled, take it apart, sand stain and oil it, and put it back together kit. Just my speed actually.

It does take years to get that nice gun-metal grey patina. I don't ever, or rarely oil the barrel, (the outside of it!) but whatever they made that barrel out of sure don't want to rust. My Jeager, with a Colerain barrel, "greyed up" faster. Although on it, I'll put a cold blue on it once in a while, and then steel-wool it off with fine oily steel wool.
 
Ugly Sauce said:
Unfinished steel adds $700 to the bill??
Click to expand...
That's the upcharge for an assembled but unfinished rifle. Here's what the site says:

"A gun provided "in the white" will be completely assembled and functional. The wood will need sanded and finished. The metal will also benefit from some cleanup. This is typically a little light filing on the rough spots followed by a little polishing with abrasive paper. The metal can be left in this condition or can be blued, browned, aged etc.

Your kit will arrive assembled, ready for you to customize and finish."
 
CraigC said:
That's the upcharge for an assembled but unfinished rifle. Here's what the site says:

"A gun provided "in the white" will be completely assembled and functional. The wood will need sanded and finished. The metal will also benefit from some cleanup. This is typically a little light filing on the rough spots followed by a little polishing with abrasive paper. The metal can be left in this condition or can be blued, browned, aged etc.

Your kit will arrive assembled, ready for you to customize and finish."
Click to expand...
With my high degrees of technical skills I probably need that 700 up charge. Plus I would rather shoot than sand and scrape.
 
Thinking Colonial in .54… maybe a notch up in maple. I’m a sucker for a pretty piece of wood.
 
CraigC said:
That's the upcharge for an assembled but unfinished rifle. Here's what the site says:

"A gun provided "in the white" will be completely assembled and functional. The wood will need sanded and finished. The metal will also benefit from some cleanup. This is typically a little light filing on the rough spots followed by a little polishing with abrasive paper. The metal can be left in this condition or can be blued, browned, aged etc.

Your kit will arrive assembled, ready for you to customize and finish."
Click to expand...

Okay...that makes a little more sense!
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Similar threads

4v50 Gary
Hershel House passed
Replies
9
Views
483
Shanghai McCoy
S
T
  • Locked
well darn it... I just won a lot at auction that had a wood stocked crosman 760
Replies
0
Views
229
tallpaul
T
4v50 Gary
  • Locked
Just back from Friendship, Indiana and the National Shoot
Replies
1
Views
230
4v50 Gary
4v50 Gary
W
  • Locked
Attention Denver Shooters, new range open
Replies
20
Views
2K
Jay Kominek
J
W
  • Locked
I went crazy and bought a new shotgun
Replies
9
Views
729
SASS#23149
SASS#23149
Back
Top