AmericanLongRifles Forums
General discussion => Gun Building => Topic started by: Sherrell on October 03, 2025, 06:51:25 AM
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I understand from previous posts I found here that the original Woodsrunner’s bore was somewhere between a .52 and .54 caliber. For those who’ve had the opportunity to spend some time handling and firing all three (.45, .50, and .54 caliber) of Jim Kibler’s Woodsrunner, can you please characterize for me the comparative handling characteristics of the three different calibers? I will be using the gun both for SAR Color Guard and monthly target shoots. Not sure which way to go on caliber. Your experience and observations will be helpful.
Thanks to all,
Sherrell
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OK… perhaps I’m aiming too high.
What about those of you who’ve only interacted with TWO of the three Kibler Woodsrunner calibers?
Sherrell
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I don't own one but have shouldered a .54. It balances very nicely. I would think the .50 and .45 would be a little more muzzle heavy.
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What’s muzzle-heavy to one shooter is too light for offhand shooting for another. Do you have a gun you shoot well offhand now? Not too heavy and not waving around like a fly rod? For me my 9 pound rifle with a 42” barrel shoots best offhand. It happens to be a .46 (was a .45 but I freshed the rifling after 43 years shooting it). The Kibler Woodsrunner in .54 would be too light for me for good offhand shooting. But great for deer, where I’d be using a rest most of the time. I’ve not handled a Kibler Woodsrunner in .45 or .50 but I’m sure both would be lighter than my offhand gun.
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Why yes I do. Or I should say I shot it very well 35 years ago. It's a 7.5# southern mtn rifle in .50 with straight barrel I built in 1980. It is muzzle heavy also but a real contest winner. Two years ago I built a .36 mountain rifle which weighs 6.5# with a straight barrel and I can shoot that one offhand very well even now. I've never shot a woodsrunner so I can't say how it would be to shoot offhand.
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Just target shooting I'd go with a .45; less powder and lead. A.45 is also plenty for deef hunting.
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I have one in .45 and one in .54. If weight is a factor that concerns you for color guard use, the .54 will be somewhat lighter. However, for target shooting you will spend less on lead balls and powder over time using the .45. Also, some folks prefer a heavier barrel for target shooting, which the .45 would be although not by any large amount (you would need to check with Kibler to get the actual overall weights). The .45 will have a bit less recoil as well, but again, we aren’t talking huge differences there either. I haven’t noticed either caliber to hold any advantage over the other in terms of accuracy.
Jay
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Background Motivation for my question:
I currently shoot a walnut stocked .45 cal T/C cap-lock Hawken I built fifty years ago. (I’m obviously not carrying it in the SAR Color Guard.) It is a surprisingly accurate rifle – even with me shooting it. If memory serves, it weighs close to 9 lbs. [I need to double check that – sounds too heavy.] So, all three calibers of the Kibler Woodsrunner would be lighter than the (shorter) gun I’m accustomed to shooting. I would prefer to shoot a LONG, small caliber Tennessee Rifle in our monthly shoots, but it’s not obvious a single gun can achieve all my wants for both SAR Color Guard and our monthly black powder shoot. Jim’s Colonial rifle is nice, but probably a bit heavy for these old septuagenarian’s arms to lung around in CG drills for hours at a time. The Woodsrunner looks like a nice compromise. Hence the question about calibers.
Thanks to all for wading in.
Sherrell
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My son has a 54 caliber Woodsrunner and mine is a 50 caliber. The 54 caliber Woodsrunner is much more handy and points easier.
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I am also a septuagenarian, and my 54 caliber Woodsrunner suits me very well. The only problem I have with it is my fear of scuffing it up when using it. I also have a Kibler 40 caliber SMR, but I should have gotten another Woodsrunner in 45, I think it would be more shootable for me.
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The last rifle I built was a full stock 1x40"58 caliber.Pecatonica maple+ GM barrel and my Ketland lock and it handled and pointed easily.
I used the 58 caliber GM barrel because Log Cabin had one and I have a ,575 round ball mould,a Lyman bought from E.M.Farris in 1953 for about $6 new.The gun was made about 10 years ago.I still have that mould.The very first serious muzzle loader I made was in 1958 and had the first 58 caliber barrel made by Bill Large when he got his big shop working.He said he had no idea if it was any good or not and in November of that year I did win a turkey with it at Friendship and a friend,Toby Brown set an offhand record with it later in an Ohio match. I would like to make one more but with English profile and Stanton style lock.Set triggers?Maybe.My first one had a single set trigger.My shop is dedicated to metal work and I don't want wood dust all over my main bench and tools.Maybe a small tarp would work.
Bob Roller
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Well, i actually would much prefer to have Kibler’s .45 cal SMR for target shooting.
But it’s not period correct for SAR Color Guard events [Sad Smile] and I don’t have time right now to build two guns…
Sherrell