AmericanLongRifles Forums
General discussion => Gun Building => Topic started by: Daniel Coats on December 15, 2025, 04:56:00 AM
-
Got another one yesterday .54 caliber in stunning extra fancy maple. Of possible interest is the weight 7 pounds 11.8 ounces in the white. My .58 was 7 pounds 6 ounces. Assembly was pretty easy except for the hook breech into the standing breech which required fitting same as my first kit. Overall I'm thrilled and will attempt to keep this beautiful Hawken for my personal use.
(https://i.ibb.co/7Nzm0nCG/PXL-20251215-015657694.jpg) (https://ibb.co/bR39Gsmr)
-
Mr. Kibler builds some beautiful guns. I hope one day I get a chance to put one together. Al
-
You've got two and I am still waiting on my first.
-
My first one was ordered very early and without any special features like inlays or patch box and standard wood. The second rifle was a quick ship.
-
OK, that makes more sense.
-
The hook and standing breech required fitting? I thought that part was supposed to not be needed on these. Or are you just referring to the stock inlet?
-
My son ordered one at the end of October I think and is impatiently waiting. Especially after seeing a couple examples posted on here ;D!
I'm excited for him.
-
The hook and standing breech required fitting? I thought that part was supposed to not be needed on these. Or are you just referring to the stock inlet?
Too snug metal to metal. Just a couple strokes with a mill file on both mating pieces and the barrel removes easily before that. Once in the stock it would try to gall metal and stick. Both wedge keys were too loose in contrast and I had to peen the barrel lugs very lightly. Wood to metal inletting everywhere was perfect
-
Good feedback. Thanks. We’ll make the adjustments. It’s hard to get things just right.
-
Here's what the color looks like after two coats of iron nitrate, one coat Thompson Water Seal, one coat secret sauce stain, one coat secret sauce undercoat. Next more undercoat and more secret sauce topcoat followed up by India ink plus a few layers of fingertip skin removal from rubbing. ;)
(https://i.ibb.co/Tx41t33d/PXL-20251216-010310983-2.jpg) (https://ibb.co/yc6pqjj7)
-
Nice!!
-
Interesting tidbit, a lot of that red color comes from the clear coat of Thompson Water Seal. Something I noticed many years ago. Not the final color as the finishing continues and I kick the tires! ;)
-
Nice. More sleek looking than a lot of originals and a lot fancier wood than most as well
-
Is th Thompson water seal mostly just what you're using for sealing the stock?
-
Got another one yesterday .54 caliber in stunning extra fancy maple...
Pretty curl in that wood. Your wood blows what I received out of the water.
-
Is th Thompson water seal mostly just what you're using for sealing the stock?
Yes it's also a wood preservative. It doesn't actually stain the wood but will add a red tone to already stained wood.
(https://i.ibb.co/YTwKr3SJ/PXL-20251217-174426154.jpg) (https://ibb.co/Pz0bSNyJ)
(https://i.ibb.co/hJ2dHs9C/PXL-20251217-174328472-2.jpg) (https://ibb.co/NdWNpxC7)
-
Got another one yesterday .54 caliber in stunning extra fancy maple...
Pretty curl in that wood. Your wood blows what I received out of the water.
There is quite a bit of variation in maple even within the same grade. I've noticed some semi fancy with more curl than my extra fancy. I'm guessing it has a lot to do with consistency that makes it semi or extra. Must be a tough call grading what's what and why.
-
A few things to consider... We have three grades of maple. Naturally some might be at the top of a grade, while other stocks might be at the bottom. Also, some might grade a particular type of curl higher or lower than another person. Additionally, it's difficult to grade a stock until it is stained and finished. I can't tell you how many times customers have questioned a grade and then been thrilled after staining and finishing. Finally how it is stained and finished can have a big impact how the figure shows.
That's a nice color!
Jim
-
I hear ya, Jim. This Hawken was my 4th Kibler, and I was used to winning the
wood lottery on each of the first 3 you sent me, I guess I got spoiled. Still turned
out ok. I'm good; no more whining.
-
If you ever order another, just let us know about this conversation. We’ll fix you up. Thanks
-
So disaster happened when I added too many different types of finish on the same stock. It started bubbling on me and I had to strip it all off and start over lesson learned! I decided to add a copper inlay in the cheek on the way back. Here's what it looks like now with a different color after the first coat of finish with the new inlay.
(https://i.ibb.co/0pnMpF7y/PXL-20251220-210149016.jpg) (https://ibb.co/SD6nDdjw)
-
That rifle has a sexy cheek piece.
-
ODTAA One darn thing after another! I was removing excess fininish from an inlet and slipped and made a scratch that needed a repair. Well that took more time to repair! Hopefully I'll be able to assemble today. This one isn't an antique finish so you'll have to wait and see what I came up with ;)
-
Sometimes to much sauce will do a man under. ;) :(
-
Sometimes to much sauce will do a man under. ;) :(
We are still talking about stock finish right? ;D
-
Done!
(https://i.ibb.co/mVNQy9jY/PXL-20251223-183644990-MP.jpg) (https://ibb.co/7dk7pnfT)
(https://i.ibb.co/W4v1rks4/PXL-20251223-185542106-MP.jpg) (https://ibb.co/JwjPYvCw)
(https://i.ibb.co/p6prKCgL/PXL-20251223-183549056.jpg) (https://ibb.co/mr7FyQmc)
-
I like the case coloring looking treatment on the lock and wedge plates.
-
Can you tell us what kind of finish you finally ended up with?
I saw you stripped it and refinished it. What did you use for the final finish?
-
Can you tell us what kind of finish you finally ended up with?
I saw you stripped it and refinished it. What did you use for the final finish?
Satin finish spar urethane.
-
Rifle lost weight just like the first one did. Started at 7 pounds 11.8 ounces in the white and finished out at 7 pounds 10.9 ounces.
-
Nice rifle! We have the same garage doors.
-
Me Christmas Eve before antique finish
(https://i.ibb.co/MD2SR271/IMG-20251225-200031.jpg) (https://ibb.co/N6VCLVKN)
-
Today after antique finish. Going for the Kit Carson or Bridger rifle look with my twist.
By the way that's an original powder horn!
(https://i.ibb.co/3mrS50R2/PXL-20251226-191955620-2.jpg) (https://ibb.co/JjBrWz3V)
(https://i.ibb.co/svKgPdSm/PXL-20251226-192307166-2.jpg) (https://ibb.co/TB4wTxXv)
(https://i.ibb.co/zhzDmCKM/PXL-20251226-193118557-2.jpg) (https://ibb.co/HDj3KRmS)
(https://i.ibb.co/0yshxdss/PXL-20251226-193050428-2.jpg) (https://ibb.co/d4mGRzmm)
(https://i.ibb.co/s9f8wJLS/PXL-20251226-192750014-2.jpg) (https://ibb.co/gZ2kTFs1)
(https://i.ibb.co/Y4ZqNQ7X/PXL-20251226-192702466-2.jpg) (https://ibb.co/twXWHKMz)
(https://i.ibb.co/Q3zTTgmF/PXL-20251226-192950081-2.jpg) (https://ibb.co/KpRffPyj)
(https://i.ibb.co/x8cTnbQn/PXL-20251226-193025905-2.jpg) (https://ibb.co/3Y8ZxbHx)
-
One more inspirational image I made.
(https://i.ibb.co/G4qGXfkR/Imagine-122309874680009586.jpg) (https://ibb.co/Rkqt1GPc)
That's my JK Hawken but with the barrel everybody wanted ;D
-
Bad timing for my JK Hawken
(https://i.ibb.co/LbSvzCf/Imagine-122309876990009586.jpg) (https://ibb.co/2mq57jB)
Image I created
-
Dan, you said earlier that you had some bubbling when 'mixing' finish layers, and had to start over? Just wondering if you could give more details about which products did not get along? If I missed it in your posts, I'll go back and re-read.
Hopefully it is something you can share to help someone else possibly avoid in the future.
I feel it would definitely NOT be a slam against any single product, just a caution to avoid mixing two of them.
-
Just make sure everything is completely dry before applying the top top top coat of spar urethane. I use a combination of things to get custom colors and depth that changes when you hold the gun in the sunlight.
Iron Nitrate or Aquafortis
Homer Danglers stain 4 colors
Shellac
Kibler's stock finish
Helmsman Spar Urethane
Lemon oil furniture polish
Gunstock wax
The exact sequence varies from stock to stock type of wood porosity and what it tells me it wants. I got in a rush that time when I knew better. Truth is I was substituting in a neighborhood card game with a bunch of old widow women and I wouldn't think of letting them down! ;D ;D
-
Shot it for fun this morning at 50 yards. My eyes are not good enough for load development but could sqeek by with some hunting. Corrective lenses aren't getting me there but a peep sight would likely do the trick. Here's a target but it doesn't mean much.
(https://i.ibb.co/1fPyBqYT/PXL-20251231-164651886.jpg) (https://ibb.co/3yj6VN5c)
-
2 " flyers", it happens.
With my .69 would cut nice holes like that.
-
The flyers were the last two shots...
-
(https://i.ibb.co/XfWvw8JF/PXL-20251231-193051672-2.jpg) (https://ibb.co/9mpCMtYy)
(https://i.ibb.co/G3B57K49/PXL-20251231-193601512.jpg) (https://ibb.co/k6kSKRsJ)
(https://i.ibb.co/xqztdXyB/PXL-20251231-193613459.jpg) (https://ibb.co/Zzcp7G3F)
(https://i.ibb.co/Kc1nPXgp/PXL-20251231-193627739.jpg) (https://ibb.co/MyXdvsHx)
-
This is my favorite contemporary Hawken.
-
I think you did a great job finishing this and we’re happy to hear it pleases you so much. This is a big reason why we do this stuff. Thanks for all the support.
-
It has VERY similar wear patterns to my Beck rifle, all done by handling for a number of years, by our now late friend Leatherbelly and me.
-
It has VERY similar wear patterns to my Beck rifle, all done by handling for a number of years, by our now late friend Leatherbelly and me.
Thank you Daryl! That's thats exatly the look I was trying for. This gun will be on display at the Alabama show Jan 15, 16, 17th come down and take a look and visit with me about it!
-
Wont be able to make the show, but thanks for the invite, Daniel.
-
Awesome looking color. Also looks like it will be a shooter. We are all at the mercy of our “old eyes”
Really came out nice.
-
Another note about the Kibler Hawkens. They seem to be much lighter than other kits. I have a Stith Hawken that finishes out at about 11 lbs. And thats with a .58 caliber barrel. From what I remember I think Jim Kibler said his .58 is less than 8lbs. I think .54 would be the caliber I would stick with if I decide to pull the trigger on one of these.
-
Another note about the Kibler Hawkens. They seem to be much lighter than other kits. I have a Stith Hawken that finishes out at about 11 lbs. And thats with a .58 caliber barrel. From what I remember I think Jim Kibler said his .58 is less than 8lbs. I think .54 would be the caliber I would stick with if I decide to pull the trigger on one of these.
I just finished up a Kibler in .58 before this rifle at 7 pounds 5 ounces. Standard maple no inlays no patchbox.
https://americanlongrifles.org/forum/index.php?topic=87047.0
-
Awesome looking color. Also looks like it will be a shooter. We are all at the mercy of our “old eyes”
Really came out nice.
Glad you like the color, there's absolutely no black paint on this gun. I accidentally discovered by positioning my glasses down a bit on the bridge of my nose I can see the sights better. No optometrist in 20 odd years bothered to fit me properly!
-
You have been back to see the Optometrist inside those 20years? ;)
-
OK, me thinks you need a better Optometrist.
Just had a visit with mine a short while ago. My distance vision can be very slightly corrected, but was still 20/15 with my old glasses. Sights would still be the same blurriness. So, no new specs for me.
-
Based on my experience and shooting mentors, the front sight should be in focus . It is not possible for the rear notch to be in focus. The target should be blurry.
If you have young eyes and think all three are in focus it is because you are quickly shifting focus between the three. Most old eyes can not do that.
My pure distance glasses make the distant objects fully in focus without strain. I sometimes use them for driving. I do not shoot with them . My rifle shooting glasses are set closer so I can see the front sight in perfect focus. I have shop/computer/reading glasses that work well for pistols. The target is always blurry.
For me sight alignment errors caused by focusing on the target cause larger groups than slight errors caused by not having the target in perfect focus. I aim at the center of the blurry meatball. Some prefer a 6-O'clock hold.
Progressive lenses are not suitable for shooting.
Yes, a peep sight fixes all of this.
Oh yes, My Kibler Kawken came out nice, I look forward to shooting it.
-
I tried the both the upper normal vision and the lower reading part of my bifoculs at the air gun shoot yesterday, indoors shooting a pistol. It it hadn't had green lighted dots in the rear sight, and a reddish orange one on the front sights, I would not have been able to discern the rear sights, except for the reading part. With that one, both sights were sharp and clear, but the target, only 50' (16.6yards) away was so blurry, it was hardly distinguishable from the donna conno covers over the rack of steel plates in the backstop. I'll try the .25, .50 and .75 diopter "readers" I have to see if they help. I'm assuming the reading part of my glasses is likely closer to 1.5 or 2.0 diopters, thus there is too much distortion of the target. With the normal distance vision lens of my glasses, the black metal parts of my handgun sights had no definite edges - all FUZZZZZZZ, as were the green and red?/orange? Maybe had to mount a red-dot sight on it? Anyone try one of those on a muzzle loader?