Author Topic: Nose Cap Help for a Kibler SMR (Read 3181 times)

Big_Rubber_Duck · « **on:** June 27, 2022, 07:41:06 PM »

Hello all,

Since i ordered my kibler smr, and before as well, I've been thinking of what I would potentially like to add to it. This will be my first kit build I will have done, and feel fairly confident about most aspects of getting it together. The one thing I am hesitant about is adding a nosecap. I think it'd look good/be appropriate, but I have never done it before and was wondering what advice or resources some of you could point me to. Im fairly certain that I do not want to do a pewter nosecap, that much I know. I am always open to pictures as well.

Thanks,
Duck

Scota4570 · « **Reply #1 on:** June 27, 2022, 08:22:03 PM »

https://americanlongrifles.org/forum/index.php?topic=24785.0

Ken G · « **Reply #2 on:** June 27, 2022, 10:19:10 PM »

You might also check back with Jim Kibler to see if there is anyone making a nosecap that will fit or can be easily modified to fit the kit profile.

Ken

Big_Rubber_Duck · « **Reply #3 on:** June 27, 2022, 10:28:54 PM »

That is quite a good point, I don't know why I hadn't thought about asking the man himself.

dieselmech570 · « **Reply #4 on:** June 28, 2022, 02:27:19 AM »

I would also be interested in this answer. I believe I could modify (if needed) and inlet a premade nosecap. I have never made one from scratch yet.

Stoner creek · « **Reply #5 on:** June 28, 2022, 02:57:36 AM »

I’m sure that it can be done, however there is absolutely no room for error there. Everything is really small on that part of the gun. You won’t be leaving much stock wood to attach to.
Store bought nose caps, forget it. They are too big to fit the stock.
Not impossible, just really delicate work.
W

Jim Kibler · « **Reply #6 on:** June 28, 2022, 03:29:53 AM »

Yes, Wayne said it well. Not something we suggest unless you are pretty sure of your skills.

Jim

Big_Rubber_Duck · « **Reply #7 on:** June 28, 2022, 03:58:48 AM »

Well sounds like I'll need to reconsider it then haha. I can see what you all are saying now after going back and looking at some videos and pictures of the fore end. I'll just keep the rifle fairly plain jane and focus on doing my best in cleanup and finish.

Bob McBride · « **Reply #8 on:** June 28, 2022, 02:51:22 PM »

Here’s a pic of the one I made for mine. I’m a rank novice as well so it can be done but as Wayne and Jim alluded to, it’s very difficult to do without messing up such delicate section of the rifle as it has to be hand made and formed to that paper thin end of your stock. If you have any amount of ham in your fist, ADD, or ‘get er done’ I’d pass or at least send it off to someone who can do it for you.

Mike Brooks · « **Reply #9 on:** June 28, 2022, 03:20:42 PM »

You might consider a poured pewter one.

Robin Henderson · « **Reply #10 on:** June 28, 2022, 03:44:59 PM »

I've poured three on Kibler's southern rifles. I believe that's the route to go.

oldtravler61 · « **Reply #11 on:** June 28, 2022, 04:40:11 PM »

Actually you don't need an end cap on the nose cap. Many originals were just a bent piece of brass or steel wrapped around the end. Just a thought and their easy to make.
Oldtravler

hawkeye · « **Reply #12 on:** June 28, 2022, 05:44:15 PM »

I would also prefer a cast pewter nosecap

Dave Marsh · « **Reply #13 on:** June 28, 2022, 05:50:39 PM »

As its your first time I would follow Stoner and Jim's advice and there won't be problems. just my two cents.

bama · « **Reply #14 on:** June 28, 2022, 09:30:39 PM »

You can make a nose cap for the little SMR but as others have said there’s no room for error. Here’s one that I have done but have not finished filing and dressing it down to the wood yet.

RAT · « **Reply #15 on:** June 30, 2022, 06:25:53 AM »

I think poured pewter chevron style muzzle caps are nifty...

Nifty... I generally never use that word. But I think I've seen Mike Brooks use it in several posts.

Anyway...

I'm not an expert on specific makers like many here, but I'm not sure Whitson used them. FYI... Jim copied a Whitson for his mountain rifle kit.

Anyway... William Ivey shows photos of 2 Whitson rifles in his book "North Carolina Schools of Longrifles 1765-1865". One is attributed to George Whitson and one is by Joseph Whitson Jr. (nephew to George Whitson). I believe both have iron muzzle caps. The same Joseph Whitson Jr. rifle is shown in Randal Pierce's book "Kentucky Rifles of the Great Smoky Mountains", but he attributed it to Joseph Whitson Sr. (brother of George Whitson). Randal Pierce states that it has silver ramrod pipes and a silver lock bolt washer. I think I read an ALR post in the past that said silver pipes were an identifying characteristic of Whitson rifles. Of course, I can't remember which Whitson... George Sr. or George Jr. In any case, I always thought it'd be cool to add sterling silver rod pipes to a Kibler kit to make it more Whitson-like.

Big_Rubber_Duck · « **Reply #16 on:** July 01, 2022, 06:40:26 AM »

The more i think about it the more I want to either leave it alone or maybe do a simple sheet metal open ended cap. From looking at Randal Pierce's Kentucky Rifles of the Great Smoky Mountains for inspiration, I can't quite tell on several of these rifles if the cap is inlet and the wood shrunk, or if they just weren't inlet at all. I think whatever I decide with i'll try to stick to keeping it simple.

Grischi · « **Reply #17 on:** July 17, 2022, 05:45:10 AM »

I fitted a nose cap from TotW.
I took the smallest one they offer and had to file the octagonal shape a bit as well as to bend (widen) the contour to match the barrel and slim shape of the stock. I carefully removed the wood, very slowly with a freshly sharped chisel.
To support the remaining thin wood I glued it firmly in with epoxy. (Not very period correct, I know)

flinchrocket · « **Reply #18 on:** July 17, 2022, 06:23:31 AM »

That looks like a nice job.

Hunterdude · « **Reply #19 on:** July 21, 2022, 06:10:02 AM »

I like that one to, I am wondering out loud if it is historically correct to make the cap slim enough to just clear the ramrod? OR if the cap Should have a shallow U shape so you can not see a sliver of light between ramrod and cap?....or was it done both ways? Thanks!

Frozen Run · « **Reply #20 on:** July 21, 2022, 06:54:14 AM »

Quote from: Grischi on July 17, 2022, 05:45:10 AM

To support the remaining thin wood I glued it firmly in with epoxy. (Not very period correct, I know)

Neither are the lights in your shop, but if the old boys would have had it they would have used it. Good job on this.

Dennis Glazener · « **Reply #21 on:** July 21, 2022, 03:58:53 PM »

Quote from: Hunterdude on July 21, 2022, 06:10:02 AM

I like that one to, I am wondering out loud if it is historically correct to make the cap slim enough to just clear the ramrod? OR if the cap Should have a shallow U shape so you can not see a sliver of light between ramrod and cap?....or was it done both ways? Thanks!

I think so. My Mathew Gillespie rifle has a nose cap that has the slightest hint of a RR groove. It looks like it may have been put there with a smoth round file.
Dennis

heinz · « **Reply #22 on:** July 21, 2022, 05:35:40 PM »

Here is one with a ramrod groove bent in. I worked it into shape as it went along

Steeltrap · « **Reply #23 on:** July 21, 2022, 07:00:49 PM »

Ahhh...the nose cap....and how things can go very wrong very fast. Pic's from "almost there" to "Uh-Oh" to drill for pins, to "it all worked out".

jgraham1 · « **Reply #24 on:** July 22, 2022, 12:27:05 AM »

Steeltrap,

It appears you were able to fix it nicely.

Jerry

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Author Topic: Nose Cap Help for a Kibler SMR (Read 3181 times)