SMR 45 cal or Colonial 58 to 150 yds

[stikshooter]

 I am getting ready to purchase a Kibler kit and need advice . Me I am 5ft 7" /150 and just turned 69 yrs ,still climb/ top but use smaller saws (getting weaker with age ) . Need another project (lots of rain lately) , don"t want to build a gun that might stay home because of weight /bulk for deer and aside from lots of target (private club short 200/ 750 long range) I like squirrel ! Never had a 58 and never built a traditional rifle ,lots of TC /Lyman sidelocks /my problem is I look at the SMR kit and in 45 which I have lots of molds /jags rods ect it is a lot lighter (I like the iron) and will be a lot easier on critters thou I have lots of 45 shooters to use . I think the 58 would do fine for target and I am leaning that way but somebody else might opine on actual experience between the two as I am not experienced and can"t  swing more than one and want to be 1st in my piece of woods with a 58! Thanks Ed   

[stubshaft]

I am caught in the middle of the same type of problem.  I am trying to decide between a .40 SMR and 58 Colonial.  I have a couple of SMR's and love their trim styling and lighter weight.  The Colonial resembles an Early Virginia to me which has a wider butt to soak up recoil and is heavier but balances well.  I think I'll just flip a coin!

[Bigmon]

The bigger the caliber the lighter the gun will be, unless I am missing something?

[smallpatch]

Two totally different type of guns. 
  SMR in 45 is a little over 6 lbs.
Don't know the weight on the Colonial .58, but I'm assuming 8 or 9 lbs.   I've carried the .45, it's a dream. But definitely not an elk gun.
Recoil, if you are sensitive, the 58  will be pretty significant compared to the 45.
I'm about to turn 68. I'm not sensitive to recoil, but I'm sensitive to weight.

[smylee grouch]

I don't know what kind of shooting you plan on but if 200 yds. is in the picture a 45 cal. might be staying at home if you have to contend with the wind. A 58 will just about do anything a 45 will do plus more including kik and buck the wind a little better too. If it were me in your situation it would be a 58.

[rich pierce]

A wide-butted .58 loaded with 80-90 grains of FFG is comfortable to shoot for me. Getting up around 110-120 grains which I might want if any shots were over 120 yards feels punishing on the bench to me after a while. Not bad at all on cross sticks so it’s probably a posture thing.

[hanshi]

A SMR style longrifle can start getting hairy for some folks with calibers greater than .45.  I'm not bothered much by recoil but would still prefer a .54 or .58 in a flat-butted heavier rifle such as the colonial.  An SMR from Kibler would be divine to me in .45.  And while a .58 might have more drop, depending on the load, it would be preferable for shooting much past 100 - 125 yards or so.  I trust a .45 at 100 yards, but that's also my limit with any caliber.

[stikshooter]

I have some 50 and 54" s that I hunt with but am killing more paper than game lately and carrying is increasingly more important . I think the 58 is looking good but the 45 is more apt to be used . I guess I need to study this some more or win the lottery  /thanks for the advice chime in if you can help /Ed

[Iktomi]

I've been pretty caught in the same sort of dilemma. The aesthetics of a SMR really appeals to me, but I don't know how much use I'd get from a .45. It would be great for the local blacktails, but I don't hunt deer much locally these days due to access to huntable land which is getting more difficult every year in my immediate area. My primary purpose for rifle hunting is elk, and while my .54 GPR will do the job I'd still like to throw more lead. I agree with hanshi about the design of the SMR maybe being a handful in heavier calibers. At around 9 lbs the Colonial isn't an awful burden, it's lighter than my GPR which is almost 10 lbs.

[stubshaft]

FWIW - I decided by a flip of the coin and placed an order for...the Colonial in .58.  I think that I should get an additional discount for the anxiety of having to choose between Jim's great kits!

[Daryl]

There is no, ie: ZERO comparison between a hooked breech .58 and a flat wide butt .58, in felt recoil. No comparison at all, just as Rich says- easy to shoot the wide flat butt .58.

Those hooks will getcha, especially if you've got more meat(fat incl) on your bones than 'some'.  That heal on the Hawken just dug in, reminded me of my .58 Hawken from the 70's.

I sold it as it was too hard to shoot with the loads it wanted.

This was just a squib load, before I worked up to what IT wanted which was 140gr. 2F  - about 1978.

[Joe S.]

Thinking those clothes where more period correct if you had a disco ball hanging above your head.Love those old time pictures,styling and profiling even while throwing lead downfield

[Daryl]

LOL- bought those trousers in Regina while in basic training.
Check out this picture.

[Joe S.]

Ah...the good old days,great pictures,some happy times right there.Every once in a while I take a gander at some old photos of the glory days,great memories,simpler times,wishing we could all get some of those times back.At least we have 'em in our hearts and heads and pictures to prove we was there

[varsity07840]

I am getting ready to purchase a Kibler kit and need advice . Me I am 5ft 7" /150 and just turned 69 yrs ,still climb/ top but use smaller saws (getting weaker with age ) . Need another project (lots of rain lately) , don"t want to build a gun that might stay home because of weight /bulk for deer and aside from lots of target (private club short 200/ 750 long range) I like squirrel ! Never had a 58 and never built a traditional rifle ,lots of TC /Lyman sidelocks /my problem is I look at the SMR kit and in 45 which I have lots of molds /jags rods ect it is a lot lighter (I like the iron) and will be a lot easier on critters thou I have lots of 45 shooters to use . I think the 58 would do fine for target and I am leaning that way but somebody else might opine on actual experience between the two as I am not experienced and can"t  swing more than one and want to be 1st in my piece of woods with a 58! Thanks Ed

Up until recently, i never built a rifle that was not a caliber that I would hunt with. Hence they went from .50-.72 cal. Never hunted with the .50 because it was carved and i didn't want to ding it in the woods. Then Jim Kibler's SMR kit came along. Beautiful lines but .45 cal is the biggest  and I don't consider it a deer hunting caliber. Then I came to the conclusion that  have plenty of hunting rifles and it would be nice to put together a nice looking shooter that didn't beat me up. I'm sure I made the right choice. I'm about a week from getting it finished. If I needed a hunting rifle, I'd go for his new Colonial in .58.

[Daryl]

Kalispel Montana 1950's. Those are all antique rifles as far as I know.

[Joe S.]

Shinnin times indeed