Which Kibler to order? It arrived!!!

[Rwnblack]

I have been selling a few things off to buy a Kibler kit.  I am in Canada so exchange, taxes, shipping fees basically doubles the price of anything we buy state side. So we need to chose wisely.  I really appreciate quality and nice wood and I think Jims stuff is top of the list.  Now to make a decision and do it.  I love their  SMR rifles, simple but elegant in every way.  I know the originals were mostly walnut and plain but I think I am getting extra fancy wood no matter what.  But deciding on caliber is the challenge.  I have a nice 36 cal flint a 44 “ barrel and birdeye maple stock but it is a bit forward heavy as it has a straight octagon barrel.  I have parts to build a 40 including a rice B weight 38” barrel and I do love 40 cals.  My main rifle for 35 years is a 54 flint with crazy pretty birds eye maple so I am considering a 45.  Up here that caliber seems to be swear word for some reason, too small to  be big and too big to be small....  What do you think 40 or 45?  I won’t be hunting with it other than gophers, my 54 is the best hunting rifle.  We have an active club with lots of shoots, a couple of trail walks each year with a range of targets from tacks at 15 yards to big steel gongs at 150.  We also have tots of paper and novelty shoots out to a 100.

How does the 40 vs 45 feel for balance and weight?

[bob in the woods]

Considering what you already have, and also taking into account the matches you attend, I would go with the .45     I love my .40 but at 150 yards, I go with a .45 any day.
BTW, a good friend of mine uses his .45 for deer, and seems to be very successful with it.

[Daryl]

If doing much shooting at 100 to 150yards, the .45 would be my choice as well, over a .40.
The 30% heavier ball will "tell" at longer ranges.

[BillF/TRF]

Daryl, all of the rendezvous events I went to this past summer in northern Minnesota had paper targets and novelty shooting at 100 yds or less.  So would  .40 rifle be a better choice at those distances? Also, does Kibler offer a .40?

[smylee grouch]

When you say you will be shooting out to 150 yds. you answer your question. The 40 is ok with no wind out to around 100 but anything over that needs more bullet weight and velocity IMHO. 

[canadianml1]

Just a comment on wood selection for an SMR : a walnut stock can be dressed up nicely with bone black like I did on my Kibler. BTW the Kibler SMR is an excellent kit!!! Go for it!

[hanshi]

The rifle in .45 will be lighter than it will be as a .40.  It's a mistake to sell the .45 short; it's versatile and an excellent hunting round.  I've taken lots of deer with a couple of .45s and NEVER needed but that one, first shot.  My dream gun is a Kibler SMR in .45.

[Rwnblack]

45 sounds like great good plan.  I have it the cart, now I need to step up and do it!

[Scota4570]

Good choice.  I have assemble the 36 and 45.  The 45 has a svelte feel and balance I have only experienced in one other gun, the Winchester M-42 shotgun.  Friends described it as, "The magic wand".   I sold my SMR 45 cal.   I have been meaning to make another, I miss it. 

[Stillwater Dan]

Let us know when you get the kit what ya think of it .  I've been looking at the SMR kit also and from the research i've done on them  it look's like a quality rifle kit and fairly easy to build . 

[Bob McBride]

I have had each the .36 and .45 and I can tell you though the .36 is perfectly fine, the .45 is a dandy. Carries, swings, and balances like a ballerina....

[Rwnblack]

You guys are a terrible influence!!  An order for a 45 in extra fancy maple has been placed.  Thank you for all your advice, this is going to be great.

[rfd]

You might also wanna check with Jim, as the .45 might also have the new Green Mountain/Kibler collaboration barrel, with integral bbl lugs that will save time, and for some, grief.  

[Bob McBride]

You might also wanna check with Jim, as the .45 might also have the new Green Mountain/Kibler collaboration barrel, with integral bbl lugs that will save time, and for some, grief.

I believe they are out of the old Rice barrels for the SMR. He’s in luck. I’m tempted to get another so I can try out the new barrel. Seems a dandy.

[duca]

I have a .36 🐿 on order, wont see it for a month or two. Everdayntly there backed up.
Can’t wait to start it!

Anthony

[Rwnblack]

Waiting is always the hard part but it will be well worth it.  I have several cartridge gun projects on my bench to complete for friends so I will have something to distract me during Christmas break.

[Mule Brain]

With my accurate .40, I did a steel silhouette match. Never again will I use it. 

I killed it at the 25, then 50 really starting to show, then 100, forget it. I wouldn't run that match again with anything less than a .50

That .40 is great on paper, but pushing steel isn't on it's meal list   

[rfd]

With my accurate .40, I did a steel silhouette match. Never again will I use it. 

I killed it at the 25, then 50 really starting to show, then 100, forget it. I wouldn't run that match again with anything less than a .50

That .40 is great on paper, but pushing steel isn't on it's meal list

How was the match weather/wind?

[moleeyes36]

When you say you will be shooting out to 150 yds. you answer your question. The 40 is ok with no wind out to around 100 but anything over that needs more bullet weight and velocity IMHO. 

Smylee is right about the wind.  My target rifles are mostly .40 caliber.  But on windy days they can be easily pushed around by a stout crosswind when shooting at ranges over 100 yards.  On those days I reach for a larger caliber.

Don Richards

[Rwnblack]

I think my 45 calibre will fit in well. I have a bunch of flintlocks and should take pretty much any wind. I have a 36, I’m building a 40 and I’ll have a 45 after I finsh this Kibler.  I have a 50, 54 and 62 and 72 calibre, all flinters.  I guess if it’s really windy I go to 72 that should knock down some steel but both the 62 and 72 are smooth bores.  Let the wind blow and try....

[.Willard]

I just finished a SMR in a 45 cal. and it is a SWEET shooter. The balance is excellent and easy to shoot. 

[Daryl]

In a cross wind at 100 yards, the .69's 482gr. balls are pushed around a lot & I'm having to hold "off" for wind.
The smaller the ball, the more wind drift there is. Note, one must keep the speed up, though. Just going to a larger
heavier ball but at reduced speed, will not be a benefit.

[Rwnblack]

In those cases we would need to resort to the wall gun.  A buddy and I built this one. 1750 gr ball, 360 grains of black.  Lots of get up and go here.  I think i will use the 45 and adjust for wind.

[Daryl]

Taylor built a 1" bore Underhammer bench rifle for a fellow. It weighed 51 or 52 pounds. Smooth, no rifling.
He also made a mould for it & we cast up a bunch - right around 4 bore weight, or 1,750gr.
With 300gr. of 2F, if moved back 1 foot on the sand bags, no matter how "much" shoulder you put into it.
We were able to shoot about a 3' group on the 300meter sand/rock/dirt berm. It seemed to move about
1/2 yard of dirt every shot. That 300gr. charge is only 11 drams. That is almost 3/4 normal charge for
a 4bore smooth or rifled SxS of English make, for shooting elephant near the end of the 19th century.
They used "up to" 16 drams, or 437gr. with round or conical ball.

[smylee grouch]

Wow, with that wall gun you could shoot ducks in the next zip code.