First time shooting the new Kibler SMR .45

[Big Bubba]

To start with this rifle is a blast to shoot. A lot more fun than my .50 cal hawken, of course after watching one of Bob's videos, it was probably how I was putting that curved but on my shoulder. The target on the right I shot at 10 times (@ 25 yards). The first shot was standing, don't know where that went. The rest were leaning across the back of the truck and I jerked one of those. Did not have to swab it until about the 8th shot. After blasting away at the first target, Took my time and watched my breathing and shot the target on the left. Called it a day after that, because I probably wasn't going to do that twice in a row. Loaded with .45 grains Olde E using a .010 patch with minks oil. Need to build me a bench before I start working on accuracy loads.

[smylee grouch]

Good times trying out a new rifle. I think you will find that a thicker patch will shoot better with less fouling too.

[Daniel Coats]

Careful shooting off the truck. Saw a guy blow the mirror off the passenger side one time! LOL 

[Stoner creek]

Careful shooting off the truck. Saw a guy blow the mirror off the passenger side one time! LOL 

One of them "hold my beer" moments!

[Big Bubba]

"Good times trying out a new rifle. I think you will find that a thicker patch will shoot better with less fouling too."

Yes, today was fun. I do have several different thickness patches to try. With the .010 patch it was going down really easy. I plan to try the different thickness patches when I build me a bench. Thanks.

[Leatherbark]

A tighter load will close up  those groups.  With my Kibler for general shooting offhand at NMLRA targets I use a .440 ball and a .018 ticking patch lubed with either spit, moose milk or Mr. Flintlock lube. These will go in the black if I do my part.  But for shooting at a small "X" at 25 yards to score at a meat shoot I use 40 gr of Goex, a .445 ball and .022 canvas patch lubed with Mr. Flintlock lube.  Need a mallet to get the load started but goes down smoothly.

[Don Adams]

My Kibler Rifle likes a .445 Hornady Roundball, .020 patch with Mr. Flintlock Lube and 50 grains of Olde Ensford 3F. I don't have any trouble with loading it even after shooting about 20 shots.

[Daryl]

My Kibler Rifle likes a .445 Hornady Roundball, .020 patch with Mr. Flintlock Lube and 50 grains of Olde Ensford 3F. I don't have any trouble with loading it even after shooting about 20 shots.

Glad you are happy with your rifle, Big Bubba. You could/should be a LOT happier.
Both Bob Hatfield and Don Adams are spot-on for loading. My suggestion, big bubba, is to convert any sheet .010" into handkerchiefs for blowing your nose into.
As a patch material, they suck.
A nice smoothly radiused muzzle crown does a long way to providing for easy loading just such a combination.
Muzzle on the left is a GM .45. It is less than 1/8" deep- just a nice, smooth curve. This allows the patch and ball to conform into the rifling, then it goes down easily with
the rifle's rod. Send me a PM with your e-mail address and I will send back a short video of loading that rifle.

[Big Bubba]

A tighter load will close up  those groups.  With my Kibler for general shooting offhand at NMLRA targets I use a .440 ball and a .018 ticking patch lubed with either spit, moose milk or Mr. Flintlock lube. These will go in the black if I do my part.  But for shooting at a small "X" at 25 yards to score at a meat shoot I use 40 gr of Goex, a .445 ball and .022 canvas patch lubed with Mr. Flintlock lube.  Need a mallet to get the load started but goes down smoothly.

Thanks, Bob.

[Big Bubba]

Careful shooting off the truck. Saw a guy blow the mirror off the passenger side one time! LOL 

There was a guy in a hunt club around here that got kicked out when he shot the windows out of his own truck leading a deer.

[smallpatch]

First 7 shots out of a Rice/Kibler SMR. 50g FFFg, .445” ball, .020” patch, before sight adjustment.

[Big Bubba]

First 7 shots out of a Rice/Kibler SMR. 50g FFFg, .445” ball, .020” patch, before sight adjustment.

Very nice shooting. Was not sure what to expect with mine, since this is my first flintlock rifle. Have a flintlock pistol that I built from a cheap kit 40 years ago. Because of the delay when firing, could not hit a barn with that, even if I was standing in the barn. Haven't shot that pistol in about 40 years now. Don't have those issues with this rifle (it's fast), just need to use try the thicker patches. Went out in the yard looking for my shot patches this morning and found only peices. Good news those .010 patches should make good cleaning patches for my rimfire.

[hanshi]

Big Bubba, listen to Daryl, Smylee and Bob.  My rifles have been given the smooth crown treatment allowing me to use .024" canvas patches.  They go down very easily with every reload for as long as I want to shoot; never have to swab the bore.  A short starter is still used to get the prb started into the muzzle but seating the prb is just so easy.

And Daniel, I had a hunting friend for many years who did something similar.  A doe trotted by him one day when we were hunting and he shot at it and missed.  Then he got to thinking, "Hmmm... I think that's the direction where my truck is parked; naaa, no way I..but I'll just check anyway".  Well he did check and both the passenger side and driver's side windows were shot out.  I don't think he ever lived that down.

[Daniel Coats]

And Daniel, I had a hunting friend for many years who did something similar.  A doe trotted by him one day when we were hunting and he shot at it and missed.  Then he got to thinking, "Hmmm... I think that's the direction where my truck is parked; naaa, no way I..but I'll just check anyway".  Well he did check and both the passenger side and driver's side windows were shot out.  I don't think he ever lived that down.

One of the funniest I saw was a buddy of mine sitting in the cab of his pickup decapping a percussion long rifle with the muzzle on the floor and the windows rolled up. His thumb slipped off the hammer and it looked like a flash bang grenade went off and the cab instantly filled with smoke! The next thing we heard was the right front tire deflating rapidly!

I still get tears in my eyes laughing!! 

[Big Bubba]

And Daniel, I had a hunting friend for many years who did something similar.  A doe trotted by him one day when we were hunting and he shot at it and missed.  Then he got to thinking, "Hmmm... I think that's the direction where my truck is parked; naaa, no way I..but I'll just check anyway".  Well he did check and both the passenger side and driver's side windows were shot out.  I don't think he ever lived that down.

That cracks me up just picturing that.

One of the funniest I saw was a buddy of mine sitting in the cab of his pickup decapping a percussion long rifle with the muzzle on the floor and the windows rolled up. His thumb slipped off the hammer and it looked like a flash bang grenade went off and the cab instantly filled with smoke! The next thing we heard was the right front tire deflating rapidly!

I still get tears in my eyes laughing!! 

[OldMtnMan]

I wish you had taken more shots at the left target after concentrating better.

Let's not forget it was shot with the .010 patch.

[Big Bubba]

I wish you had taken more shots at the left target after concentrating better.

Let's not forget it was shot with the .010 patch.

I had stop on high note . I going to try to shoot some more today. I've a portable table to use as a temporary shooting bench, instead leaning on the back of the truck. I wasn't too sure how I was going to react to the flash going off in my face on the initial shots, but this thing fires so quick I don't even notice it. So now I can concentrate more about the right load and patch cobination. Everyone has given me a lot of helpful information to try out.

[OldMtnMan]

Just to compare. Shoot more with the .010 patch too.

[smylee grouch]

I'm just guessing but I think your rifling is deeper than 10/1000s so you will be getting blow by and a fouled bore unless you used an over bore sized round ball. JMHO

[OldMtnMan]

Yes, but he still put one in a small bull. Was it luck? I'd like to see a group.

[Daryl]

This one works very well for me, for shooting in the gopher fields.
dimensions are:
3/4 ply - Canadian Tire folding legs - I suspect Lowes has them in the States
front 2' wide
back 18"
length 42"
cut out length 20 1/2"
29 1/2" tall

[smylee grouch]

That looks like a little slope to the rear on that bench which is good, gives you a better body position to handle the recoil. JMHO

[OldMtnMan]

The chair does too. It must be a matching set.

[Daryl]

 Minor slope to the ground is all.
If .010" patches actually worked, every one of this last year's postal match winners would have been using them. They didn't, not even one of them, not even once.
Same goes for winners at rendezvous. No .010" patches used.

[OldMtnMan]

We were making a joke Daryl. We know it's the ground.

I'd still like to see a group with the .010 patch. Just to compare.

btw..I don't use a patch that thin but i'm the curious type.