Author Topic: Southern Mountain Rifle - Show me what you got (Read 7968 times)

cshirsch · « **Reply #25 on:** February 18, 2025, 06:11:49 PM »

Quote from: gibster on February 18, 2025, 06:01:50 PM

Chris - Don't give up. No idea what the problem is with posting pictures right now. I have seen a few of your posts in the past showing some great southern rifles and would enjoy seeing them again, and more. Sooner or later the issue with posting pictures will be resolved. Hope so anyway.

OK, thanks.

rich pierce · « **Reply #26 on:** February 18, 2025, 06:12:41 PM »

Posting pictures is working for me.

gibster · « **Reply #27 on:** February 18, 2025, 06:15:57 PM »

I just posted pictures of another rifle as well with no issues.

Chris - If you want, I'll send you my email address and will try to upload them on this end. Worked fine for me a few minutes ago.

Robert Wolfe · « **Reply #28 on:** February 18, 2025, 06:24:48 PM »

I posted a pic a few minutes ago and it worked. It would not let me preview so I thought it failed but it showed up.

cshirsch · « **Reply #29 on:** February 18, 2025, 09:10:39 PM »

This rifle was originally owned by Otho Bean in West Virginia.

cshirsch · « **Reply #30 on:** February 18, 2025, 09:15:10 PM »

Lock marked JOHN WALKER.

gibster · « **Reply #31 on:** February 19, 2025, 02:02:34 AM »

Thanks for trying one more time to post pictures of these rifles Chris. Well worth the wait to see them. Thanks for sharing.

Bob Roller · « **Reply #32 on:** February 19, 2025, 05:23:55 PM »

I like these square tail lock plates but made maybe 2 or 3 but didn't remember if they were flint or cap locks.Memory loss,one of the "joys" of fossilization and I do appreciate all you guys who post these pictures.I have a nicely equipped little shop and made ONE full stock rifle since 1964 and used a precarved one from Pecatonica in walnut.It was 58 caliber with a Ketland lock,and single trigger.
Bob Roller

NDduckhunter · « **Reply #33 on:** March 11, 2025, 04:38:20 AM »

Thanks for posting pictures guys, I’ve been trying to figure out how to carve my cheek on my SMR and this has been very helpful. Seems there quite a few variations.

whetrock · « **Reply #34 on:** March 18, 2025, 03:54:15 AM »

Duckhunter,
If you haven't seen it already, you might want to check out this page. This shows photos of the original Whitson (attributed) rifle that the Kibler SMR is most similar to. The photos include a photo of the cheek piece. (The rifle with the white background is the Whitson closest to the Kibler. The one with the purple background is also a cool rifle, but the Kibler is not a similar to that one as to the other one.)

https://contemporarymakers.blogspot.com/2015/11/a-newly-designed-mountain-rifle-kit-by.html?m=1

I'd guess these photos originally came from Kibler's website. They are easy to find on the Contemporary Blogspot site.

NDduckhunter · « **Reply #35 on:** March 18, 2025, 06:14:54 AM »

Thanks! I’ll check it out.

bluenoser · « **Reply #36 on:** March 18, 2025, 04:13:17 PM »

I must respectfully disagree with whetrock on one point.
Although the Carson rifle shown in the above link was undoubtedly one of the study pieces that influenced the design of the Kibler SMR, I believe another Whitson attributed rifle - the McBee rifle - is more closely reflected in the ultimate Kibler design.
https://americanlongrifles.org/forum/index.php?topic=59088.msg681899#msg681899
There are many similarities between the two Whitson rifles, but there are also significant differences. Compare the lock plate, lock panel, and lock nail escutcheon on the Kibler rifle to those of the Carson rifle, and then compare them to those of the McBee rifle. I believe the McBee influence to be obvious. There are also differences. While the McBee rifle has three upper thimbles and no entry thimble, the Kibler SMR has an entry thimble and the more traditional two upper thimbles. If memory serves me correctly, the Carson rifle has an entry thimble and two upper thimbles - all silver.
That said, with the above-mentioned exceptions, the two rifles are so similar in design that either could be used for study purposes with equal success. In my opinion, both rifles are drop-dead gorgeous.

whetrock · « **Reply #37 on:** March 18, 2025, 08:20:51 PM »

Oh! Yes, Bluenoser is exactly correct. (He and I already talked about this separately some months back.) I agree completely with what he has just said about the McBee rifle.

(Sorry about that, my friend! Glad you are on the ball!)

Sequatchie Rifle · « **Reply #38 on:** March 21, 2025, 04:45:10 PM »

Sequatchie Rifle · « **Reply #39 on:** March 21, 2025, 04:47:56 PM »

A few old hog rifles from East Tennessee.

Sequatchie Rifle · « **Reply #40 on:** March 21, 2025, 04:52:01 PM »

Jacob Gross- found in a barn loft in White County Tennessee in 2019.

gibster · « **Reply #41 on:** March 21, 2025, 05:07:08 PM »

Those are some nice Hog rifles. Are any of the 3 in your middle post signed?

Sequatchie Rifle · « **Reply #42 on:** March 22, 2025, 12:20:41 AM »

Bottom is David W Goode of Green County Tn, Middle is Austin Hackworth of Marion Co Tn, don’t remember who the top one is.

Sequatchie Rifle · « **Reply #43 on:** March 22, 2025, 12:23:17 AM »

Better photos of the Austin Hackworth rifle.

Sequatchie Rifle · « **Reply #44 on:** March 22, 2025, 12:53:44 AM »

Quote from: whetrock on March 18, 2025, 03:54:15 AM

Duckhunter,
If you haven't seen it already, you might want to check out this page. This shows photos of the original Whitson (attributed) rifle that the Kibler SMR is most similar to. The photos include a photo of the cheek piece. (The rifle with the white background is the Whitson closest to the Kibler. The one with the purple background is also a cool rifle, but the Kibler is not a similar to that one as to the other one.)

https://contemporarymakers.blogspot.com/2015/11/a-newly-designed-mountain-rifle-kit-by.html?m=1

I own the original Whitson rifle studied by Jim Kibler and used as his pattern. It’s referred to as the “Joy” rifle, as it was made for a person named Joy.

I'd guess these photos originally came from Kibler's website. They are easy to find on the Contemporary Blogspot site.

cshirsch · « **Reply #45 on:** March 22, 2025, 01:39:11 AM »

Soddy-Daisy chunk gun. I attribute this rifle to Enoch Hardin.

Sequatchie Rifle · « **Reply #46 on:** March 22, 2025, 03:55:55 AM »

Love the lines and hardware of this rifle. Especially the sideplate! Thanks for posting these.

JTR · « **Reply #47 on:** March 22, 2025, 04:02:49 AM »

I only have a couple Southern Rifles. This is the one I picked off E-Bay (with help) some years ago. Attrib to J. Whitson. It's had some work including a replaced lock.

JTR · « **Reply #48 on:** March 22, 2025, 05:19:40 AM »

Here's another. No Name or marks on the barrel. Original flint, and the barrel was what I'd call gunsmith made.
This one is long gone, and these are the only pictures I have.
I'm curious if anyone can tell me anything about it?
John

AZshot · « **Reply #49 on:** March 22, 2025, 03:00:20 PM »

I love both that you posted. The last one, with the severe curved buttplate and square trigger guard and rail looks eastern TN to me.

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Author Topic: Southern Mountain Rifle - Show me what you got (Read 7968 times)