Frequently Asked Questions

• Am I able to order replacement parts?
• Are barrels from Rice, Green Mountain, and Colerain interchangeable?
• Are flintlocks unreliable?
• Are seconds or discounted kits ever available?
• Are small pits in cast brass parts a defect I should worry about?
• Are the lock bolts already drilled and tapped?
• Are the ramrod thimbles pre-drilled on the Colonial and mountain rifle kits?
• Are the trigger plate, tang, and lock holes already drilled and tapped?
• Are the underlugs drilled at the factory?
• Are there any shipping restrictions or special procedures for orders shipping to Illinois?
• Are these historically accurate?
• Books with carving examples
• Can a complete beginner start with any kit style?
• Can high-solvent finishes smear bone black?
• Can I add a brass patchbox to a Colonial kit that shipped with a wooden one?
• Can I add Dangler's orange stain to iron nitrate before blushing to achieve a reddish-orange tone on my rifle stock?
• Can I build a kit on my kitchen table?
• Can I choose a carbon steel touch hole liner for my kit barrel?
• Can I choose which barrel maker I get with my kit?
• Can I get a Kibler kit shipped directly to me?
• Can I get a small piece of matching wood (such as Cherry) to make a repair on my Kibler rifle stock?
• Can I get replacement parts for an old Jim Chambers lock from Kibler's?
• Can I get the mountain rifle with a shorter barrel?
• Can I make installment payments over time to purchase a rifle kit?
• Can I make partial payments or put down deposits on my kit order before it is ready to ship?
• Can I order a replacement barrel in a different caliber?
• Can I replace the touch hole liner that came installed in my barrel?
• Can I send my Woodsrunner rifle lock/trigger assembly to Kibler to have the trigger pull weight reduced, and what is the process?
• Can I still buy a carbon steel touch hole liner?
• Can I supply my own wood for the Colonial American Longrifle?
• Can I supply my own wood for the J.K. Hawken Rifle?
• Can I supply my own wood for the Southern Mountain Rifle?
• Can I supply my own wood for the Woodsrunner Rifle?
• Can I trip the lock with the frizzen open?
• Can I use a Davis Trigger on a Colonial kit?
• Can I use a lye solution to redden cherry wood?
• Can I use linseed oil from the hardware store?
• Can I use vinegar to create a patina on the carbon steel barrel and lock of my Kibler rifle kit?
• Can I visit the shop to pick up my kit?
• Can Jim Kibler assemble, finish, stain, and polish a rifle kit for me?
• Can Kibler's make custom modifications to a standard kit?
• Can left-handed shooters safely use a right-handed flintlock rifle?
• Can you sell me a fully finished rifle / will you build it for me?
• Could Kibler's offer a cheaper kit around $750?
• Did anyone else help design Kibler's locks?
• Did Jim have custom rifle building experience before starting the kit business?
• Did order volume increase during the coronavirus period?
• Did the Foxfire Series books influence Jim's interest in gun making?
• Do all kits come with the lock area already inletted?
• Do barrels from different suppliers differ in shape?
• Do carbon steel touchhole liners wear out faster than stainless?
• Do engraving chisels need to be high quality?
• Do I need a flint to safely dry-fire the lock?
• Do I need every tool on Kibler's published tool list?
• Do I need gunsmithing experience or a shop full of tools to build one of your kits?
• Do I need to neutralize iron nitrate after staining?
• Do I need to pay a deposit when ordering a rifle kit, and if so, how much is required?
• Do I need to sign for my kit delivery?
• Do I need to stone the double-set triggers?
• Do Kibler locks fit Jim Chambers lock mortises?
• Do Kibler's barrels get seasoned or hardened?
• Do Kibler's lock inlets remove more material than original historical rifles?
• Do not brown or age the lock without disassembly
• Do the CNC-machined inlets require much wood removal to fit the lock?
• Do the new Green Mountain barrels come with touchhole liners installed?
• Do walnut, cherry, and ash all get stained the same way?
• Do you carry Tried & True Varnish Oil?
• Do you collect sales tax in Indiana?
• Do you collect sales tax in Kentucky?
• Do you collect sales tax in Michigan?
• Do you collect sales tax in Missouri?
• Do you collect sales tax in Pennsylvania?
• Do you collect sales tax in Tennessee?
• Do you collect sales tax in Virginia?
• Do you have a layaway or payment plan program?
• Do you neutralize the applied acid before applying oil? Would you recommend ammonia or baking soda?
• Do you offer a gunwriter's discount?
• Do you offer a military discount on your rifle kits?
• Do you offer kit-building workshops?
• Do you offer relief carving on the Fowler?
• Do you offer relief carving on the Southern Mountain Rifle?
• Do you sell carving patterns for historical/colonial longrifles?
• Do you sell the vises you use in your shop?
• Do you ship parts to Germany, and what are the estimated shipping costs?
• Do you ship to France, and how can I place an order from there?
• Do you ship to Germany, and how can I place an order if Germany is not listed on the website?
• Do you ship to P.O. Boxes using USPS?
• Do you ship your flintlock muzzleloader kits internationally to Switzerland?
• Do you ship your rifle kits to Canada?
• Does anything actually differ between the barrel suppliers?
• Does building a kit require prior experience?
• Does drawing lines across a rifle barrel with a Sharpie help when draw filing to know how much material to remove?
• Does Jax Black metal finish go bad or lose its effectiveness over time, especially if used product is poured back into the bottle?
• Does Jim have an engineering background?
• Does Kibler's attend the CLA show?
• Does Kibler's attend the Dixon's Gunmakers Fair?
• Does Kibler's Longrifles offer custom gunsmithing services, such as repairing or making new parts (like a tumbler or half-cock notch) for non-Kibler locks?
• Does Kibler's Longrifles require an FFL (Federal Firearms License) to ship a muzzleloader kit to Delaware?
• Does Kibler's make a Fowler kit?
• Does Kibler's offer an introductory carving kit?
• Does Kibler's take custom rifle orders?
• Does Kibler's use modern manufacturing to recreate historical designs?
• Does potassium dichromate speed up cherry wood oxidation?
• Does sunlight darken cherry wood over time?
• Does sunlight speed up curing of Tried & True finish?
• Does the frizzen get any CNC machining?
• Does the touch-hole have to be level with the top of the pan, the "sunset" position?
• Does the tumbler shaft have a taper?
• Has Jim built an example Colonial rifle in walnut?
• Has Kibler's improved the ramrod reject rate?
• How are the underlugs machined on the new barrels?
• How can I achieve a high-gloss finish on curly maple wood projects, and what products do you recommend?
• How can I tell if I have a stainless steel touchhole liner?
• How can muzzleloader shooters trust the safety of a breech plug, and what prevents the threaded plug from failing or detaching under the pressure of firing?
• How did his grandparents' old CVA rifle kit influence Jim?
• How did Jim meet Katherine?
• How did Jim's dad's half-stock Ohio rifle influence him?
• How did the kit business get started?
• How do I clean the rifle?
• How do I diagnose a trigger that binds after finishing?
• How do I find an FFL in New York or New Jersey to ship my kit to?
• How do I fix loose pin tension on a slotted underlug?
• How do I get a higher gloss finish on the stock?
• How do I make a thin screwdriver for narrow lock screws?
• How do I neutralize iron nitrate with baking soda and water?
• How do I order a kit?
• How do I position the set triggers relative to the sear?
• How do I reduce the ramrod diameter to fit?
• How do I remove the tumbler from the cock?
• How do I request replacement parts?
• How do I sharpen a scraper?
• How do I slot a barrel underlug by hand?
• How do I tell if a touchhole liner is installed?
• How do you recommend cleaning a flintlock muzzleloader barrel?
• How do you use tannic acid and iron nitrate to finish a burled maple stock and achieve contrast in the grain?
• How does a flintlock ignition system work?
• How does a percussion ignition system work?
• How does Kibler brass compare to cartridge brass?
• How does Kibler's bore barrels and thread the breech plug?
• How does Kibler's ship kits?
• How does payment work for pre-ordering a rifle kit? Do I need to pay all at once, or can I make payments?
• How does the recoil of a .45 caliber black powder muzzleloader compare to centerfire rifles?
• How important is wood selection in building a kit?
• How is the introductory carving cast made?
• How is the touchhole installed on the new barrels?
• How is traditional metal engraving done?
• How long does it take to develop a new kit?
• How long does it typically take to build a kit?
• How long has Kibler's been offering flintlock rifle kits?
• How many Ketland lock plates does Kibler's produce in a batch?
• How much bending force can the ramrods handle?
• How much does a .32 caliber Southern Mountain Rifle weigh?
• How much does a .36 caliber Southern Mountain Rifle weigh?
• How much does a .40 caliber Southern Mountain Rifle weigh?
• How much does a .45 caliber Southern Mountain Rifle weigh?
• How much does a .45 caliber Woodsrunner weigh?
• How much does a .50 caliber Colonial rifle weigh?
• How much does a .50 caliber Woodsrunner weigh?
• How much does a .54 caliber Colonial rifle weigh?
• How much does a .54 caliber Woodsrunner weigh?
• How much does a .58 caliber Colonial rifle weigh?
• How much does shipping cost to Arizona, Idaho, or Utah?
• How much does shipping cost to Canada?
• How much does shipping cost to Colorado, Texas, or Wyoming?
• How much does shipping cost to Germany?
• How much does shipping cost to Indiana, Maryland, or Pennsylvania?
• How much does shipping cost to Ohio or Michigan?
• How much does shipping cost to the West Coast, Alaska, or Hawaii?
• How much does shipping cost to Zone C states like Virginia or New York?
• How much does shipping cost to Zone D states like Florida or Illinois?
• How much does the Appalachian Barn Gun cost?
• How much does the Colonial American Longrifle cost?
• How much does the J.K. Hawken Rifle cost?
• How much does the Kibler Fowler cost?
• How much does the Southern Mountain Rifle cost?
• How much does the Woodsrunner Rifle cost?
• How old was Jim when he got interested in building long rifles?
• How should I apply bone black to get the right color?
• How should I handle surface rust on my rifle barrel or underlugs?
• How to apply iron nitrate?
• How to finish Walnut and Cherry stocks?
• How will my kit ship to me?
• If I used a slow-drying finish like Tried & True Varnish Oil (which has no drying agents) as a base coat, is it safe to apply a faster-drying top coat over it?
• Iron nitrate in the barrel channel seems to be causing rust or corrosion on my barrel. How do I stop it?
• Is a bowed ramrod a defect and can it be fixed?
• Is a patched round ball really enough for deer or larger game?
• Is barrel quality the same across all three suppliers?
• Is cherry wood prone to breaking across the grain?
• Is engraving on long rifles difficult to learn?
• Is he applying the stain with sandpaper? Never seen that before, wonder if that helps the stain penetrate the wood more or something. Also what's the purpose of the heat gun? Does that create a deeper color?
• Is it a problem if my older barrel doesn't show a touchhole liner?
• Is it possible to install the single trigger from the Appalachian rifle kit into the Southern Mountain Rifle (SMR) kit?
• Is Kibler's considering hiring a dedicated gunsmith?
• Is Kibler's planning a Brown Bess musket kit?
• Is Kibler's planning to host an open house or customer appreciation day?
• Is Kibler's planning to make a Hawken kit?
• Is Kibler's planning to release a pistol kit?
• Is the American Longrifles forum a good source of information?
• Is the Barn Gun Flintlock (Left Hand) available in left-hand?
• Is the carving cast more useful than a carving book?
• Is the Colonial available in left-hand?
• Is the Fowler available in left-hand?
• Is the Hawken available in left-hand?
• Is the small hole between the lock inlet and barrel channel normal?
• Is the SMR available in left-hand?
• Is the Woodsrunner available in left-hand?
• Is there a discount if I pick up my rifle kit order in person rather than having it shipped?
• Is there a full build video playlist I can watch?
• Is there a safety rule I should know before I work on the lock?
• Is there a text line I can use to reach Kibler's?
• Is there a video demonstrating the patina solution?
• Lock handling and mainspring removal
• My rifle is shooting a tight group but 3 inches to the left at 25 yards, even though the sights appear centered. Do I need to drift the rear sight that much to correct it?
• Never trip the lock without a flint and a closed frizzen
• Recommended load, .32 caliber
• Recommended load, .36 caliber
• Recommended load, .50 caliber
• Rifled or smooth, what is the difference?
• Should I choose a flintlock or a percussion rifle?
• Should I drill out the stock if the ramrod is too tight?
• Should I practice engraving before working on my rifle?
• Staining with aniline dyes
• The touch hole liner and underlugs are not in the kit bag.
• Tool list for building a kit
• What are iron nitrate and tannic acid, and why do people use them?
• What are Kibler's design goals for its locks?
• What are the differences between Tried & True Varnish Oil and Kibler's Gunstock Sealer & Finish?
• What are the options on the Appalachian Barn Gun?
• What are the options on the Colonial American Longrifle?
• What are the options on the J.K. Hawken Rifle?
• What are the options on the Kibler Fowler?
• What are the options on the Woodsrunner Rifle?
• What are the sight dovetail sizes on a Southern Mountain Rifle Kit?
• What are the specs of the Appalachian Barn Gun?
• What are the specs of the Colonial American Longrifle?
• What are the specs of the Kibler Fowler?
• What are the specs of the Southern Mountain Rifle?
• What are the specs of the Woodsrunner Rifle?
• What are the stock nipple thread dimensions for the Kibler Hawken rifle?
• What are the two basic steps in finishing a gunstock?
• What ball diameter and patch should I use for a .32 caliber rifle?
• What ball diameter and patch should I use for a .36 caliber rifle?
• What ball diameter and patch should I use for a .50 caliber rifle?
• What ball diameter and powder load should I use for a .54 caliber rifle?
• What ball diameter and powder load should I use for a .58 caliber rifle?
• What ball diameter, patch, and powder load should I use for a .40 caliber rifle?
• What ball diameter, patch, and powder load should I use for a .45 caliber rifle?
• What caliber was the example barrel Jim showed during the shop tour?
• What chisels should I start with for engraving?
• What comes in the Appalachian Barn Gun Kit kit?
• What comes in the Colonial kit?
• What comes in the Fowler kit?
• What comes in the SMR kit?
• What comes in the Southern Mountain Rifle kit?
• What comes in the Woodsrunner kit?
• What condition does a Kibler kit arrive in?
• What could cause a sudden, complete blockage in my flintlock's White Lightning vent liner that prevents water, air, or a vent pick from passing through?
• What do I do if iron nitrate gets into the barrel channel?
• What do I do if the lock bolt won't fit through?
• What do you use to finish metal parts?
• What does "zero wood removal" actually mean?
• What does the builder actually do when assembling a Kibler kit?
• What drew Jim to flintlocks?
• What files do I need for the build?
• What finish do Kibler locks come in?
• What finish should be applied to the lock of the rifle? Should it be finished the same way as the barrel and trigger guard?
• What glue is recommended for repairing cracked walnut wood?
• What grit sandpaper is typically used when sanding a stock, and does it vary based on the wood type or grade?
• What is a card scraper and where does it come from?
• What is a muzzleloader?
• What is a Quick ship kit?
• What is CA glue?
• What is Green Mountain's reputation for barrel quality?
• What is involved in finishing the stock?
• What is Kibler's contact email and phone number?
• What is Kibler's mailing address?
• What is the Barn Gun, and does part of the sale go to charity?
• What is the barrel width on the Colonial Kit?
• What is the Colonial American Longrifle Kit like?
• What is the deadline for ordering a rifle kit to ensure it arrives in time for Christmas, and how are holiday orders prioritized?
• What is the difference between a standard kit and a "Quick Ship" kit?
• What is the estimated lead time or wait time for a kit gun order?
• What is the Fowler Kit used for?
• What is the historical basis of the Appalachian Barn Gun?
• What is the historical basis of the J.K. Hawken Rifle?
• What is the historical basis of the Southern Mountain Rifle?
• What is the historical basis of the Woodsrunner Rifle?
• What is the J.K. Hawken Rifle Kit for?
• What is the largest caliber available for the mountain rifle kit?
• What is the range rod diameter and thread size?
• What is the rifling depth on a .40 caliber Southern Mountain Rifle?
• What is the Southern Mountain Rifle Kit like?
• What is the tap for?
• What is the twist rate of a .32 Rice barrel?
• What is the twist rate of a .36 Rice barrel?
• What is the twist rate of a .40 Colerain barrel?
• What is the twist rate of a .40 Rice barrel?
• What is the twist rate of a .45 Colerain barrel?
• What is the twist rate of a .45 GM barrel?
• What is the twist rate of a .45 Rice barrel?
• What is the twist rate of a .50 Colerain barrel?
• What is the twist rate of a .50 GM barrel?
• What is the twist rate of a .50 Rice barrel?
• What is the twist rate of a .54 Colerain barrel?
• What is the twist rate of a .54 GM barrel?
• What is the twist rate of a .54 Rice barrel?
• What is the twist rate of a .58 GM barrel?
• What is the wait time for the J.K. Hawken Rifle?
• What is the Woodsrunner Kit like?
• What is used to stain the wood, like iron nitrate or aniline dyes?
• What jeweler saw blade do you recommend?
• What kind of punch should I use to remove the tumbler?
• What kind of thread compound is used on the breech plug of Kibler kits, and can the breech plug be removed to clear a stuck ball?
• What makes Kibler locks different from other commercial locks?
• What payment methods do you accept?
• What really caused Jim's black eye in that video?
• What shape do the new swamped barrels have compared to traditional ones?
• What should I do if a part on my Kibler lock breaks, such as a snapped screw or tumbler?
• What should I do if a spot on my stock refuses to take stain?
• What should I study to learn appropriate carving styles?
• What size is the #52 drill bit in the bushing kit?
• What sparked Jim's early interest in long rifles?
• What steel are Colerain barrels made from?
• What steel are Green Mountain barrels made from?
• What steel are Rice barrels made from?
• What thread size is the top jaw screw?
• What tools do I need to build / finish the Appalachian Barn Gun?
• What tools do I probably already have for building a kit?
• What tools might I need to buy for the build?
• What wood options are available for the Appalachian Barn Gun?
• When should I add most of the stock's color during finishing?
• When should I seal the inlets during finishing?
• Where are your kits made?
• Where can I buy a brass patchbox?
• Where can I buy a mainspring vise and how much does it cost?
• Where can I buy black powder from Black Creek Gun Shop?
• Where can I buy black powder from Dickinson Arms?
• Where can I buy black powder from Jay's Sporting Goods?
• Where can I buy black powder from John Venskoske?
• Where can I buy black powder from Log Cabin Sport Shop?
• Where can I buy polishing stones?
• Where can I buy tannic acid powder and iron nitrate for finishing?
• Where can I find the book Rifles of Colonial America?
• Where can I find the book Thoughts on the Kentucky Rifle in Its Golden Age?
• Where can I get a mainspring vise from Dixiegunworks?
• Where can I get a single set trigger for a Colonial kit?
• Where can I get bluing or browning supplies overseas?
• Which builders did Jim study in the Foxfire books?
• Which caliber should I choose for the Appalachian Barn Gun?
• Which caliber should I choose for the Colonial American Longrifle?
• Which calibers does Kibler's rifle in-house versus Green Mountain?
• Which Kibler kit is easiest for a beginner to build?
• Which Kibler kit is the most popular and best reviewed?
• Which lock components are not CNC machined?
• Who designs Kibler's kits?
• Who does jug choke work?
• Who is Lorie and what does she do at Kibler's?
• Who is Marshall and what does he do at Kibler's?
• Who is Mason and what does he do at Kibler's?
• Who is the Appalachian Barn Gun for?
• Who is the Colonial American Longrifle for?
• Who is the J.K. Hawken Rifle for?
• Who is the Kibler Fowler for?
• Who is the Southern Mountain Rifle for?
• Who is the Woodsrunner Rifle for?
• Why am I being charged multiple sales tax rates on my order shipping to Tennessee?
• Why are Kibler lock parts interchangeable?
• Why did Kibler's bring barrel work in-house?
• Why did Kibler's stop using Rice barrels?
• Why did Kibler's switch to Green Mountain for barrel blanks?
• Why do I need to sand the brass?
• Why does Kibler's make its own locks in-house?
• Why does the smaller caliber weigh more than the larger one?
• Why does the Southern Mountain Rifle kit include two tang bolts?
• Why doesn't Kibler's iron nitrate need to be neutralized?
• Why doesn't my ramrod fit the entry pipe or stock hole?
• Why is sales tax now being added to my order at checkout when it wasn't charged on my previous orders?
• Why is the nosecap left on the kit?
• Why is the ramrod area in the stock tapered?
• Why is the ramrod tapered near the stock entry?
• Why won't my lock hammer drop past the half-cock position after reassembling my rifle kit?
• Why won't the lock stay in the half cock position?
• Will future kits be closer copies of original historical rifles?
• Will Kibler's release a condensed basic tool list?
• Will Kibler's replace a brass part with a casting defect?
• Will my tannic acid ship in the same box as my rifle kit?
• Will the 20 and 16 gauge barrels be the same, just different size bores?
• Would English walnut be offered as an upgrade for the Fowler kit?
• Would Kibler's consider a Bucks County or Lehigh Valley style kit?
• Would Kibler's offer a laid English lock with a double-throated cock?

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