In the early 1800s, working families in the mountain communities of Appalachia needed a firearm that could do a job. They needed a gun to put meat on the table and protect the homestead. They often couldn't afford patchboxes, silver inlays, or carved scrollwork. So gunsmiths built them stripped to their essentials: honest, durable, and completely functional.

That rifle has a name now, and we've brought it back. The Appalachian Barn Gun Kit is the newest addition to our line of American-designed, American-made precision muzzleloader kits — patterned after those plain, purpose-built rifles, and built to the same exacting standards as every kit that has come out of the Kibler shop in Kensington, Ohio. The same corner of eastern Ohio where Jim grew up.

The percussion version starts at $995, the flintlock at $1,100. No deposit is required to place an order.

“It's just a stripped-down gun with only the essentials,” Jim says. “These guns are a lot of fun in that they are easy to put together and a blast to shoot. Hopefully this will help draw an even bigger crowd into traditional muzzleloading.”

An Engineer's Eye, a Gunsmith's Hand

Jim Kibler has been building flintlock longrifles since 1990. His background in metallurgical engineering gave him a precision-minded approach to a craft most makers learned purely by hand, and over more than three decades he developed a reputation for historically accurate, highly collectible custom rifles sought by serious collectors and shooters alike.

In 2015, he channeled that expertise into something new: a kit-based approach that would bring custom-quality fit, finish, and historical accuracy to a much wider audience. Every component in a Kibler kit is either machined in-house in Kensington or produced by craftsmen and craftswomen located entirely within the United States. That commitment has never changed. The Barn Gun Kit is the latest product of that philosophy.

A Rifle Built for Purpose, Not Show

Our kit is a faithful reproduction of that tradition. The Barn Gun features a 38-inch swamped barrel (1.00 inch at the breech, tapering to 0.750 inch at the waist) and is available in six calibers: .32, .36, .40, .45, .50 with cut rifling, and .50 smoothbore. It weighs approximately 6 to 7 pounds depending on caliber, with a single trigger at approximately 2.5 pounds pull. Iron hardware throughout, including a triggerguard pattern hand-forged by blacksmith Ian Pratt, two ramrod pipes, and lock bolt washers. Stock options include plain hard maple; standard, fancy, and extra fancy curly maple; walnut; and cherry.

The flintlock version uses a late Ketland-style lock, appropriate to the 1800–1830 Appalachian period. The percussion version features drum ignition, consistent with the conversion style common on original barn guns of the era. Both are available in right and left hand.

These rifles served their owners well two centuries ago, and they shoot just as well today. You don't need the latest technology or the flavor of the day to produce an extremely capable, accurate firearm — you need sound design, quality materials, and the craft to put them together properly. The Barn Gun has all three, and it carries a piece of American history along with every shot.

Designed Here, Built Here

Every decision about the Barn Gun — the barrel taper, the caliber range, the lock style, the stock options, the hardware — was made in Kensington, Ohio. The machining happens in Kensington, Ohio. The result is a rifle that carries the full weight of that American provenance, in a package priced to put it within reach of builders who have never had access to this level of quality before.

“This gun has all the quality you would expect from a Kibler kit,” Jim wrote when announcing it. “Early indications are this is going to be a hit.”

Giving Back

A donation is made to the Hershel House Woodbury School Foundation with every Barn Gun Kit sale. The Foundation works to carry on the tradition of building longrifles and preserve the legacy of Hershel House, who was deeply influential in the resurgence of longrifle craftsmanship in America. You can also make an additional contribution at checkout. More information is at www.woodbury-school.com.

Ready to Build One?

The Barn Gun Kit is available now at kiblerslongrifles.com/collections/barn-gun-kit, in percussion and flintlock, right and left hand. No deposit required. Questions about caliber, stock, or configuration? Call us at 330-341-0675 — we're glad to help you choose.