Southern Mountain Rifle Kit +$200 Lock Billed Separately

• Stock 
• Barrel
• CNC Ketland Lock 
• Kibler Double Set Trigger
• Touch hole liner
• Buttplate
• Trigger Guard
• Ramrod Pipes (3)
• Lock bolt washer
  
• Underlugs (4)
• 5/16 Hickory Ramrod
• Tapered Ramrod tip
• Front sight
• Rear sight
• Lock bolt
• Forward Tang bolt
• Rear Tang bolt
• .037" Pin stock
  
• Buttplate screws

• Prices do not reflect the price of $200 lock which we will bill separately after your order. After you place your order, you will get an email with instructions on how to pay for your lock. (By separating the billing we are able to avoid excise tax complications.)

After you place your order, within 48 hours you will get an email with instructions on how to pay for your lock. (By separating the billing we are able to avoid excise tax complications.)

$1075 total Standard Maple, Walnut or Cherry.  $875 plus $200 lock billed separately 

$1200 total if Fancy Maple. $1000 plus $200 lock billed separately

$1325 total if Extra Fancy Maple. $1125 plus $200 lock billed separately 

Shipping typically runs around $40-$100 but varies based on location. 

• This service is available as an add on to a kit gun order.  This is $700 for Jim to assemble a kit gun that you purchase.  

  A gun provided "in the white" will be completely assembled and functional.  The wood will need sanded and finished.  The metal will also benefit from some cleanup.  This is typically a little light filing on the rough spots followed by a little polishing with abrasive paper.  The metal can be left in this condition or can be blued, browned, aged etc. 

  Your kit will arrive assembled, ready for you to customize and finish.

We recommend the work of talented and experienced gunsmith, Chuck Edwards, for those who would like additional finishing work done on their Kibler Rifle.  He can be reached at (573) 568-2075 and his online page is found on Facebook.  He has finished out many Kibler rifles and does fantastic work.  The pricing will vary depending on the work and should be discussed with Chuck.

Videos can be found on our youtube channel

General assembly order

• Fit barrel and tang to stock
• Install set triggers
• Install underlugs and drill for pinholes
• Install buttplate
• Install lock
• Check lock and trigger relationship and adjust if necessary
• Install guard
• Install ramrod pipes
• Install sights
• Install touch hole liner
• Install ramrod tip
• Finish wood and metal

 Notes on fitting parts to stock

• Whenever dealing with pins, it is a good idea to make sure the pin will fit through the hole drilled BEFORE it is put into the stock. Otherwise, if the hole is undersized and you try to put the pin through while in the stock, you may end up pounding on it to get it through and will crack your stock.
• Inlets have been designed such that parts will either fit with little to no work or just be slightly tight to allow for variations in the cast part size. When fitting parts that are slightly tight, wood can be trimmed with a very sharp chisel, knife or gouge.  Small amounts of metal can also be removed from the part edges.
• The use of transfer color to indicate tight spots is advisable. This can be soot from a candle, soot mixed with a small amount of oil brushed on the part, Prussian blue, etc.

 Fitting barrel and tang to stock

• The barrel is designed to be 100% inlet and should require no additional work in order to fit it to the stock. The stock could slightly change dimensions with changes in the environment (humidity), so there is a slight possibility some fitting could be required.  If so, a fine file on the edge can be used to slightly open up the barrel channel.  Alternatively, abrasive paper can be attached to a flexible piece of metal. 
• It is a good idea to check the barrel to wood contact at the breech location with transfer color. Very little if any wood will need to be removed.  It is VERY important that the breech position not change any appreciable amount.  Shaving a few thousandths in adjusting the breech fit will not cause problems, but excessive wood removal will.
• The tang will require a small amount of fitting. The inlet for the back of the bolster will need to be squared up. 
• Installing/removing the barrel can be tricky due to the long tang. A rule to follow is that the end of the tang should go into the inlet last and be the first to come out of the wood when removing the barrel.  Following this will make these processes much easier and avoid damage to the inlet.  For a snug fit, it is very helpful to insert a small metal rod from the bottom of the stock through the rear tang bolt hole and use this to gently tap the tang out of the inlet.  This small rod can be filed or ground with a square end to catch the edge of the tang hole.

 Installing underlugs

• The sides of the pre-cut dovetails may need to be filed VERYslightly to accept the underlugs.  A three-cornered file is used for this process.  It is very important to have one edge of the file ground “safe” so that the dovetail bottom is not made deeper in this process.
• After underlugs are fit, the sides should be filed flush with the barrel
• In order to drill pin holes in underlugs, install barrel in the stock, and using a 1/16” drill bit and hand drill, continue pre-drilled stock holes through each underlug.
• It is a good idea to slightly elongate pinholes to allow for wood dimensional change. This is most easily accomplished with either a jeweler's saw or a small round file.

Installing the buttplate

• The buttplate inlet has been cut close to the buttplate shape, however, a small amount of inletting will be required.
• Buttplates have been straightened to match the wood shape, but some small additional amount of straightening may be required. In this case, a vise and adjustable wrench can be used.
• It is a good idea to slightly file the buttplate edges which mate with the wood to provide a clean surface for inletting.
• When fitting the buttplate to the stock, use transfer color, and carefully remove contact points with a fine file until a nice fit is achieved.
• The buttplate is provided with pre-drilled holes counter-bored holes. In order for the included screws to fit the counter-bored holes, their head diameters must be reduced slightly.  The easiest method for this is to chuck the screws in a power drill and hold a fine file against their edge as it spins.

 Installing the lock

• When installing the lock, particular care must be paid to the fit between the lock bolster and the side of the barrel. The bolster should contact the barrel with no gap present.  Check this with the lockbolt installed. If the bolt doesn’t pull the bolster right against the barrel, it is possible, that the lock inlet depth may need to be adjusted very slightly to allow for good contact. This is not likely, but if this is the case, slight scraping is sufficient.     

Setting-Up lock and triggers  

• Install the lock and triggers in the stock. Make sure the bolts holding the lock and trigger are tightened. Hold the front trigger between your fingers and attempt to move it back and forth. There should be slack between the front trigger and the lock sear. That is, you should have to pull the trigger back just slightly until the trigger engages the sear.
• You must have slack at half cock and full cock. There should be absolutely no pressure on the lock sear unless the front trigger is pulled.
• If there is contact with the sear, you must disassemble the triggers and grind material from the top of the trigger bar. Repeat the above steps until there is play in the front trigger. This step is again a requirement in setting up a flintlock rifle or kit with set triggers.
• With the lock and trigger in the stock, perform a similar operation on the rear trigger. With the rear trigger, you will apply pressure to the back of the trigger to feel when it contacts the sear. There must be slack or play between the rear trigger and the sear.
• Check this with the lock at half cock and full cock. If there is no slack, remove the trigger, disassemble and grind material from the top of the rear trigger bar. Repeat the steps above until there is slack or play between the rear trigger bar and the trigger. There should be no pressure on the sear from the trigger bars until the trigger is pulled.
  
  

Installing the guard

• Fit the guard to the stock using the same general process as discussed for fitting other metal parts. The guard may have to be bent slightly for proper alignment. 
• Clamp guard tightly to stock and continue pre-drilled pinholes through the guard tabs.

An alternative method that can be slightly better is the following:

• Clamp guard to stock. Spot hole location with the 1/16” drill bit.  Remove the guard and center punch the hole location in the spot left by the drill.  Drill holes through tabs.  When installing pins for the first time, but sure to file or grind a generous taper to the pin ends to aid in alignment.

Installing ramrod pipes

• Using transfer color, fit pipes such they are fully seated in the provided inlets. The ends of the inlets will need to be squared up and a small amount of wood will likely need to be removed at the bottom of the inlet near the top slot. Inlet until the pipes make good contact along all edges.   Care must be taken such the rearmost pipe makes good contact where the ramrod enters the stock.  It is best to fit this end first and then trim the forward end of the rear pipe inlet after good contact at the rear, has been established.
• Drill pin holes using the same procedure as described above for securing the guard. The “draw boring” technique typically works quite well with ramrod pipe pinning.  Note, if using this method, the hole in the rearmost pipe can be offset slightly, such that the pipe is drawn towards the region of the stock where the ramrod hole begins.

 Installing sights

• Pre-cut dovetails will likely need to be adjusted slightly in width to allow the sights to enter. A snug, slip fit is desired.  This width can be adjusted with a three-cornered file.  It is necessary to have on edge of the file ground “safe”.

 Installing touch hole liner

• Screw touch hole liner into the barrel to a snug fit with pliers. Vise grip style locking pliers work well.  Do not overtighten.  Cut the excess touch hole liner off with a hacksaw or jewelers saw.  Carefully file flush with the barrel surface.  When filing the liner, take care to not damage the barrel side flat surface.

 Installing the ramrod tip

• Tap ramrod tip onto ramrod. Using a #50 drill, carefully drill through tip and ramrod.  Slightly countersink each side of this hole.  Insert provided finish nail into the hole, cut to length, and then gently peen ends to lock the tip in place. File flush.

 Metal finishing

• Barrel will need to be drawfiled. This is accomplished using a single cut mill file.  Usually, a 6-8” file works well.  In practice, the file is held nearly perpendicular to the barrel axes and pushed or pulled lengthwise with the barrel.  This produces long, finely sheared cuts and a relatively smooth finish. The barrel can be further smoothed, if desired, with abrasive paper.
• Any remnants of gating on cast hardware should be removed with a file. Any visible parting lines should be removed as well.  The surface can also be finely filed if desired.  Hardware also often benefits from sanding with abrasive paper.
• Barrels can be finished using a variety of methods. Some of these include blueing, browning, or various aging techniques.

 Wood finishing

• After all parts are fit, wood shape should be adjusted if necessary such that wood doesn't extend beyond the metal parts. This process is usually very minimal.  Wood can be removed with fine files or abrasive paper.  After shaping is complete, the entire wood surface can be sanded starting with approximately 150 grit and working to 320 grit paper.  Alternatively, the stock can be scraped with cabinet scrapers.
• Maple stocks can be stained with commercially available aniline dyes. Iron nitrate can also be used.  This is a high quality traditional longrifle wood stain.
• Finish with your favorite gun stock finish.