Traditional Muzzleloading Association

Craftsmanship => Gun Building and Repair => Topic started by: RobD on January 09, 2025, 01:52:43 PM

Title: Kibler Fowler 20ga build
Post by: RobD on January 09, 2025, 01:52:43 PM
Well, no building yet, it ships out to me tomorrow.  Extra extra extra fancy tiger stripe maple, pix that were sent to me of the wood posted below.  It'll get the iron nitrate stain and then multiple wipes of good ol' Tru-Oil. Should be ready for Springtime shootin'.  :wave   :*:

Title: Re: Kibler Fowler 20ga build
Post by: dmarsh on January 09, 2025, 02:17:08 PM
That'll be right purty.
Title: Re: Kibler Fowler 20ga build
Post by: rollingb on January 09, 2025, 02:44:07 PM
That'll be right purty.

You got that right!   :hairy :applaud
Title: Re: Kibler Fowler 20ga build
Post by: KDubs on January 10, 2025, 07:09:14 AM
wow that's a lot of stripes.
don't lean it against a tree, you'll never find it again.
 gonna look nice rob.
kevin
Title: Re: Kibler Fowler 20ga build
Post by: RobD on January 10, 2025, 07:15:50 AM
It should be lookin' purty, cost me $470 just for the wood selection!  :Doh!  :luff:   :bl th up
Title: Re: Kibler Fowler 20ga build
Post by: KDubs on January 10, 2025, 12:04:15 PM
Speechless.
Kevin
Title: Re: Kibler Fowler 20ga build
Post by: Second-rate Marksman on January 11, 2025, 01:13:20 AM
Looks like it’s going to be a stunning build! That extra fancy maple is going to pop beautifully with the iron nitrate and Tru-Oil finish. Can’t wait to see how it turns out. Are you planning to add any personal touches or keep it true to Kibler’s design?
Title: Re: Kibler Fowler 20ga build
Post by: RobD on January 11, 2025, 05:22:34 AM
Looks like it’s going to be a stunning build! That extra fancy maple is going to pop beautifully with the iron nitrate and Tru-Oil finish. Can’t wait to see how it turns out. Are you planning to add any personal touches or keep it true to Kibler’s design?

It'll get built as-is .... but I might add some engraving to the side plate and thumb plate.
Title: Re: Kibler Fowler 20ga build
Post by: RobD on January 15, 2025, 12:19:02 PM
Arrived this morning ....

Title: Re: Kibler Fowler 20ga build
Post by: RobD on February 04, 2025, 04:24:23 PM
As the build progressed, I realized that the ramrod is 5/16" diameter and not the 3/8" diameter I was told when I ordered out this fowler.  Worse yet, it requires tapering down to LESS than 1/4" in order to fit into the stock.  And even more weird is that the forward pipe allows a 5/16" rod but the middle pipe needs the rod tapered down to about 9/32" to fit in, and then further tapered down to 1/4" in order to access both the rear pipe and the stock. 

Not happy over the rod situation because I like to use my ramrods up outta the pipes and straight down into the tube, back up outta the tube and straight back down into the pipes - none of this silly rod twirling.  I tenon the outer end of the rod (that's at the muzzle) with a brass ferrule that will allow a jag/worm/scraper and the business end that lives inside the stock is left pure wood that I wick in some water thin CYA to its end in order to harden.

I'll ring up Jim about the rod but I expect its dimensions are "period correct".

Finishing might be compete by next week.
Title: Re: Kibler Fowler 20ga build
Post by: RobD on February 17, 2025, 09:45:42 AM
Waitin' for a break in the weather (not gonna hold my breath for that to happen too soon!) to properly baptize Ol' Bessie.

Title: Re: Kibler Fowler 20ga build
Post by: No Powder on February 17, 2025, 11:06:49 AM
You're surely not going  to use that beautiful gun to shoot the postal targets are you ?  If it shoots as good as it looks, you'll be happy.
Title: Re: Kibler Fowler 20ga build
Post by: RobD on February 17, 2025, 11:28:52 AM
You're surely not going  to use that beautiful gun to shoot the postal targets are you ?  If it shoots as good as it looks, you'll be happy.

Well, I'm gonna give 'er a try, Tom!
Title: Re: Kibler Fowler 20ga build
Post by: Winter Hawk on February 18, 2025, 08:13:49 PM
:bow That came out right pretty!  :yessir:

~Kees~
Title: Re: Kibler Fowler 20ga build
Post by: RobD on February 18, 2025, 08:25:56 PM
Not too bad from a distance, she'll do okay ... IF ... she'll shoot.  Right now she's got a trigger problem, trips full cock at about 1 ounce of pull.  :scared:

Title: Re: Kibler Fowler 20ga build
Post by: No Powder on February 18, 2025, 09:37:45 PM
Any Ideas of the cause, and solution? I have faith in ya buddy.
Title: Re: Kibler Fowler 20ga build
Post by: RobD on March 18, 2025, 07:25:31 PM
Fowler fixed at last.  It took some deep sleuthing and the problem was right under my nose, as usual.

 [ Invalid Attachment ]

In the above image you can see a tiny sliver of steel that's the top of the trigger, that's peeking into the sear bar hole.  It couldn't drop down below the sear bar hole.  This isn't a manufacturing defect, it's just a super tight tolerance that was minutely out of spec in drilling the hole for the trigger pin and/or a slightly larger trigger.

 [ Invalid Attachment ]

The fix was to take off about .090" off the lower front of the trigger which allowed the trigger to drop down past the sear bar hole. 

That's it, happy days are here again!  :toast  :wave  :*: