Kibler Kit Workshop with John House and Gary Ludwig May 12-17 2026
Are you interested in building a longrifle, but you feel you may not have the necessary skills to do the job? Perhaps you have built a kit gun or two before, but you'd like to learn some new techniques to sharpen your skills. Either way, the Kibler Kit Workshop with John House and Gary Ludwig may be exactly what you are looking for.
Come join us and build one of Jim Kibler’s Southern Mountain Rifle kits in the Woodbury style! The Woodbury Style of gun making was made famous by the Master Gunbuilder, Hershel House. Hershel built some of the finest contemporary muzzleloading rifles in his own unique way. Hershel was a modern-day gunbuilder who incorporated traditional gun making skills into his everyday work. His work was immortalized in Foxfire 5, and many of today’s top gunbuilders say that reading about Hershel in that book inspired them to become gunbuilders themselves!
Hershel was not just a gunbuilder; he was a teacher. He was passionate about passing on the traditional skills that he practiced to others. He wanted his home to continue to be a place where people could come together, learn, and put these skills into practice long after he passed. The Hershel House and the Woodbury School Foundation was created to ensure that Hershel’s wish is fulfilled.
In this hands-on workshop, you will learn how to build Jim Kibler’s Southern Mountain Rifle kit. The Workshop will be held at Hershel’s beautiful homestead in Woodbury, Kentucky. Participants will learn proper kit construction, plus a variety of finishing techniques for wood and metal. You will also learn effective use of hand tools, lock assembly, and much more. As time permits, we will incorporate some Woodbury style touches in your build to personalize your gun.
Class size is limited to 12 students for this workshop. The workshop lasts 6 days. The workshop fee is $900 and covers the cost of instruction only. The price does not include the cost of your tools or your Kibler Southern Mountain Rifle kit. Students must purchase both before coming to the workshop. A tool list will be provided to students once they are registered.
Click here to order your Kibler Mountain Rifle Kit
This class includes all materials and one meal.
We look forward to seeing you all there!
Please note, the registration deadline for this class is April 27th, 2026.
Cancellation policy: We will not be issuing any refunds since we have instructors locked in, and it would be hard to fill the spot in the class after that.
Are you interested in building a longrifle, but you feel you may not have the necessary skills to do the job? Perhaps you have built a kit gun or two before, but you'd like to learn some new techniques to sharpen your skills. Either way, the Kibler Kit Workshop with John House and Gary Ludwig may be exactly what you are looking for.
Come join us and build one of Jim Kibler’s Southern Mountain Rifle kits in the Woodbury style! The Woodbury Style of gun making was made famous by the Master Gunbuilder, Hershel House. Hershel built some of the finest contemporary muzzleloading rifles in his own unique way. Hershel was a modern-day gunbuilder who incorporated traditional gun making skills into his everyday work. His work was immortalized in Foxfire 5, and many of today’s top gunbuilders say that reading about Hershel in that book inspired them to become gunbuilders themselves!
Hershel was not just a gunbuilder; he was a teacher. He was passionate about passing on the traditional skills that he practiced to others. He wanted his home to continue to be a place where people could come together, learn, and put these skills into practice long after he passed. The Hershel House and the Woodbury School Foundation was created to ensure that Hershel’s wish is fulfilled.
In this hands-on workshop, you will learn how to build Jim Kibler’s Southern Mountain Rifle kit. The Workshop will be held at Hershel’s beautiful homestead in Woodbury, Kentucky. Participants will learn proper kit construction, plus a variety of finishing techniques for wood and metal. You will also learn effective use of hand tools, lock assembly, and much more. As time permits, we will incorporate some Woodbury style touches in your build to personalize your gun.
Class size is limited to 12 students for this workshop. The workshop lasts 6 days. The workshop fee is $900 and covers the cost of instruction only. The price does not include the cost of your tools or your Kibler Southern Mountain Rifle kit. Students must purchase both before coming to the workshop. A tool list will be provided to students once they are registered.
Click here to order your Kibler Mountain Rifle Kit
This class includes all materials and one meal.
We look forward to seeing you all there!
Please note, the registration deadline for this class is April 27th, 2026.
Cancellation policy: We will not be issuing any refunds since we have instructors locked in, and it would be hard to fill the spot in the class after that.