New to me gibbs import

[Plastikosmd]

Steve Garbe's old .451, picked it up from the muzzleloading emporium, good people.
I was looking to trade and this is what was provided for an even trade, done sight unseen. I was not expecting the quality I got. I must say the barrel an lock work is very impressive. Pederoli did surprise me
http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j5/plastikosmd/Gibbs/34049ba379fc5cae7595769e74ea9228_zpsbf31f050.jpg
http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j5/plastikosmd/Gibbs/a84727daafed5e4dadd0bbde23de171b_zpsfbcf3a7c.jpg

If anyone casts for this piece, I am interested in purchasing a few various projectile types before settling on a mould

[DIRT Farmer]

I am shooting swedged paper patched in mine. I wish I could shoot as well as it wants to.

[Nobade]

I have a BACO 540gr. .442" paperpatch mould that would be about right. Be glad to trade some boolits for some soft lead.

-Nobade

[Plastikosmd]

Paperpatch sounds fun and a whole new experience. I do cross paper patching in my slug guns. I am out of town for the week. Will send pm when back. Also happy to try other boolits so keep me in mind!

[oldracer]

After several years of looking I finally got one also. It is probably the only off the shelf gun that can win a long range world championship! If you look closely you can tell the checkering and fitting is all done by hand! I use a BACO 448540C1 molded Creedmoor bullet in mine with Doug Knoell's lube, 80gr of FFG out to 400 yards, fiber wad with no powder compression. With the lube I wipe with one wet and one dry patch after each shot. I did replace the tang sight with one of Lee Shaver's Gibbs long range sights to get the adjustable eye piece and had to raise the front sight about 1/4 inch to be able to shoot down to 100 yards.

[ResearchPress]

I have information from the late Dick Trenk (that I believe Pedersoli now include with their rifles) on shooting the Gibbs (http://www.researchpress.co.uk/shooting/lrml/technique/gibbs.htm) on my web site.

David

[Plastikosmd]

Very nice,thank u

[oldracer]

The biggest thing that surprised me was the info said no wad on top of the powder? I tried that with both my Gibbs and also the one I made from parts with the same type of barrel and neither liked that at all. I also tried compressing the powder and neither gun liked that a bit! Looked like a shotgun or something....A few weeks ago at the range I goofed and let the muzzle drop and the bullet, wad and 95% of the powder fell out which was very embarrassing for sure. I blew the rest of load out with my handy CO2 tool. Lee Shaver said this is all because of the patent breech construction.

[ResearchPress]

I use a tight fitting card wad with my Gibbs and other match rifles. Sounds like your wad is too loose if it fell out with the barrel tipped forward. Most people I know shooting match rifle use a wad - I'm not sure what the significance of the patent breech is to this though?

David

[oldracer]

A couple of the long range shooters in the San Diego area told me it was to have the main powder charge ignite from the base and not the side as with most muzzle loaders giving a better chance of complete ignition? If I remember correctly, the Pedersoli instructions said it was okay to wipe the bore between shots but not to clean the patent breech area. Hummmm, made me wonder why but I follow their instructions and they seem to work. Here is a link with some great pictures and discussion about the patent breech idea.

http://www.muzzleloadingforum.com/fusionbb/showtopic.php?tid/273347/post/new/

[ResearchPress]

I understand what a patent breech is, what I couldn't understand was the context in which you referred to it - either in relation to use of wads or your inadvertently tipping bullet, wad and powder from your barrel.

Most people I shot match rifle with (myself included) load powder then wad, after which the barrel is wiped, then bullet seated. Some shoot, then wipe to the breech - they return to firing point to cap off to make sure the flash hole is clear, then load powder, wad and bullet.

One friend gets good results from his Whitworth using a cylindrical bullet with a deep base cavity sat directly on the powder.

David

[oldracer]

Ahhhh, now I see what you meant. I had some felt wads that I was trying out and they did not fit well and that is what was in the barrel when everything (most anyways) came out. I tried 10 of them just to be sure they did not work well and have since stopped using them.

I also tried both methods of loading/wiping and wiping/loading and the later seems to give the best results out to 300 yards so far. I do have one of those super long Pedersoli funnels that came with the Gibbs so no powder gets stuck to the barrel walls when loading. If I remember correctly I decided to wipe with a wet, then two dry patches and then load powder/wad/bullet as the grouping seemed better. I also had some powder and lube mixture plug up the end of the funnel tube a long time ago but caught the issue as my mentor had told me to always look down the funnel to make sure it is empty.

[ResearchPress]

A friend had a similar issue with a loading funnel.... Load powder, wad, bullet, snap cap - nothing happens. Eventually blows load from barrel and starts over - Load powder, wad, bullet, snap cap - nothing happens - blows load from barrel and starts over. Next time he loads whatever caused the blockage in the loading funnel cleared and three charges dropped out! He didn't realise until he fired!! Ouch.....

The above's an extreme example.... but it could also be that 80% of your load drops through and you end up firing and get a low shot. Next time you load you get an extra 20% drops through with your charge and you get another erratic shot. Can end up losing a match for you...

So yes, if you're using a loading funnel it's good advice you got to always check that it empties.

David

[Col4570]

I have been working up a load and Bullet for my Large Calibre Whitworth Rifle,.568 across the flats,1in 25 Twist.It looks like I am on the right track now using whitworths Cylindical Bullet to his specs as used for the Ordnance trials.If I wipe prior to loading most times she misfires with the usual remove the nipple,a bit of fine powder and off she goes.When I wipe after loading she ignites every time.I realise this must leave a ring of fouling at the Bullet nose.I will try Davids recommendation of capping off after wiping next.Although I do not want to do this being of a frugal nature it would make sure the bore is absolutely clean.I also use a hexagonal tipped Ramrod so that it will wipe into the corners of the Rifling.

[Col4570]

http://books.google.com/books?id=8HTNAAAAMAAJ&lpg=PA213&ots=jyNF_q79LA&dq=large-bore%20Whitworth&pg=PA211#v=onepage&q=large-bore%20Whitworth&f=false

I have worked to these specs and modified a Lyman mould.It can be tedious drilling the noses but worth the effort.I have been using 6mm Dowel for the Plugs and drill to a stop so that they are all the same weight.