Gibbs Rifle

[Dragoon 45]

I have been toying with the idea of getting a Pedersoli Gibbs Target Rifle in .45 cal. Most of the write-ups I have seen on the rifle say it is a very good long range rifle. But I also know you can't always believe the write-ups.

Anyone have any experience with this rifle? Any problem areas I need to know about?

Thank You.

[Boz330]

Don't own one but have 2 buddy's that just got back from the world long range shoot. They both shoot Pedersoli Gibbs rifles out to 1000yd and they are accurate. The one friend came back with a medal, not sure what place or event, but the US team took third. The South African team won, apparently trying to make up for having their a$$s handed to them in South Africa last time around.
I have shot both of these rifles in practice at Friendship on the Creedmore targets and I was able to ring them quite regularly, almost to the point of boring. These are not your $100 kit ML for sure. The only reason I haven't gotten one, is the economy hasn't been good to me lately, but it is on the WISH list. OH did I mention that they are impressive rifles.

Bob

[jtaylor1960]

I think it is Buckshot has one of those rifles and spoke highly of it.

[Rattus58]

Don't waste time with this.... :)

I've have the volunteer in .451, a bunch of whites in .451 and these calibers are the epitome of accuracy.... and long range shooting.

Aloha.. :cool:

[runnin lead]

I pulled targets for one 800, 900 & 1000 yds @ Raton , I was impressed . I had a chance to shoot one , didn't , if i shot it I would have to go buy one, not shooting it saved me a lot of $$$$$

[Dragoon 45]

Thanks everyone for the info.

[Buckshot]

................The Pedersoli Gibbs is a superb shooting no-sheen! I don't have one but I've read of their accomplishments.

I have a Parker Hale Whitworth, and a Rigby clone I built from the Pecatonica River kit, below:

http://www.fototime.com/79E8B23CAB84AC7/standard.jpg
http://www.fototime.com/18344DA11B3E0EB/standard.jpghttp://www.fototime.com/103B7CD70CB7B7A/standard.jpghttp://www.fototime.com/252FAAEEFDECA72/standard.jpg
http://www.fototime.com/BE135D6E73B7ADE/standard.jpg

The kit is very well done, with good clean castings. The Stock is a very nice piece of straight grain walnut, and the 32" barrel is an 18" twist from Green Mountain. The kit does not include sights. It is a break off breech type breech plug, and it also has a patent breech but no blowout plug.

There was only 3 issues I had with their kit. First is they supply an L&R lock, and it is NOT a compitition worthy unit. It is not a 3 pin lock. The sear is carried on a bridle screw instead of one of it's own. In addition the lock does have a fly but the entire lock has to be disassembled and cleaned up. Such as the mainspring is way too heavy, and the sear surfaces are rough.

Second is that they supply no forend tip, nor do they even (at that time) carry one. Lastly the tang of the break off breech is too short to mount a long range vernier sight. I cut mine off, made up a longer one and welded it on.

The rear sight is an Italian one I modified to use. The front sight is from a Swedish Ljungman Ag42B. I milled it to fit the octagon barrel and silver soldered it in place. It has some windage adjustment. The rifle will produce 4" 5 shot groups at 200 meters. The load I've pretty much settled on is a 530gr cup based paper patched boolit, 85.0grs of a 2000 lot Elephant 2Fg loaded through a drop tube.

After dropping the powder a lubed felt wad is run down, then a 1/8" grease cookie with a .060" cardwad on top. The patched boolit is lubed and then run down to 'just' sit on the wad. It's fired with old Remington #11 caps.

..................Buckshot

[rhbrink]

Just a question on the muzzle? I never see a false muzzle on these rifles for starting the boolit in the rifling. Is the rifling relieved to help the starting of the boolit? I've done a lot of muzzleloading in the past, patch and round ball, some BPCR, always had a interest if one of these but never had one in hand to look at. Just courious as to how to start the boolit straight?

[Boz330]

Just a question on the muzzle? I never see a false muzzle on these rifles for starting the boolit in the rifling. Is the rifling relieved to help the starting of the boolit? I've done a lot of muzzleloading in the past, patch and round ball, some BPCR, always had a interest if one of these but never had one in hand to look at. Just courious as to how to start the boolit straight?

The paper patched slug is a slip fit in the bore so there is no need for a false muzzle. The slug obturates to fit the rifling on firing.

Bob

[oldhickory]

Here's a link to a forum pretty much dedicated to shooting Gibbs rifles and the like. I hung out there for a little while until I felt the desperate urge to buy one, then slapped myself out of it.

http://www.lrml.org/cgi-bin/forum/YaBB.pl

[rhbrink]

Thanks oldhickory looks like a good site, good enough to get a whole bunch of new ideas and get the checking account into trouble again. Thank you again!

[James Gibson]

This guy is the MAIN MAN on Gibbs rifles http://www.jcunard.com/

[Boz330]

Here's a link to a forum pretty much dedicated to shooting Gibbs rifles and the like. I hung out there for a little while until I felt the desperate urge to buy one, then slapped myself out of it.

http://www.lrml.org/cgi-bin/forum/YaBB.pl

They ain't cheap. I have 2 buddies that just got back from the world championships bustin my chops about getting one. Problem is they came back with more questions than they left with, mostly expensive questions. The other problem is that if you make the team you pay your own way. Next time around it is at Beasly England which would be real fun but there is still that learning curve and $$$$$$$$$$.

Bob

[ResearchPress]

Just a question on the muzzle? I never see a false muzzle on these rifles for starting the boolit in the rifling. ?

The Pedersoli does not come with a false muzzle, although original Gibbs-Metford rifles, plus Rigbys and others match rifles were fitted with them. As has already been stated, the bullet is a slip fit and does not need starting into the rifling. The original false muzzles on the British match rifles were essentially muzzle protectors, to prevent damage to the rifling from the loading and cleaning rods.

David

[ResearchPress]

.....Problem is they came back with more questions than they left with, mostly expensive questions. The other problem is that if you make the team you pay your own way. Next time around it is at Beasly England which would be real fun but there is still that learning curve and $$$$$$$$$$. Bob

So what were the questions...?

Some shooers feel the need to upgrade sights on the Gibbs, although I have shot mine out to 1200 yards with the supplied sights with no problems. I did eventually replace the foresight after snapping the sight element retaining clip.
Again, some have replaced the lock internals with parts made by Bob Roller, although I don't know if he makes the kits anymore.

Yes, international shooting is expensive (I was on the British team to the US, also in 2003), but it is a great experience. The 2011 World Long Range Muzzle Loading Championship will be at Bisley. The ranges have been in existence since 1890 and every shooter should make a trip there at least once! :)

David