George Gibbs Farquharson

[Huvius]

My smith, Steve Bertram recently finished some work on this rife.
I bought it a few years ago. It had been rebarreled at some time to 7X57R and the forend had been replaced as well.
The action was blacked but the buttstock with the wonderful Selous plates was perfectly original!

I had a take-off barrel from another project - a Ron Snover Metford rifled barrel - which had plenty of length and diameter to turn to the correct Gibbs sporter profile.
So, we had all of the pieces to place together and resurrect a very rare and special Gibbs!
Since the barrel is a .450, I chose the 500/450 No.1 Express for the chambering and since the barrel was off a match rifle, the twist is fast enough to stabilize even the 570gr bullets Selous was so happy with although my target weight is a 480g paper patched bullet.
The original rear sight has express leaves for the 100/360gr. load and a short ladder marked for the 100/360 as well as the 90/570gr loading of the original 461 No.2 cartridge.

Overall, I’m super pleased with how this project came out!

 

[Kdgj]

A very detailed restoration. Have you had a chance to shoot it?

Ken

 

[Huvius]

Steve and I shot it before it was done but just for function check.
I hope to get to the range with a few loads soon And see what shoots closest to the sights.

 

[flatwater bill]

@Huvius ....That is very nice......especially in this day and age of higher, farther, faster. You chose a .450....or perhaps the bbl chose it for you. I'm not sure what the bullet diameter is on the .461 (or .461 no. 2) because the names don't always match the bullet. 461 chambering would have allowed use of the ladder sight. Is the 461 actually 461 diam and that is why you went with 450? Just curious...and envious. Looking forward to you posting a target or two.............thanks for info .......FWB

 

[Huvius]

The 461 Gibbs do use a .461” patched bullet - that is, measured over the patch.
My original 461 is chambered so the largest bullet you can use is .461”. The bore is also .461” and the grooves are about .470”.
The barrel we used was originally chambered in 45-90 and has a bore of .449-450”.
Pacific makes reamers for using a .450” bullet which is intended for black powder only or a .458” bullet which is the one I chose so I can shoot black powder or smokeless. I also happen to have a nice swaging setup to make bullets which patch up to .458” so that helped the decision some as well.
When we test fired it, the paper patches were shredding into ribbons just as they should so I think the .458” patched bullet is perfect.

 

[S Bertram]

I really enjoyed this restoration. Gibbs falling block rifles are right at the top of my list as far as desirability goes.

Someday I will finish my own Gibbs build.

 

[F. Vaccaro]

That is beautiful thanks for sharing.