Gibbs 45/70
I have a Gibbs 45/70 rifle - basically a worked over Enfield No1 Mk III with 4 shot mag & new Navy Arms barrel. Drilled & tapped, I use an old Weaver 4x scope on it. At the range yesterday it did very well with 400 grain JSP and lousy with Bear Creek hard cast 405 lead, both loads using RE7 powder.
Does anyone else have one of these and if so, do they shoot lead bullets well or poorly - trying to learn if I should skip trying lead and stick with jacketed. Up next will be 300 JSPs.
I load for a few 45/70s and know there are 3 levels of loads - 1873 and 1895 and Ruger No1/Siamese Mauser. Where does the SMLE fit in this - 1895 or Mauser? Since this is the Frontier built on a No MkIII action I'm leaning towards 1895.
Any bullet types or general powder selections (I usually use 4198) appreciated.
Does anyone else have one of these and if so, do they shoot lead bullets well or poorly - trying to learn if I should skip trying lead and stick with jacketed. Up next will be 300 JSPs.
I load for a few 45/70s and know there are 3 levels of loads - 1873 and 1895 and Ruger No1/Siamese Mauser. Where does the SMLE fit in this - 1895 or Mauser? Since this is the Frontier built on a No MkIII action I'm leaning towards 1895.
Any bullet types or general powder selections (I usually use 4198) appreciated.
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I am considering buying a Gibbs 45/70 bolt action. Does anyone have any info. on Gibbs rifles as far as quality, accuracy and dependability. I know they take surplus guns and modify them, but have never shot one. I like the 45/70 bolt action concept. The price is only $289. Any info is appreciated 0 -
I have owned one of the Gibbs Extream II in .308. Other than the scope mount that came with the rifle it was a very good rifle. I had a better scope mount placed on it. My 2 cents [8D]
Greg
Former
USMC
ANGLICO0 -
Unless Gibbs has changed their mind, they only recommend Trapdoor loads in them. If you can live with that and don't care about beauty or being stuck with 125 year-old ballistics that's a pretty good price.
If you'd like to take advantage of the abilities of the 45-70 and do some serious hunting with it you should look into getting one built on a Siamese Mauser or a P-14 Enfield. These can be loaded up to about 200 fps as fast as the 458 Win Mag.
Saxon Pig won't agree with me on the beauty aspect of this and nononsense doesn't agree with the wisdom of the concept, but everyone else seems to.0 -
If I am not mistaken, Gibbs is out of business and no longer producing rifles. Might pay to look into the parts situation and perhaps get a spare firing pin, springs etc., if you decide to buy.
He Dog0
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