Anyone have a Gibbs Rifle .45-70 bolt?

[Stainz]

Several years back, the NRA's AR rag had a test of the Gibbs Rifles conversion of an Enfield to .45-70 Govt. It looked nice - and tempting. Has anyone tried one? Opinions? If memory serves me well, the price was <$400. Thanks!

Stainz

 

[kennygarza]

I wouldn't do it...

I read a Chuck Hawks article on these rifles about 6 months ago and I just had to have one. I love bolt action rifles, and I love the .45-70... but IMHO these two don't match. I kept breaking the extractor spring on mine. It even broke the first time out at the range. They are about $10 each, I went through at least 3 of them. This turned my rifle into pretty much a single shot. I also always had feeding problems, and I tried several types of ammo. I just think a flat-nosed bulled is a bad idea in bolties. I bought my rifle for $395 new 5 months ago, and I sold it for $200 2 weeks ago.

By the way, my friens bought a Marlin guide gun about the same time...zero problems.

Kenny

 

[Magnum88C]

Any idea if there's enough room in the magazine for a spitzer bullet load? They DO make a .458 spitzer, and I think Cor-Bon loads it (for the Encore) if you don't handload. That might solve the feeding problem.

But I've heard the same about all of the Gibb's rifles -- that they disassemble themselves.

 

[Stainz]

Kenny,

Thanks for the reply - sorry about your problems with the Gibbs rifle. When they quit porting the SS guide guns, I promised myself one... still 'thinking' about it. I've owned two H-R's in .45-70, which I shot a lot - and, briefly, a #1H in .458 Lott. I guess I'll continue to enjoy my Puma M1892 24" oct SS .45 Colt... and 'think' about the harder thumpers some more. I should have kept that .458... traded for it briefly, mainly to improve my ultimate trade for a new S&W revolver - a noble sacrifice, I thought. Should've kept that .458... beautiful stock... had a partial box of ammo following it!

Oh, the deals we've made, missed, and/or regret... Oh well, I gave all of my .45-70 brass away.

Stainz