Gibbs Import Jungle Carbine

[VegasAR15]

Jungle Carbine

I am buying some guns today, in that lot is a Jungle Carbine. It looks nice but I asked a couple questions about it, stamped 1945, four digit serial number with one letter prefix...and marked Gibbs. I am assuming that every Gibbs Jungle Carbine is one of their reproductions? Anyone know anything on the contrary?

Assuming that it is a repro. Are they a decent shooting rifle? It is .303 and not .308 as some seem to have been done in by them. Ballpark value for one that looks decent?

Regardless, should make a fun shooter instead a collector. I am a glutton for recoil.

 

[dogrunner]

The #5 shoots ok...........but are notorious for a 'wandering zero'. The the very best of my knowledge the issue of the sporadic accuracy matter was never truly resolved.

I've owned one tho, and found it to be a quick handling piece with more than adequate field accuracy. Far as recoil went I didn't find it truly objectionable, tho that small hard and narrow recoil pad is not the best..........if it bothers you then just pick up one of the modern slip ons......

I believe that all the originals were in .303..........If you want to gauge authenticity you are going to have to do some research, shouldn't be too hard, but from what you say it does sound like yours is for real.

 

[VegasAR15]

If this is a reproduction, wandering zero shouldn't be an issue as it is probably just a modified #4. I will also be picking up a Savage #4 Mk1 at the same time, I will post up pictures tonight.

 

[dprice3844444]

the #5 wandering zero was related to the original #5's receiver cuts to lighten the action.gibbs were made using uncut actions.

http://303british.com/id35.html
http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=591979&highlight=jungle+carbine

 

[rondog]

Has the "purported wandering zero" ever actually been verified by anybody? I have a genuine 1947 No.5, but I can't see well enough to make consistent shots at 100 yds. with ANY of my battle-sighted rifles.

I see the wandering zero mentioned a lot, but I also see it disputed just as much.

 

[dprice3844444]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jungle_Carbine

 

[VegasAR15]

Has the "purported wandering zero" ever actually been verified by anybody? I have a genuine 1947 No.5, but I can't see well enough to make consistent shots at 100 yds. with ANY of my battle-sighted rifles.

I see the wandering zero mentioned a lot, but I also see it disputed just as much.

From the little bit of research I have done, it seems it was a little exaggerated to use as an excuse to get away from bolt actions and switch to semis.

 

[Akusp]

Gibbs

The Gibbs versions are usually built from a No.4 and usually shoot well in my experience. There were reports that the flash hider might follow a round downrange on occasion. I've collected Enfields of all kinds for many years and love the No.5. The wandering zero thing is the first thing people bring up but I've never seen any proof. I have read books where the authors opined that the wandering zero is a myth.

 

[GBExpat]

Gibbs Jungle Carbine ≠ Lee-Enfield Nº5

 

[VegasAR15]

Lets put it another way, would you pay $235 for one?

 

[GBExpat]

Lets put it another way, would you pay $235 for one?

No, I would not ... but not for the reason that I think that they are not worth $235. I have no idea of their market value.

I have no interest in buying a sporterized/modified/mess-with military rifle.

 

[VegasAR15]

No, I would not ... but not for the reason that I think that they are not worth $235. I have no idea of their market value.

I have no interest in buying a sporterized/modified/mess-with military rifle.

Normally I wouldn't either, this one just happens to come in a lot of six other military rifles that I'm picking up. I figure I can have a little fun in the desert with it and if not else sell it off to someone who doesn't care so much about originals.

 

[GBExpat]

I figure I can have a little fun in the desert with it and if not else sell it off to someone who doesn't care so much about originals.

Sounds like an excellent plan to me.

 

[Steel Horse Rider]

I have a Gibbs Jungle Carbine that I bought NIB several years ago from my local gun store. It was NIB because he was cleaning out his storage area and found a number of NIB rifles that had been buried under other boxes for quite some time. I paid $250 for it and have enjoyed shooting it quite a lot. I don't think the recoil or muzzle blast is worse than any other WWII 30 caliber rifle, but then I was accustomed to shooting Mosin's before I found the Gibbs. It will probably never be of any great value but it makes a great plinking or camp rifle and eho knows when you may need the survival kit hidden in the stock.

 

[VegasAR15]

Here come a plethora of pictures. Number on stock under the hand guard appears to match the receiver. Some of the markings have been scratched off. Century import. Appears to have at least some if the identifiers of a true jungle. What do y'all think?

 

[rondog]

Well, I don't know what a Gibbs looks like, but that sure looks a lot like my No.5, and mine's a real one. I ain't swearing that's a real one though. Here's some shots of mine, the identifying details as I understand them.



See the big round hole? A weight saving thing.



See the angled area milled in the front of the receiver, on both sides?





Cuts on the barrel.



Hole in the bolt knob.



"Waist" on the front tang of the trigger guard.

 

[shinz]

It surely appears to be a genuine #5. Another identifier to those that Rondog has pointed out is the rear sight has graduations only (?) out to 800 yds, the #4s went to 1300yds. I'd be happy to call that genuine.
Steve.

 

[GBExpat]

VegasAR15, is the barrel Knox Form (outside of the chamber) scalloped?

I cannot tell from your pic (too dark on my 'puter).

If so, you may have a gen-u-ine Nº5 ... if not, you would appear to have a Nº5 that has had its barrel replaced with a modded Nº4 barrel.

Either way, it looks very nice! ... and if it is authentic, you got a REAL DEAL!

How does the bore look?

 

[VegasAR15]

Yes, it is scalloped. I didn't want to jump to conclusions, but I got pretty excited once I saw it in person. I am not sure where he got the Gibbs Import from that he told me. I have to clean it all up today, barrel was dirty but I think I remember it having good rifling.

Out of the rifles I got the only one whose originality is in question for me now is the #4 Mk1 Savage, just seems a little too nice to me. Out of the bunch, the winner for me is a Mosin Nagant M39 made in 1968.

 

[kBob]

The only No4 Savage rifle I have shot and the only two others I have handled all looked almost new. I wonder if most that we see in the states never got issued to troops or maybe even left the US. The one I shot belonged to a young Marine on his way to command all the US tanks in Cuba.....there was apparently a Company of USMC M60s at Gitmo at the time.

An friend of a friend once had a No5 that some idiot had welded up a scope mount on. He also has when the but plate rubber started degrading picked out the rubber and was shooting the thing with the hole for the rubber in the but plate empty......now the one shot I fired like that was more than enough.....Mosin M44 experience or not.

-kBob

 

[dprice3844444]

http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=591979&highlight=jungle+carbine

reference the heavy recoil on the #5 is why i saved this thread from here which details a modification of the buttstock rubber using a pachmeyer magnum decellerator pad cut to the original specs of the rubber pad

 

[VegasAR15]

The only No4 Savage rifle I have shot and the only two others I have handled all looked almost new. I wonder if most that we see in the states never got issued to troops or maybe even left the US. The one I shot belonged to a young Marine on his way to command all the US tanks in Cuba.....there was apparently a Company of USMC M60s at Gitmo at the time.

An friend of a friend once had a No5 that some idiot had welded up a scope mount on. He also has when the but plate rubber started degrading picked out the rubber and was shooting the thing with the hole for the rubber in the but plate empty......now the one shot I fired like that was more than enough.....Mosin M44 experience or not.

-kBob

Using my google-fu, it seems it may not be horribly uncommon for these to look so great. I can't remember whether or not it had an import mark on it, maybe never left the country?

Now I just need to clean up everything I got and find bayonets for them all. Doubt I'll get one for the M39 though.

 

[tahunua001]

my savage no 4 looks like it was buried in france for 6 months. I'd say it left the states. I have yet to see a savage that does not have an import mark so I'm willing to be that they at least left the states.

 

[DougW]

Real deal. That is an actual #5mk1. I have 2, one BSA, one Fazakerley.

I also have a Savage #4mk1* without an import mark, all matching. It could be a pre 1968, because before the GCA of 68, Importers were not required to mark the weapons. The other 3 Savages in the fleet are all imported via the normal importers, mainly CAI.

 

[VegasAR15]

Here is the no.4 that I got at the same time.