doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com George Gibbs Farquharsons rifle

Gentlemen, I recently acquired a George Gibbs Farquharson action single shot rifle at an estate sale. I would like to shoot this gun, however, I am not certain as to the correct round this gun is chambered to shoot.

The side of the barrel is marked with what appears to be 465 ex. The number 5 is not clear, so I could be wrong about the 5. The top of the action is marked 710 and is surrounded by english scroll.

The top of the barrel reads Metford 1627 George Gibbs Corn St. Bristol.

The left side of the action has George Gibbs surrounded by fine english scroll. The right side of the action has "BOLTED" inlaid in gold letter and is also surrounded by fine english scroll.

This gun has a steel checkered butt plate and a steel grip cap that opens for storage.

I would describe the condition of the gun as good original that shows use. I am not set to send pictures so this is the best I can do.

My primary concern is the correct round as I would like to put a few rounds thru this old girl. BTW I am into this gun for over a few hundred dollars. By my description, how do you guys think I came out???

Regards,

Max

If this post is not a joke, you did very well indeed. The gun is most likely chambered for one of the two .461 Gibbs cartridges, both of which are black powder rounds. These guns are very highly sought after. Be careful with it.....

SKB, this is no joke. One other thing about this gun that I did not describe is that it is clad with a metal cover that runs from the action to half way down the stock. This metal cover is in two sections and is screwed to the stock. The cover is contoured to the stock. That is to say that it is shaped around the pistol grip. My initial thought was that this cover was done to stabilize a cracked wrist. Upon further examination, I do not think this is the case. I believe it may have been a requested feature done by Gibbs as it is too well done. That is the way it is contoured to the stock and all screws heads are perfectly lined. Also, the metal cover appears to be aged to the gun. If anyone has any insight as to this cover I would appreciate the information.

Regards,

Max

Max, as soon a Glenn Fewless recovers from falling on the floor from a fainting spell he'll be here to help you and answer some questions. Those metal plates are referred to a Selous (sp) plates because that's who was suposed to have originally asked for them. Frederick Selous was THE elephant hunter of the 19th century. Can you imagine what those plates must have been like in the hot African sun?

sounds like a VERY rare and valuable rifle....pictures would help, but I can pretty much tell you that you have one hell of a rifle. Glenn and I can both help you out....we both love them.....pictures man, pictures

max - SOMEhow, SOMEway, you've GOT to get some pictures of this rifle taken and posted here. PLEASE, even if you have to kidnap some 12 year old kid who can do it in his sleep, we need to see this rifle of yours. In case it hasn't sunk in yet, you made off with an extremely good deal, you should feel very good, indeed. I mean a REALLY GOOD DEAL!

Max, To echo the other posts, you do have a very rare and desireable rifle. The"720" is the action patent use number. Your rifle is the 720th Gibbs Farquharson made. The numbers go to 974 the last one made in 1910. Your rifle is not listed in Kirtons book, however number 709 is, and also has Selous plates as do 749, 766, and 770. these were used on a fair number of sporting rifles until near the end of production. 709 is the lowest number with these plates known by Kirton. Gibbs records were lost during WWII, so listed rifles are "reported" examples.

Depending on the ammount of original finish and bore condition your rifle could be worth between 7 and 12 thousand dollars.

The .461 Gibbs cartridge had a good following for target work as well as a hunting round.

All the best, Mal

Max,

Selous with his Farquhason




505 Gibbs


http://forums.nitroexpress.com/showflat.php?Number=103002&page=0

Here is another Gibbs Medford Farquhason for sale:
http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=218103292

Pete

the picture of Selous sitting in the chair shows his 1894 Holland/Woodward, not his Gibbs.

Sounds like quite a find! Congrats!
I have a 461 Gibbs Farquharson too, but seem to have misplaced it somewhere...
I am in the process of working up a load for mine too.
Buffalo Arms has brass (Bertram) but I am thinking it can be made out of other brass too like the 500/450 No.1 and maybe the No.2 Musket.
Is there anything engraved on the rear sight?
Gibbs Farqs often have the bullet weight and powder charge engraved on the face of the standing sight.
Look forward to seeing it!
As an aside, the picture of Selous with the H&H (the one leaning against the wagon)is often mistaken as a Gibbs. In fact, I have gone onto Wikipedia and changed the caption for that picture a number of times, but some "expert" always goes back and calls it a Gibbs again!!