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HuviusModerator
.416 member


Reged: 04/11/07
Posts: 3517
Loc: Colorado
Gibbs Farquharson 303 With Selous Plates
      #229708 - 05/05/13 04:33 AM

Pictures of a very special Gibbs 303 sent to me by another member of NitroExpress.
I have to admit, this one really makes my heart flutter!
The following is the owner's message to me with some information on the gun:

Huvius,
You are very fortunate to have aquired such a lovely rifle,I also have a Gibbs Farquharson which is almost identical to it,but without the wrist positioned sight,which I think was fitted to some later rifles than mine,my use number is 845,with a serial number 17330,which I think puts it at around 1890,the Gibbs records having been destroyed by "enemy action" I have no way of knowing exactly what the DoM was. As you observe,the case lable is unusual,mine has the Corn Street address,but is completely different to yours,my rear sight base also "overhangs" the barrel by a lot,implying that it was originally of larger caliber,the sight also has engraved upon it "Powder 37 Grs Cannonite & Bullet 200Grs" , I have searched charts and books to find just what caliber used this charge ,but so far without success,it is in .303 British now,which has the same cartridge head size as the .375 X 2 1/2", but I do not think that cartridge dates back that far,mine is also fitted with "Selous Plates" which seem to be quite useable even in 45Degs C heat!







Just LOOK at those plates and the timed screws!




--------------------
He who lives in the past is doomed to enjoy it.

Edited by CptCurl (07/05/13 08:35 PM)


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kamilaroi
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Reged: 18/12/04
Posts: 1803
Loc: sydney, new south wales, Austr...
Re: Gibbs Farquharson 303 With Selous Plates [Re: Huvius]
      #229715 - 05/05/13 09:06 AM

Peerless work!

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SharpsNitro
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Reged: 12/08/08
Posts: 729
Loc: Arizona, USA
Re: Gibbs Farquharson 303 With Selous Plates [Re: kamilaroi]
      #229718 - 05/05/13 11:14 AM

Beautiful rifle! Isn't it a little unusual to have the load information engraved on the sight like that? What are the barrel markings, what date was it rebarrel end to 303? (Initially I didn't read all the text, I was about to ask why they would do the Selous reinforcement for a 303)

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Rockdoc
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Reged: 07/12/06
Posts: 1212
Loc: NSW, Australia
Re: Gibbs Farquharson 303 With Selous Plates [Re: SharpsNitro]
      #229719 - 05/05/13 11:19 AM

What a beauty. The fit and style is amazing.

Thank you for posting. Cheers, Chris


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tinker
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Reged: 12/03/05
Posts: 4835
Loc: Nevada
Re: Gibbs Farquharson 303 With Selous Plates [Re: Rockdoc]
      #229722 - 05/05/13 12:43 PM

Wow

That is very nice!








Cheers
Tinker

--------------------
--Self-Appointed Colonel, DRSS--



"It IS a dangerous game, and so named for a reason, and you can't play from the keyboard. " --Some Old Texan...


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Matabele
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Reged: 16/09/10
Posts: 230
Loc: Zimbabwe
Re: Gibbs Farquharson 303 With Selous Plates [Re: tinker]
      #229729 - 05/05/13 06:21 PM

Exquisite, what a find! I've always wondered though how comfortable those steel plates would have been to hold after a day in the fierce African sun...I assume from your last comment you have experienced this and found it not to be a problem?

Edited by Matabele (05/05/13 06:24 PM)


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bonanza
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Reged: 17/05/04
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Re: Gibbs Farquharson 303 With Selous Plates [Re: Huvius]
      #229766 - 06/05/13 10:59 AM

What are Selous Plates?

--------------------


"Speak Precisely" G. Gordon Liddy.

"Life is absurd, chaotic and we must define its purpose with our actions" Abert Camus

"I''m the dude playing a dude disguised as another dude."

"Yo! Mr. White"


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500Nitro
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Reged: 06/01/03
Posts: 7244
Loc: Victoria, Australia
Re: Gibbs Farquharson 303 With Selous Plates [Re: bonanza]
      #229768 - 06/05/13 11:04 AM


The black plates screwed all along the wrist.

Selous repaired (I think) a stock on one
of his guns with some brass plates.


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Iowa_303s
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Reged: 22/03/13
Posts: 1014
Loc: Iowa, USA
Re: Gibbs Farquharson 303 With Selous Plates [Re: bonanza]
      #229769 - 06/05/13 11:12 AM

Bonanza,
Selous plates are the steel you can see screwed to the right and left sides of the stock. They are used to reinforce the stock at it's weakest point, the wrist.
Traditionally they are found on heavy caliber rifles used for hunting large/dangerous game in locales that do not have a gunsmith nearby to fix a broken stock.

--------------------
Matt

formerly known as Iowa_303

"Once your reputation is ruined you can live your life quite freely."

"Enkelkinder über alles"


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CptCurlAdministrator
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Reged: 01/05/04
Posts: 5268
Loc: Fincastle, Botetourt County, V...
Re: Gibbs Farquharson 303 With Selous Plates [Re: Iowa_303s]
      #229803 - 07/05/13 08:36 PM

That's an incredible rifle. It can have a home in Virginia if it is being mistreated.

Curl

--------------------
RoscoeStephenson.com

YOUR DOUBLE RIFLE IS YOUR BEST FRIEND.



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Mike_Bailey
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Reged: 26/02/07
Posts: 2289
Loc: GB
Re: Gibbs Farquharson 303 With Selous Plates [Re: CptCurl]
      #229828 - 08/05/13 08:46 PM

God, that is marvellous

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Even
.300 member


Reged: 28/12/12
Posts: 175
Loc: Canada
Re: Gibbs Farquharson 303 With Selous Plates [Re: Mike_Bailey]
      #229852 - 09/05/13 08:31 AM

What an old beauty! The fitting is amazing.

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Englishman
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Reged: 09/12/09
Posts: 62
Loc: Lot,France
Re: Gibbs Farquharson 303 With Selous Plates [Re: Even]
      #231148 - 13/06/13 09:31 PM


Beautiful rifle! Isn't it a little unusual to have the load information engraved on the sight like that? What are the barrel markings, what date was it rebarrel end to 303? (Initially I didn't read all the text, I was about to ask why they would do the Selous reinforcement for a 303).
Sharps-Nitro,
The Selous Plates are not to strenghen the wrist of the stock under recoil,they were to reinforce the weakest part of the stock in the event of a heavy impact (such as a fall from a horse as this was the means of transport then) they were originally made from fresh Elephant ear leather,this shrunk into place,giving the user some protection from breakage when weeks from the help of a gunsmith.
Chris.


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gungadoug
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Reged: 13/08/12
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Re: Gibbs Farquharson 303 With Selous Plates [Re: Englishman]
      #232338 - 11/07/13 10:47 AM

Ah! As a wearer of a full beard, I can foresee the dreaded pop top syndrome, with a vengeance! BTW, I wonder what the straps in the lid of the case are for?
Nice!! Doug

Edited by gungadoug (11/07/13 10:50 AM)


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gungadoug
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Reged: 13/08/12
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Re: Gibbs Farquharson 303 With Selous Plates [Re: gungadoug]
      #232339 - 11/07/13 11:00 AM

BTW, guys, you have to understand, and I have this on the best authority, that those plates were not actually fit by someone with infinite skill, but were grown there! In the day they had the knowledge to grow steel on wood, and access to the self timing screws. Lost arts, I guess.
Doug


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DarylS
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Re: Gibbs Farquharson 303 With Selous Plates [Re: gungadoug]
      #232344 - 11/07/13 01:33 PM

Huvius, I know what you mean, when you said "really makes my heart flutter".

I could very easily finish off my hunting days, with only that rifle!

--------------------
Daryl


"a gun without hammers is like a Spaniel without ears" King George V


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Caprivi
.375 member


Reged: 30/09/08
Posts: 811
Loc: America's Serengeti, Buffalo W...
Re: Gibbs Farquharson 303 With Selous Plates [Re: DarylS]
      #232346 - 11/07/13 01:43 PM

+1 Daryl

--------------------
To live life as it is handed to me from God


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Rule303
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Reged: 05/07/09
Posts: 4896
Loc: Woodford Qld
Re: Gibbs Farquharson 303 With Selous Plates [Re: Caprivi]
      #232371 - 12/07/13 10:55 AM

Truley an exquiset rifle. Love to use it let alone own it.

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Claydog
.375 member


Reged: 17/08/12
Posts: 934
Loc: Katherine, Northern Territory ...
Re: Gibbs Farquharson 303 With Selous Plates [Re: Rule303]
      #232375 - 12/07/13 12:54 PM

I agree, doesn't come much better.

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prairie_ghost
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Reged: 19/07/08
Posts: 129
Loc: casper, wy
Re: Gibbs Farquharson 303 With Selous Plates [Re: Claydog]
      #232377 - 12/07/13 01:43 PM

These plates are really beautifully formed. Would they have been formed with an English wheel or some other method? Does anyone know for sure?

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HuviusModerator
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Reged: 04/11/07
Posts: 3517
Loc: Colorado
Re: Gibbs Farquharson 303 With Selous Plates [Re: prairie_ghost]
      #232381 - 12/07/13 03:06 PM

I think they were hammered over a buck, the screws timed,and then the plates and screws filed to final form on the rifle. Very possible that they were smoothed out on a small English wheel though too.
Now, how they filed the plates to mate so well with the action and tangs eludes me. Must have been a matter of file - fit, file a little more - fit, file some more...
I would really like to see measurements of the known Gibbs rifles with Selous plates. There is a distinct possibility that the plates were stamped out and then the stocks shaped to fit. I say this simply because all of the Selous plates on Gibbs rifles I have seen have very consistent form and dimensions.
Also, I would like to see a Gibbs with the plates removed. That would tell us a lot.

As for the straps in the case...
I joked that since this rifle was made at the same time as the "Scramble for Africa" it would have been advantageous for an adventurer to have the national flags of Germany, Great Britain and France all stowed away just in case the borders changed or the party inadvertently crossed over to another country's territory while out on safari!
Actually, I am at a loss as to what they are really for.

--------------------
He who lives in the past is doomed to enjoy it.


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doubleriflejack
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Reged: 11/11/07
Posts: 352
Loc: Oregon, U.S.A.
Re: Gibbs Farquharson 303 With Selous Plates [Re: prairie_ghost]
      #232817 - 23/07/13 05:41 AM

"These plates are really beautifully formed. Would they have been formed with an English wheel or some other method? Does anyone know for sure?"
___________
They were often installed by gun workers in India, who, I am sure, didn't have access to sophisticated tools, such as an English wheel. They did have access to a good means of heating steel in a forge like thing, to good old fashioned hammers and anvil, with rounded steel anvil sections, and a lot of sweat and labor, along with skill earned from long term working on such things.


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Englishman
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Reged: 09/12/09
Posts: 62
Loc: Lot,France
Re: Gibbs Farquharson 303 With Selous Plates [Re: doubleriflejack]
      #233825 - 09/08/13 04:49 AM

With reference to the "Selous" plates on my G,Gibbs rifle,I have not yet had the nerve to remove the plates,but as can be seen from the photo's they have been re blued in recent times,and the screws polished,I am sure that they would come off again in the interest of science,I am sure that ,as has been mentioned,there must have been some sort of simple press tool to roughly form up the plates,if this plate were made from thick enough steel,there would have been some chance of filing up the plates to final contour this would still be a very skilled job,but as the extra cost of Selous plates was only £3 there was not much profit in it,remember that they did not have the easy fix of glass bedding and such things in 1887!
Huvius, I like your idea of the flags of convenience being tucked into the lid of the case,I suppose you could also tuck your pyjamas in there,ready for any event! The stock,and plates do have the customs stamps of a couple of African countries,these were struck on at entry to an African country for tax purposes,(it would make me feel a bit sick ,seeing a hairy customs man with a large hammer approaching my Gibbs with evil intent).
Chris.


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Mike_Bailey
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Reged: 26/02/07
Posts: 2289
Loc: GB
Re: Gibbs Farquharson 303 With Selous Plates [Re: Englishman]
      #233872 - 09/08/13 08:01 PM

3 quid !!!!!!! God knows what they would cost today IF anyone would be able to ? Which is an interesting thought, I and a friend own a Hartman and Weiss Hagn .375 H&H. I wonder if anyone can fit plates like that anymore ? best, Mike, p.s. here´s a pic

http://auctions.holtsauctioneers.com/asp...2&saletype=


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Nordmann
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Reged: 05/07/13
Posts: 166
Loc: Denmark
Re: Gibbs Farquharson 303 With Selous Plates [Re: Mike_Bailey]
      #233878 - 09/08/13 10:10 PM

Mike_Bailey...that H&W is a fabulous looking gun, you have exceptional taste! Best James

--------------------
James Etherington-Thorpe - a man's reputation can be known by his words. Read Mr Thorpe's comments and judge his character by his own words and attitudes.


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