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CptCurlAdministrator
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George Gibbs .450 3 1/4" Nitro Express BLE
      #54700 - 13/04/06 12:08 PM

George Gibbs Double Rifle .450 Nitro Express Boxlock Ejector




(Image of case label from InternetGunClub.com)


An English gentleman hailing from Bristol stopped in this week (March, 2006), and he doesn’t seem inclined to leave any time soon. He’s been on his journey for quite some time; and though he looks much younger, he came into this world when Theodore Roosevelt was our president. In fact, he’s 101 years old! He won’t really say how or when he came to these American shores. It’s simply irrelevant to his way of thinking. America is a land of immigrants, and he counts himself as one.





Distinguished in his appearance, he’s of stout English lineage; a scion of the well known George Gibbs of 39 Corn Street, Bristol. His features also show close kinship to the Webley family. Perhaps his mother was of that stock.




He told me he was originally intended for Africa or India, but he really won’t say whether his wanderings took him there. I suspect he was there on brief occasions. Conceived as a .450 Nitro Express, his birthright engraved in the steel of his barrels proudly declares, “GEORGE GIBBS 39 CORN STREET, BRISTOL .450-3 1/4” STRAIGHT TAPER SOLID METAL CASE 70 GRS CORDITE, 480 GRS NICKEL COATED BULLET.” Yes he was made for what may have been the preeminent choice of the newfangled cordite cartridges in 1905, the year of his birth.


His calling for Africa and India fell to politics. It so happened that about the time of this gentleman’s birth there were simultaneous rebellions in India and the Sudan. The rebels armed themselves with stolen 577/450 Martini-Henrys. In an effort to deny the rebels any access to ammunition, the British Foreign Office forbade the use of all .458 caliber rifles in those areas. So my visitor was stymied in his youth, when otherwise so much opportunity lay at his feet. Sadly, he was relegated to retirement just when his brothers and cousins born a few years later and of slightly different caliber came to the forefront. Then, as he grew older, rifles of his kind appeared less frequently in the hunting fields. Wars and mass production turned hunters toward the bolt action of Peter Paul Mauser. Fine English double rifles were just too costly for the modern age. For a long time there was no ammunition for this sporting gent, not because the ban continued, but because of simple disuse. On the brighter side, his early retirement and light use contributed so much to his good health as he passes the first century of life. He now is as fit and able as he was a hundred years ago!








I’ll tell you more about my visitor. George Gibbs double rifle #19555, a .450-3¼” Nitro Express, was finished in 1905. It is a stout 11 lbs., 2½ oz. It has 28 inch tubes in the tradition of its black powder forebears. A later rifle would likely have barrels of 24 to 26 inches. The barrels are chopper lump and topped by a full length swamped rib with machine-cut transverse striations. There is no inscription on the rib. I have already mentioned the inscriptions engraved on the barrels themselves. The sights are traditional shallow “V” platinum lined express sights with one standing and two folding leaves at the rear and a 3/32” bead on the front. There are two spare front sights in the trapdoor grip cap. The bores are virtually perfect condition.









This rifle is wooded with very dense quarter sawn English walnut having moderate figure. The pistol grip buttstock is paneled behind the action, ending in drop points. It extends in wood for a length of 13 ¾” where it meets a pigskin covered pad that is 1 3/8” thick, rendering a 15 1/8” length of pull. It sports a gold oval with the initials “T J” engraved thereon. The stock and forend are very nicely checkered in a point pattern. The rifle is equipped with sling eyes.





Curl



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Chasseur
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Reged: 18/11/03
Posts: 771
Loc: Hunting classic Indian game!
Re: George Gibbs .450 3 1/4" Nitro Express BLE [Re: CptCurl]
      #54734 - 13/04/06 10:27 PM

Does Mrs. Curl know about your new English live-in roomie?

Seriously, that one nice looking addition to your collection!

--------------------
In regards to action he should devote himself to hunting...
-Machiavelli



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400NitroExpress
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Reged: 26/11/03
Posts: 1154
Loc: Lone Star State
Re: George Gibbs .450 3 1/4" Nitro Express BLE [Re: CptCurl]
      #54743 - 14/04/06 12:35 AM

Quite a find. Really beautiful. Somehow, you seem to be able to pull this off at will Curl.

Hmmm. Webley A&W C 1st. Intercepting sears. If we can trust the serial number table, yeah, 1905. Assuming that date is correct, the Webley number on this one will be on the short rib (between the flats and the loop) instead of on the fore-end loop. My best guess is that it will be in the (400 Nitro wets index finger and holds into wind) 10,600 to 10,700 range.

Did Webley provide this gun to Gibbs complete, or did Gibbs stock and finish it? Hmmm. Well, the engraving pattern is definitely Webley's, not Gibb's. Many top grade Webley built DRs, retailed by various other makers, have the same pattern.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

--------------------
"Serious rifles have two barrels, everything else just burns gunpowder."


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500Nitro
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Reged: 06/01/03
Posts: 7244
Loc: Victoria, Australia
Re: George Gibbs .450 3 1/4" Nitro Express BLE [Re: 400NitroExpress]
      #54745 - 14/04/06 12:39 AM


Curl,

My Rigby 450 is identical action, style except for slightly different
engraving.

500 Nitro


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CptCurlAdministrator
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Reged: 01/05/04
Posts: 5268
Loc: Fincastle, Botetourt County, V...
Re: George Gibbs .450 3 1/4" Nitro Express BLE [Re: 400NitroExpress]
      #54774 - 14/04/06 09:18 AM

400NE,

I had to do my photography in a hurry, and I didn't get a shot of the bottom short rib with the Webley S/N. When I posted this thread I realized that and knew you would be interested.

I got home from work this afternoon and shot a photo of it just for your benefit and database.





It's off a few hundred from your prediction. What do you make of it?

What are the "1" and "2" near the back of the forend loop?

Best regards,
Curl



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

YOUR DOUBLE RIFLE IS YOUR BEST FRIEND.



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400NitroExpress
.400 member


Reged: 26/11/03
Posts: 1154
Loc: Lone Star State
Re: George Gibbs .450 3 1/4" Nitro Express BLE [Re: CptCurl]
      #54776 - 14/04/06 09:43 AM

Well, double damn. I have a Gibbs .450/.400 in my database from 1905 that is 10602. However that gun has pre-1904 London proofs. Yours are post 1904. I do have an Army & Navy .450/.400 with an estimated date of 1905 that is 11170 and an Evans .400/.360 that is 11397 that was ordered in 1906. Kinda thought yours would be a bit lower.

I have no idea what the 1 and 2 mean.

Really nice rifle Curl.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------

--------------------
"Serious rifles have two barrels, everything else just burns gunpowder."


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CptCurlAdministrator
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Reged: 01/05/04
Posts: 5268
Loc: Fincastle, Botetourt County, V...
Re: George Gibbs .450 3 1/4" Nitro Express BLE [Re: 400NitroExpress]
      #54780 - 14/04/06 10:26 AM

400NE,

Do you know when the .45 cal. ban in India and Sudan came into effect? I know it was right around that time, but don't know the date. My rifle must have been one of the last .450's.

Thanks for the kind compliments. I think I was lucky to find it. It never hit the internet. Found it through networking.

Curl



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

YOUR DOUBLE RIFLE IS YOUR BEST FRIEND.



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4seventy
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Reged: 07/05/03
Posts: 2210
Loc: Queensland Australia
Re: George Gibbs .450 3 1/4" Nitro Express BLE [Re: CptCurl]
      #54787 - 14/04/06 11:50 AM

Curl,
If you ever get around to dropping the buttstock off that Gibbs for any reason I'd love to see a photo of the locks.
Thanks


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CptCurlAdministrator
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Reged: 01/05/04
Posts: 5268
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Re: George Gibbs .450 3 1/4" Nitro Express BLE [Re: 4seventy]
      #54791 - 14/04/06 12:14 PM

Al,

If ever I do, I'll post it here.

Best,
Curl



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

YOUR DOUBLE RIFLE IS YOUR BEST FRIEND.



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400NitroExpress
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Reged: 26/11/03
Posts: 1154
Loc: Lone Star State
Re: George Gibbs .450 3 1/4" Nitro Express BLE [Re: CptCurl]
      #54807 - 14/04/06 02:11 PM

Curl:

I believe the ban was 1906, IIRC.

The idea that the .450s were no longer made after the ban is an old wives tale. The .450 3 1/4" especially was quite popular until very late in the game. Double rifles continued to be made for it at least until WWII. Kynoch dropped the .450 No. 2 and the .500/.450 immediately after the war, but continued to load .450 3 1/4" until they shut down in 1973. Late run Cordite for it is still easy to find.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------

--------------------
"Serious rifles have two barrels, everything else just burns gunpowder."


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EricD
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Reged: 27/02/04
Posts: 4636
Re: George Gibbs .450 3 1/4" Nitro Express BLE [Re: CptCurl]
      #54882 - 15/04/06 08:23 AM

Great post Curl. As always!

Erik


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banzaibird
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Reged: 18/09/05
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Loc: S.C. Pennsylvania, USA
Re: George Gibbs .450 3 1/4" Nitro Express BLE [Re: EricD]
      #54884 - 15/04/06 08:29 AM

Curl that is real nice looker. I still prefer the Woodward .

Bill


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CptCurlAdministrator
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Reged: 01/05/04
Posts: 5268
Loc: Fincastle, Botetourt County, V...
Re: George Gibbs .450 3 1/4" Nitro Express BLE [Re: banzaibird]
      #54919 - 15/04/06 10:20 PM

Bill, you remain a man of impeccable taste.

Curl



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

YOUR DOUBLE RIFLE IS YOUR BEST FRIEND.



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CptCurlAdministrator
.450 member


Reged: 01/05/04
Posts: 5268
Loc: Fincastle, Botetourt County, V...
Re: George Gibbs .450 3 1/4" Nitro Express BLE [Re: EricD]
      #54920 - 15/04/06 10:22 PM

Erik, thanks for your kind words.

Curl



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

YOUR DOUBLE RIFLE IS YOUR BEST FRIEND.



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400NitroExpress
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Reged: 26/11/03
Posts: 1154
Loc: Lone Star State
Re: George Gibbs .450 3 1/4" Nitro Express BLE [Re: CptCurl]
      #56427 - 05/05/06 04:20 AM

Curl:

A dealer here has three five-packs of original Kynoch softs if you're interested. Boxes are in really nice shape. Let me know if you're interested.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------

--------------------
"Serious rifles have two barrels, everything else just burns gunpowder."


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