.505 Gibbs

[catblaster.375]

Who's shot one? Tell me about it. I just e-mailed cz and it turns out they ARE gona  bring the 550 Magnum out in the .505- all right!- at the SHOT Show. I will probably go to my friends very remote Quesnel Lake B.C. cabin this summer.  And go to my uncle's in Homer, Alaska at least once if not twice this spring and/or summer- I would love to take one of these rifles with me. The rep told me thet it would be available mid-year(whatever that means) But I need one around the begining of April. I would prefer the laminated model. Any insight? I already have a m-70 .375 but theres somethin about a .505 that is added securaty in bear country(besides its an excuse to get a sweet new rifle). I have already located several places to buy ammo- up to 700 grains! $63 for 5 rounds hahaha! Oh Well. Whats a good bear stopping bullet type? - besides a well placed one. I am gona e-mail cz again to ask if there is gona be much of a price increase, and soonest availability. Oh, also they are bringin it out in .404 Jeffery and .450 Rigby. Thanks guys.

[frank405]

I have one on a 1917 Enfield action and stockwork by Bob Stitt in Bristol VA. I hope CZ does their homework on this endeavor as it seems most gun companies can't keep a 375 in the stock. I normally shoot a 600 grain gas check bullet at 2000. I don't think anything anywhere could take very many of that load and still function. I have driven this bullet to 2350 and it is too much.
 Brass is the biggest problem, the aussie stuff is terrible, rims vary up to .050!!!!! I have some Bell brass and it is very good as is some turned brass from Rocky Mountain Cartridge in Cody Wy. Dies are available from CH4D and are pretty reasonable. Of course you will need a new reloading press as the dies are 1.25 inch instead of 7/8. All in all I do like the gun and cartridge that I have.

[Judson]

You 505 fans might want to check with huntingtons.com for brass also A square used to have loaded ammo on the shelf for the thing in several different loads.   I have built several of the beasts and good glass bedding is a must ans if you value your shoulder so is a rifle in the 11 pound weight class.    If you build or buy one you will find it will work great on deer, (with out much meat loss believe it or not) and larger game, even small tanks.    You want strange looks and the woods to your self, well go to a hunters breakfast with ten of those rounds in your belt loops and announce where you are going to be hunting.   By comparison the .416 Rigby looks rather small.

[Questor]

Check back issues of Rifle or Handloader magazine. I believe there was one in 1999 that had an article on it. It also had an article on reloading the 375 magnum. The gist of the article is that it's effective for the Alaska guide who owns it. He likes it, but had trouble with the rifle. It was a custom job made badly and it took a few years for him to get it straightened out. He shoots cast bullets and some Woodleigh bullets.

[Judson]

I read that article also, I think it was in Handloader.    The rifle was quite a butcher job and it took a lot of time on the part of the owner to get it working right.    If you have one built check out who is going to do the work first.    The first .505 Gibbs I stocked was a very simular story.    The barreled action was ordered by the customer from Champlin Arms and when he got it id did things like drop the firing pin when the safety was taken off.     Puke up all 3 rounds in the mag if you worked the bolt fast, or drop the empty shell back into the action.    Here too, a lot of work went into straighting out someone elses mess.    There is a lot to getting a cartridge the size of the Gibbs to feed and work right in actions never designed for that large a cartridge.

[Questor]

It's Handloader #200, August 1999. Maybe still available as a back issue.