Ammo for Gibbs Muzzleloader Rifle

[bill2mars]

What type of bullet does the Gibbs Percussion .45 Rifle use? I'm considering on buying one. Thanks

 

[bang]

What is the twist?

 

[bill2mars]

twist is 1/18. thanks

 

[fleener]

Well, they are a fast twist barrel 1 in 18. They are made to shoot conicals. Paper patch or grease groove. These rifles are made, or capable of shooting 1,000 yards (and beyond).

Pedersoli Gibbs are a well made rifle. A little chunky and fat with wood, but for a off the shelve non custom rifle they can be a great shooter.

Most shoot bullets that are 500 grains plus.

Fleener

 

[bill2mars]

Wow, ok! Thanks for the info!!

 

[nkbj]

Lyman #451114 (450 grains) is commonly used.

#457121 (475 grains) was produced in two diameters, the smaller molds for the .45 muzzleloading rifles.

 

[bill2mars]

Lyman #451114 (450 grains) is commonly used.

View attachment 126611

#457121 (475 grains) was produced in two diameters, the smaller molds for the .45 muzzleloading rifles.
View attachment 126614

Thank you for the information.

 

[ResearchPress]

The bullet from that Lyman mould illustrated previously is seldom used in the Gibbs in so far as I see In the UK. It is somewhat light for long range shooting, which is what the rifle is designed for, but may shoot well at short range. As Fleener, pointed out most shoot 500+ grain bullets. I use a 530 grain paper patched bullet in mine and have used the rifle out to 1200 yards in competition.

I have a good selection of articles on Long Range Muzzle Loading on my web site. This includes some introductory articles with discussion of bullets, and Pedersoli instructions for the Gibbs.

David

 

[TFoley]

Mr Minshall's excellent deeply-researched articles need a thorough read to understand what is involved in shooting a PP bullet in this kind of specialist rifle. Even at my lowly level I'd benefitted greatly over the years, passing on the 'wisdom' to other shooters entering the same area of muzzle-loading.

 

[GREENSWLDE]

The best bullet you can use in your new "not" Gibbs"not"Metford Pedersoly is the one that punches holes in the centre of the black at the range you shoot at..
Unless you can make your own moulds this is going to cost LOTS OF BUCKS !!
DAVID'S advise is possibly the best you can get as he has researched long range bullets and loads seriously for years. Modern and orginal..
My own Echelburger .461"Metford Form Barrel shoots best with a .448" PPed 550grn cylindro-conoidal round nosed hollow based bottom poured bullet from a mould I made post 1997 when I was no longer allowed to shoot in UK (through circumstances beyound my control) with the MLA though it prooved quite good in other parts of the world. Lyman 451121 0r .458 PH or with a suitable 530grn Postel with 4% tin can be a success. IMHO..OLD DOG..

 

[GREENSWLDE]

Hollow based bottom poured moulds are a pain!! You will need a very precise acurate drill press and a chuck on the table you can rotate by degrees to arrive at a balanced bullet. I found 6 holes in the skirt and 3 in the hollow where the pour is to be OK. The base plug is quite a challenge too as you need lots of lead through 3 small holes fast. Hot lead into a hot mould works best for me..The hollow base allows the paper twist to go in and not deform the solid base where ever OLD DOG..

 

[oldracer]

I use two different bullets, the grease groove flat nose that weigh 520 grains to 100 yards and a 540 Creedmoor nose grease groove bullet from a Track of the Wolf mold 200 yards and further. I use 90 grains FFG and a .060 fiber wad no compression of the powder

 

[bill2mars]

I use two different bullets, the grease groove flat nose that weigh 520 grains to 100 yards and a 540 Creedmoor nose grease groove bullet from a Track of the Wolf mold 200 yards and further. I use 90 grains FFG and a .060 fiber wad no compression of the powder

This last message is in reference to the Gibbs .451, correct? Can it be used in the Pedersoli Kodiak Express Mark 6 also? I'm considering the Mark 6 or the Gibbs. Thank you so much for the info David!!

 

[rmark]

Pedersoli's online catalog has a 485 grain bullet (U526) listed as for the Gibbs.

 

[Nobade]

Pedersoli shows the Kodiak as a 50 caliber rifle with 1:24 twist. So it definitely doesn't use the same bullets as the Gibbs. And with that fast twist I am betting they designed it to use either heavy conicals or sabot loads. I would be cautious about using conicals in a double rifle, as the recoil from the first shot would have a tendency to pull the bullet off the powder in the second barrel. Something to keep in mind. The other is those two rifles are about as different from each other as two rifles could be. Do you have a specific use in mind? Neither one can really do what the other does.

 

[fleener]

There is no doubt you can shoot a lighter bullet in the Gibbs. If you are just plinking or shooting short range, a lighter bullet will work great. Heck, even hunt with it, but you would have to carry a loading rod.

If you are interested in shooting ranges like 1,000 yards with it, you will most likely find that a heavier bullet over 500 grains will be needed for best accuracy.

Fleener

 

[DuncNZ]

I had a .40 Pedersoli Gibbs which I modified considerably , The mould I used was a nose pour with a moveable base plug which gave variable length /weight , it was hollow based and paper patched , I sold it with the rifle and for the life of me I can't remember the make .
One thing I found with these long range rifles was that the standard nipples burnt out very quickly and groups strung down the target . I'd recommend getting platinum lined nipples , there is no problem with these burning out too soon .

 

[Gordoncourtney]

The best bullet you can use in your new "not" Gibbs"not"Metford Pedersoly is the one that punches holes in the centre of the black at the range you shoot at..
Unless you can make your own moulds this is going to cost LOTS OF BUCKS !!
DAVID'S advise is possibly the best you can get as he has researched long range bullets and loads seriously for years. Modern and orginal..
My own Echelburger .461"Metford Form Barrel shoots best with a .448" PPed 550grn cylindro-conoidal round nosed hollow based bottom poured bullet from a mould I made post 1997 when I was no longer allowed to shoot in UK (through circumstances beyound my control) with the MLA though it prooved quite good in other parts of the world. Lyman 451121 0r .458 PH or with a suitable 530grn Postel with 4% tin can be a success. IMHO..OLD DOG..

You are not the only one, Plod took my shotguns away in case I might shoot an intruder I am only 79. And I am not the only one. Still got plenty of obsolete S58 wall hanger. guns though That’s the UK you cannot even hunt with a bow and arrow since like 1964

 

[nkbj]

Sews it up, right there...
"The best bullet you can use in your new "not" Gibbs"not"Metford Pedersoly is the one that punches holes in the centre of the black at the range you shoot at.. "

My preferred .45 rifle is heptagonal 24" twist and .458 bore to use 45-70 molds.

 

[Robin Henderson]

The Pedersoli Gibbs that I acquired a few months ago has the bore of .451 stamped on the breech area of the barrel. I'll tell you this that a .451 bullet is an absolute no go. When I bought the gun a near full box of 1-20 alloy, SPG lubed, 540 grain bullets came with it. They had been sized to .449. First time at the range these bullets seemed to start ok but pushing them down was very difficult. After close examination, I determined that the bullets hadn't been fully size over the full length of the bearing surface. After running them completely through a .449 sizer they worked but were still a tad tight. I suspect a .448 sizing of a grease groove bullet would work fine for the Gibbs but confess I've not tried it. In the mean time I had Accurate Molds make me a paper patch 540 grain bullet which throws .442 bullet from 1-40 alloy. With a couple wraps of onion skin paper it brings it up to where it needs to be and best off its shooting very promising groups at 100 yards which is, so far, all I've been able to test them.