For several years D'Arcy Echols has been working on my new .505 Gibbs. The gun is built on a magnum Mauser built by Hartmann & Weiss. Below you will see the work in progress as well as its twin (minus checkering). As you can see he is still shaping the stock and working on the metal.

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In mid November I was out at D'Arcy's shop and fired the gun.

I can't wait until it is finished!

Looks Real Nice

Oh man! I just wet my pants

Beauty.

Holy crap ... that is nice! Very graceful understated lines and pure workmanlike. I like the idea of the peep in the receiver!
Cheers...
Con

All the best with the project.

Love the rear sight.

very nice

fourbore,

say it ain't so man! Thank goodness I can't get a visual on that!

Rich
dry, I think

Awesome, well done.


You have a good combination of Power, class and style all built in.

Now you have just got to get used to the Long Bolt throw

I love it....

But having been thru this stock making thing with my local stock maker here in Australia.....and it's so weird how different stockmakers have different thoughts

He mentioned ...on a big heavy kicker, like a 505, he would prefer the bolt base or root to be extended out so the bolt shaft sits further out than the one shown

He recons it's a strength thing......if your bolt sat out a little further you wouldn't need to take away too much wood to relieve the bolt handle.

It just looks like from the photos thats there is a fair bit of wood taken out to relieve that bolt it's tucked in there pretty tight and neat and with the trigger well behind it there seems like there cant be a lot of wood there behind it

I may never cause a weakness, but just an observation from what I've been told......

regards
S&F

Bryan,

To say so far so good would be an understatement! Your rifle is shaping up to be fantasic!

I am interested to know how many down the rifle will hold and a little more about the "twin".

Please post more pics as progress is made...I would love to see a profile of the entire rifle.

It just looks great!

Best,

jjs

Too bad you couldn't afford someone good to build it. what color do you plan on painting it?

quote:

Originally posted by 458Win:
Too bad you couldn't afford someone good to build it. what color do you plan on painting it?

Beautyful is a severe understatement...

Thanks for the comments!

jjs - The rifle will hold three down and fully loaded it will weigh 10 1/2 lbs. The twin rifle is a .505 Gibbs on a H&W action, and it has been to Africa this past summer with another of D'Arcy's clients. The gun is back for checkering.

In addition to the H&W action D'Arcy made some improvements by building a new mag. assembly, bottom metal and bolt stop.

Bryan

quote:

Originally posted by 458Win:
Too bad you couldn't afford someone good to build it. what color do you plan on painting it?

Now thats funny!!!!

Bryan, I remember when 500grains posted pictures of the stock blank you selected. If I remember correctly they were photographed in the back of a pickup or something...anyway, that is a top tier peice of wood in my opinion. Congrats on your new rifle. What is the barrel length??

Maxbear,

That is the same piece of wood from the back of my pickup, and it is very dense piece. I wish I could find more blanks like that one in the back of my pickup . I purchased it from Wineland Walnut.

The barrel length is 22".

Bryan

Buffalo,

Once the rifle is fully engraved I'll decide on the appropriate camo pattern to bring out the rifles beauty.

Bryan

Very nice.

Beautiful!

I sent a pair of unfinished Heym Magnum Mausers to Duane Wiebe last week for completion. Should wind up as a very similar pair, in 505 Gibbs and 416 Rigby.

Man, I need to expand my repertoire. Thanks for sharing!

I'm adding a video of me firing the rifle at the range.

Hi Brian W,

Very nice rifles indeed.
What brand of ammunition do you use?

The brass is from Horneber, the load shot in the video is 101 gr of R-15 + 6 gr of Dacron filler pushing a 525 gr Woodleigh at 2150 fps.

Obviously the round has more potential, but this was a great starting point.

Very nice looking rifle and I'm sure equally functional.

My load is 123 of R22 behind a 525 Woodleigh.

22WRF: It never looks as bad as it feels

quote:

Originally posted by Bryan W:
The brass is from Horneber, the load shot in the video is 101 gr of R-15 + 6 gr of Dacron filler pushing a 525 gr Woodleigh at 2150 fps.

Obviously the round has more potential, but this was a great starting point.

Probably enough power anyway!
I use Norma African PH ammunition, 600 grain Woodleighs. Don't need more

However, the barrel on my rifle is 25".