Thought I would share my new rifle with you guys.

Very nice. What caliber and what is the little gizmo inletted in the stock just aft of the pistol grip?

It is chambered in 6.5 Dutch Mannlicher. 6.5X53R by another name.
The dial is for a tangent sight that originally retracted down into the comb of the stock. The staff is missing and a piece of wood has been placed in the stock.
Only two other Gibbs Farquharsons are known to have this type of sighting device.

I'm envious, that is a really nice piece. By the way, if you had taken your outdoor photos yesterday or today, you would have had a much greater contrast with the rifle on a white background.

quote:

Originally posted by Hollis Perkins:
I'm envious, that is a really nice piece. By the way, if you had taken your outdoor photos yesterday or today, you would have had a much greater contrast with the rifle on a white background.

No kidding. Sounds like I may have another chance in the next week. We had a record low on Tuesday. 7deg.

Congrats on a great rifle.

Beautiful congratulations! What kind of groups are you getting? Are you using the 160gr bullet?

Beautiful rifle.

quote:

Originally posted by Matabele:
Beautiful congratulations! What kind of groups are you getting? Are you using the 160gr bullet?

I do have some 160gr round nose Hornadays but haven't been to the range with it yet. I just got my dies (6.5X54) yesterday.
Any suggestions on loads?

I will check my notes and get back to you, RL-22 will likely be a good choice.

Huvius, that's a beautiful Farquharson, and what a classic caliber. I have a Dutch M95 action just waiting to come back to life as a ".256 Mannlicher" as the Brits called them.

quote:

Originally posted by Huvius:

quote:

Originally posted by Matabele:
Beautiful congratulations! What kind of groups are you getting? Are you using the 160gr bullet?

I do have some 160gr round nose Hornadays but haven't been to the range with it yet. I just got my dies (6.5X54) yesterday.
Any suggestions on loads?

With the 160s, I would start at 39 grains of RL-22 and work up. 41 grains should be a good load. With RL-15, I would start at around 33 grains.

Just looked up Ken Waters' Pet Loads write up on the 6.5X54, and he liked H4350 as the best powder -- but that was before many of the Reloder series powders were available.

That's a gorgeous little rifle.

that's prettier than Fjold's avatar...

quote:

Originally posted by Idaho Sharpshooter:
that's prettier than Fjold's avatar...

The avatar is a double. This is a single. No comparison . I'd rather fondle the former !

Um, nothing is prettier than Fjold's avatar, Rich! But this is close.
Boomie, you're killing me.

Truth be known; I'm just Boomie's straight man.

Ask me who's on first...

Huvius, you may already know this, but I believe you have the second to last Gibbs-Farquharson ever made.

My references indicate that it is a Style "C" sporting rifle that was made in 1910, and delivered on 8 September of that year to a Reginald Corbett. The stock appears to have been altered. The slot in the comb for the elevating rear sight has been filled, and it appears that the pistol grip has been shortened (it originally had to be deeper in order to hold the rear sight when it was lowered).

The only other Gibbs-Farquharson known to have that rear sight is the last one made, a very similar sporting rifle in the same caliber delivered to a W.A. Dewhurst on the same September day in 1910.

I believe that the caliber of your rifle is .256 Romanian, a/k/a 6.5x53mm Rimmed Dutch Mannlicher, a/k/a 6.5x53mm Rimmed, a/k/a .256 Flanged.

See The British Falling Block Breechloading Rifle from 1865, Kirton, Jonathan G. (R&R Books, Livonia, New York, 1997, 2nd Edition), pp. 113, 139 and 147; and see also British Single Shot Rifles, Volume 2, Winfer, Walter G. (R&R Books, Maynardville, Tennessee, 1998), pp. 48 and 139.

Congratulations on a great acquisition. The rifle looks to be in excellent shape. How is the bore? Early nitro powders were rough on bores, especially small bores. Hope it is fine, and glad to know you will be shooting this rifle.

Mike,
Actually, this is #971.
#973 & #974, the last two made, also have this sight but 974 is the only one with the staff still intact.
I don't think that the grip has been shortened but that is a possibility. My thought is that this could be the first Gibbs with the retractable sight and it was found that the staff did not have enough height to be useful so was removed and a filler block put in.
Then, the last two had the deeper grip to accommodate a longer staff.
Will never know. I have a copy of the ledger page too. This one was made for George Dewhurst. A totally different Dewhurst from the other but maybe a relation.

Very interesting, Huvius! Thanks for the information. Great rifle! Please let us know how she shoots.

I really love that rifle. It has been an inspiration for so many recent makes, and the action just lives on and on.

Congratulations on owning a real piece of history. Enjoy.

Lovely rifle!

Anyone who does not love that Farkie does not deserve to be a gun owner!

A beauty!

Ben,
You need to bring that one over to the shop so I can oogle it in person
Also that Martini to color

quote:

Originally posted by michaelj:
Ben,
You need to bring that one over to the shop so I can oogle it in person
Also that Martini to color

Will do that.
Will have something else of interest pretty soon too

Your killing me. I look forward to it

She is soo pretty! Congrats !