For something like a .30 Gibbs, handloading is a must. It takes time, effort, and expense to work up a good load or loads. I can't imagine what someone would charge to buy or form brass and components then do the load workup using your rifle. Could be a good bit of work, but quite enjoyable for some.
.30 Gibbs
- Thread starter philip Armour
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philip Armour
Active Member
Gonna pick it up this afternoon. The seller's pictures are not very good but good enough to know how beautiful it is.
philip Armour
Active Member
I have already spoken with several Great people who are going to help me with this journey. I'm excited about it. Right now I'm doing a lot of listening.
30 Gibbs brass may be hard to find, but there are a few ways to make suitable brass. One is the false shoulder method, which is an expanded neck above 30 cal and then partial resized to 30 cal that allows for a tight fit into your chamber. Load with a standard 30-06 load data and fire form.
Another way is to use standard unfired 30-06 or 280 brass with the bullet seated out to tightly engage the rifling. Typically, for my old 270 Gibbs, I would apply a crimp to bullet to help prevent the case from moving forward under the firing pin strike. I and others have had decent success using this method, but I went to using 280 brass with a partial neck size to 270.
If you use the long seated bullet method for fire forming, I would recommend 280 brass resized to 30 cal, for standard 30-06 brass is a little short in he neck after the fire forming process.
For dies to load your new formed brass, you can use a 300WM neck sizer or Lee collet die and usually, the standard 30-06 Bullet Seater will suffice. Once the brass becomes too tight to chamber easily, you can simply discard the brass for new fire formed. Depending on load, chamber etc, you should get about 3-4 loads from each new brass before the body becomes too tight. If desired, you can then buy a 30 Gibbs resizing die, but brass is rather cheap and plentiful to make new cases.
Another way is to use standard unfired 30-06 or 280 brass with the bullet seated out to tightly engage the rifling. Typically, for my old 270 Gibbs, I would apply a crimp to bullet to help prevent the case from moving forward under the firing pin strike. I and others have had decent success using this method, but I went to using 280 brass with a partial neck size to 270.
If you use the long seated bullet method for fire forming, I would recommend 280 brass resized to 30 cal, for standard 30-06 brass is a little short in he neck after the fire forming process.
For dies to load your new formed brass, you can use a 300WM neck sizer or Lee collet die and usually, the standard 30-06 Bullet Seater will suffice. Once the brass becomes too tight to chamber easily, you can simply discard the brass for new fire formed. Depending on load, chamber etc, you should get about 3-4 loads from each new brass before the body becomes too tight. If desired, you can then buy a 30 Gibbs resizing die, but brass is rather cheap and plentiful to make new cases.
HRM Johnny
Well-Known Member
I second the motion for a picture of the rifle.
Sneuses
Well-Known Member
Let's see that bad lad
philip Armour
Active Member
Thank you, so much. Everyone is being so helpful.
D
Deleted member 115654
Guest
I am hardly a computer maven and it took me ONE minute to find the info I passed along.
D
Deleted member 115654
Guest
Wildcat Cartridges by Zeglin is available on Amazon and has a whole chapter on Gibbs.
philip Armour
Active Member
D
Deleted member 115654
Guest
That's a BEAUTY, represents the best of the "California" look.
25WSM
Well-Known Member
That cartridge is going to be a total pia. So just send that rifle to me and I will assume all the frustration for you. 
Shep
Shep
