505 Gibbs on a GMA Action for Sale

[Big_Easy]

505 Gibbs built on a Granite Mountain Arms (GMA) M98 African Mauser Action.

25” barrel with a bore that is excellent and is shiny with sharp rifling.

The barrel is fitted with a ramped beaded blade front and four leaf (one standing, three folding) rear sight on the raised quarter rib.

The action is marked on the left side with “Granite Mt Arms Prescott AZ”

The barrel is marked on the left side “505 Gibbs”.

Mounted in a beautifully figured checkered walnut stock, contrasted forend, blued compartment grip cap, solid red rubber recoil pad, and excellent checkering.

LOP is about 14-3/8.

Very Low serial number: 011X.

Excellent overall rating, probably 99%+ original blue finish with limited handling marks; three marks, one above trigger, and two small areas on the cheekpiece.

Asking $13,500, shipping included.

 

[krish]

GMA is a great action. Very nice rifle.
GLws.
Krish

 

[uplander01]

Very nice. The first 100 or so Fred Wells did a lot of the action work. Nice that it's a double square bridge, could be machined for Talley Rings. These rifles truly are something special, don't think they get enough street credit. Everything from start to finish on that rifle was made for the 505, including the 1 piece machined magazine box/bottom metal.

 

[John Telford]

If it’s a genuine Africa Magnum Mauser i.e. Vektor action then the asking price is too little!
Would love to own this gun.

 

[krish]

Here is my GMA ACTION. Contemplating to build a 505 gibbs or 550 magnum or a 450 Rigby.

Ktish.

 

[Jefferry404]

@Big_Easy
If there is no builder’s name on the barrel, then mostly likely you have a very nice, early GMA rifle smithed by Joe Smithson and with an original GMA integral barrel, machined for only a short time.
Lovely rifle.
Steve

 

[Wildwillalaska]

This is a gorgeous rifle. Hope someone jumps on it and quick to relieve the torture. I’ve continued lusting over a 450 Rigby or 505 Gibbs for a while. Ultimately just this week talked myself into exploring the double side of life, or would be all over this beauty. Good luck with the sale.

 

[uplander01]

Here is my GMA ACTION. Contemplating to build a 505 gibbs or 550 magnum or a 450 Rigby.View attachment 693919
Ktish.

A 450 rigby would be quite interesting. It’s been my understanding that the magazine boxes were machined caliber specific, have you checked with Roden as to what it was built for?

 

[Rifleman97]

Here is my GMA ACTION. Contemplating to build a 505 gibbs or 550 magnum or a 450 Rigby.View attachment 693919
Ktish.

450 rigby is .590 bolt face, 505 Gibbs is .640 I believe? What bolt face do you have on that action?

 

[krish]

A 450 rigby would be quite interesting. It’s been my understanding that the magazine boxes were machined caliber specific, have you checked with Roden as to what it was built for?

It has a bolt face of .590. But fits 505 gibs in the magazine with no problem. How ever I will double check weather it could handle 505. If not the chices are 450 Rigby or .550 Magnum which uses 460 wby brass. 550 magnum can also be built on 505 gibbs brass.
Krish.

 

[uplander01]

It has a bolt face of .590. But fits 505 gibs in the magazine with no problem. How ever I will double check weather it could handle 505. If not the chices are 450 Rigby or .550 Magnum which uses 460 wby brass. 550 magnum can also be built on 505 gibbs

 

[uplander01]

My money would say that was built for 416 rigby, which would make 450 rigby easy to do, inside magazine box I think are machined caliber specific.

 

[krish]

My money would say that was built for 416 rigby, which would make 450 rigby easy to do, inside magazine box I think are machined caliber specific.

@uplander01
I think you are right. It takes 3 505 gibbs or
4 of 450 rigby cartridges. The bolt face is .590. The bolt face could be opened up (possible).
Krish

 

[Rifleman97]

@uplander01
I think you are right. It takes 3 505 gibbs or
4 of 450 rigby cartridges. The bolt face is .590. The bolt face could be opened up (possible).
Krish

It would probably handle 505 if the bolt diameter is .750 or larger with an opened up bolt face. Magazine will fit 3 fine but you’d probably want to either get a different, or modify your current follower.

Sounds like it was built for 416 rigby, although 416 and 450 should feed identically from the same follower.

I’ll stop dirtying this thread now, good luck with sale OP, awesome rifle

 

[Monski]

Top of the line 505 Gibbs. Good luck with sale!

 

[Big_Easy]

Top of the line 505 Gibbs. Good luck with sale!

Update on the rifle:

I called GMA and heard back from Mike, formerly of GMA and he was able to tell me that the action was shipped to Wesley Richard's on April 12th, 2000. I contacted them and unfortunately they moved their factory and said all of their older paperwork was tossed in the move. They also said that no one there currently was working there in 2000. They did mention that if it was officially done in their factory it would have a serial number and/or their name on it. They indicated that the action was probably requested by a customer and finished by someone else, just that the action was imported through them. Or it was an employee that worked on something as a side project. Either way it looks like that may be a dead end, unless someone on here knows a former employee from there?

It also appears to be an integral quarter rib on the barrel.

 

[Big_Easy]

Price drop to $12,500.

 

[JPmbogo]

Update on the rifle:

I called GMA and heard back from Mike, formerly of GMA and he was able to tell me that the action was shipped to Wesley Richard's on April 12th, 2000. I contacted them and unfortunately they moved their factory and said all of their older paperwork was tossed in the move. They also said that no one there currently was working there in 2000. They did mention that if it was officially done in their factory it would have a serial number and/or their name on it. They indicated that the action was probably requested by a customer and finished by someone else, just that the action was imported through them. Or it was an employee that worked on something as a side project. Either way it looks like that may be a dead end, unless someone on here knows a former employee from there?

It also appears to be an integral quarter rib on the barrel.

That's unfortunate news about WR records. I purchased a vintage 470 double (1914) a few years back. At that time you could contact them and get a letter of authenticity that included build history, etc. - I think it cost $100 USD.