My Ferlach Custom .505 Gibbs

[Lowdi]

Good evening,

A little over two years ago, I decided to order a custom 98 rifle built to my specifications. In the years before that, I had the opportunity to test various calibers (.375 H&H – .577 NE) as well in person, and I eventually settled on the .505 Gibbs, as it offered the best compromise between recoil and rifle weight for me. I found the .500 Jeffery unpleasant in terms of recoil, which ultimately led me to choose the .505 Gibbs. Through an inactive firearms dealer in Germany, I was then connected with the manufacturer in Ferlach who was building the rifle for me today according to the specifications listed below:

• Caliber .505 Gibbs
• FZH Magnum action
• 3 cartridges in the magazine
• High-gloss blued barrel
• Fixed 50-yard rear sight in gold and flip-up 100-yard leaf in gold with gold line
• Heavy barrel
• Trigger in gold color
• Color case-hardened action
• Rigby-style sighting system
• Safety with “F” inlaid in gold
• Red recoil pad
• Fore-end tip made of horn
• High-gloss stock finish
• Checkering with matching fleur-de-lis pattern
• Ammunition Labor für Ballistics

These are the basic key points that set everything in motion. Now, here is the series of images from the beginning to today. The rifle was completed in the summer of 2025.

I hope some of you find it interesting, and of course taste and details are always debatable. The rifle reflects my idea of a big game gun, and I am now having it built accordingly.

Have a nice evening,
Achim

 

[Lowdi]

Pictures part 2

 

[jcs271]

Well it's actually morning here in Montana

But that looks like an incredibly well thought out Safari rifle. It certainly appears they are giving it the requisite attention to quality that will give you many years of reliable service and happiness. Congratulations.

 

[Aaron N]

Beautiful rifle! Can’t wait to see the finished product.

 

[DieJager]

Promising start, looks good.

 

[Hunter-Habib]

It looks horrible. I’ll liberate you from having to look at such an ugly gun…

By offering you $800 to sell it to me.

I’ll treasure it forever… I mean I’ll bear the burden of having to own it forever.

 

[Schroeder]

Congratulations, that will be a very special rifle.
I was very fortunate to have the opportunity to visit and tour two, of the Ferlach craftsmen in 2017, Johann Fanzoj, and Karl Hauptmann. I met the owners of both and spent half a day with them. The standard that the Ferlach gunmakers build to is absolutely amazing. In fact the whole town lives and breathes fine gunmaking, as many of them support the gunmakers in one way or another. I don’t think you can buy a better made firearm anywhere in the world.
Congratulations.

 

[Pheroze]

I absolutely love this! It’s a wonderful project and I hope you get to take her on safari soon.

 

[Lowdi]

Pictures Part 3

 

[Josh P]

Lovely!

 

[Pheroze]

An absolute beauty

 

[cajunchefray]

A proper rifle! Thanks for sharing.
Any idea of estimated delivery time?

 

[Lowdi]

@cajunchefray the delivery time was around 14 month. It was completed in Mai 2025

Some pics of the blueing process and stock finish

 

[analog_peninsula]

$800 is too low! I’ll step the offer up to $815.

 

[Hunter-Habib]

$800 is too low! I’ll step the offer up to $815.

I'll step it up a notch.
$850 and as current Inspector General Of Forests, I'll throw in a free Royal Bengal tiger hunt. Just don't tell the cops.

 

[alby]

Stunning!

 

[Grumpy gumpy]

That is lovely, I hope it gives you as much enjoyment to use as it gives us pleasure to admire
Gumpy

 

[Aaron N]

Can I ask why you didn’t get the barrel machined with the sights, quarter rib, and barrel band all integrated?

 

[sniper7]

Wow that is gorgeous!

 

[Jefferry404]

Wow, those full tangs are making me the sin of jealousy!
Outstanding and my favorite caliber.
The tails on the qrib and front base are nice, particularly the depth of the arcs on top.
@Aaron N
I sure you know that Matrix will be up and machining integral barrels around January with a couple of new designs!