Does anyone here have a .30 gibbs or a 30-06 ackley improved rifle? Is it worth the trouble? What are problems you have run into with these cartridges? This question is not because I believe the 30-06 is lacking just currios. Thanks.

Feb 2006 Shooting Times has an indepth artical onthis 3 way comparison.The 30-06 AI is the way to go if you must as you can shoot regular 30-06 ammo from it and reload the brass.The Gibbs is a bit more of a P in the A to form cases.None approach 300 mag velocities.Case capacities [win brass]were70.1gr for 30-06,73gr for the AI and 76.3gr in the Gibbs filled with H2O from a syringe.A 66fps veolcity gain with the AI over the 30-06 and 104fps gain in the Gibbs over the 30-06.I have data if you like.................Harold

IMO, there is not enough of a difference between theAI version over the standard .30/'06 to justify the cost of rechambering. (Many will argue with this, of course!!) However, the .30 Gibbs is another proposition entirely! But first, just for the record, let me state that the Gibbs line of cartidge (great, much-maligned and overlooked cartridges!!) ARE a pain-a lot of work, and should only be fooled withby people that really enjoy working with rifles and cartridge-people who enjoy handloading and chronographing ammo, who are looking for real performance.

You cannot SAFELY fire standard ammo in a Gibbs chamber, like you can with an AI chamber. You MUST neck the brass up ro .338" or .35 caliber first, then neck part of the neck (first 0.25" of it) back down with the die adjusted to give a "false shoulder" for a real "feel" when closing the bolt, so headspace is correct before you fireform the case. After that chore, however, you will be rewarded with a rifle that will at least equal if not surpass the performanc level of rounds like the .300 WSM! For example, a .30 Gibbs with a 26" barrel will fire a 180 grain bullet at almost3100 FPS, and come very close to 2900 with a 200-grain bullet.

I've never had a .30 Gibbs. But I once had a 6.5 Gibbs, and it was nearly equal to the .264 Win. Mag., using 10 grains less powder! If I ever do another Gibbs, it will be the .338 Gibbs.

All Gibbs cartridges are identical-same case, different neck diameters. cases have necks 0.25" long, and 35-degree shoulders.

30 Gibbs

One of my shooting buddies had an 06 opened out to the Ackley Improved. Waste of time and money for the most part. The Gibbs would be a waste of time and money on steroids. Anyone with a 30/06 and they feel they just gotta have more power, the simple, straight forward solution is to pick up whatever 30 cal magnum turns you on.

P.O. Ackley was famous for a lot of things. One of his claims to fame was always telling the truth about cartridges. P.O. said the majority of "improved designs" were worthless or very near to it........and he included many of his own in this category as well.

The 30/06AI was one of the few he said a shooter did gain a little extra for their investment....but only with the heavier bullets. I wouldn't consider ANY 'improved" cartridge that I couldn't build my cases by simply fire forming them.

Pioneer and eldeguello

Thanks that is the kind of information I was looking for. There is not very much information on the gibbs cartridges. I am interested in all cartridges and its always good to hear from someone who has experience with them. Thanksagain.

To Savagescout---Now for whats it worth a friend of mine
had a Ruger in 30-06 that did not shot worth a hill of beans.
He rechambered it himself to the 30 Gibbs and this rifle
came to life then..I seen it shoot and shot it myself..
Now we were only shooting out to 300 yards with it and
it was a big improvement accuracy wize...
I am sure he would be willing to tell you about it if your
interested in it..I can give you his number and you can
call him some night..Just let me know....

johnny2

Thanks for the offer not quite ready to start a project. That is interesting (improved accuracy) I have an unlce who rechammbered a fairly new .222 remington to .223 and it became a tack driver when his .222 was just so so. Thanks for the responses.

If you consider playing with cartridges and loads, and fooling around with such things to determine what's possible and to learn something new to be a waste of time, then you are correct. It sure is much simpler to just buy whatever the factories want to offer.

BUT that sure ain't near as much fun! For example, I use a double rifle in 8X60 RS caliber. Since this cartridge has been off the market ever since the end of WWII, I have to make my own. I use the 7X65R case, and it is even more of a pain to make into 8X60RS cases than to make an '06 into a .30 Gibbs. But to me, it is fun! Partricularly when I can fire six rounds at 100 metersinto a 2.5" group, R-L, R-L, R-L with 200-grain Nosler Partition bullets at 2620 FPS from a rifle that was made before 1912.......

Yes please!!! i just recently acquired a benchrest .30 gibbs, the dies and 60 fire formed cases!