Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Custom Rifles & Wildcats 338 Gibbs?

I’ve been pondering a build lately. Winter after the tags are filled does this to me. I have my Uncles old M700 270 BDL ala 1981. Sorry, nothing wrong with a 270 but I have a 280AI. I’ve been going between the 338-06, 35 Whelen and AI version of both. Not necessarily for velocity gains but more for case life and headspace. Then I came across the 338 Gibbs. What little I read it seems like the Gibbs line are the most maximized use of an’06 case. Not much out there for load data or dies nor who builds a barrel. Where can I get some information? Is a Gibbs a feasible option anymore or is it long gone and basically extinct. Would be willing to give it a run if it’s not too ridiculously expensive for a barrel and dies.

I had some of Gibbs data I got from him in the 60's. Gave it to a friend.. From what I can see, he was way off on the speed he was getting and badly overloaded.. But it is a cool design.. Somewhere in my stuff I have a ,25 Gibbs cartridge.. I think it could be easily made if one wanted that round.. Dies and reamers might be the killer.. Plus I doubt would would greatly surpass the .338/06AI...

Kind of what I thought. I didn’t think it would give any practical advantage over a 338-06 AI. I do like AI’s however but for the loading advantages like case life, etc. I always said I got a 280AI because I like the 280 Remington not because I want a 7 mm Remington Mag. The 338-06 AI looks like my Huckleberry......for now.

The .30/06 on the left and a .30 Gibbs on the right.

I did see much more information on the 30 Gibbs than the 338 as far as load data,dies etc. Also found information on the 338 Scovill/Hawks. Thinking I’ll keep it somewhat simple with the 338-06 AI.

Gotcha!

338 Sherman
Check this out. He offers great support for all of his wildcats.

Another good option is 35 Gibbs. I owned one for quite a few years and really liked how it performed on moose. I was getting approx 2730 fps with 250gr bullets and over 2900 with 225’s with 24” barrel using H4895.

Your #'s mirror mine. I shot the throat out of my 30 Gibbs and JES bored it to 35 Gibbs. It shoots way better than me and runs so close to my (sold) 358 Norma that not noticeable. Part of the joy of owning a gibbs is the fireforming process,, I live on a lake (isolated) and have targets at 300 & 500 YDS AND floating targets galoor.

The 338 Sherman is what I would go with. It will maximize the case just like the Gibbs does.

when I was in business and a customer wanted a gibbs cartridge chambered I used Ray Romain, he was up in north central PA if I remember correctly. he had the series of gibbs reamers and gauges. I didn't want to buy them for one or two guns.

I have a 35 Brown-Whelen. Not quite as extreme as a Gibbs but close. C&H has dies.

Splitting hairs but the 33x280AI is another choice. Not sure moving the shoulder forward is worth the extra steps for me but it does get the most out of an 06 case so worth it to some. The AI doesn't gain as much as the smaller bores but cases will last longer and need less trimming.

I always wanted to try a wildcat on the 30-06 blank case which is pretty close to the Hawk-Scovil. I'm not sure if this is what they use or a 30-03 or a custom case?
But I would be concerned about case availability unless I already stockpiled some.

I like the idea of a 280AI to start with. Neck to and load. Should be very little fire forming needed.

I believe Quickload has all 8 of Rocky's misbegotten wildcats in the database. I load for an 8mm version and it's pretty stout. Eventually I would like to build all 8 of them and work up a load book using QL and a chrony. Sadly I am lacking in both time and budget.