Research Press

Historical Firearms, Long Range Target Shooting & Military History

Index

Thanks to the late Dick Trenk (Pedersoli, USA) for permission to publish these special instructions packed with new Pedersoli Gibbs rifles after late 2006.

Pedersoli Gibbs

Instructions & Advice for Long Range Shooting

Almost all muzzle loading firearms respond differently from one another when the same ammunition components or loading methods is used in them. Careful firing tests on paper targets will show you just what your particular gun likes best. When trying different bullets, powders, lubricants, percussion caps, lead alloys, powder wads and just about anything else, always change only one item or loading process at a time, then fire the gun enough times at your paper target and let the target show you if your one change was for the better or perhaps for the worse.

The Pedersoli Gibbs long range percussion rifle is a replica of the original 1865 target rifle made by the English gunsmith, George Gibbs. His rifles competed against other custom built target rifles of the era and in the right hands it proved capable of beating the costly custom built target rifles of that time. Today, the Pedersoli Gibbs rifle has proven to be the most successful rifle of it’s type and has won most of the Gold medals in international and domestic (US) shooting matches for this type of rifle. The Pedersoli Gibbs rifle holds several NRA of America and international long range records out to 1000 yards as well as records for shorter ranges. The shooters who win with the Gibbs have offered tips and suggestions which will help you to develop accurate long range accuracy for your own Gibbs rifle and this instruction sheet is their way of welcoming new Gibbs shooters to the challenging sport of muzzle loading match competition. Because the Gibbs uses long heavy bullets of the type used in .45 cal. cartridge rifles it is capable of being used for big game hunting at ranges beyond that at which “round ball” rifles can be used.