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Classic Arms Corporation .505 Gibbs Bolt Action Rifle (No. 5)  The story I have heard goes like this: Classic Arms Corporation of Palo Alto, CA was established in 1980 by a very discriminating patron of the gun trade named Lloyd Chiswick. Mr. Chiswick had an extensive history of having fine guns made, dating back to the 1960’s. With Classic Firearms Corporation, he commissioned the best gun makers of that era to produce rifles to his tastes and standards.  This rifle, completed about 1980, was built on an original Oberndorf Mauser Single Square Bridge Magnum length action with both the traditional flag safety and a second tang mounted “stalking” safety. Straddle floor plate has an inside the bow release and a drop belly magazine allowing for the bolt to close over 3 rounds. The metal work was done by Jasper Rayburn (a long since retired metalsmith).The rifle has a 26” Krieger match grade barrel with cut riffling, that is appropriately heavy but with a very nice taper giving the rifle a very racy look. The quarter rib is hand filed and has a one standing Express sight and three folding leaves (50, 100, 150, 200 yds) and a banded/hooded front sight with a flip up night sight and removeable sight hood. There is barrel mounted banded front sling swivel. The metal work  The rifle was stocked by ACGG founding member Gary Goudy in a highly figured Turkish walnut stock with the figure running straight through the wrist. The stock has a right hand beaded cheekpiece and a 14 3/8” LOP over a leather recoil pad, the traditional steel recoil bar and drop belly shape over the magazine and ebony forend tip. The checkering is superbly cut by Mr. Goudy in a point pattern with mullered borders and a full wrap on the forearm. The stock also features a horizontal peak shaped into the side of the rifle from the magazine to the hand of the grip; a difficult feature to do well and found on only the Best handmade guns. The stock's shape allows for easy use of the sights without having to bury your cheek into the comb and also has an open pistol grip shape which allows a bit more room for the knuckles. The longer LOP has a wider butt that helps dissipate recoil over a wider area on the shoulder. Finally, the stock has a very rich hand rubbed oil finish and a single, handmade “barrel” rear sling swivel.

The metal is rust blued save for a fire blued extractor and bolt release. The trigger is checkered. The massive floor plate has a polished vignette engraved in a Bulino style featuring a bull elephant and a lone acacia tree, done by Lee Griffiths and signed on the front edge of the floor plate. The rest of the floor plate, trigger bow, grip cap, recoil bar and action screws are engraved in a tasteful scroll pattern. The bolt knob has three checkered panels and the top of the action’s front ring is also hand filed, matching the quarter rib. The top of the barrel is engraved: “Classic Arms Corporation Palo Alto, CA No. 5”. Finally, the rifle is cased in a handmade, full length, oak and leather, fitted case by Ray Sterck with a lightweight royal blue canvas zippered travel cover. The case has a brass disk engraved with the maker’s name and numbered to the rifle. Included in the case is a leather sling with Super Grade sling swivels and handmade accoutrements by Ray Lozito featuring a horn handle cleaning rod and fire blued oil pot and grease jar. The rifle, case and accoutrements remain in superb condition shows a few small handling marks, most likely done in a gun safe, but shows little to no signs of ever being shot. Classic Arms Corporation Palo Alto, CA is a little-known experiment in gunmaking history that is producing exceptional examples of Best Quality American made rifles.

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