SKB, The Gibbs is indeed tops for elegance. One rifle I wish I'd never sold is a Gibbs 500 3" mint in the original case. Oh well. As for the side hammers, when young, I lusted for a Sharps. I couldn't afford a good one, and so I ended up buying an Alex Henry. It was an eye-opening experience. The Henry handled like a rifle you could actually carry and hunt with. You didn't need a mule-drawn wagon to haul it. I'd rate the 1885 Winchesters up there among the all-time top tier.
Cased Gibbs sporting rifles are extremely rare, I have only encountered a handful. I do have a best quality Gibbs action laying on the bench that will become a .303 sporter along with a spectacular stick of thin shell.
Hard to beat a nice Henry single. I do not own one at the moment but I will....
