Anybody have any hands on experience with these Pedersoli double rifles? I know they wont be the quality of a fine "tens of thousands of dollars" masterpiece, but I don't have the budget for anything like that.

I just love the original Colt doubles, but again that's just a pipe dream. I know that was the inspiration for these Pedersoli doubles. I have heard that some shoot really well, and some shoot bloody awful. My understanding is the early ones weren't very good, and the sights were awful, but the later ones were much better? Anybody have any first hand knowledge of these? What are they officially regulated for? An old 405gr wild west load or something more potent?

Any known functional issues? One post I read somewhere talked about the hammers lacking the force to properly strike and ignite the cartridges' primer?

I've wanted one of these since they came out, but until now never really had the spare funding to consider one seriously.

Love to hear some experiences and opinions.
Thanks folks.

I have seen several, handled some, and shot a few. No problems with anything. For a low priced double they are far better than some Sabattis I have seen and shot. One thing I like is to lengthen the chamber from .45-70 to .45-90 or ven .45-120. Action is strong enough but regualtion will be needed.

handled one... bulky, separate sights for each barrel.... the remington /baikal 45/70's can be had for under $1k... seen several for $7-800 in the last couple yrs... i paid $1 k for mine, regulated it in 20 minutes...

I don't think they are actually regulated like we know; they are brazed together in a fixture, which, as we all know, does not always result in good regulation.
They are nice rifles though.
I have also owned three Baikals, two 30-06 and one 45-70; by far the most accurate DR on the market; because you can adjust them. I have no problem with one inch L/R holes at 50 yards. Also the ugliest, which is why I restock them.
I just tested my 54 cal Kodiak, also made by Pedersoli, yesterday. Those are not regulated at all, came with two sights. It shot 2.25 inch groups at 50 yards with each barrel's bullet holes, always touching. With a Leupold Pig scope.
Get one of each and go from there.

i also have rhe Baikal 30-06.... shoots anything from 150; to 180's in the same 2 hole.... action is stiff, both of my baikals have scopes.... scope was easy, 30-06 no regulation at all...

quote:

It shot 2.25 inch groups at 50 yards with each barrel's bullet holes, always touching. With a Leupold Pig scope.

as stated by DPDC.

Sounds like the same scope as on my Beretta .45-70 and the same 50 yard group size with my handloaded 350 and 400 grain bullets!Time for pig hunting.

On this Pedersoli, tell more about the sights, a different sight for each barrel?

I'm looking at a later one, and it has what I thought was a multiple fold up leaf sight array which I assumed was for different distances, 100, 200, 300 or whatever they are.

Are you saying one uses one leaf for right barrel, and a different leaf for the left barrel?

I'm talking about the Pedersoli, Kodiak muzzle loader DRs, as I said, my 54 cal Kodiak. Which is a muzzle loader. The old straight grip models came with two sights, and they started making them in about 1975.
Not talking doubt the later pistol grip ones, nor the breech loaders. There is no 54 caliber breech loader made by Pedersoli, or anyone else. My reference and comparison is to explain that Pedersoli quality is good. For production items; they are not hand made. But they don't cost $15K either. I don't know what the price on them is now; used to be $2k; however, there are some good deals on DRs now; all the guys who like them are getting too old and young guys. don't want them. Buckstix just had a vintage one sell for half price (7K) in the RIA auction.
Also, as I said, just get one and shoot it; only way to see and experience them.

I bought one before the huge price increase. It was beautiful, and it shot very accurately. I believe the bores were pretty much parallel vs regulated at a distance, b/c 50 and 100 groups from each barrel were very similar.

It was very heavy, though. This and the relatively low recoil caliber may explain the regulation.

I traded it and a bunch of other guns on my Merkel 470. I do miss the external hammers.

quote:

Originally posted by cal pappas:
I have seen several, handled some, and shot a few. No problems with anything. For a low priced double they are far better than some Sabattis I have seen and shot. One thing I like is to lengthen the chamber from .45-70 to .45-90 or ven .45-120. Action is strong enough but regualtion will be needed.

Cal, I have one numbered in the first 100 made, and it shot a tight four shot pattern at 100 yds two from each barrel with factory ammo. That being said, that changed drastically when I had it rechambered for the wildcat 458 RCBS. Now it will just stay on one side of a large barn.

I have been thinking about cutting the barrels off just past the chambers and have JJ to stub in a pair of barrels chambered for 450-400 and regulated properly because I simply love this rifle, and the screwup is my fault.
..................................... MacD37

Few years back, had a Trail Armory version with browned barrels and single sight. Shot great, terrific regulation 8x57 JRS. Loved to shoot it, hated carrying it. Weight was about right for a 500 Nitro...
Rick

The only one I shot was a .450 BPE regulated with a traditional sight by jack haugh.

Worked great, non rebounding hammers are a deal breaker for me.

Have one that I bought new in 2009. Shoots great. I had to go down in bullet weight to find a load that regulated past 75 yards, but with the 325 FTX at 2085fps it gives me 2" groups with 4 shots at 100 yards, and about 3.5"-4" at 150 with barrels crossing. With the iron sights, I haven't shot any farther than 150.
Looking to see if I can get a 350gr load to regulate as well, but I ran out of bullets in that weight until just recently. Plan on working on that in a few weeks.
Contemplating the rechambering to 45-90, or 450NE #2, but still on the fence.
Weight on mine is just over 10#.
I haven't seen a used one available for a long time. I think they are listed around $5k new these days, if you can find one. Good luck! They are fun to shoot! So far, mine has only taken javelina and pigs, but one of these days I'll pack it for an elk or deer.

I have a friend here in Kentucky who has one chambered in .450 black powder express, that then had the chamber lengthen to 450 nitro express by Jack haugh . It is for sale and I would be happy to put any interested parties in contact with my friend, he is a fine gentlemen.