Hey all, I am curious, from say 1900-1970, what would you say the most common or the "quintessential" dobule rifle chambering was? I am just curious, since before I came here I thought it was 470 Nitro, after being on the forums I hear other things talked about more often.

And one more thing, the 450/400, is that American style with it being a 400 necked to 45, or British which I think I heard once went basswards (ass backwards) and put the bullet diameter After the case info. ?

thanks everyone.

Red

9,3x74R

Actually it is very "British"! A 450 necked to either .408 or .411.

The 450/400 3 1/4 started life at a PB round and later changed to a Cordite round. As I remember it was called the "Magnum"?

The 450/400 3 inch, aka "400 Jeffery", has always been a "Nitro" round.

I own a 450/400 3 inch. For my type of hunting it's great! The recoil won't beat you up. Small enough to use on a variety of game and big enough to swat anything that pops up out of the bush. The long 400 grain bullet penetrates well.

For a NIB 450/400 3 inch, look at the Searcy.
Proper 26" barrels in a .411 caliber at 60 Cord velocities, 2150 FPS.

Most popular round I'd say would be the 470. Lots of continental doubles around chambered in 9.3X74R. The double in 9.3 is like pointing a fine .410 double shotgun! Merkel makes a nice 9.3 double.

I'd bet, in Africa, it was the 450NE or the 470. The first one started it all and the second one provided the peformance of the 450 NE while avoiding the 45 cal ban in India and the Sudan. I'm sure many of the 45's ended up in Southern Africa where they were legal and most useful.

JPK

Why was the 45 cal banned in india and sudan?

quote:

Why was the 45 cal banned in india and sudan?

It was the caliber that was used by rebels in their rifles, if I remember correctly.

It was banned because it was also the caliber of the British service rifle in .577-450, and HRM Queen Victoria didn't want cartridge components floating around these restless colonies that the locals might somehow adapt to make any captured service rifles useful against the interests of the crown.

quote:

Originally posted by Dago Red:
Hey all, I am curious, from say 1900-1970, what would you say the most common or the "quintessential" dobule rifle chambering was? I am just curious, since before I came here I thought it was 470 Nitro, after being on the forums I hear other things talked about more often.

And one more thing, the 450/400, is that American style with it being a 400 necked to 45, or British which I think I heard once went basswards (ass backwards) and put the bullet diameter After the case info. ?

thanks everyone.

Red

Dego Red, in that period 1900-1970 It would likely be the 450NE 3 1/4" in Africa, except for the SUDAN, where it was illegal to own a .458 dia rifle! The rebels would steal the ammo, and pull the bullets, and use the cordite to reload their 577/450 Martinis. In 1909 the ban was made into law in the Sudan, and India. The 470NE, 465NE, and the like were the result of salveging the very expencive double rifles, by re-boreing them, and re-regulating them, to larger bullet dia. Usually useing the same case, or a slightly larger one, so chambering them would avoid haveing to make a new barrel set for the rifle.

In the period from 1900 to about 1915, the 500NE, and 577NE were very common in Elephant country. However, the 450/400NE, both 3", and 3 1/4" were pressed into service in the Sudan, and India, as well as southern, and east Africa. IMO, the 470NE, and others like them didn't take hold in Africa till about 1920, and even then the 450/400NE , and 500/450NE, 450NE 3 1/4" , still out numbered the 470NE. I think the reason the 470NE was selected to be most popular was when ammo for the others started to dwendle, and the 470NE was still pleantiful. Then Americans took a likeing to this chambering, and were clammering for factory ammo for it. The ammo makers responded for it first! Today you will pay a premium for a double is chambered for 470NE, when another rifle chambered for a 450NE 3 1/4" is even in better condition. It is false ecconomy, because the 450NE 3 1/4" will do anything the 470NE will do, with slightly less recoil, and in a lighter rifle! I personally would rather have the 450NE 3 1/4", or a 500-450NE than the 470NE. I have owned all three, and my favorite of the three is the 450NE 3 1/4".

Today there is no question it is the 470NE that is the fair haired boy of the double rifle clan! I personally would rather have a 9 lb 26" barreled 450/400 3" than any other chambering if I could have only one double rifle for everything.

In Europe, the 9.3X74R RULES, and they are not uncommon in Southern Africa! The 9.3X74R is the most versitile double rifle when you take the whole world into your hunting field, and is only VERY light for Buffalo, and ELEPHANT. For everything else, in most countries, it will handle anything they have quite well! There have probably been more double rifles made in the 9.3 chambering than any other chambering anywhere! The 9.3 is like the 30-06 of Europe, and they are every place!

I can't prove any of the above, and it is simply my opinion!

An O/U FERLACH sidelock in 9.3x74 is pure ELEGANCE. Add a second barrel set in 30R blaser, and for NON-DANGEROUS game this may be the PERFECT SPORTING RIFLE.