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450NE#2 and Mac,

Thanks for the posts. Mac, what does the .458 RCBS do ballistically (it was one of Fred Huntington's wildcats, wasn't it)? How is it for pressure, and are you thinking of re-chambering again in .450NE #2 for more speed and energy? Any worries about the new pressure levels on the Pedersoli? How about hunting with a hammergun? What are the loaded safe carrying conditions?
Steve

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SKI1,you are correct, it is one of Fred's wildcats, and it is an easy re-chamber for a single shot, or double rifle that is chambered for 45-70 Gov, because it is simply a long 45-70, with a 2 3/4" case. Mine will push a 400 gr bullet to about 2050 fps with 65.0 grs IMR4064, lr primers, for about 3600 fpe at muzzle. This load shows no sign of undue chamber pressure, in my rifle, and shoots right to the sights at 100 yds. I haven't had this one in Africa, but I had another one exactly like it a few years back, and it would push a 400 gr solid right into the boiler room of a Buffalo with a rakeing shot quartering away, shooting at the flank, and ending up under the hide in the off side shoulder, with this load!

The guy you were thinking of with the 450#2 NE chambered Pedersoli was PWN375, who posts here once in a while. His did fine, so cahmbered, so well, in fact, that a PH in Africa has that double rifle today. I'm going to have the same guy re-chamber mine to the 450#2 NE, as well. The pressure in that cartridge is very low, lower, in fact than a hot 45-70, but will handle anything that walks this Earth!

I have, and have had, many more hammer double rifles! I don't find them to be a draw back at all for hunting, quite the contrary, I find hammer guns to be the safest doubles to carry loaded! That is as long as it has rebounding hammers, or Barred safety. The Pedersoli is a rebounding hammer rifle! The hammerless double rifle is carried loaded, and cocked, all the time. The difference is you don't see that it is loaded by simply looking. If a hammer rifle is cocked, it is evident from a distance, and the hammerless can't be carried loaded, without being cocked, other than the Krieghoff. The Krieghoff is something I'm not willing to stake my life on, though I like the idea of a de-cocking device, I'm not enamored with the system on the Krieghoff!