I have a kodiak double in 45/70. I just picked up a set of 450#2 dies and brass. Should I convert it? Dont know if Ill hunt DG again but any reason one could use it as a 450#2 for bear, moose and other?
I have a 45/110 sharps for plinking.
Dean

YEs


or NO and send it to me !!

jeffe

Yes !!!

And then tell us how it shoots

So that i can decide to do the same or chamber it for 45-120

PWN375 of this forum coverted his 45/70 into a 450#2. He wa pleased with the conversion. He did discribe the recoil as "BRISK

As I remember the rifle did not require re-regulation.

Do the conversion. It is a very inexpensive way to have a NE in a classic caliber as you already have the rifle. Replace the recoil pad with a good 1 inch variety and load it to factory velosity and I will wager you won't need to re-regulate. Your POI will be lower than with 45-70 loads and this is easily corrected by sight adjustments. It will kill with authority any of the game you mentioned.

The one I did belongs to a PH in RSA who found it in the warthog hole I dropped it down many years ago. He is currently carrying it while conducting buff hunts in Tanzania. He loves the rifle and it has many rounds through it with no problems. I didn't load for it, but shot custom loads from Safari Arms in New York.

Perry

This may be a stupid question but...

Why couldn't it be rechambered to .450 3 1/4" NE?

That would seem even more better to me.

Doubledane I have a 45/110 and the differance in shell size from the 450#2 is unreal! I am loaning my dies to retreever for his Trip. I think I will start researching where to send it. I might as well add another big gun to the mix.
Dean
I know I could do a search but dial up is SLOW. Where is the best place to send it I could most likely do it myself but its a pricey gun to mess up.

quote:

Originally posted by tonto:
I know I could do a search but dial up is SLOW. Where is the best place to send it I could most likely do it myself but its a pricey gun to mess up.

I believe that these folks have done a few, you may want to call them:

Mackool Firearms Ltd.
6390-B East 31st Street
Tulsa, OK 74135-5457

(918) 663-3880 Office
(918) 622-2073 Fax

I think the 450 3-1/4 vs. 450 No. 2 debate comes down to lower operating pressure (the No. 2) versus less metal removal to re-chamber (the 3-1/4).

McCool's did PWN's pedersoli, and they have the reamers ready for your rifle! I have an early Pedersoli double from the origenal people, TRAIL GUNS ARMORY, who got Pedersoli to make this replica of one of the rarest double rifles around, the 1861 Colt double rifle, ! Mine has been rechambered for 458RCBS, and it shoots fine. I'm toying with sending this rifle to McCool's to be re-chambered for either the 450NE 3 1/4", or the 450NE No2! The No2 developes less pressure than the 3 1/4", but the 450NE 3 1/4" brass is easier to come by, and that's the way I'm thinking of going. PWN is right, you will definetly need a "REAL" recoil pad!

I guess if you already have dies and brass, 450NE No2 is cheaper....

Hey MacD37, what do you load that RCBS to? How is it different from the 45-120?

I plan to build a 45-100/110/120 cape gun but in .452. For pigs and deer, the 300 grain bullets that I cast for my 45 Colt will be fine, I even have some that go up to 450 grain. I had been patching swaged bullets made for sabots in 50 cal muzzle-loaders that have spire points and boat tails weighing 375 grains (haven't tried the 425's) in my 45-70; I can also size these back down after patching. At what point am I wasting brass in a 25" barrel? I was originally planning to go with the 45-100 in a 20" barrel but like the extra length (and already have the project gun)

45LC,

What are you planning on using in your cape gun, smokeless or BP? The 45-70 brass has all of the case vol. that is needed for smokeless.
The only need for a longer case is if you are planning on blackpowder loads. Fillers would be needed in the 45-100/120 cases.

Hog Killer

Thanks for all the info. Ill give them a call after the holiday. I think I can find enough brass for the amount of shooting a gun like this will see.
Dean

What brand of brass did you get ie for the .450 No 2 NE?

Nitrox
My brass is bell 450no2ne 3 1/2 base cases. I got 19 of them they still have to be necked.
Dean

45LCshooter, and Hogkillerthe 458 RCBS is the 45-120 case shortened to 2 3/4"!

The loads used in the 458 RCBS are more than adiquate for any pig ever born, and are right up there with most OLD 458 dia cartridges. The load I use in my rifle is a load developed by Fred Huntington for a 500 gr bullet. I substitute a 400 gr speer for pigs, and a 450 gr bullet for big stuff. A load of 64.0 grs of IMR 4064 will push a 500 gr bullet @ 1850 fps, or a 450 gr bullet @ 1950fps, the 400 gr Speer @ 2100. That is a max load for the 500 gr bullet, but is mild with the 400 gr bullet, and shows absolutely no sign of pressure in "MY" double rifle, but this load regulates with all those bullet weights, in my rifle.

I'd back off that load a bit and work up in another rifle, however! This case handles smokeless powder very well, and I use no fillers, though it might work even better with the right filler.