Just curious about how many of you folks who shoot vintage doubles also have a modern rifle in the same chambering (say a #1). Seems like it might be handy when playing around with load development, burning up too hot reloads, plinking, etc.
Bill

quote:

Originally posted by vagrouser:
Just curious about how many of you folks who shoot vintage doubles also have a modern rifle in the same chambering (say a #1). Seems like it might be handy when playing around with load development, burning up too hot reloads, plinking, etc.
Bill

A good point. One could develop a load using a powder of similar burning rate as was used in the old double, and load to get the same velocities using bullets of the correct weight. This would be a way to approach finding a load which "regulates" in the double, while sparing the old gun the wear & tear of load development.

BobC of this forum has some plinking cast bullet loads for his 450/400 and 375 H&H.

This is a very good thread that needs some banter to clear the air where vintage double rifles are concerned!

The vintage double rifles of any chambering are rarely bored to the exact same bore & land dimensions. This also applies to new double rifles of different brands, but not to the same extent. Because of this the absolute first thing needed for working up a load for your vintage double rifle is to slug the barrel, and measure it very carefully. This, as I insinuated before, is very important with the vintage rifle, but also needs to be done with your modern double chambered for the same cartridge. The new rifle may be a lot different from you older one. That is something you absolutely NEEED to know!

If they are slightly different, then the ammo for the older rifle may be used in the new one, but not vice-versa. So ammo needs to be identified as to which rifle it is loaded for.

All the above before you start working up any loads for this cartridge. Now work up the load for the older rifle first. Then try that load in the modern rifle. If it works properly then that is the load you need to use for both rifles. If it doesn’t work in the new rifle then you need to work up a load for that one but you must keep the loads separated, especially if you want to use harder bullets in the new rifle.

When working up a load for any double rifle, new or old, you need to start very low, and work up very slowly to your proper load for the rifle. A chronograph is a very valuable tool to keep track of the velocities of the loads as you advance upward in load speed.

Most older double rifles rarely will shoot to regulation with new factory ammo, so anyone who buys a double rifle, new, or old, but especially old, should set himself up to load for that rifle. This can run as high as $1000 USD just for the basic press, and chrono, and NE dies, but is money well spent in this case. The hand-loading for a double rifle is not only to get the very best from your rifle, but is some times a real safety investment, as well!

Sorry folks I misunderstood the original post here. My post above still applies, but wasn’t what was asked.

Over the years I have had several older double rifles and had Ruger No1s re-barreled and chambered for the same cartridge as my double rifle. This gave me a scoped rifle in the same chambering as my double rifle. This was a habit that many of the old Elephant hunters exhibited.
Having a pair of double rifles in the same chambering was very expensive and the single shot using the same ammo made having the right ammo at hand at any given time a sure thing.

In this case the loads should be worked up for the double rifle, new or old, then adjust the sights, and scope on the No1 for the double rifle load. If you work up a hotter load for the No1, then be absolutely sure these rounds do not find their way into the double, again new or old. Even the newest double rifle is 19th century technology, and is certainly not a place to go looking for high velocity, or high chamber pressures.

With the Ruger No1, and your double chambered the same way allows you to carry your double rifle with a soft in the right barrel, a solid in the left, and the Ruger carried, unloaded, by a tracker. If you happen onto something that requires a scoped rifle, you simply break the double, and keep the ammo, and trade rifles with the tracker, and you still have the option of soft or solid, for a specialized shot. In addition, the tracker is never carrying a loaded rifle!

.......... ...........

quote:

Originally posted by El Deguello:

quote:

Originally posted by vagrouser:
Just curious about how many of you folks who shoot vintage doubles also have a modern rifle in the same chambering (say a #1). Seems like it might be handy when playing around with load development, burning up too hot reloads, plinking, etc.
Bill

A good point. One could develop a load using a powder of similar burning rate as was used in the old double, and load to get the same velocities using bullets of the correct weight. This would be a way to approach finding a load which "regulates" in the double, while sparing the old gun the wear & tear of load development.

I very much doubt anyone in modern times would wear out a double rifle so wear and tear
is not really an issue - if it is, the DR isn't of a good enough build quality.

Secondly, as MacD37 said, no 2 guns are the same so working up one load
in one gun may not play the game in the other one. And you lose all that
knowledge of trying different loads in the DR you are trying to regulate.

Their is also so much load data out in the marketplace now that in reality,
it isn't brain surgery getting a starting load on any DR Cartridge with
any type of powder.

Just work out the load for your rifle and go shooting. It doesn't take
that many rounds to at least get a "using" load, then as time progresses
you can play with other experimental loads / try to improve it.

I can normally get a DR shooting / regulated within 20 loads to
a good level of accuracy where I can take it hunting.

Thanks everyone for the discussion. Learned a few more things (as always) on this site.
Bill