While browsing Guns International for a smaller caliber double I ran across an add for a Vierordt double in 7.7x62r. This maker is totally unknown to me and I have never heard of this caliber, although it sounds kind of similar to the 303 British. Can anyone shed any light on the maker and the caliber?

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Vierordt

Don't know much about them. They use a Kersten double bolt system if I am spelling that correctly. Not particularly common I am told. The 7.7 is part of the measurement system used where the distance between the lands is measured not the actual groove diameter. An example is the .303 British which is .312 bore. The 7.7 is probably an 8mm but wether it is .318 or .323 or??? is hard to say. Many makers had proprietary cartridges.

Hope this helps.

Agree with drhall--

Possibly a 8x62R Vierordt -Circa 1905

Based off the .360 Express case

Bore diameter stamps might range from 7.6 to 7.9--
Typically 7.7 or 7.8

Belgian, Austrian or German proofs?

Any older European double, regardless of maker should be slugged and measured..I have seen English 450-400s and other calibers with lots of variation..450-400s from 406,.408, 410, and .411 and one at .412.5, and a chamber cast is a good idea also..None of this is a problem if your aware and load accordingly..

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Originally posted by Atkinson:
Any older European double, regardless of maker should be slugged and measured..I have seen English 450-400s and other calibers with lots of variation..450-400s from 406,.408, 410, and .411 and one at .412.5, and a chamber cast is a good idea also..None of this is a problem if your aware and load accordingly..

Ray is correct about the different bore sizes in the 450/400, both the 3 inch and 3,25 inch versions.
Having said that, there is one other thing with the two different 450-400 rifles one needs to check out.

The 450-400NE 3 inch was never loaded with black powder, but the 450-400 3.25 inch version started life as a black powder cartridge and when it was later offered with cordite the case was not changed. That means the black powder rifles cane be mistakenly shot with the nitro cartridges. So, any 3.25 450-400 rifle should be examined carefully before buying it to make sure it is a Nitro proofed rifle. The 3 inch version, however, was never offered as a black powder rifle so any rifle chambered for the 3 inch cartridge is automatically nitro proofed, but the bore size still needs checking as Ray says.

The 450-400NE 3 inch is one of my all time favorite double rifles. It is a pussy cat to shoot all day long, but works better than it's paper ballistics would suggest! That,IMO, is because it is far easier to shoot accurately
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