Gentlemen, some eye candy for you.

In the past few months I've added two .577s to the gun safe. Here are the specs and pics.

1. Manton .577 bpe double rifle.
The .577 chambering the 3-inch case is from the firm of Manton and comes cased with an excellent selection of reloading and cleaning tools and accesses. The .577 was made for a military officer, Captain George A. Harrisson, and sports 27-inch barrels, exposed hammers and the Jones patent under lever system. The express sights shoot both barrels to the same point of aim at 50 to 75 yards, and the rifle is regulated to shoot a 590-grain bullet ahead of 6 drams or 165 grains of black powder: both of which are engraved on the barrel. The .577 Manton was purchased from Francis Lombardi of Foxtrot Sporting (315-373-5850). Francis always has a good selection of black powder cartridge rifles in stock and are featured on his website.

When the .577 arrived, the case included the following accessories: cleaning rod and tips, oil bottle, grease pot, paper patch mould with hollow point pin, powder measure, case neck reamer, case neck expander, bullet fixer, and turn screws.

Captain Harrisson served in the 79th Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders and saw service in Crimea and Turkey from 1854 to 1856, followed by service in India from 1857 to 1871. He was born in 1835 and died in 1899 in London. He and his wife, Emily, had one son. His two older brothers also served in the 79th Cameron Highlanders, one being killed in Crimea.

2. Joseph Lang .577 Howdah pistol.
Sorry, no history on the Howdah. I've rarely seen two Howdahs that are identical except in matched pairs. This Lang has 6 1/2" barrels that have no taper and very heavy wall thickness with five lands and grooves--fully rifled. It is chambered for the .577 Snider cartridge, firing a 480 grains bullet and 70 grains of black powder. The hand grip has an attachment for a shoulder stock. Interestingly, the Jones under lever is curved to fit the middle finger, rather than having the ball or knob to grip when opening the action. The exposed hammers are non rebounding. For long range shooting (?) the rear sight has a folding leaf in addition to a single fixed leaf but the ranges are not marked on either. Reloading supplies are ordered and I hope to be shooting this Lang by the double shoot on Mary 5.

Enjoy, gents, and please come to the double rifle shoot in Alaska on May 5 and shoot these and all of my doubles (plus many more).
Cal

Love those hammer doubles, Cal. That Howdah pistol come from Holts, by any chance?

Dutch:
Not from Holts, from the continent and a private collector.
Cal

Thanks for the pictures, and especially their past histories; really makes the firearms 'come alive'!

Great guns Cal. Thanks for sharing.

Aaahhh...
577 BPE rifles (and Howdahs) are just so cool!
That Manton is a perfect rifle for Alaska.
One thing that I haven’t explored is applying something like the 75% rule to BPE rifles to attempt regulation in a double.
Singles, I shoot all sorts of loads and bullets in but I could see a lighter load or bullet in a 577 double covering many hunting situations.
Just imagine going afield with a rifle that you could use for deer, caribou, elk, moose and then also handle the biggest brown bear by simply using the right cartridge from your belt.

Thanks Cal, I love that stuff! The spelling of Harrisson is the same as my son-in-law (and grandson's ) but they don't guess there's any connection.

I imagine Samuel Baker would approve of that rifle, for use in India at least.

Huvius:
90% chance this .577 will come with me on the fall caribou hunt. Always a chance a grizzly will come by. And, if the caribou is close, well…

Sambarman:
If the name had one 's' rather than two, I would hope the rifle was owned by a Beatle!
Cheers, all.
Cal

Thank you Mr. Cal.

Was that Howda at your shoot last year?

quote:

Originally posted by LHeym500:
Thank you Mr. Cal.

Was that Howda at your shoot last year?

No, but it will be this year.
The other howdahs were owned by Hank, Dave, and Rob.

The doubles in attendance improves each year!
Cal

Goodness Cal...stunning, simply stunning..both of them!!!!! Well done sir!

Cal,

Lovely pieces.

Nitro

quote:

Originally posted by cal pappas:

quote:

Originally posted by LHeym500:
Thank you Mr. Cal.

Was that Howda at your shoot last year?

No, but it will be this year.
The other howdahs were owned by Hank, Dave, and Rob.

The doubles in attendance improves each year!
Cal

I am going to have to just make it a point of emphasis to attend that soon. I keep hoping you will move to Tennessee.

quote:

Huvius:
90% chance this .577 will come with me on the fall caribou hunt. Always a chance a grizzly will come by. And, if the caribou is close, well…

Cal, take the howdah too!

Two years ago hunting moose in unit 13 during caribou season (I had no tag!!!) they were everywhere. While laying on the ground glassing I actually had a small band split in two and walk on both sides of me about 3-4 feet away.

Next year (with caribou tag) I packed my howdah in addition to my 375 and of course none came within 200 yards.

I'll be talking mine with me every time in the future "just in case"

Not a bad idea, Rob.
Even to dispatch a wounded caribou or bear would add some zip to the hunt. I will take this under consideration.
Cal

Nice couple of guns!

The Lang howdah would be a treat to shoot. I wish I could make it to the May shoot, but it's a bit of a haul from Virginia.

Curl