I've decided I may have made a mistake when I got my double and had JJ change out the Hollis' original front bead for a 3/32" ivory bead. Since a 450-400 needs to be able to stretch to a 100+ shot on occasion, I am looking at going back to a smaller bead. I've asked JJ to look in his parts bin and see if he still has the original ( I shoulda shoulda asked him to return it, as he did with the original extractor he replaced).

I do alright on targets at 50 to 75 yards, where you naturally will center the bead. On game at a distance, the 3/32 bead is covering most of the front half of the critter. I know, mainly I need to practice more with irons, but I think the large bead isn't helping. The gun as a flip up night sight, so could use that if necessary for dark or real close encounters.

So, break out the calipers and let me know what you have and what you like. I won't put one of the flourescent beads on an old classic, so I'm going to move to a smaller ivory or metal bead.

Let me know what ya'll think. Bob

Bob:

Large beads really give me fits. My Evans has an .060" platinum bead. 100+ yard shots at game are easy, and there's no problem picking it up quickly. My .400 has an .080" platinum bead which is very fast to pick up, but precision suffers a little. That's as large as I can use.
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"Serious rifles have two barrels, everything else just burns gunpowder."

I used the larger bead on my Rigby and it tightened groups. Seemed to center the groups very well.


Dutch

Bob, I sent you a PM.

Dutch, thanks for your note. I center targets quite well with the large bead. Problem is I am tending to center critters I shoot, with placement too far back. This happened x3 in South Africa this summer and a few weeks ago on a hog. I think I'm unconsciously centering on game when the bead is covering so much of the shoulder. Bob

Bob,
Thanks for the timely post. I've got a .303 British double with JJ to be regulated. When I tried and failed to work up a load, noticed how very small the bead was (regret I failed to measure it), and wondered in my letter to JJ whether a larger bead was a good idea. Have since had doubts and this thread has helped a decision to go for only a slightly larger size if I do it at all.

Regards, Tim

I have found a smaller bead better than a large one.

If You have "good" eyes it is east just to focus on the tpo of a large bead, however as I have gotton older the smaller bead is easier to hit with.