Link to pix and text:
http://forums.nitroexpress.com...HPSESSID=#Post362176

CR,
That looks great,one of these days when the $ bills are smiling at me ,I am going to scratch the itch & commission a DR in 45-90 with a long throat,400 gr at 2150 is my goal,& the ability to shoot 45-70 ammo,the rifle cannot weigh more than 8lbs.

Your goal should be reasonable.
Grizzly cartridge loaded 450 grain NF bullets to 2150 fps MV for my 1886 45-90 and they were lethal!

Great stuff, but you should have posted here, more followers now days .

Is that one of Bobs fine quality builds & you have his .405Win to ?

We talked about a .577LNE back in the day & he was even going to give my pointers if he couldn't do it himself, he was a great bloke !

Actually you could of gone 45/120 & had full 450 Nitro power with ease, not that the 45/90 isn't a powerful cartridge loaded up .

Sarge,
As a matter of fact this was Bob's personal hunting rifle that I did not know he had. After he passed, the person who had "dubs" on it did not buy it and I bought it from the estate. It came with good pre-build documentation which I ran through the equations and saw it was plenty strong enough for a 45-90 to shoot 450 grain NF at 2150 fps.

The only picture that shows the true colors was taken when I unpacked it. The exhibition grade wood is very nice. I think I have found a way to adjust the color on the computer to match the actual wood very well. If so there several pics that I will adapt colors rather than take a bunch of new ones.

Did you know Bob? He was a nice guy and I miss our email conversations.

quote:

Actually you could of gone 45/120 & had full 450 Nitro power with ease, not that the 45/90 isn't a powerful cartridge loaded up .

Sarge,
my Miroku/Winchester .45-90 WCF has taken ele, cape buffs, leopard, Nilgai, water buff, etc and I am fully aware of the potential of the rifle. Having researched the issue BEFORE even buying my 1886 years ago, I knew the .45-90 with modern bullets and powder can kill anything walking. For Africa, I chose 450 grain North Fork and the brass Punch bullets and they did a great job at 2150 fps; all at safe pressures. In fact, I liked the cartridge so much that I had been looking for a DR in the caliber and was negotiating with Bob to build one for me.

When the freezing rain and such abate, I plan to take my 45-90 DR out to shoot some hogs and exotics. It is still with Aaron Little so he can replace the present scope mount with a QD mount and file the express sights to match the regulation. Then I get to shoot it!

PS when the upgrade project is completely done, I will post here and a couple of other places that are appropriate.

Sarge,
Here is real color of the exhibition grade wood and bling:

Yes that is a beauty & with those ballistics can take near all game with ease !

Same as your self, only knew Bob on the net & from PM's & later emails, seems like he was a very nice bloke, very helpful & talented !

Actually I think your .405Win with the 400gr slugs could take most game to !

quote:

Actually I think your .405Win with the 400gr slugs could take most game to !

Agreed on .405 WCF as my 1895 .405 has already taken a Cape Buff and water buff. My .405 dr has only taken hogs, Nilgai, and red deer with 300 grain bullets at 2250 fps. Good fun too.

The project 45-90 is beautiful!

I'm curious, what would you guess is the longest shot you've taken with a double rifle?

Thanks for the compliment on the rifle.

Longest shot? Well, I have shot doves and pheasant and one goose at 50-60 yards with my Parker doubles.

But you mean with double rifles?
Actually less than with my Parkers.
From 2 yards(feral hog) out to less than 50 (red deer).

Thanks! Just curious. Playing with the idea of a small caliber double and wondering if I can extend the range to make it more versatile.

quote:

Originally posted by skl1:
Thanks! Just curious. Playing with the idea of a small caliber double and wondering if I can extend the range to make it more versatile.

Some shooters have scopes on their DR'S,you can sight in the right barrel & shoot as far as you want,just for fun I have tried 200 yrd shots with my 30-06 O/U Beretta iron sights,off a rest 200 gr factory ammo gave me about 6" groups

Bill73,
you mean like this?

No need to limit yourself to just one barrel for longer range shooting IF ...

Your rifle is properly regulated and

You spend the time required at the loading bench / range developing a load that comes close to shooting parallel between the two barrels.

I did this for my Chapuis 9.3x74R and have taken quite a bit of game at "extended" DR range without issue.

Thanks Todd,
That is what I am hoping to do.

quote:

I have tried 200 yrd shots with my 30-06 O/U Beretta iron sights,off a rest 200 gr factory ammo gave me about 6" groups

Nice! I've only ever shot to 100 yards with a double. I'm glad to get an idea of the accuracy you got at 200. I have an itch to see how far I can push it.

quote:

I have tried 200 yrd shots with my 30-06 O/U Beretta iron sights,off a rest 200 gr factory ammo gave me about 6" groups

Bill73
That accuracy may be all you need for big game.

Update:
Shot double at 100 yards and it is in the 10 ring!

Loaded 45-70 ammo with same 350 SS bullets to 2075 fps and that shot came 5 inches under the 45-90 shot. My plan is to work up 45-70 loads that will also regulate and use them for closer in game like hogs or deer.

Another update:
Last Saturday on a Texas exotic ranch, I shot a black buck at 100 yards with my 45-90 DR and handloaded NF 350 SS at around 2200 fps. Picked the meat up from the processor today and hope to grill some soon.

350's @ 2200 sounds perfect

Could probably do Cape Buffalo with those ballistics.

Yes if you are tired of living

Just kidding, a quality solid in the right spot would work for sure .

The current bullets are .458 350 grain North Fork at 2200 and I have already taken Cape Buff with .411 400 grain Woodie at 2100 fps.
Those seem to be in the same ball park.

When the darn Texas wind stops blowing 20 - 30 MPH, I will do some testing with new barrel mounted chronograph to finalize velocity records.

I love the 45-90 and owned and hunted with one a good bit in years gone by, It was the best of the 86s my opine..Judge G booked a hunt from me and had one in a 95, long throated and it was the exact balistic twin of a 450-400-3". He killed a supere nice bull with it on that safari with Pierre van Tonder.