A little idle curiosity on my part...

But I was wondering:

Any idea why no .450 3" NE

Or .500/.450 - .465 - .470 - .475 3"
cartridges?

We have the .400, .500, .577, and .600 all avaliable in 3"

Any reason why this was never done to the .450 class cartridges?


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I would hazard a guess that the 450 NE 3 1/4 was the go to cartridge in the early days of the double, then the Brits ban on 450 bore cartridges (due to insurrections in their colonies) took away any incentive to create another 450 on a 3" case.

All that said, with new Hornady brass coming in 450-400, that case necked up to .458 would make a great round, with thick rim, available brass etc. Might be a wildcat for ruger #1's and such. Bob

quote:

Originally posted by Wes Pryor:
Any reason why this was never done to the .450 class cartridges?

It was. The .476 Westley Richards.
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"Serious rifles have two barrels, everything else just burns gunpowder."

.476 WR is basically the 500NE necked down to

shoot the .476" 520, yes 520 grn bullet, right?

Excellent sectional density.

Yes. More properly it is a .500/.476 3" Nitro Express. .500 basic necked to .476, 3" case. Bullet is 476" 520 grain over 75 grains Cordite for 2100 fps. Nice cartridge.
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"Serious rifles have two barrels, everything else just burns gunpowder."

But nobody made the .476 WR except WR - and I don't think that they even made that many.

The .450, .465 and .470 especially, went on to become the big dogs of the .450 class rifles.

It just struck me as funny that they never made 3" versions of these cartridges, considering the .400, .500, .577 and .600 all have had very popular (even to today) 3" versions.

(And I believe the .600 is only in 3")

I've been thinking on this three inch EVEN

point since about Christmas and it seems to me

that three inches of brass covers the bases

right up to 600 NE quite well. I hear the 700

NE could have been done at 2.75 inches but then

it would not have the same impact on one's

mind, it's the VISUAL "thing"!

Wes not true on the 476 I've seen at least one German double built in a 476. I should have bought the gun it was in good condition and cased around 15K at the time, Just a little short for me. I think it was a Imman Meffert made gun.

505ED

Ed,

A side lock right, I saw pic's of it, it looked 5 *****s to me!

Yep it was a sidelock. It was in nice condition but far from near new. I liked the gun but the length of pull was 14 1/4 and I pull 15". I have long monkey arms, and I'm left handed. It some cast to it as well.

At the same time I passed on a Victor Squet. 470 for about 9K, too young no money.

505ED

I am happily proved wrong on the .476. But compared to the .450, .465, .470 they seem to have been made in miniscule numbers.

The ony reason I can think of for no 3" case for the .450 straight would be pressure issues with cordite. I don't think it would be an issue with modern powders.

As to the .500/.450, .465 and .470 - I guess we'll never know the reason why there were no 3" counterparts to the 3 1/4" cases, like there were for the .400, .500, and .577.

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Wes the 476 is one gun round combo that I will own one of these days. But your right not many around. I asked Butch at one time he gave me a nice "no". So I'll save my penneys and one day I'll own one a vinitage or new.

Right now I'm enjoying shooting my 470 and soon 500/416.

505ED