.72 Kodiak Express

[Bob J]

How much does the .72 Kodiak weigh? Pedersoli's website says 12.5 lbs but several other dealer websites say 10.5 lbs. Can anyone give me their impression of recoil with round balls?

 

[russecv58]

never shot one myself but it looks like fun. found this video on youtube. http://youtu.be/mtiJMSS2soA

 

[Lorne Johnson]

For what it's worth, I have checked about 4 weights of Pedersoli double barrel guns on good scale, and 2 of them were wrong (they appear to have been reversed when being entered). So I wouldn't take Pedersoli's web site as gospel on specs, especially when they don't seem to make sense.

It would be nice if it were 10.5. A round ball should weigh a solid 1.5 ounces, which should make recoil like a heavy 12 gauge turkey load or goose load.

 

[Bob J]

Green Mt, that's why I am hoping someone with a .72 Kodiak can give me the actual weight of one. Having a minor shoulder issue that comes and goes, I was thinking that if it weighs 12.5, it would be beneficial in keeping recoil down with reasonable loads (up to 125 grains) and prb-only.

 

[F.G. Ford]

If felt recoil is a concern, you can always add weight to the gun.
Brass ramrod, even a steel, brass, or lead cylinder in the buttstock onder the recoil pad.\Fred

 

[BillinOregon]

Dixie, I've had two of the .72s and would say 10.5 is closer to the mark. Most of the weight is forward, in the barrels. I worked up to 150-grain charges of FFg with the patched round ball, and recoil was not an issue. Replace the ball with an 835-grain Fosbury style conical and it kicks things up in the shove department. Still nothing like say a turkey load in a 12 gauge.

 

[David W.]

I have a .58 Kodiak, and it doesn't answer your question, but if I load my .58 with 110 gr FFg and a PRB, yes, it kicks. If I load my .62 with 110 gr FFg, it kicks even more. A .72 is going to kick!

You'll have no problem with pass-through on that deer, though! :haha:

 

[aeatwood]

10.5 is close. It already has a 1 lb lead bar in the butt. I traded mine back to Dixie for a .72 Gibbs, because I could not get 3 of them to regulate. 1 ft apart at 50 yards, and they weren't crossing the shots.

Don't shoot anything but prb. Conicals can move off the powder from the other barrel firing. Believe me when I say that penetration is not an issue. For anything in NA, and probably Asia too.

I have a rebuilt shoulder as well, and recoil isn't a problem, even on the Gibbs, with 140gr of FFg. It weighs 9 1/2 lbs, but the stock design makes all the difference.

 

[Naphtali]

Both of mine, the higher grade, weighed 10.25 pounds unloaded.

Hope this helps.

 

[Bob J]

I have a rebuilt shoulder as well, and recoil isn't a problem, even on the Gibbs, with 140gr of FFg. It weighs 9 1/2 lbs, but the stock design makes all the difference.

I used to shoot 125 grains of Triple 7 with a 400 grain conical in my .58 Kodiak - recoil was not bad (really pretty mild with 100 gr 2f Goex and a prb). So a .72 Kodiak with a recoil pad, loaded with 120+/- grains Goex 2f and a prb won't be too bad, then?

 

[cynthialee]

If felt recoil is a concern, you can always add weight to the gun.
Brass ramrod, even a steel, brass, or lead cylinder in the buttstock onder the recoil pad.\Fred

Old Ford already said what I was thinking.

 

[Bob J]

Both of mine, the higher grade, weighed 10.25 pounds unloaded.

Hope this helps.

Enjoyed speaking with you by telephone, Naphtali. You have been very helpful :hatsoff:

 

[oletymepreacher]

Mine is 10.5. It killed a buffalo at 100 yards, two balls went right through ribs, lungs. Load was 90 grains GOEX FF, over powder wad, and patched round ball. Best accuracy on mine is 80 grains of powder. Not much recoil when shooting standing up, a little more when at the bench.

If you have shoulder problems, a PAST shoulder protector may be in your future. I loaned one to a friend who had his clavicle removed, and he can shoot his 45-70 all day long with it.

 

[Naphtali]

Back at yuh, Jern.

I furnished incomplete loading data. Here is my load:

1. Conical from custom designed mold; three driving bands, each a different O.D.; pan lubed with SPG. Lubed bullet weight (30:1) 775 grains.

2. Goex FFg - 110 grains.

3. CCI #11 Magnum cap.
***
I always fire the same barrel sequence, right then left barrel.

Pedersoli's double "V" rear sight assembly has been removed (in storage) and holes filled. Brockman's W&E adjustable wing-protectedd aperture sight is installed on top rib at breech.

Butt stock's steel butt plate has been removed (in storage). Pachmayr's one-inch [Black] English Decelerator® pad is installed.

The flaw remaining, that I workaround with a kludge, is that recoil mashes my "up yours" finger of my trigger hand into the rear of the trigger guard. My workaround is a thin sponge pad taped to my finger.
***
The bullet is not the longest that stabilizes in 1:72-inch twist. A true elephant bullet is feasible in terms of hard and soft tissue penetration.

Propellant charge is also nowhere near the rifle's potential. My Safaris are unusually flexible in retaining consistency and accuracy among wide charge amounts - and disparate shooter sizes and rifle orientation.

 

[BillinOregon]

One thing I did on my Kodiaks is switch out the nipples to take musket caps. They provide surer ignition for the heavier charges and they are easier for a fat-fingered old duffer like myself to handle.

 

[Bob J]

Do the musket nipples fit or do the holes have to be bored out? Where do you get the musket nipples?

 

[Drago]

They make musket nipples with thread sizes to replace most #11 nipples.

 

[Rifleman1776]

Can anyone give me their impression of recoil with round balls?

My experiences might help you. Dunno. :idunno: Just FWIW:
My Brown Bess (yes, a smoothie) using a .731 prb and moderate loads of real bp (50 to 70 gr.) is not unpleasant to shoot. It weighs about 10 lb.
I once had an original CW rifled musket that was .72 cal. It had a Nock breech and required a minimum of 120 gr. of real bp. With a .715 prb the recoil was such that a shooting session with it was limited to three shots. :shocked2: The pain was ferocious and left a big purple bruise for days. :shocked2: It also weighed about 10 pounds. Pick yer pizzen with care.

 

[BillinOregon]

Dixie, you can get replacement nipples for Dixie, House of Muskets, Gun Works and many other suppliers.

 

[Bob J]

Dixie, you can get replacement nipples for Dixie, House of Muskets, Gun Works and many other suppliers.

Thanks to everyone for being so helpful. This is truly a superb place to gain knowledge for all things to do with traditional MLs! :thumbsup: