72cal Kodiak double????

[RedFeather]

Why two shots? Knew a fellow who went hog hunting in Mississippi using a .54 GPR, heavy conical and stout load of about 120 grains. Suddenly, a large hog (one of those really big suckers) was flushed out of the brush, heading right for him. He barely had time to side step, firing right behind the hog's shoulder, point blank, as it ran by. They found it about thirty yards away. Sometimes you can't pull off that well placed shot no matter how carefully you try, and a second shot, up close and personal, can be a comfort. Besides, doubles are just kind of neat.

 

[Sam Stephens]

Yes sir they can get a little nasty , I have been in some bad spots with em more than once. Most of the time it was while tracking a wounded but not always , like I said I have killed them about every way you think of. I have been cut several times , ran over a few times but I guess the best one got me was when a boar broke both bones in my lower left leg. And he was not wounded or had he even been shot at , I was stalking with a longbow when that happened. I'm lucky that I get to hunt almost every week of the year and love to get real close and personal with the game I'm after. When I got to hunt with that 500 Nitro double I was hooked and wanted one of my own but I can't spend $50000 on one....
So I was just asking if a 72cal Kodiak would be a good poor guys toy for close up big boom big lead fun gun. If they don't hit the broad side of a barn then no , and I want to shoot PRBs , so far it sounds good to me....
,,,,Sam,,,,

 

[Wes/Tex]

It ought to do the trick, for sure. Getting barrels regulated won't be a big issue at the ranges you'll be shooting at. We've got a lot of feral hog problem around Bastrop County but most of the ranchers and farmers are going to the trap method rather than hunting them. Rumor has it there's been a few problems with cartridge gun hunters which have soured the land owners toward all hunters. Too bad really.

 

[stinkyfeet]

I won't say it's OK to load both barrels with conicals but I get the feeling that it may be a bit of CYA on Pedersoli's part. From all I've read, you should periodically check the unfired barrel to be sure the round hasn't loosened after firing. Then it may work further up the bore. Same as for shotguns. Two quick shots? Guess that is pretty safe, else why have a double gun in the first place? And why would Pedersoli claim they are now laser-regulating the barrels if you have two totally different loads? Can't see how anyone could work that out.

You very well could be right it might have been a cya issue. My double is of the older variety so they also may have changed or recanted their original claim. Either way I was just making note of what the manual stated.

 

[BrownBear]

I keep looking at the whole "dislodging conicals issue" and scratching my head.

Haven't shot a lot of conicals from doubles, but I've shot a couple lifetimes-worth of 1 1/4 oz (546 grain) shot charges from doubles. It's my habit to use the second unfired tube as a "rod holder" while reloading the first, checking for load shift as I do so.

I've NEVER had a load shift in many thousands of rounds fired.

Lotta differences:

It's a smooth bore rather than rifled.

The shot charge has a tight wad above and below it.

The charge weighs basically the same as a .715 RB, but is still considerably lighter than a conical might be.

I'm guessing the big issue with shifting 12 gauge conicals might be loose fit in the bore.

Makes me wonder about wrapping the conical in teflon plumbing tape, or paper patching, or using tight wads or cards to stop the shifting.

I know that's what I'd be doing with a 72 double rifle in the stable if I wanted to shoot conicals from both sides.

Anyone seen references to such practices and tests?

 

[excess650]

Some shooting at the range should tell the story. If the .72 was mine, it would be PRB only. 5 drams and a 1-3/8oz ball should be adequate for chipmunks. :rotf:

I actually have a 20" 12 bore double that I routinely carry with RBs. It will print multiple shots from both barrels (smooth) into a fist sized group at 25 yards(no rear sight). I'm comfortable with it firing 1oz RBs at 1200fps despite its 6# weight.

 

[aeatwood]

Unless your heart is set on a double, the Pedersoli .72 Gibbs is a far, far better designed gun. For one thing ,the nipple and fence have the right relationship, and you don't get your left arm peppered by cinders and glowing cap fragments. The stock design is better at soaking up recoil, and the gun is a pound or so lighter. Only real ding I have against it is that you need to figure out some way to carry your ramrod.

 

[Lorne Johnson]

If one shoots right handed the left barrel on a double pepper's your left forearm (Pedersoli, WC Scott, Moore and Harris). It's the side the lock is on, not the fences.

Gibbs is a nice gun, of course.

 

[Bob J]

Sam - I think you are spot on: the Kodiak .72 double would be a lot of fun for chasing tuskers! It would be my next muzzleloader if I wasn't currently having a .62 jeager built for hog hunting. Big hogs (as you know) are a lot tougher than deer. A 550 grain roundball should be just the ticket for Boar safari :grin:

 

[Dean2]

Sam
I am a big fan of double rifles too. I have never shot the Pd 72 but it sounds like fun. There are lots of inexpensive doubles for choices. For a low cost double, Baikal makes a 45-70 you can load in Black or smokeless for about $1000 and FAIR as well as a number of others make them in a range of calibers for well under 8000.

If it were me, I would try the Ped in 58 while I was waiting to find a 72 in nice shape. Regulating any double is a matter of working with the loads. Getting them to regulate at 50 yards is usually pretty easy if the gun is even a little well built and from what I read on the Ped site I would say these are being built properly. As long as they both shot to same elevation, and any double gun that won't do that needs to go back to the manufacturer as it is defective, a little left right isn't as big a deal. I always shoot the right barrel first,(front trigger) set the sights for that to be dead on, second barrel then shoots within an inch or four left right all the way to 150 yards, with the right loads. That is more tan accurate enough for followup shots.

I say buy it and try it, worse that will happen is you have to resell and get an even fancier one. Once you try double rifles it is hard to go back to the regular ones. The double rifle are just so cool and functional.