Pedersoli double rifle .72cal

[BrownBear]

I came very close to buying one in light of our prevalence of brown bears and their sweet tooth for downed deer and elk.

Then I talked to our Alaska enforcers about it. Two barrels are perfectly legal during our general big game seasons.

But two are verboten No sense to it, but there it is. Doesn't matter if you pull the nipple on the spare barrel or pour cement down it. It's out because it has 2 barrels. Same if I decided I wanted to use my 12 SxS smoothie during a special muzzleloader season.

 

[oletymepreacher]

Have had one for years.barrels are well regulated, giving a one inch between holes at 75 yards. Same elevation for each, as any dispersion was probably my fault. Double rifles are not allowed here in muzzleloading season. This rifle has accounted for a buffalo kill in Kansas. 100 yards, 90 grains ffg and round ball. In target shooting, second barrel's ball has never moved. Great gun, it ls a lot of fun.

 

[19 16 6]

I wonder if thats going to be an issue with the recommended .715 ball and 0.10 patch combo, especially if I soak the patch with a lot of water based slippery lube. Not to mention the conical that must be even more prone to this problem.

A soaked patch with a lot of water based slippery lube may make the problem worse.
To what I understand too much lube easily moves the ball off the powder at combustion & the pressure gain behind the ball is affected which then affects negatively the velocity.
This easy to move situation would be more likely to move the ball off the powder under recoil.
A dryer type of patch lube like Dutch S recommends would, to my mind, retain the ball better on the powder in the second barrel to be fired.
O.

 

[Darkgael]

There was an article a few years ago in "The Double Gun Journal" by a fellow who took the .58 version to Africa for a hunt (Eland, Implala, Wildebeast, Zebra.). It was a nicely detailed account of load development and use. The hunt was successful. All one shot kills.
The article is entitled "With Double Rifle and Powder Flask in Africa" by Ira Lewis. It was in the volume 13, Issue 1, Spring 2002 Double Gun Journal.

Lewis used a 555 grain T/C Maxi ball loaded over five drams (140 grains) of Goex FFg for 1300 fps.
Pete

 

[azmntman]

Lewis used a 555 grain T/C Maxi ball loaded over five drams (140 grains) of Goex FFg for 1300 fps.
Pete[/quote]

:surrender: :shocked2:

Lewis heap bigger man than me :redface:

 

[BrownBear]

...a 555 grain T/C Maxi ball loaded over five drams (140 grains) of Goex FFg for 1300 fps.

I've shot that load in one of my 58's. Zackly 3 times, and nevermore. Mine isn't anywhere near so heavy as the double 58, but I'd be judicious about how I held even the heavier double with that load. "DNA marking" with blood is pretty common for leatherworkers, but it's a whole nuther experience with a rifle. :shocked2:

 

[Austrian]

Holy wow! T just got my double rifle and its way bigger than I expected. I thought it would handle and feel like a beefy 12 gauge side by side but its on a whole nother level. :shocked2: :grin:

My 12 gauge SxS looks almost fragile next to it.

Overall I'm very impressed, the gun is definitely not meant to be a pretty wall hanger, it feels and handle like its made for very serious business.
Can't wait to try it out.

 

[larry wv]

Nice on both of them. Yes the bigger one looks SOLID.

Larry

 

[Semisane]

There won't be any place safe in your neck of the woods for poor ol` T-Rex. :grin:

 

[Austrian]

Keeping the woods clear of T-rex falls under community service around here. :grin:

Another shot from the business end:

 

[frogwalking]

The double is perfectly legal for the normal gun hunt. Just not for the muzzle loader hunt. Just take that one on the normal, rifle hunt.

 

[Austrian]

@ frogwalking

I live in Austria, around here hunting with any kind of muzzle loading gun is strictly prohibited.
You're only allowed to take large game with modern center fire rifles with optical sights because any other weapon -including bows- is deemed unethical.

:idunno: :barf:

 

[F.G. Ford]

Really nice gun! Pedersoli make nice guns!
Austria home of the Yaeger.......and you can't use it to hunt bunnies or bear :hmm: Very strange! :idunno:
I think I would go out and get some running shoes and a spear :rotf:
I think I would protest this issue wearing only a thong at government house :shocked2:
That would get their attention, and it would be evident that you do not have a weapon :rotf:
Fred

 

[Rifleman1776]

Interesting gun, no doubt. Limited usefullness for most of us. And, easy to understand why big game hunters in Africa utilized gun bearers.
As for laws in Austria and Canada.....I'll keep quiet.....way to easy to go ff .

 

[Austrian]

Shot the rifle today.
I have to say the recommended patch and ball combination for this gun (.715 ball with a .10 patch) is very VERY tight. I had to start it with a hammer and ram it down with repeated blows.
I was certain the patch would be totally torn apart from this brutal loading procedure and that the ball would deform badly.

The good news is, both barrels seem to have the exact same measurements as I felt the exact same resistance from the muzzle all the way down the bore during loading. They feel perfectly consistent.

Anyway, I shot it with 120 grains of swiss FFG, with a .715 ball, a .10 patch and a lubed felt 12 gauge wad which is about .50 thick.
Needless to say it created one hell of a thunder, recoil was comparable to that of a 12 gauge magnum slug out of a heavy shotgun, but it was not painful. :grin: I can see shooting 150 grains with no problem.

I could only shoot at 20 meters but it pretty much created one hole at that distance and I did not even have to touch the sights. Maybe the ball does not deform as badly as I feared. I could also recover two patches and they looked surprisingly good:

I also had some old wet catalogs outside so I shot them to see how the bullet performs. Put 4 in a row, thats about 5 or so inches of wet paper.
I do not know what this test tells us, but its entertaining none the less.

So long story short: I think I have a new favorite rifle, so far this behemoth has exceed all my expectations.

 

[BrownBear]

...so far this behemoth has exceed all my expectations....

That's the best news! Well done.