Pedersoli Double rifles

[nframe]

Greetings all I'm new to this forum and shortly to the world of Black powder. I've wanted a double rifle for as long as I can remember and I recently discovered the Pedersoli's, Cabelas sells them for around $800 which is far more agreeable than the thousands for a cartridge model. I'm thinking of a .72 version, I've posted on a couple big-bore sites with limited response. I'd like opinions and any personal experience with them and if anyone has any knowledge of written tests of these guns that I may reference I would greatly appreciate it. How would this be for a 1st BP rifle? What type of powder is the most efficient Pyrodex or reg BP? It's my understanding that these are a round ball only gun, how tough are those large caliber balls to locate? Thanks,Mike

 

G'day Nframe,

I have not long ago purchased a Pedersoli Kodiak with the .54 cal rifle barrels. Mine has a set of 12 gauge barrels as well. :thumbsup:

So far I have put 3 shots out of the barrels and it is a delight to shoot. I tried 60 gns fffg the first time in each barrel then 80 gns the last time in one barrel. So far it is like a pussycat. When I have a chance I will load it up a bit further. :winking:

For me the weight is good and the balance the same.

With the hooked breach it is so easy to clean and to change barrels.

Muchly happy so far. :RO:

Cheers from down under
Aussie Bob

 

[shadyrest]

if you want a cartridge gun try eaa corp, look soon because remington is nearing buyinf the whole factory, they're russian made and great quality, if you do get one take steel wool to the stock and use a dark stain or furniture polish on it and the forearm, they make it in 270, 30-06 9.3x62 whoop ass caliber, 7x57, and 45-70 check them out. theyre roundabouts $550

 

[shadyrest]

thats not to talk you out of a BP rifle, save the few hundy, and get the sxs rifle, and a decent blackpowder gun

 

[BrownBear]

I shot a friend's and was impressed, both for accuracy and handling. The only down side I could see depends upon your local laws. In some locations you can't use a double in dedicated ML deer seasons. Doesn't make sense to me, but there you have it.

 

[Husky]

Good luck getting one. I've had one on order since the first of January and now the new tentative arrival date is the end of March. If I could be assured of the quality I wouldn't mind waiting for one but my experience in the past has been that it is a crapshoot at best. I have seen some that are passable and others that leave a lot to be desired. I don't think that they were even in stock when the catalog was sent out. Just another pleasant adventure with yet another mass merchandiser in a world of mass merchandisers. I'm going to save my money and put toward a better quality product that is made here instead of overseas. Just my opinion.

 

[kentucky bucky]

This is second hand info, but I've heard that they don't always shoot accurately, that is, to the same point of impact. I would say that each gun would have to be shot to know where they shoot. This complaint wasn't about a cheap gun either.

 

[flaming canvas]

This is second hand info, but I've heard that they don't always shoot accurately, that is, to the same point of impact. I would say that each gun would have to be shot to know where they shoot. This complaint wasn't about a cheap gun either.

In the expensive hand made double rifles, the barrels are "regulated" to shoot both barrels to the same point at one set distance using a certain load. I think that this is done by joining the muzzles and using wedges between the barrels until the desired result is achieved. The barrels are then silver soldered together. A production line double won't have been through this process and it will be a manure shoot on where the barrels shoot in relation to each other.

I have seen two custom built guns that had separate sights on each barrel; one flint and one percussion. That would give versatility. One heavy load for large game and a light load for small game if you wanted it.

 

[Bob J]

Ordered my .58 Kodiak from Dixie Gun Works. It is a nice-looking double rifle that shoots patched round balls well with 90 grains Triple 7 and even better with 100 grains Goex 2f. It also did well with Black Widow Bullets 400 grain conicals. Both barrels are sighted in with one rear sight - its regulated pretty well (actually shot a 1 7/8" six shot group at 50 yards with Goex, three shots each barrel) :results:. Have not used the other rear sight yet, but may for a 100 yard sight-in OR a light practice load.

 

[Rat]

I'm still thinking that the hot ticket would be to have one barrel rifled, and one smooth bored...that would get around the barrels being/having to be regulated...so personally I'd go for the combo-gun over a double rifle...although I'm still totally jealous of everyone that has a double rifle!!

I think the .58X12ga combo is pretty ideal.

Using the FPE formula, which unrealistically favors velocity, the .72 may be a dog, but if you use Taylor's KO formula which figures in projectile mass more realistically, you'll see the .72 is a BIG dog, and will actually kill better than other calibers and loads that show more FPE "on paper". In other words "paper ballistics" are just that. Big balls and big bullets kill big without a lot of velocity. WHOMPABILITY!!!

:m2c:

Here in Washington State, you can use a double barrel ML rifle for hunting big game, during ML seasons, but one barrel has to be left unloaded. Then of course you can use the weapon, both barrels loaded, during any of the modern rifle seasons.

Rat

 

[RedFeather]

Picked up a .54 last Sunday at a gun show. Was at the end of the day and the dealer had mostly high grade smokeless rifles/pistols. Came from a collection he was moving, less ramrod, but unfired. Won't say what I paid for it but it was less than a set of new barrels. Funny to find it on my way out the door, because I've wanted one in .54 and there it was. I'm only interested in sedate paper punching, as I've had some detached retinas and have to forego heavy recoilers. I know the Kodiaks are rather big dogs, but the .54's are, unaccountably, a 1:66 twist which supposedly will let me shoot roundballs with decent accuracy at various load levels. Anybody got a soft shooting 50 yard load worked up in theirs?

I did look at a .72 which a store owner had purchased, shot once and was selling last year. He was asking about $550, tempting, but the gun felt extremely light like a 12 guage. Said it wasn't too comfortable to shoot and he weighs in around 350+ pounds, so I can only imagine. Believe he was benched. I noticed the .54 is much heavier and feels better in the hands. Still, not the kind of thing you want to go stalking with all day, which is kind of why they were never really popular except for dangerous game.

Cabelas has them on sale for $769 from $899 right now.

RedFEather