Pedersoli Kodiak Doubles

[Africa58double]

I can assure you that when a Cape Buff is charging at you, and I have taken two of them, you don't even notice a 10 pound rifle. I used 120 gr. of GOI 2f and a 500 gr. conical on which I had installed a bronze tip. I will admit that your gun bearer may not be too happy with your 10 pound gun!

What caliber did you have? 72 or 58 ?
Howd did you get black powder in Africa? Thru your PH?
My 58 is heavy, Yet not to bad- I’ve lugged a 13lbs heavy barrel 300win mag around South Africa fir 2 months dispatching clients bad shots that get a distance from them... I can handle 10lbs.
The 58 with conical and full charge of BP should resolve most issues. I would think.

 

[F.G. Ford]

Hello again,
As said earlier, I could never get my .58 double Pedersoli to shoot well with .58 cal. Minies, although I never tried over powder wads. That would have prevented the wild expansion of the base, destroying any potential accuracy.
I did find the .58 minie and 120 -150 grain of BP produced way too much recoil.
A patched .58 round ball with 80-90 grains of 3F was manageable, but 80-90 grains of 2F was much more accurate.
As said earlier, I foolishly traded that fine gun away. but now I have a Pedesoli double .72 and enjoy playing with it, but it is heavy and I am MUCH older and find it a bit unwieldly. BUMMER!
That .710 round ball hammers the steel gongs with authority, and I am only loading 90 grains of 2F.
The 1/4 steel chickens and pigs are destroyed with each shot. At fifty yards they are thrown back 10-15 yards and are often bent. The steel used is not AR 500 type.
If I can say one thing to any of you guys that have one of these doubles. These finely crafted rifles are among the very best rifles you will ever buy, PLEASE think twice before you sell them or trade them. They are better than most anything you will ever get.
I have had many fine custom crafted rifles, muzzle loaders, but these Pedersoli rifles rank right there with them.
Did I ever mention, that I just luve this black powder stuff!

 

[Africa58double]

I’ve got few lbs of the 2f that I use for the Prb In my 58. I’ve got few lbs of 3f… yet the 2f is very accurate, don’t want to change. Im curious if past 50 yards my bullseye accuracy will diminish at 75 yards. As long as I’m “Grapefruit” size group accuracy at 75… I’d be fine. Can’t image I’d go from 2.5” groups to 6” in 25 yards. Hopefully not

 

[kipcarter]

What caliber did you have? 72 or 58 ?
Howd did you get black powder in Africa? Thru your PH?
My 58 is heavy, Yet not to bad- I’ve lugged a 13lbs heavy barrel 300win mag around South Africa fir 2 months dispatching clients bad shots that get a distance from them... I can handle 10lbs.
The 58 with conical and full charge of BP should resolve most issues. I would think.

I was using a .58 cal. not enough to be truthful. My hunting buddy was using an original double 8 bore. It really did the trick.
We also took a shotgun so we took shot gun shells. Two of the boxes {50 shells} we not loaded with shot but were if fact full of GOI 2f. We went through with no questions asked

 

[Africa58double]

58, Not enough? If I’m correct a 600 grain conical and 130gr of powder will produce 1400 fps- that’s not enough? What happened that gives you that opinion?

Shells, Yeah I’ve pondered that idea


Ps
If I was after that game I suppose my 58 “balls” or Conical would be small also

 

[F.G. Ford]

Hello again,
As said earlier, I could never get my .58 double Pedersoli to shoot well with .58 cal. Minies, although I never tried over powder wads. That would have prevented the wild expansion of the base, destroying any potential accuracy.
I did find the .58 minie and 120 -150 grain of BP produced way too much recoil.
A patched .58 round ball with 80-90 grains of 3F was manageable, but 80-90 grains of 2F was much more accurate.
As said earlier, I foolishly traded that fine gun away. but now I have a Pedesoli double .72 and enjoy playing with it, but it is heavy and I am MUCH older and find it a bit unwieldly. BUMMER!
That .710 round ball hammers the steel gongs with authority, and I am only loading 90 grains of 2F.
The 1/4 steel chickens and pigs are destroyed with each shot. At fifty yards they are thrown back 10-15 yards and are often bent. The steel used is not AR 500 type.
If I can say one thing to any of you guys that have one of these doubles. These finely crafted rifles are among the very best rifles you will ever buy, PLEASE think twice before you sell them or trade them. They are better than most anything you will ever get.
I have had many fine custom crafted rifles, muzzle loaders, but these Pedersoli rifles rank right there with them.
Did I ever mention, that I just luve this black powder stuff!

For a powerhouse of a rifle ( black powder ) one would have to look at the Pacific Zephyr rifle built by Roger Renner ( no longer in business )
They were made in 20 bore ( .62 cal. ) and 12 bore ( .72 cal. ) they had a slow twist 1:104" and could consume large amounts of powder.
I think he may have made a 8 bore rifle ( .90 cal. ???) And I thought my Pedersoli .72 cal. was big??!!
The rifles were high quality underhammer rifles.
They certainly did not appeal to the traditional muzzleloader, but definitely were well made, and uniquely attractive.
I believe the top of the line rifle was called the Faeton rifle.
These rifles made the typical .62-.72 rifle akin to a slingshot in the thoughts of a powerhouse design.

 

[Crow-Feather]

I have a Pedersoli .58 Double I won in an auction a couple years ago. I have never fired it, and it appears to be in unfired condition. It has the two rear sights.
I've read on this Thread and another here that most shooters seem to have better luck using PRB versus conicals. I'm wondering if the type of rifling has something to do with that ? In later years, maybe Pedersoli used a rifling that was an attempt to satisfy a reasonable accuracy with either projectile (?).

Way back when I first noticed the early introduction of these doubles in Dixie's catalog, they came in three calibers: .50, .54, .58. I seem to recall the recommended load for the .50 and .58 included conical bullets. But the .54 recommendation specified PRB. That would seem that the rifling in the .54 was different (?) Of course, that would have been in the early years. That was probably changed down the road along with the addition of the two rear sights.

When you first view the gun, the use of conicals immediately come to mind. Wonder why the rifling was not done along the lines of the Enfields/Springfields with the shallow groove rifling made for use with conicals ? There are plenty of shooters out there that are very accurate with these muskets.

The use of that single, 45/70 rear sight sounds promising.

Didn't mean to ramble on here. Just some thoughts from a novice on these double rifles.

Rick

The Pedersoli™ Kodiak Express Rifle features two rifled .58 caliber barrels that are 28 9/16” long with a twist rate of 1:48". The Pedersoli™ Kodiak Express sports a gorgeous American Walnut half-stock that is satin finished with a checkering at the grip wrist and fore-stock. (From Pedersoli add)

 

[Griz44Mag]

The Pedersoli™ Kodiak Express Rifle features two rifled .58 caliber barrels that are 28 9/16” long with a twist rate of 1:48". The Pedersoli™ Kodiak Express sports a gorgeous American Walnut half-stock that is satin finished with a checkering at the grip wrist and fore-stock. (From Pedersoli add)

The Kodiak Express is a 24" barrel....
https://www.davide-pedersoli.com/en/product/kodiak-express-mk-iiiThe Safari is 25"
https://www.davide-pedersoli.com/en/product/safari-expressThe older Kodiak guns (before they started calling them "EXPRESS" were mostly 28" -

 

[Africa58double]

My 1996 Kodiak 58 with a Sling I took to S.Africa on another Rifle… and Belt pouch. Ghost ring is fast and easy to focus on front sight. It has 28” barrels- I’ve pondered cutting them down a little , Yet it’s well regulated at 50yards so I’ll leave it be.

 

[RedFeather]

Regarding the .54's, an old Gander Mountain catalogue listed the twist as 1:66. I picked up what I believe Is an unfired .54 and, I should haul it out and measure it. This one is the Cabelas model with a bag grip. I figure round balls ought to tame the recoil. There are no elephants or Cape buffalo where I live, although as my friend who used to own a .458 said, "There's Peterbilts and Kenworths!"

 

[Nobade]

A question for @Africa58double , who made that ghost ring sight? I would like to fit one like that to my 12 bore double. I seem to have gotten lucky with the barrel regulation and it hits to the same point using only one of the rear sights. There's no need to have two so the peep would be a nice addition.
We're not allowed to use double rifles to hunt during muzzleloader season in WV but I can use it during rifle season. I'm curious to see what a .715" ball does to a deer. Should be sufficient.

 

[Africa58double]

It’s a Pedersoli item made for my Pedersoli rifle. In image is the part number- was $120a from Vti gun parts

A question for @Africa58double , who made that ghost ring sight? I would like to fit one like that to my 12 bore double. I seem to have gotten lucky with the barrel regulation and it hits to the same point using only one of the rear sights. There's no need to have two so the peep would be a nice addition.
We're not allowed to use double rifles to hunt during muzzleloader season in WV but I can use it during rifle season. I'm curious to see what a .715" ball does to a deer. Should be sufficient.

 

[Africa58double]

Got a image of your Double 12 bore? Who made it?

 

[Nobade]

View attachment 104480It’s a Pedersoli item made for my Pedersoli rifle. In image is the part number- was $120a from Vti gun parts View attachment 104481

Thanks! I'll get one soon. I didn't know they had those available. As for an image, it looks just like yours but has bigger barrels. It's the same Pedersoli. I called it a 12 bore but Ped. calls it a .73 caliber. Same difference...

 

[Africa58double]

Ah - The .73 has shorter barrel length I think. Pretty cool as you can get a 10g barrel set.
Me I want a Cape gun barrel set for mine…. A 58 and 12g combo

 

[Africa58double]

Thanks! I'll get one soon. I didn't know they had those available. As for an image, it looks just like yours but has bigger barrels. It's the same Pedersoli. I called it a 12 bore but Ped. calls it a .73 caliber. Same difference...

I’ve pondered a .73 Yet decided to Get the 58 as a more all around rifle. Plus I can cast with a bit of Lynotype and Make a Harder cast ball. Just need a slightly smaller mold-same patch combo.
I’ve read a good bit on it. With a 280gr .58 hardcast ball…. At around 120+ FFg I can’t imagine I’d have to much difficulty with most game. Yet if I was going after bigger and tougher game than say Eland ,Elk or Bigger Bear…. I’d seek a .73.
Think I’ll try a test run on some wild Boar. A Soft Lead in one barrel and hard lead ball in other could be effective as well. Just as long as they shoot to similar point of impact…. That’s the fun part

 

[Nobade]

Ah - The .73 has shorter barrel length I think. Pretty cool as you can get a 10g barrel set.
Me I want a Cape gun barrel set for mine…. A 58 and 12g combo

That would be rather useful. Hunt for anything with one rifle, you just have to carry it around!
I can attest to the penetration of hardened balls. Pure lead would only go through five water filled milk jugs, but absolutely destroyed them. Water quenched wheelweight metal balls went through 12 and kept on going. They will even go through quite a number of cinderblocks. 150gr of powder moves them along fairly well with a relatively flat trajectory, at least to 100M or so.

 

[Africa58double]

I’m thinking around 1600 fps with 150 gr FFg, yet that’s gotta be a bit much on the shoulder. I’m thinking 120 would be sufficient with WW cast ball. Yet I need to figure out the alloy affected ball size with patch size and all that. My Lee mold is the only one I have. Probably would need another and some time to figure that out.
Yet a Hard 58 Prb with a stout charge would probably take care of Some serious animals.

Ps A cape gun would be cool- if I can carry it

 

[kipcarter]

58, Not enough? If I’m correct a 600 grain conical and 130gr of powder will produce 1400 fps- that’s not enough? What happened that gives you that opinion?

Shells, Yeah I’ve pondered that idea


Ps
If I was after that game I suppose my 58 “balls” or Conical would be small also

My 2nd Buff is really made me want more punch. He was the SCI #1 world record with a ML for several years. When he charged I shot at him in the chest and found out about 6 hours later that It had gone through him above his heart and missed his lungs and ended up in his intestines. He broke the charge and ran to his right. He was so unaffected that I thought that I had missed. After running through knee deep water, I was in the Okavango River Delta in Botswana, for about 75 yards I got another shot as he ran parallel to me in the left side of his neck [about 50 yards] He did not react at all. I was furious with myself thinking that I had missed 2 shots. I would react more to a mosquito bite than he did. It turned out to be a solid hit in the middle of his neck. A couple of days later my friend's 8 bore [83.5 cal.] really laid out a running Buff. Flipped him 180 degrees. So that is why I wanted more gun!

 

[Africa58double]

As stated- I would certainly agree if I hunted those large dangerous animals I’d certainly want something larger than a 58.