Assuming you don't reload, what's the best caliber to go with on a double rifle today?

[Northern Shooter]

With the assumption that you will be exclusively relying on factory ammo, what caliber choice would you go with today for a double rifle?

I know many people reccomend 450/400 as a sweet spot for a double rifle due to the lack of recoil, however here in Canada factory ammo seems impossible to find.

It looks like it really comes down to either 470 or 500 Nitro Express based on what I'm seeing in stock.

Ammo seems to be equally availible for these two and they are priced about the same.

Any others to consider or should I just focus on one of the above?

 

[Tanks]

One of the two above will work though I am partial to .500 NE.

 

[Northern Shooter]

One of the two above will work though I am partial to .500 NE.

I'm eyeing up a used Heym 88b in 500NE right now. Having shot neither round before and given the fact that ammo costs roughly the same, are the ballistics and recoil penalty of the 500 worth it over the 470?

 

[Rare Breed]

With the assumption that you will be exclusively relying on factory ammo, what caliber choice would you go with today for a double rifle?

I know many people reccomend 450/400 as a sweet spot for a double rifle due to the lack of recoil, however here in Canada factory ammo seems impossible to find.

It looks like it really comes down to either 470 or 500 Nitro Express based on what I'm seeing in stock.

Ammo seems to be equally availible for these two and they are priced about the same.

Any others to consider or should I just focus on one of the above?

The 470 NE is the easiest to get ammunition already loaded for of all your choices. you will find the 450-400 is the most difficult to get with the 500 #2. i have owned all three

 

[Safari Dave]

.470 NE for me.

 

[uplander01]

470 for sure with the 500 right behind

 

[AimSmall]

470.

And once you find the ammo you want, buy enough to last a long time.

 

[Northern Shooter]

Just looked up local ammo prices tonight for comparison.

500 NE - 570 Gr Woodleigh Solids $440/box.(new stock).

470 NE -500 gr Barnes Solid $270/box (old stock).

 

[Inline6]

Look at the numbers between your 458WM vs 470NE. Not much difference.

 

[rookhawk]

With the assumption that you will be exclusively relying on factory ammo, what caliber choice would you go with today for a double rifle?

I know many people reccomend 450/400 as a sweet spot for a double rifle due to the lack of recoil, however here in Canada factory ammo seems impossible to find.

It looks like it really comes down to either 470 or 500 Nitro Express based on what I'm seeing in stock.

Ammo seems to be equally availible for these two and they are priced about the same.

Any others to consider or should I just focus on one of the above?

Your question is based on false assumptions, unless you are buying a double rifle you intend to throw away in the near future.

ALL double rifle calibers eventually require handloading. Sooner or later, the manufacturer of loaded ammunition that your given rifle was regulated to at the factory changes their recipe. It could be due to supply chain, or changing of the chemical plant that makes their powder, or it could be they change from woodleigh to Hornady bullets due to availability, or it could be they want to offer a different bullet (e.g. Barnes) and discontinue your load.

Federal alone has changed their factory load recipes 3x in 25 years.

So regardless of caliber, you are handloading, or someone is handloading for you.

So the real question is which caliber is the easiest to get components for and is generally the simplest to build regulating loads for with the most choices? Answer: 470NE and 500NE.

 

[Tanks]

I'm eyeing up a used Heym 88b in 500NE right now. Having shot neither round before and given the fact that ammo costs roughly the same, are the ballistics and recoil penalty of the 500 worth it over the 470?

It is for me. Also, the recoil difference is negligible. Heym 88B in .500 NE is what I have. In the 3 years I had it, I shot 3 elephants and 2 buffalo with it. Worked perfectly each time.

 

[Northern Shooter]

Look at the numbers between your 458WM vs 470NE. Not much difference.

Yeah very close. I'm guessing the recoil would be even less given the increased weight of the double vs my 9lbs Model 70.

 

[Tokoloshe Safaris]

In a thread on AH forum someone stated that Hornady would no longer be loading .470 N. Does anyone know if this is correct?

Lon

 

[Northern Shooter]

In a thread on AH forum someone stated that Hornady would no longer be loading .470 N. Does anyone know if this is correct?

Lon

Bad news if true, Hornady seem to be some of the common producers of DG cartridges here. I think I've only ever seen 470 in Hornady and Federal.

 

[Hunter-Habib]

.470 Nitro Express
.500 Nitro Express comes as a close second

 

[RAVEN ROCKS PRECISION]

Oof. Hopefully by the time you buy a double we will be shipping brass to Canada…

 

[BeeMaa]

Look at the numbers between your 458WM vs 470NE. Not much difference.

Agreed...

...and 458LOTT ballistics are right at the 470NE and has the ability to use 458WM cartridges if the LOTT isn't available.

If you buy a double rifle, you will most likely end up having to hand load (or have someone work loads up) to get the barrels to regulate properly. It's not very common to find a double that regulates properly out of the box with factory ammo...even though that's what the manufacturers tell you.

 

[Altitude sickness]

Don’t rule out the custom loading companies. Such as Hendershots. If you buy a rifle that the seller provides the custom load for, they will build the load if the components are available.

 

[Mountaineer]

458 win mag

 

[Northern Shooter]

458 win mag

Already own one but that's not exactly the type of cartridge in picturing when I think of a double rifle. I feel like it should end in Nitro Express.