Double Gunsmiths

[freefall]

Is Ken Owen still in business? I look for contact info and don't find it, which suggests to me he's not looking for work.
I'm looking to get my .45-70 Pedersoli Kodiak chambered to .450 NE, and regulated, and would like suggestions on who to talk to about this.

 

[Red Leg]

The only person I trust with double gun work these days is JJ Perodeau - superb.

JJ Perodeau Gunmaker

 

[Sarg]

Ken Owen did a lot of work for Kirby Hoyt of Vintage Doubles, I think if you contact Kirby he could advise .

509-665-7675
kirby@vintagedoubles.com

Aaron Little is a amazing Gunsmith & does great work on Doubles, I would of got him to put my 8 bore rifle together but just too hard to move rifles & parts around in this day & age

Can't find full details for Aaron but he is A M Little Besoke Gunmakers LLC may have to contact on Face Book as is common now days as much as I don't like it myself ?

Also it is not too easy to rechamber a 45/70 to 450NE as the 45/70 has a massive & thick rim, the .450NE has a very thin rim, so if not 45/90 - 45/120 & must have a Nitro cartridge the .450 No2 NE seems to be the round, great cartridge even lower pressure, just cost more to feed .

Not some thing to do either now days but if that's what you want ?

​

 

[Surgeon1]

JJ is the best there is, I wouldnt trust anybody else!

 

[crs]

The few American qualified double rifle smiths/makers that I know would not likely even look at this project and so I have ceased recommending them. They are also usually backed up for a year or so.
+1 on Aaron .

 

[Philip Glass]

The only person I trust with double gun work these days is JJ Perodeau - superb.

JJ Perodeau Gunmaker

Ditto

 

[sierraone]

Ken Owen was still working as of 2019. His phone number at that time was 901-877-6853.

 

[Woodcarver]

Is Ken Owen still in business? I look for contact info and don't find it, which suggests to me he's not looking for work.
I'm looking to get my .45-70 Pedersoli Kodiak chambered to .450 NE, and regulated, and would like suggestions on who to talk to about this.

I've been considering the same for mine. From my reading, the 450#2 NE is the option. It is lower pressure than the 450 NE 3 1/4. There are quite a few threads on other forums about it. I have not gotten to the point of finding a 'smith to do it yet. There's a guy in Loveland, CO who has been converting shotguns to doubles for years; but I haven't called to see if he can/would do this rechambering on a Kodiak.
Pedersoli is now offering the Kodiak in 450 NE, but they changed something as I understand it. Just haven't been able to get a straight answer as to what. Price quoted me, $9600 all in.

 

[crs]

WC,
Since you live in Colorado, you might contact this gunmaker who actually wrote the book on building DRs on shot gun actions. He is W. Ellis Brown in Ft Collins, Co. http://www.ellisbrowncustomshop.com/

 

[freefall]

The point of this exercise is that I would like to be able to shoot a buffalo with this rifle. But it sounds like the HSM bear loads (430grn hard cast @ 1800 fps) I use in my Marlin don't make the energy, and even if they did would be over pressure for this rifle.
This the search for a larger case to lower pressures. What about one of the larger Sharps cartridges, .45-90 or .45-120?

 

[Woodcarver]

WC,
Since you live in Colorado, you might contact this gunmaker who actually wrote the book on building DRs on shot gun actions. He is W. Ellis Brown in Ft Collins, Co. http://www.ellisbrowncustomshop.com/

That is the gent l was referring to, thanks. Just haven't gotten around to calling him yet. Not sure he would do it or not, but that's what email is for. I have a copy of his book around here somewhere.

 

[One Day...]

The only person I trust with double gun work these days is JJ Perodeau - superb.

JJ Perodeau Gunmaker

+ an enthusiastic 1

I'm looking to get my .45-70 Pedersoli Kodiak chambered to .450 NE, and regulated, and would like suggestions on who to talk to about this.

Hmmm...

Gift of truth, if you are willing to accept it. Beware of low-cost Italian rifles, especially those specialized in reproducing low-pressure historic rounds. The steel involved is generally not appropriate for higher pressure applications... You would not be the first one to learn this the hard (and expensive) way...

If memory serves (?), the .45/70 operates at 28,000 PSI, cordite loads for the .450 3 1/4" operated at 34,000 PSI, and modern loads for the .450 3 1/4" can generate as much as 44,000 PSI.

You may want to think hard whether spending hard earned dollars on a double that will last 100 rounds, or one that will last 100 years...

As to .450 #2, I used to have one. Great cartridge. Darn near impossible to find ammo or brass though...

 

[crs]

.45-90? Why did you not ask?

My 1886 .45-90 has taken, ele, buff, leopard, etc in Africa and buffalo and deer, etc here in the US.
It can definitely do the job, driving solids at 2100 fps. through ele heads and into the body. All broadside shots on buff Shot through.

Maybe you can have Ellis extend the chambers of your .45-70 DR to handle the .45-90.

 

[freefall]

What sort of pressures do your .45-90 loads generate?